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Chest pains

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
Hi all.

For the last couple of weeks I've been getting sharpish pains in the left side of my chest of varying intensity, normally during exertion or stress. I have a history of a high heart rate, which has never really been fully investigated, I've had a few ECGs but that's all. Each time I've had the pain I've felt my heart beating faster. I also have a history of asthma.

Normally, I would just go to my GP, but recently it's been very hard to get in with the same doctor. So I have to just go see any one and although a couple of them are very attentive, some of the ones that don't know me are very dismissive. I think they look at my history, see how often I was going there before my diagnosis and surgery and decide I'm either a worrier or want attention. So if I'm going to go, I need to be armed with questions I want answered and checks I want carried out.

I just wondered what your thoughts were, its not bad enough to warrant a trip to A&E but I know it shouldn't go unchecked. I cant change GP because the only other practice in my area is even worse than this, I was under it as a child and you'd have to wait 2-4 weeks a time for appointments, emergency or not

Any input is greatly appreciated, I feel somewhat like I am fussing over nothing at times.
 
Aww no.. I hate chest pains. I used to get it all the time.

My GP advised that they can do a 24hr monitor.. and you wear it at home. Because ECGs only check for that moment in time..
What was your ECG results? (Mine were always normal) and just like you, I get some palpitations too.
They advised I had an inflamed chest wall. Which, since I have been on sulfasalazine (for my joints) I havent had any chest pains since.

So I would request a 24hr monitor :)
Also.. I had a bone scan.. which found some damage to my breast bone as well as my ankles/feet.
 

DJW

Forum Monitor
Hi Nicola. Girl, you've really been going through it lately. I'm sorry but I'm not much help on this one. Just want to send you my support and hope for some answers.
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
Aww no.. I hate chest pains. I used to get it all the time.

My GP advised that they can do a 24hr monitor.. and you wear it at home. Because ECGs only check for that moment in time..
What was your ECG results? (Mine were always normal) and just like you, I get some palpitations too.
They advised I had an inflamed chest wall. Which, since I have been on sulfasalazine (for my joints) I havent had any chest pains since.

So I would request a 24hr monitor :)
Also.. I had a bone scan.. which found some damage to my breast bone as well as my ankles/feet.

Thanks, the ECGs have always been elevated but the rhythm was regular, so it wasn't skipping beats or anything like that. Did you have any other symptoms? I sometimes feel like I can't breathe as fully as normal, it's not hard as such, just feels like it haults if that makes sense, I always put that down to asthma though.
Do you think the chest and joint pain were connected then? I suffer with joint pain all the time at the moment!

I will certainly ask about the monitor. Thankyou!
 
Well it was complicated.. I honestly dont know whats connected or not. I just think I have an inflammatory issue that plays havoc with many parts of my body. Oh the joys of being undiagnosed

I think I know what you mean about the "halting" I dont have asthma.. but it feels like my chest is a bit tight.. but not tight!? I cant describe it.. almost like my chest has lessened its capacity.
I
I dont know about you.. but when the pain hits.. it feels like the whole area behind my left breast.. not the breast itself.
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
*Hugs* totally know what you mean, I was undiagnosed for a long while, it's so frustrating.

Yeah that's what I mean, it's sort of tight but it's different to the tightness of an asthma attack.

Yeah it definitely feels like it's behind the breast, not in it, and at times it can sort of take my breath away.
 
I go through this every summer shortness of breath chest pains especially on the left side I was diagnosed with silent reflux and started prilosec 40mg daily. There's been no connection made but I'm convienced that my Crohn's and acid reflux are linked because its always worse when I'm not on my Crohn's meds then as soon as they start kicking in the pain and shortness of breath is gone?? Idk good luck and I hope this helps a lil
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
I do get heartburn as well, but it doesn't seem to be connected, the heartburn is always at the centre of my chest, the pain is the left and a different sensation. Do you take anything like ompeprazole or zantac and does it help the pain? Im currently on zantac which is helping my heartburn but not the pain.

I agree though about the connections, they should look into it at least, thankyou for your answer
 
For me when I started taking the prilosec after about 2 weeks my pain in my chest reduced drastically but as I'm typing this I can feel the same dull pain and shortness of breathe my physician says that's my silent reflux coming up and affecting my upper respitory and causing my weird annoying symptoms? My Crohn's dr says its my Crohn's causing the indigestion?!?!? Lol who knows but all I know is treating both of these sea to be working for me right now. Also summer times for me are awful for my Crohn's flaring up almost like its seasonal and I've learned that no pain or symptom is off limits for Crohn's being the main culprit behind them. I hope this has helped a lil
 
Also before I started taking my prilosec and entorcrt (Crohn's meds) I went to the er several times do to awful chest pains and shortness of breath after taking the meds I was prescribed the symptoms were greatly reduce so that leads me to believe that it has to be a Crohn's, inflamation, acid reflux thing. Some good advice is to be totally open with ur doc every detail even if ur scared cause usually the symptoms that seem so scary to u r normal for ur doc and easily treatable.
 
Just wanted to add my 2 cents. Chest pains is what started all of this for me. I went to the ER many times, had an echocardiogram, stress test, halter monitor, and at the time came back with anxiety. Except that also when my "anxiety" would act up I would usually immediately get D afterward and then feel EXHAUSTED and drained. One thing led to another and finally after a suspected appendicitis I just last week had a CT scan showing 6cm portion of my ileum to be inflamed. A colonoscopy confirmed Crohn's and I just started entocort.

However the chest pains remain to be one of my most frustrating symptoms. Sometimes it is round my back as well in the back of my ribs just feels like someone is sticking a knife in and out but not quite the sharp just very uncomfortable. It happens behind my breast bone and under the left side of my lungs as well. I also feel short of breath and like if I take a deep breath it will catch with a sharp pain. Sometimes the pains are sharp and right in the center which of course throws me into a panic. And it isn't always after I eat either, though usually I need to evacuate and shortly after the pains do go away. I finally talk myself down now, and don't go to the ER, but they are scary and do cause me a lot of anxiety.

A long with this weird things like being very cold with blue lips and shivering, tingling and numbness in hands and feet. A lot of muscle and joint aching especially during my period. I have had most things checked to the point it is now falling "neatly under the Crohn's" category, but I don't know.
 
when my DD was in the hospital 2 weeks ago to get a transfusion (severe anemia), she was asked about chest pains, and she had a few during the admission process. they were worried about anemia causing heart issues, so they did a couple of chest xrays on her. once the anemia was under control (transfusion), her pains stopped..

makes me wonder with the others posting here - since DD is on iron supplements, and her anemia is well controlled now, and blood levels are climbing -- could you guys be more anemic than you realize??
 
I can't speak for them, but I know my levels are higher and I am doing better. I was anemic and they were TERRIBLE while I was. now levels are up and chest pains are less but still present. I just feel like it is possibly chest wall inflammation or something. I'm not sure.

But that's a good thought

when my DD was in the hospital 2 weeks ago to get a transfusion (severe anemia), she was asked about chest pains, and she had a few during the admission process. they were worried about anemia causing heart issues, so they did a couple of chest xrays on her. once the anemia was under control (transfusion), her pains stopped..

makes me wonder with the others posting here - since DD is on iron supplements, and her anemia is well controlled now, and blood levels are climbing -- could you guys be more anemic than you realize??
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
I was thinking maybe its a stress thing, but then last night and this morning it's happened again when I've just been sat doing nothing at all, with nothing really on my mind, so who knows.. When it happens I don't really react to it other than to make sure I keep my breathing slow and steady, since sometimes worrying about it makes chest pains worse.
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
when my DD was in the hospital 2 weeks ago to get a transfusion (severe anemia), she was asked about chest pains, and she had a few during the admission process. they were worried about anemia causing heart issues, so they did a couple of chest xrays on her. once the anemia was under control (transfusion), her pains stopped..

makes me wonder with the others posting here - since DD is on iron supplements, and her anemia is well controlled now, and blood levels are climbing -- could you guys be more anemic than you realize??
I've been anaemic on and off since my early teens, sometimes severe sometimes mild. I recently had it rechecked and the first doctor I saw said I was aneamic again, but when I went back a different doctor said I was fine. I'm pretty convinced that the second doctor was reading older results though since the newest ones were on a different system to what she was using. I have a blood form to get it rechecked with so will be doing that soon.

Even if I'm not aneamic now, do you think the years of anaemia maybe left some residual effects? Would explain my fast heart rate (currently 125) .
 
I've been anaemic on and off since my early teens, sometimes severe sometimes mild. I recently had it rechecked and the first doctor I saw said I was aneamic again, but when I went back a different doctor said I was fine. I'm pretty convinced that the second doctor was reading older results though since the newest ones were on a different system to what she was using. I have a blood form to get it rechecked with so will be doing that soon.

Even if I'm not aneamic now, do you think the years of anaemia maybe left some residual effects? Would explain my fast heart rate (currently 125) .
I don't know,... makes me wonder though. DD never had chest pains before this saga started, and her pains didn't start till after the end of June -- when we knew she began getting anemic to begin with.. It's worth a look into.:hug:
 
Hey ValleysAngel,

I was just about to ask a similar question, then I spotted your thread. I am not experiencing chest pain, but more shortness of breath. It's not that bad that when I walk around I can't breath, it feels more like I can't take a full deep breath.

It's quite hard to explain it's like taking a breath of air just doesn't feel satisfying.

I am in the midst of a flair, currently on Prednisolone until I start Humira.

So just wondering if Pred might have something to do with it.

Sorry if I in anyway hijacking your thread, that was not my intention and I will be happy to start a new thread instead to ask the question.

Thanks,

Cam
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
I will look into it, i'll get the bloods done as soon as possible, since I have other symptoms of aneamia anyway ( tiredness, dizzy spells, headaches)

Cam129, Im not taking any medication for crohns at the moment, so i know that my pain isnt medication related. Have you ever been checked for asthma? Just thats what it feels like for me if my asthma is playing up. I know the feeling I'm getting now is different to that of asthma though.

You might find it useful to start your own thread just because people can then give you help that is tailored to you and focuses just on your symptoms and the potential causes.
 
Yes sorry I can't help with your question, although I have had chest pains in the past and had an ECG, it came back normal and was left as that.

I tend to not go to the Dr's, as with any symptoms I have I normally just put it down to the crohn's. The shortness of breath is probably nothing to worry about anyway.

Again sorry I can't be more useful.
 
I've learned to never be surprised by what Crohn's can affect and the symptoms they bring along with them. Inflamation can be anywhere in the body and were inflamation is pain is as well so treat the Crohn's first then work from there and a lot of the times chest pains and shortness of breath is a symptom of silent reflux it's a condition were u don't really get heart burn but its acid coming up and spilling into ur vocal cords and into ur lungs that causes the problems but my reflux as triggered by my Crohn's so as I treat that the other symptoms SLOWLY work there way out
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
My crohns has been treated I had a long course of steroids, and recently had surgery. I understand that crohns can affect many things, but I honestly dont think this is directly crohns related, more a result of a complication like aneamia or something else entirely.

I also have a condition that causes high levels of calcium in my blood which can be linked to rapid heart rates, so maybe thats causing more problems than my doctors thought since i was originally told it wouldnt affect me.
 
I wasn't suggesting that your symptoms was as a result of Crohn's. I do know that chest pain can arise due to a lot of reasons, so just make sure you get checked out.

I was saying that I usually put everything down to Crohn's which is the wrong thing to do and I should follow the advice I would give to others, to get checked out but I just never do.

I am not sure about Calcium, have you had any other symptoms, pain in your arm or anything?

It could be down to Anxiety, as it cause a multitude of symptoms. I have heard often about people getting symptoms when they are not worrying or under stress, it can be tricky like that.
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
I wasn't suggesting that your symptoms was as a result of Crohn's. I do know that chest pain can arise due to a lot of reasons, so just make sure you get checked out.

I was saying that I usually put everything down to Crohn's which is the wrong thing to do and I should follow the advice I would give to others, to get checked out but I just never do.

I am not sure about Calcium, have you had any other symptoms, pain in your arm or anything?

It could be down to Anxiety, as it cause a multitude of symptoms. I have heard often about people getting symptoms when they are not worrying or under stress, it can be tricky like that.

I was responding to the post after yours, not your one
 
Some time ago I had the sort of issues you're describing, went thru full cardiac workup, and eventually found my gall bladder to be the culprit. At least, that was the diagnosis, it was removed, and the chest pains went away. Just a thought, mind you.
 
OK.

Have you tried having a look at WebMD, it will show you possible causes for your symptoms. It may give you some possibilities to ask you Dr about.

Gall bladder is on the right hand side, although you feel the pain in the left side of your chest, doesn't mean that is where the problem lies. In many cases it can be something called referred pain.

For example many heart attack victims won't actually have chest pain, but feel neck or shoulder pain.
 
Lower left chest pains and pains in the center of the chest and shortness of breath is very very common symptoms of silent reflux which is much more damaging and bothersome cause the symptoms don't seem like regular heart burn symptoms but for me I waisted a lot of trips to the er and had to undergo several test to eventually come to the point were I was treated for silent acid reflux by taking prilosec every day. It has taken a while to get my symptoms under control but as of right now it's a thing of the past. Also prilosec takes a while to start working and longer to heal the damage caused by acid reflux so if u ever do start taking it regularly don't give up on it it takes time
 
Also Zantac and OTC prilosec never helped my chest pain. Prevacid OTC worked good but prilosec 40mg seems to be working for me now
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
OK.

Have you tried having a look at WebMD, it will show you possible causes for your symptoms. It may give you some possibilities to ask you Dr about.

Gall bladder is on the right hand side, although you feel the pain in the left side of your chest, doesn't mean that is where the problem lies. In many cases it can be something called referred pain.

For example many heart attack victims won't actually have chest pain, but feel neck or shoulder pain.

I don't like webmd. If you type in most of my symptoms it comes up with cancer or heart attack and tells you to seek urgent medical attention, and won't let you get much further.

I know you can get differed pain but with a gall bladder the pain is usually very severe and you would get some more specific symotoms .
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
Lower left chest pains and pains in the center of the chest and shortness of breath is very very common symptoms of silent reflux which is much more damaging and bothersome cause the symptoms don't seem like regular heart burn symptoms but for me I waisted a lot of trips to the er and had to undergo several test to eventually come to the point were I was treated for silent acid reflux by taking prilosec every day. It has taken a while to get my symptoms under control but as of right now it's a thing of the past. Also prilosec takes a while to start working and longer to heal the damage caused by acid reflux so if u ever do start taking it regularly don't give up on it it takes time

I will enquire about this but I'm not that sure it could be what I'm getting, since I don't know that it would affect the heart rate or the lack of ability to breathe as deeply .. It's not shortness of breath as such, more like the left lung just doesn't expand all the way.. and I have a feeling the three are connected, however I do have a history of not conforming to the norm so who knows.
 
Yes I know what you mean, I just thought it may give you some other ideas to ask your Dr about.

I wasn't necessarily referring to your Gall bladder, I just thought I would point out referred pain in case you was not aware of it.

Around when the pain first started, did you do anything out of the ordinary, any physical activities. I only ask as when I mentioned my chest pain, after the ECG, they said they wasn't sure but it could be due to a muscle. Although I could not recall a point where I would of strained a muscle.
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
If I do use a website I use nhs choices or patient.co.UK

I get it any time, I wasn't doing anything new at all, it doesn't feel like a pulled muscle or anything. I've had lots if ECGs, they are always high, tends to worry nurses that don't know me, but it's old news to me. It feels somewhat deeper than the muscle. I have been told before that sometimes the effort of the heart pumping faster can cause pain, it's not serious in itself if it is that .
 
Yes well it could be that then, your heart beating faster.

I mentioned about it may have something to do with a muscle, as I said when it happened to me, I had a couple other symptoms you mentioned, plus it also felt much deeper to me.

I don't know. Sorry I wish I could offer some better advice and I hope you get to see you Dr soon, to get it sorted out.
 
I know I'm being repetitive here but yes reflux does make ur heart beat faster it is anxiety due to the symptoms that make the heart rate increase and making shortness of breath a lot worse. The reason Im leaning towards this so much is because I just went through exactly what ur going through with the upper respitory chest problems and after all the test and time and money it came down to silent reflux try taking prilosec OTC 20mg 2 times a day or better yet tell ur physician that u wanna try a good reflux med and even if u don't feel immediate relief (u want) keep taking it and see what that does I suggest prilosec 40mg at first tell u get straighten out. And anxiety and worry makes the problems ur having a lot worse so as hard as it is try not to stress about it
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
I know I'm being repetitive here but yes reflux does make ur heart beat faster it is anxiety due to the symptoms that make the heart rate increase and making shortness of breath a lot worse. The reason Im leaning towards this so much is because I just went through exactly what ur going through with the upper respitory chest problems and after all the test and time and money it came down to silent reflux try taking prilosec OTC 20mg 2 times a day or better yet tell ur physician that u wanna try a good reflux med and even if u don't feel immediate relief (u want) keep taking it and see what that does I suggest prilosec 40mg at first tell u get straighten out. And anxiety and worry makes the problems ur having a lot worse so as hard as it is try not to stress about it
My heart rates been like this since I was young.. As I keep saying I don't think that's what it is in my case. I don't want to start messing with meds until I've ruled other things out and my doctors won't just give me meds without some form of testing first since the nicer ones know my history with my calcium. Yes reflux causes a slightly higher pulse but it won't cause a heart rate of 150 like I've had in the past so thankyou for your advice but I'd rather rule other things first.

I'm not stressed about it I just want to make sure it's not something which needs fast attention. I don't have any anxiety about my symptoms since I've got used to having a high heart rate. Most of the time I don't even feel it I've just been told to check it every so often and the hospital checks it at random times (they leave the monitor on me for a little while so I don't know when they are actually recording it) . It even happens when I'm asleep. I think I would benefit from the monitors the other user mentioned which show it over a period of time.
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
I should add that I've had the high heart rate and lack of capacity longer than the pain, and the lack of capacity doesn't feel the same as general shortness of breath which I'd recognize from being asthmatic
 
Acid reflux will give you chest pain and make you breathless.but any chest pain or breathlessness.Go To The Doctors!
P.s lansoprazole puts the fire out
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
I think mine were ok when they were last checked in hospital but that was about 2 months ago now so it wouldn't hurt to get them retested with my next lot of bloods. Thankyou.
 
I had a bad reflux night last night to the point I thought I was having a heart attack!!! It hurt all the way up to my ear!!! I took another prilosec and after about 30min or so it settle down but I can still tell today that it happend my throat and chest r still sore!! My thing is I can't find out the best time of day to take my prilosec I take so many meds for my Crohn's I can Hardly find a time of day to take it? I thank later in the day would be best
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
My tablets for heartburn say to take them in the night before bed. I'm on the high dose ones so only able to take one. This is because it's easier for the acid to come back up at night, so youre more likely to get reflux. The idea is the same in silent reflux.
If you take two tablets you may want to split the dose and take one when you get up and one when you go to sleep.
 
I wonder how long before the chest pains go completely away from reflux? Or if it ever well? I do good for a few hours then I get hungry and my stomach acts up and the pains r back but atleast with the prilosec there manageable were before they were so bad I had to go 2 the er. My theory on this is I've had reflux for as long as I've had Crohn's so it's gonna take a while to heal up but this is definetly a slow process. When dose ur chest hurt worse what time of day?
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
There isn't a specific time of day it's worse, it seems better if I lie down but obviously that's only practical if I'm at home. I have an appointment with my surgeon tomorrow which I want to get done first and see if they have answers back from pathology yet. Then if there's no answers there I'll go see one of my GPs and ask for some routine bloods to be added to my iron count and take it from there
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
Yeah I do. But it doesn't feel the same, with my asthma it's always both sides of my chest, and its more a heavy feeling than pain.. Like something is squeezing my chest. I have tried using my asthma inhaler for it before and it's not helped .
 
I wouldn,t mess about with chest pain even though your a young whipper snapper and its unlikely to be heart related get to the doctor
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
I wouldn,t mess about with chest pain even though your a young whipper snapper and its unlikely to be heart related get to the doctor
I have a hospital appointment tomorrow. I've had ECGs recently that were fine apart from being high, once I know what's going on with the crohns I'll be going back to my gp anyway since I need some bloods done. Honestly I'm not messing about.
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
Going to try and get in to the doctors tomorrow, one of my regular doctors is in the practice closest to me so hopefully I'll get in with her. Will write down all of the suggestions and ask her about each one. Will update on how I get on when I can.
 
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