heart question for nurses, doctors, ENTs, etc.

[ShadowsPapa]

I had decided already to not tow to this weekend's huge every 3 year show and swap event (due to Covid, it's been FIVE years this time). But was still going to go, load up the truck, take some restorations up to deliver to customers, pick up more work to do and buy a bunch of parts - it's where AMCs were made so the city has a lot of "AMC garage sales" - many NEW parts from when people there worked at AMC.
Got a few things added back to the new truck, putting my straps back in under the back seats, installed the bed rails.
Then my wife said I needed to go to the doctor today. Monday terrible heartburn. Monday night was a rough night sleeping. Woke up Tuesday and it hurt like @#$% eating and drinking. Swallowing was painful. With the work I've been doing I knew the muscle pain in my arm was just that.
Today still hurts to eat and drink and swallow. My back hurts really bad all the way left to right, from the middle down. Stairs really hard, can't bend over easily (25 pounds would help resolve that as my wife reminds me)

I was complaining about having trouble eating lunch and how my back hurt so bad (different than the lower left pain of normal times) and how I was tired. My wife said "go get Yawnie's meds then you go to the doctor yourself".

So I did. I was shocked when they took me right back to a room and said "they'll bee right in". Like, I'm not dying! And I explained to a nurse I'm sure I'm fine............. and she again said "they'll be right in".

So a doctor I've seen before there when my normal doc was off or busy came in and asked all the right questions about what hurt and where, tapped on various spots, and asked "do you burp when you stand up" and I said yeah, and the hiccups hurt like hell when I stand up.........
She said "I think it's reflux but I'm ordering an EKG, they'll be right in to do that".
They did, said the doctor will be right back to read it.
So the doctor returned, looked at the EKG and grabbed my arm said "Sometimes things happen for a reason. I still think it's reflux and I'll prescribe something for that, but I'm sending you to a heart specialist."
Huh?
She said that she didn't have a prior one to compare to so she didn't know how long it's been going on but something was causing pressure on (and I forget her exact words - like left side or right side or whatever of the heart).
I said you do have a comparison - in March I had my initial Medicare wellness check and they did an EKG for a baseline. She found it and said - that one was fine/clean/normal.

Anyway, she said it's not uncommon for those things to run together - I think she meant the reflux or esophagus issue and heart thing?????

Anyone know what's up with that and why one could even possibly be a reason for them to check further?
I mean - ya go in for a problem with extreme pain swallowing food or drink (really bad) and they want to check the heart.

Now I'm curious as heck - but they were busy.

I could be wrong - but I believe the doctor is Indian (meaning of India heritage) and her comment "sometimes things happen for a reason" and just her actions reminded me of others I've known from the area.
Maybe just imagining it.

Anywho - what's the connection between the problem I went in for and the heart and what's it mean "something is causing pressure on xxxxxxx side of the heart" ??

Oh, she seemed to hint that I should stick around home and wait for a call and her comments made me ask - I have a trip planned a 6 hour drive to Kenosha Thursday, stay up there and come back late Saturday.......
she said she'd suggest I change my plans.
Ugh - really?

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[kevman65]

Not any of what you're asking for, but have been through the procedure.

From my understanding, a lot of the "pains" for both mimic each other. So they run their tests. If anything comes back abnormal, they go into conservative mode and want to make sure.

May be nothing, may be something that's just showing up.

So, probably cancel your travel plans.

 

[Gren71]

A LOT to unpack there so ill do my best.

To start heartburn / acid reflux / gerd are all common as we age and neglect our digestive system. A simple fix instead of taking the med theyll prescribe is looking at what causes your discomfort and trying to take that out of your diet. Usually fats and acids cause it for most people. So bacon and black coffee may not be the breakfast of choice.

Back pain associated with cardiac (heart) chest pain is an indicator for ischemic ( lack of oxygen) changes to your heart and can help lead to a timely diagnosis. Just like you use certain findings in a car to diagnose a problem, medical folks use physical signs and “complaints” to lead us around.

Without seeing the ECG its hard to really put a pin on what the doctor meant by pressure on the xxxx side of your heart. A short list..

- prior myocardial infarction ( heart attack )
- plural effusion
- aneurysm
- Arteriosclerosis
- lung problems (if you were / are a smoker)
- arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm)

There’s a mess more better and worse options. But thats just a few.

As far as the doctor saying “Sometimes things happen for a reason “ it’s a regular finding in medicine, especially emergency or urgent care medicine, that the initial complaint has nothing to do with a more significant finding that goes along with it. Sort of like how your car will have a blinker go out but really that’s an indication of a bad battery or alternator.

At the end of the day it’s good you went and got seen because heart damage is irreparable and if they found something else that needs to be addressed it could’ve been way worse the longer you waited or ignored it.

As soon as they give you more information, actual names of what their thinking is happening, or a legitimate diagnosis. I would immediately start reading as much as you can on it. Unfortunately medicine is thrown at a lot of people and isn’t always the answer. So just like anything in life it pays to be as well informed as possible

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I've had 3/4 of one cigar in the 80s when a friend's wife had a baby and he handed out cigars - I don't think any of us finished 'em.
I've had pneumonia twice - first time I passed out in HS and ended up in the hospital, was told back then it would make me more likely to get it in the future and leave scars. I've had trouble catching my breath when really exerting myself since but it's not been a huge issue. The second time I was not feeling the best and looked at my fingers and they were blue around the nails.

But other than that - no smoking, etc. Automotive work, farming and all that goes with that.

 

[Hootbro]

Follow the doctors advice and follow through on the recommendations of checking with a heart specialist.

About 4 years ago, I went to see the doctor for what I thought was just run of the mill heartburn and found myself being carted off to various heart specialist to wind up being diagnosed with a left bundle branch block.

Eventually found myself getting a defibrillating pacemaker device implanted that saved my life as I was told I would have probably been dead within 6 months to year had I Ignored it.

Do not shop the internet looking for something to fit your wanted narrative and get the testing done that is recommended.

 

[kevman65]

Follow the doctors advice and follow through on the recommendations of checking with a heart specialist.

About 4 years ago, I went to see the doctor for what I thought was just run of the mill heartburn and found myself being carted off to various heart specialist to eventually wind up being diagnosed with a left bundle branch block.

Eventually found myself getting a defibrillating pacemaker device implanted that saved my life as I was told I would have probably been dead within 6 months to year had I Ignored it.

Do not shop the internet looking for something to fit your wanted narrative and get the testing done that is recommended.

^^^^^^
This

Us stubborn old farts have a hard time that we ARE stubborn OLD farts and don't always know what's going on.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Follow the doctors advice and follow through on the recommendations of checking with a heart specialist.

About 4 years ago, I went to see the doctor for what I thought was just run of the mill heartburn and found myself being carted off to various heart specialist to wind up being diagnosed with a left bundle branch block.

Eventually found myself getting a defibrillating pacemaker device implanted that saved my life as I was told I would have probably been dead within 6 months to year had I Ignored it.

Do not shop the internet looking for something to fit your wanted narrative and get the testing done that is recommended.

I have my wife to thank for "suggesting" (strongly), that I go to the doc today.
She's not one to run in for every little thing but that danged woman's intuition or whatever......

I looked at the possible things that can cause the symptoms and figured I'm to the point just get it figured out and don't waste time on it, wife was right - find out what it is and be done with it.
This last May entered into it - being that down for that long, totally exhausted all the time, and things just said don't mess around. Even "heartburn" often enough is damaging and with my ENT history, I thought it nothing else maybe this could point to a cause for other stuff.

I have about 8 boxes of finished restorations I was going to deliver, 3 guys said they had money for me, others said they were sending more work back with me - and the chance at hard if not impossible to find parts otherwise - that's enough to give me heartburn!

I have every intention of following through and listening to the doctors. I asked for her opinion on going anywhere for a reason.

After so many years in the same body, you sort of get to a point when you know something just isn't right.
This was one of those times - naw, this isn't from eating too much Korean red sauce.
And I have noted the last couple of years some of the experiences of the forum members here and have noted some of the occupations. There's some health smart people here, genuine life-savers.

 

[kevman65]

Plus, all the years you've worked on vehicles, some of them as old or older, you've been exposed to some nasty things that can cause nasty things to happen.

My big two are asbestos and lead, in the pipe fitting game I've been exposed to both.
Not to mention all those lovely chemicals ending in "ene" at the refineries.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Plus, all the years you've worked on vehicles, some of them as old or older, you've been exposed to some nasty things that can cause nasty things to happen.

My big two are asbestos and lead, in the pipe fitting game I've been exposed to both.
Not to mention all those lovely chemicals ending in "ene" at the refineries.

I've worked in enough old buildings to have seen what you have dealt with - the pipe insulation, the leaded joints in those cast pipes.

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