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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Can I Cure Chest Pain?

hi,i am female aged 66, very hospital shy , i experienced bad chst pains late pm yesterday, felt like someone was crushing me, pain was across my chest and seemed to go below it to top of stomache and through to back, also felt like a drawstring was being tightened round me. i felt very sick and nauseous, breathless and weak and scared. it lasted for about half an hour, i was too ill and scared to call ambulance . it wore off significantly with great belching . I got myself up to bed, but the long slow climb upstairs and getting myself to bed started it up again, but not quite so severe, i laid in bed on my back with feet on a pillow, vague recollection of having heard that somewhere. it must have helped as i dont even remember falling asleeep, time then must have been after 10pm. I woke about 2am, covered in perspiration , feeling very weak and clammy but no pain. today i feel like i have no strength at all, feel quite poorly. i have been ill with a virus recently and am on last few days of Amoxycillin 500mg TDS, at present as i had chest infection, i also had 6 prednisilone to take daily,ended yesterday. i got up at 10am today, went downstairs and made a cup of tea, i am so weak and wobbly, had to go back to bed, stairs took it out of me, i slept till 215pm, i got up to toilet,coughed up large clot of olive coloured phlegm with very dark red blood in it, i have coughed couple of lesser amounts up since. I dont want to call a doctor out at 3pm, or bother anyone, i was so ill and weak and drowsy earlier on that i just couldnt stay awake or focused enough to get any help, just kept falling asleep. I feel wiped out through writing this lengthy stuff to you, and I thank you for your time and patience. I cant have had a heart attack surely as I got no medical care and I am still here. I am on warfarin for life and for over 20 years, for recurrent P.E. and DVT.I quite level headed and sensible, not given to panic or to dramatics , and I do feel better than i did earlier on, and no chest pain now, that experience was horrendous, I have never experienced anything like it. I h\a\ve a haitus hernia, and have had P.E. x 3, so i know pain in that area, but this was so different, not a sharp pain, just more like a truck had trapped me into a wall, can you please advise, I hope I have given you enough background information, thank you
Fri, 4 May 2012
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hello annhill1945,

I am greatly concerned that you have had an MI (heart attack). Women experience atypical symptoms when having a cardiac event. It is possible to have a heart attack and survive without medical intervention, however, the damage to the heart muscle continues without care and could become life-threatening.

I understand you are on warfarin, but even so, it is possible to have a heart attack even while on this therapy.

You could also have contracted a case of upper respiratory illness or pneumonia. But with looking at your symptoms, I would certainly want to evaluate you for a heart attack as that is more serious and life-threatening.

Please go immediately to your local emergency room or call EMS for transporation to the ER. I would prefer you call an ambulance, this will allow you to "go to the head of the line" and not have to wait for care.

I understand your "phobia" but this is a serious incident and I do not want you to wait to see if it will get better on its own. Please, go to the ER.

Be well,
Dr. Kimberly
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How Can I Cure Chest Pain?

Hello annhill1945, I am greatly concerned that you have had an MI (heart attack). Women experience atypical symptoms when having a cardiac event. It is possible to have a heart attack and survive without medical intervention, however, the damage to the heart muscle continues without care and could become life-threatening. I understand you are on warfarin, but even so, it is possible to have a heart attack even while on this therapy. You could also have contracted a case of upper respiratory illness or pneumonia. But with looking at your symptoms, I would certainly want to evaluate you for a heart attack as that is more serious and life-threatening. Please go immediately to your local emergency room or call EMS for transporation to the ER. I would prefer you call an ambulance, this will allow you to go to the head of the line and not have to wait for care. I understand your phobia but this is a serious incident and I do not want you to wait to see if it will get better on its own. Please, go to the ER. Be well, Dr. Kimberly