Pulmonary Embolism Support Group
By far the most common form of pulmonary embolism is a thromboembolism, which occurs when a blood clot, generally a venous thrombus, becomes dislodged from its site of formation and embolizes to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, pain during breathing, and more rarely circulatory instability and death.
Okay I had my PE quite a while back. (Aug 2007) and I still occasionally get chest pains. I had my heart checked out about a year ago and they didn't find anything that they thought should be causing my pain and no one seemed too concerned about it so I got tired of telling people (drs) when my chest hurt because nothing really helped. I also learned as long as I kept my heart rate below 180 when exercising that I wouldn't get bad chest pains. Some times I get them even if it doesn't get that high.
Anyways, the other day all the other gym equipment was taken except the stairs so I decided I would try them. I wasn't paying attention to my h.r so I have no clue what it was but my chest started hurting really bad (I would say like I was having a heart attach but I've never had one but it is how I would think it would feel) and I got dizzy and faint. I sat down in the locker room for 10 minutes and the dizziness got better and the chest pain got bearable so I went back and walked on the treadmill but my chest started hurting even walking slow and my hr was in the high 150's just slow walking. I decided to stop and go home.
My chest hurt bad for 3 days after that and then it progressively got better each day. I'm still not back to normal (no chest pain or pressure) but these spells usually last about 2 wks. I thought I was over these spells it had been a while.
Anyways my doctor is concerned even though I told him that this is pretty "normal" for me to have chest pains. Im not worried maybe I should be but its just I have had tests done on my heart and it was fine a year ago. Does anyone know if it is EVER NORMAL to have any chest pain? I am going to see another cardiologist (I moved) in a few weeks. My doctor said once we rule out heart problems he can do a lung function test and also they can do a monitor on me for the few days after I work out really hard to see whats going on. BTW I just casually mentioned the chest pain to my doctor and he really got upset about me being so casual (i went to the doctor for a killer sinus infection and just thought i should mention the chest pain to him}
I'm sorry this is soooo long I just wanted to see if anyone else still had chest pain this far out and if their doctors were concerned.
Anyways, the other day all the other gym equipment was taken except the stairs so I decided I would try them. I wasn't paying attention to my h.r so I have no clue what it was but my chest started hurting really bad (I would say like I was having a heart attach but I've never had one but it is how I would think it would feel) and I got dizzy and faint. I sat down in the locker room for 10 minutes and the dizziness got better and the chest pain got bearable so I went back and walked on the treadmill but my chest started hurting even walking slow and my hr was in the high 150's just slow walking. I decided to stop and go home.
My chest hurt bad for 3 days after that and then it progressively got better each day. I'm still not back to normal (no chest pain or pressure) but these spells usually last about 2 wks. I thought I was over these spells it had been a while.
Anyways my doctor is concerned even though I told him that this is pretty "normal" for me to have chest pains. Im not worried maybe I should be but its just I have had tests done on my heart and it was fine a year ago. Does anyone know if it is EVER NORMAL to have any chest pain? I am going to see another cardiologist (I moved) in a few weeks. My doctor said once we rule out heart problems he can do a lung function test and also they can do a monitor on me for the few days after I work out really hard to see whats going on. BTW I just casually mentioned the chest pain to my doctor and he really got upset about me being so casual (i went to the doctor for a killer sinus infection and just thought i should mention the chest pain to him}
I'm sorry this is soooo long I just wanted to see if anyone else still had chest pain this far out and if their doctors were concerned.
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Look at what my best friend did with my picture!
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We all have 24 hours in a day. How we spend these hours is important. Watching a little bit of a video about how sitting affects us made me aware of how much sitting and laying down I do. Gonna have to work on that.Your turn. Tell me another truth.
I started acupuncture for the chest wall pain 1 month ago and have had 2 treatments- it is much better and lasting longer with less pain the 2nd time. This Dr.-who is an anesthetsiologist and an acupuncurist - tells me I have regional pain syndrome in my chest. Anyway-it is worse if I exercise or sing in church or talk a lot.
I am going to start a class tomorrow night from a respiratory therapist about a breathing retraining program -it is called the buteyko method-named after the russian doctor who developed it -I will let you know if it works.
I am still very exercise intolerant. So, you are not alone. I wonder if a lot of us who experience pain long term haven't been left with the chronic hyperventilation syndrome -a PE is a perfect set-up to get the vicious cycle of pain, anxiety, more pain, rapid breathing started. Then your body gets used to a higher than normal CO2 level and then you are stuck breathing the wrong way unless you do something to break the cycle. I also experience chest apin -have had the heart work-up too -I do have a tacchy-arrythmia(fast beat) that is controlled with a heart medication. But still get mysterious chest pain at times -still is scary sometimes -when are you supposed to get worried, and when are you not? You are off coumadin -no, lovenox-I think you had to be on -aren't you? What you are experiencing doesn't mimick another PE does it? Please take care of yourself -you are so young, and thanks for all your help when I was the new one to this. Blessings, Teri
My PE was in Sept 07 and I still get twinges, sharp pains and weird feelings occassionally, but not shortness of breath.
I don't know if it's normal to have chest pain, but I think there's just lots of things that can cause chest pain: acid reflux, gall bladder, muscle pain, lung issues, etc. I was recently diagnosed with costochronditis (I may have flubbed that spelling) which causes chest wall pain. And the way to diagnose it is by running all kind of tests to make sure it's NOT your heart, like a chest X ray,EKG, stress test, echocardiogram, etc.
Good to get all the tests, even though it's a headache.
I have run to the doctor, the emergency room etc..to check it out and it is always determined non cardiac and never another clot in the lung that was detected.
I purchased a swimming pool to help build me pulmonary endurance and I still cannot walk and talk at the same time. THe MD did pulmonary function test as tells me there is little damage.
My day to day life would disagree.
We will NEVER SURRENDER... ;)
So with PE, is there such a beast as PTS (Post Thrombotic Syndrome)
my turn to ask the questions.
see http://lifeafterdvt.forumotion.com/post-thrombotic-syndrome-f39/
big story made small, the damage done to veins and valves due to the clot.
Basically, DVT part deux (that's french also...)
I have gone through the same nonsense with this. Prior to the P.E.,which was Feb. 2008, I was very healthy, worked out,etc. My clot was believed to come from excessive airline travel back and forth overseas.
I have had the same problems you are experiencing, which is very frustrating to say the least. I still get chest pain, shortness of breath, my body is just out of sync in general since the clot. I have had numerous test completed, lung function V02 max was somewhat abnormal, but nothing to worry about, stress test,etc. All have only revealed that I am absolutely healthy.
However, it was confirmed through another breathing test, that I have developed asthma as a result of this clot. Which is somewhat great in a weird way, because now I know that I am not imagining being short of breath. So, anyway, I now carry an inhaler and continue to workout like usual, as some of the others have said, my Doc thinks I may have chronic fatigue syndrome.
As for all the other weird pains, chest pain,etc. When I feel them, I have just gotten to the point of saying whatever,I wasted alot of my time worrying that I was dying, something was horribly wrong,etc. Now, I look at this like, I was really lucky to survive and try to make the most of everyday I still have. This was a scary event, It doesn't matter how tough you are, it really does a number on you.
I hope you feel better, things will hopefully get better over time. Take care,
Boxerman74, I know how you feel about the diagnosis being a relief. I complained about the pain and tightness in my chest for months to the doctors when I lived in Corpus and nothing so I finally quit complaining because it wasn't helping. A yr later when I was still having problems I told a new doc and amazingly he took me serious and then sent me along. SO yes I am glad to know that I'm not a hypercondriac (sp) I was beginning to think people would think that.
Hugs
Ferr