Heart Attack?

[Kevin06]

Hello all,

Im a 20 year old male and Ive been having Pretty strong chest pains right in the center for 3 days, started out mild and have gotten worse... I was recently was in the hospital gettin checked for testicular cancer/or infection and I think I might have made a mistake of where the pain was coming from... they told me I just had epididmytis and gave me a antibiotic... The chest pain started before the medicine though so I know Its not it.

Anyways this pain is right in the middle of my chest and is getting worse, Im in decent shape, Run alot 5'11" 180 pounds.  For my chest to be hurting pretty constantly for 3 straight days Is this probably not a heart attack? My heart beat isnt really going insane it seems normal, they did check my blood pressure when i was at the doctor the other day but since my chest was barely hurting it wasnt really looked into much.  I am uninsured so This is why im really wondering what I should do. Last night My chest hurt pretty bad, burning and is still continueing to do so.  Im wondering if this is Just a infection and it will go away? Ive never heard of a 3 day long heart attack. Thanks for any help

[beckyanne74]

Nothing to mess with Kevin. My husband just returned home from having a massive heart attack. According to the tests and the doctors, he had been having them for weeks with little or no symptoms. He also had been diagnosed with pneumonia weeks prior so the symptoms he was having he passed off as symptoms of the pneumonia. It was until last Tuesday he really complained of the chest pains, but still refused to believe it was anything other than his lungs hurting from the infection. Long story short, the pains can last for weeks but then it could be too late. Due to waiting so long, 1/3 of his heart is "dead" and currently not beating but may recover in time... (like a cat with 9 lives they say).  Dont fool around. Oh and last Monday, 2 days before being admitted, he was at a follow up for his pneumonia and his vitals were normal then too.... Wasnt until the hooked him up to the EKG in the ER they realized he was having a heart attack. Good luck to you and dont take too much time trying to decide if it is an ER visit or just heartburn. Is there a history of Heart Disease in your family?

[Kevin06]

Well Ive never had heartburn in my life.  I am a bad eater though, which is why I run to keep in reasonable shape. I Just ran 5 miles 1 week ago from today with no pain anywhere.  The chest pain did start about a day before I went to the doctor before and it increased more dialy.  Even after I was told I was ok It still continued to increase until last night It was the worse pain I might have ever had, and now today The pain seemed to move over a couple inches and it seems a little different, less pain but more of a burning feeling. My vital signs and blood pressure were just checked at the hospital on saturday though. I was 128 over 70, which I heard isnt the greatest but not bad at all.

Again thanks all for reading and replying.

[Pum]

Could it be indegestion?  Is it when you are lying down after a meal?  Or it could be muscular.  Does a warm bath help it? Or it could be boring old anxiety.  You must have been freaked out about the testicular cancer scare and could have tensed up your muscles chronically since.

Good luck.  You're very very very young for a heart attack.

[Kevin06]

Thank you very much for your reply... I finally was able to get a few hours sleep and the pain is different now, not in the center of the chest anymore but A few inches to the left, and a much more burning type pain.  Im going to wait a little but longer And possibly go to the ER.

[Barbarella]

You say you are uninsured?  Don't let that keep you from getting medical attention.  Do you live close to a big city or in a big city?  If so, go to the ER at a teaching hospital there, they will not refuse people without insurance.  You might at first see a third year resident, but its always backed up by a real doctor before you leave the hospital.  If you need follow ups you will be seen in one of the clinics there.  I used to work in a teaching hospital and I know that they will NOT refuse medical attention for people without insurance.

Good luck!

[Buaidh No Bas]

You are right in thinking that it is highly unlikely to be a heart attack with the pain lasting 3 days. I would suggest going to either your doctor's office, or the local emergency (depending on how bad you feel the pain really is, and how quickly you might be able to get into your doctor. Keep in mind, your Doctor,if not a cardiologist will likely have to refer you to one or just tell you to find one...)

I have chronic cardiac chest pain. You may end up like me whereby they cannot specifically diagnose the pain, but at least they can rule out the most dangerous causes (pulmonary emboli/blood clots) and others, as well as help you with managing the pain, if you wish...

My advice is to get THOROUGHLY checked out, again if for no other reason than to eliminate the most dangerous things that could be causing the pain.


BNB