High sodium diet, no exercise, stress taking its toll.

[Individual]

Over the past few days, I've been having chest pains which are apparently due to some kind of mild cardiovascular dysfunction. At first I thought it might be an ulcer or gastritis, because I had been drinking a lot of caffeine. However, I'm certain that's not it, because I've felt a slight pain along my left arm (a sign of heart-related pain).

It doesn't feel like my heart itself is in pain, but rather, my upper arteries -- my aorta and pulmonary artery. Throughout the day, if I get stressed or excited, I can feel the pain getting worse, but when I relax I can feel the pain subside. So it feels sort of like the chest pain from anxiety, except the pain is stronger than normal, has lasted much longer, and I don't feel any anxious emotions, whatsoever. Breathing and swallowing food doesn't affect the pain at all, so it's not my lungs or stomach.

What do you recommend for good cardiovascular health?

[cooran]

Hello Individual,

Have you seen a medical specialist and had any tests?

with metta
Chris

[Individual]

Hello Individual,

Have you seen a medical specialist and had any tests?

with metta
Chris

I thought somebody might ask that.

I do not have healthcare and cannot afford to see a doctor based on mere suspicion.

In the past, I saw a dermatologist because of a couple odd moles, and both turned out to be benign (one was a dermata fibroma, the other I never heard what it was because they had to send off a sample for testing) -- benign moles that cost $300 to examine.

I can hardly imagine how much an ER bill would cost, in order to do an EKG, blood test, urinalysis, plus the cost of a doctor's consultation, a bed, and food. And that's just for one day. Staying for several days would multiply the cost.

[cooran]

Hello Individual,

I am so sorry - Australians have a free public health system, and free ambulance system. The main problem are the waiting lists for elective surgery. We can have private insurance if we wish and get some services quicker and use private hospitals.

I am not a doctor, but I work for the Health Department in this State. We have just had an intensive campaign to alert people to the signs of a heart attack. Most people really don’t know. These are the fridge magnets that were distributed to households:
=========================================================================
Will you recognise your heart attack?
Do you feel any pain, pressure, heaviness,tightness
In one or more of your
Chest, neck, jaw, arm/s, back, shoulders
You may also feel
Nauseous, a cold sweat, dizzy, short of breath
If YES
1. STOP and rest now
2. TALK tell someone how you feel

Are your symptoms severe or getting worse OR Have your symptoms lasted 10 minutes? If you take angina medicine – take a dose of your medicine – Wait 5 minutes. Still have symptoms? Take another dose of your medicine. Wait 5 minutes. Symptoms won’t go away?
If YES
3. CALL 000 (or your area Emergency number).
Ask for an ambulance
Don’t hang up
Wait for the operator’s instructions.
============================================================================
Is there someone home with you whom you can confide in? Do you have any drop-in free clinics?

with metta
Chris

[Individual]

Is there someone home with you whom you can confide in? Do you have any drop-in free clinics?

Yes to the first question. No to the second question -- to the best of my knowledge anyway.

[Ytrog]

Hello Individual,

Have you seen a medical specialist and had any tests?

with metta
Chris

I thought somebody might ask that.

I do not have healthcare and cannot afford to see a doctor based on mere suspicion.

In the past, I saw a dermatologist because of a couple odd moles, and both turned out to be benign (one was a dermata fibroma, the other I never heard what it was because they had to send off a sample for testing) -- benign moles that cost $300 to examine.

I can hardly imagine how much an ER bill would cost, in order to do an EKG, blood test, urinalysis, plus the cost of a doctor's consultation, a bed, and food. And that's just for one day. Staying for several days would multiply the cost.

Do you live in the US that you don't have healthcare? I would say that the money would be well spend if this suspicion would turn out to save your life.

[Dan74]

Hello Individual,

I am so sorry - Australians have a free public health system, and free ambulance system.

Not in Victoria, it isn't. My wife called one a few months ago after a playground accident (I was on a retreat) and a few weeks later we got a bill for $940.

When I mentioned this at work, an older colleague told us that a friend of his had a heart attack last year, and apparently as he was lying on the floor clutching his chest, he just groaned "don't call the ambulance! don't call the ambulance!"

[Khalil Bodhi]

Individual,

Living in the US I know how ridiculous our health care system is but it sounds like angina pectoris which could be serious. If it happens when you take caffeine you might want to consider cutting it out of your diet. Also, if the pain doesn't subside after resting or the attacks begin to occur in the absence of a trigger such as caffeine or stress or becomes stronger and lasts longer than 15 minutes it could be a precursor of a heart attack and require immediate medical attention (you would need to call 911). But, since I'm not a doctor (I'm just a nursing student at present) I can't give you any better advice than to seek medical advice form a doctor or NP. I don't know where you live but aren't there any free clinics in your area? Also, there are government subsidized healthcare programs other than Medicaid/Medicare.

In terms of what you can do, well, you know the answers. Reduce or eliminate caffeine, work with your stress, get exercise and improve your diet. The devil is in the doing. I wish you luck and please let us know what you decide to do and take care of yourself.

Metta,

Mike

[David N. Snyder]

What do you recommend for good cardiovascular health?

1. See a medical doctor!
2. If you are feeling really bad, like it is a heart attack, go to the ER, the money thing can be worked out later!
3. Follow the physician's advice, take any necessary medication.
4. Once you are well and back in shape then work on prevention:
5. Eat more heart healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, soybeans, etc., less animal protein
6. Do aerobic exercises, such as stairclimbing, running, swimming, bicycling, elliptical machines, etc.
7. Take it slow at first without pushing too hard and listen to the physician's instructions and advice

[BubbaBuddhist]

Call the health department about getting into the free clinic. If you have a serious health concern they will probably work with you.

J

[Individual]

Call the health department about getting into the free clinic. If you have a serious health concern they will probably work with you.

J

But chest pain is the most common reason people go to the ER?

I found this place:
http://www.proyectosalud.org/programs_and_services.php

Local government programs either won't pay for specialty care (i.e. a cardiologist) or require me to have a few kids.

[Hoo]

Hi Individual,

Get to a doctor or ER is the best information here, IMO.

I have something very similar to what you describe. I've been to the doctor a few times and have been lucky that mine apparently is not heart-related. Mine is related to my posture (I tend to slump forward) and as has been mentioned by serveral here, caffeine, weight, activity levels, etc.

Some things that help mine are sitting more erect so the rib cage isn't compressed, cutting back on caffeine, eating more balanced meals and watching that I don't overeat, etc. I also took up Qi Gung to build in simple stretching into my exercise.

Endurance/flexibility exercise also consists of walking half a mile, three times a week, and some Nautilus workouts at light weights. It isn't much, but it's more than I was doing at age 62

I hope yours isn't heart-related, either, so these are just suggestions you can try. They aren't suggestions that can replace medical attention and advice.

Hoo

[BubbaBuddhist]

The health department has a variety of services for low-income individuals. When I lived in Tennessee there were also clinics staffed by volunteers who worked with people who had jobs, but were uninsured. When I was a "job shopper" in the engineering field, this was the best health care i ever received, and among the most affordable. But you have to call them and ask, and sometimes be quite persistent. Also try the department of human services.

Not all chest pain is cardiac related. I have a hiatal hernia which, when it causes esophageal spasms, gives many symptom of a heart attack, including pain in the neck, shoulder and sometimes arm because it presses on some nerve in the torso. Once I had such agonizing pain I was sure it was a heart attack. i went to the emergency room and they said a fold of stomach lining had gotten pinched in the hiatal hernia and my stomach sphincter muscle had spasmed and clamped down on it. Yes, it was as painful as it sounds. they gave me a cocktail of a numbing agent, antacid and some kind of muscle relaxant and twenty very long minutes later everything sorted itself out. Panic attacks can also cause some people to think they're suffering from cardiac conditions. The thing is to get to a clinic and see exactly what it is and not take advice from a bunch of Internet people, much as we like each other and enjoy each other's conversation and advice,

[cooran]

Hello Individual,

I am so sorry - Australians have a free public health system, and free ambulance system.

Not in Victoria, it isn't. My wife called one a few months ago after a playground accident (I was on a retreat) and a few weeks later we got a bill for $940.

When I mentioned this at work, an older colleague told us that a friend of his had a heart attack last year, and apparently as he was lying on the floor clutching his chest, he just groaned "don't call the ambulance! don't call the ambulance!"

Heyya Dan,

That is shocking! I didn't realise it wasn't Oz-wide.

Emergency ambulance services are free to all Queensland residents.
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/emergency/#What

You need to lobby your MP so that Victorians have the same basic rights as Queenslanders.

with metta
Chris

[Ben]

Hello Individual,

I am so sorry - Australians have a free public health system, and free ambulance system.

Not in Victoria, it isn't. My wife called one a few months ago after a playground accident (I was on a retreat) and a few weeks later we got a bill for $940.

When I mentioned this at work, an older colleague told us that a friend of his had a heart attack last year, and apparently as he was lying on the floor clutching his chest, he just groaned "don't call the ambulance! don't call the ambulance!"

Heyya Dan,

That is shocking! I didn't realise it wasn't Oz-wide.

Emergency ambulance services are free to all Queensland residents.
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/emergency/#What

You need to lobby your MP so that Victorians have the same basic rights as Queenslanders.

with metta
Chris

Hi Chris

You might recall when I fell from a horse some years ago, I had two ambulance trips and 3 hospital visits within 24 hours.
The bill from the ambulance was over $3,000. Fortunately, it was covered by our health insurance.
kind regards

Ben

[cooran]

Hello Ben,

Yes! I remember that. hmm...

O.K. …. I looked further into it. Apparently Queenslanders DO pay via The Community Ambulance Cover levy which is collected by electricity retailers and suppliers as below. Currently it is $109.05 per annum spread over all the accounts for the year.
http://www.ambulancecover.qld.gov.au/general.shtml

Sorry to drag this off Individuals’ health issues


with metta
Chris

[Annapurna]

Hi Individual,

sorry to hear you are not feeling well.

Your situation could be a harmless malfunction, perhaps due to stress, caffeine and perhaps a lack of magnesia, but also symptoms of a heart attack. Then your condition will get worse if you don't get proper treatment.

If you take my advice, go and turn yourself into a hospital on the spot. Worry about the money later.

I heard from Americans this summer that the reform was unnecessary because poor people always get treated for free.

Perhaps Americans can tell you more here, since we have mandatory health care, and only have to worry about -nothing actually.

Try to drink liquids, preferrably isotonics. Stay well hydrated. If you can get a hold of magnesia, supplement, but i would recommend seeing a doctor immediately.

I hope it is just a short phase of unwellness.

My best wishes.

Annapurna

[Annapurna]

Hi, to give you an idea what prices are in our healthcare:

Short counseling: 8,20 Euros.

20 minutes 16.40....

resting ECG: 27, 83 Euro...

[Individual]

Today, I don't feel so bad. I think I had a bad reaction to all the caffeine I had been drinking. Now, I'm having headaches, but the chest pain is mostly gone.

I heard from Americans this summer that the reform was unnecessary because poor people always get treated for free.

This isn't true. Some states offer more or less healthcare benefits than others. Federally (the national government), there are programs, but they're limited to children, the elderly, and the disabled. I think that emergency room care may also be covered if the patient is unable to pay for it, but advanced medical procedures and preventative care are not covered. If you break a leg and need surgery, they will stabilize your condition and then send you out the door with a broken leg.

Try to drink liquids, preferrably isotonics. Stay well hydrated.

Actually, this is bad advice because drinking a lot of water can raise your blood pressure.

[Annapurna]

Today, I don't feel so bad. I think I had a bad reaction to all the caffeine I had been drinking. Now, I'm having headaches, but the chest pain is mostly gone.

I heard from Americans this summer that the reform was unnecessary because poor people always get treated for free.

This isn't true. Some states offer more or less healthcare benefits than others. Federally (the national government), there are programs, but they're limited to children, the elderly, and the disabled. I think that emergency room care may also be covered if the patient is unable to pay for it, but advanced medical procedures and preventative care are not covered. If you break a leg and need surgery, they will stabilize your condition and then send you out the door with a broken leg.

Try to drink liquids, preferrably isotonics. Stay well hydrated.

Actually, this is bad advice because drinking a lot of water can raise your blood pressure.

"Well hydrated" means drinking enough, but not too much. Not overhydrated. Middle path. Nothing bad will happen then.

However, if you don't drink enough, it has very bad effects on your blood.

Coffee is not a perfect liquid, (as you may have learned) so I suggest isotonics, juices or water...

Glad to hear you are feeling better.