I went to the doctors a few times because I had pains around my heart. They told me I was fine. Then I had to get some information from the doctor in order to apply for housing. It said on this information that I had had a myocardial infraction, I did not know what that was, so I googled it. My doctors already scares me, now even more so. What to do? It may seem, that a different doctor, or a solicitor would/should help, but I doubt it very much, they all sing from the same hymn sheet I'm afraid. I'm left bereft of ideas. O apologize if any 1 thinks I'm pity seeking. Pity is of no use to me, and I doubt, you have any ideas that may help, but I see no harm in trying

So the DR said you had a Heart attack and nothing was done about it? That doesn't sound right.

Sounds like you need a new Dr and a check up. Tell the new Dr your concerns. Hope you have great ins.

hello r2d ... I cannot imagine a doctor withholding a diagnosis from you . Chest pain itself does not necessarily indicate a myocardial infarction ., though it is often a symptom. Did you have any other tests or a hospital admission ? How long ago did you have the MI? Were you unwell with anything else at the time ?

Chest pain is usually assessed with an ecg tracing of the hearts rhythm ..
then a referral to the hospital for specialist assessment to determine the cause .,

There are several causes but usually the following abnormalities are responsible ...

1. occlusion of cardiac arteries
2. Faulty valves that control flow of blood through the heart chambersc
3. A conduction disorder with irratic dysfunctional heart rhythms

Commonly an angiogram is performed whch looks st the coronary circulation of the heart .. if an occlusion is found then generally open heart surgery is needed to rectify the problem . without treatment their is a risk of a fatal heart attack .

An echo which provides information on the size and function of the heart chambers and their ejection fraction ...how effectively they pumo blood

Sometimes it is possible to have a silent myocardial infarction or to have symptoms that mimic a heart attack .. it is possible that a small MI can occur and not be detected at the time and picked up later with incidental testing . If an irregular rhythm or high blood pressure was responsible then those are treated with lifelong medication . It is important to rule out occlusion and valve problems which a specialist can do .

My advice would be to see your doctor .. or another doctor ...and have a new ecg .. .if warranted ask for a specialist referral and check the state of your hearts circulation and conduction systems ., know the medications you are taking and the side effects . Assess your risk of a further heart attack .. Look at lifestyle and risk factors including your diet .. weight /body mass index .. exercise .. stress.. .. alcohol / smoking pattern and if others in your family have had cardiac related health issues

Hope this helps

Where do you live R2? Is it a small town with few doctors. If you live in or near a city, you should have a lot more choices in hospitals to go to.

You do know 'other conditions' can give you pain around your heart, right?
Heart attack signs may include pain or discomfort in the left, right or both arms or in the shoulders, elbows, back, neck, throat, lower jaw or stomach.



GERD and other gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers, muscle spasms in the esophagus, a gallbladder attack, and pancreatitis can all cause chest pain and other symptoms that mimic those of a heart attack or angina, a crushing type of chest pain caused by decreased blood flow to the heart.



Given your admitted mental condition and the paranoia that accompanies it you may have experienced a severe panic attack.

Oh, let me add that you should never ignore chest pain.
Best to find a dr that is willing to look.
If your dr is not willing to look, get a different dr or a second opinion.
Better to err on the side of caution.

I Think your comment is unnessary tom .. he did say the diagnosis was on information his doctor provided . Which sounds like the MI is historical . Regardless , it is still a serious condition and one which should not be treated lightly .. paranoia or not

What drove my response was information and consideration, not an attack.

I had a co-worker with high stress that went to hospital over a heart attack and the dr misdiagnosed it as a heart attack.
He paid and went thru a bunch of tests at the insistence of one doctor and it turned out to be a stress panic attack.

Stress can lead to heart problems but my focus is on the fact that if the dr is not doing anything and is not concerned, get a second opinion.
I also suggested to consider his mental condition, that he admits to suffering from, could be causing panic attacks.
If his dr know his mental condition, that could be why he minimalizes the attack. Get a second opinion from a dr that does not know he suffers from paranoia. what that dr finds will be independent and not guided by patient history.

In any case, whether it is painic attack or heart problems, adopting a lifestyle of lower stress can't hurt.

It is very easy to diagnose a myocardial infarction. ., serum troponin . Is a first line blood test and an ecg will show ischaemic changes . Usually both are done before any further testing . When it comes to the heart my personal preference would be to exclude a cardiac abnormality than to overlook it . . Which is a beneficial test result .

As for misdiagnosis .. What generally happens when someone presents to ed with chest pain . The doctors will do a differential diagnosis for chest pain whch will include an MI . This means an MI has not yet been ruled out . Diagnostic test results are used to confirm a diagnosis . The sooner this happens the sooner anticoagulant and cardiac initrope therapy can be commenced .

Stress and panic without a doubt can cause chest pain . But the only way to be sure is to exclude other factors .

Thanks Tom and Blondey.

I'm a mechanic, never worked a day in a medical environment.
I do understand the condition of paranoia.
I know that heart problems do leave signs when they happen.

My dr has told me that I show evidence of multiple minor heart attacks.
It doesn't mean that everytime I have chest pain, I'm having a heart attack.

For someone that has a medical condition prone to panic attacks and a mistrust of their doctors, it would be prudent to seek out an independent diagnosis.
I mean, this is serious as a heart attack, literally.

Another thing to consider is that he is desribing this in an after-the-incident report.
Meaning, it is not an ongoing condition.
He didn't say I am going to the doctors for chest pains, he said I went to the doctors a few times for chest pain.
The issue never came up until he applied for housing.
Any dr that is a dr is going to tell their patient of heart problems found during a test. Its not something that just appears on a housing application form that the patient has to google to find out about.

I'm not trying to be offensive but sound reasoning dictates certain considerations.

I believe he had a panic attack that left signs of a MI but his dr ruled out immediate concern based on patient history.

Thank you all. I don't think it was a heart attack. It was and is just a mild but sometimes persistent pain. However your right to include the mental diagnosis, its not a panic attack I don't think. But the fact I have that diagnosis means I have similar rights to that of a child. I'm not allowed access to my medical records and such. I found out not on a housing form, but a brief set of notes from the doctor . the housing said they needed something from a doctor. I did have a cardiogram, but I asked the nurse how long the sticky things would be on for, if I remember correctly, she said around 30 seconds, they were on for around 5 seconds. I also had another 1 done in India, where they said everything was fine, but I'm sure there's something going on. They're not telling me the whole story. A different doctor is not possible unless I go to another country, which I've tried. They all want certain information and once they have that, they always play the my hands are tied card. Its not possible for me to see a doctor without, them pushing certain buttons, stuff like blood pressure, think king Louis asking Mowgli about the red flower. If I were to say that, they'd act dumb, and tell me I was hearing voices. Personally I think this is also a bit of a ruse so I go and see a solicitor. They're trying to tie up any loose ends. Like for instance, I managed to get a hold of my life's general practioners notes, that said I had an
adverse reaction to haloperadol, when I was given it once as a child. I was given this numerous times, when I was older and sectioned. They came into my house at night and took my copy of this away. I hate doctors.

Here, consider this, its your life. If you feel there is a problem, you should have it looked into. If the dr is worth a hill of beans he is going to advise you correctly. See, doctors are not like politicians, they tend to actually care about their patients.
You might not hear what you want to hear but 9 times out of 10 you are going to hear what you need to hear.
Why take chances with your life?
I mean, if you die from a heart problem its you that is doing the dying.

You should also know that paranoia can cause stress that can lead to heart conditions and stress can kill you too. I know because I fought the stress problems.

You may think that your options are limited but there are people that truly care about other people. The trick is not giving up till you find them.
Have a lil faith and trust in your fellow man.

Thank you Tom, your words are kind and wise as always and you talk a lot of sense and speak the truth. But the doctors are different here than to America. And the truth is , if they tell me the truth, they will be struck off, so they're not about to throw their career away because of me. Plus then they'll be placed on a blacklist not unlike the black spot in the pirates of the carribean. Its all very

LOL, I deal with the VA healthcare system, I know where yer comin from.

You're right tho, I don't know your specifics and I don't really need to know.

I just ask you to consider that all the other people in your country have doctors they trust.
You may be seeing things from behind a self-imposed exile related to your disability.
I don't know that, I only ask you to consider the possibility.

I understand that life from behind your eyes is scary.
Its a very difficult thing to find bravery all by yourself.
You should know that you are not alone in this and others can understand what you are going thru.
If you are worried about your health, you have to find it in yourself to search and find someone you can trust. You can't give up no matter how hard it may seem. Afterall, your life may depend on it and who is worth fighting for if not yourself?