Just wondering if any of you have chest pains due to fibromyalgia? I've battled this for years now but not ran across anyone else who could relate. Sure could use someone to talk to that understands what I'm talking about.

Blessings,

Cissie

Cissie12,
I'm sorry you're having chest pain. What kind of pain is it? Sharp? pressure? Stays with you or comes and goes?

I have fibro and chronic fatigue. I was having bad chest pains (intermitten - came and went) and my doc put me on a 24 hour EKG monitor (would take random readings and if I felt the pain I would push a button and it would take a reading) and also a 24 hour BP device.

Found out that I was having some heart issues and because the device tells you the time the EKG was taken, I was able to correlate what activity(s) I was doing at that time. They give you a little book that you write all of your activities down in - where you are & what you are doing.

I found out that my heart muscles react to certain chemicals as I had the episodes when exposed to printer ink, everytime I drove past a factory in my town, or I was using household chemicals, pesticide and bleach.

Now I avoid as many synthetic chemicals and my chest pain is gone. Except I have the pain when I drive by that dang factory still or I get into pesticide or herbicides being sprayed near me. I was diagnosed with (chemically induced) tachycardia and bradycardia.

I don't know if this helps you at all, but I would have my doc check it out. My chest pain was sharp and also have a heavy pressure in my chest, sometimes I could feel my heart skip a beat, but most of the time it was the pain and pressure.
Really Cissie 12, I'd go to your doc and get that checked out really good to rule out any heart issues.

Does it hurt when you breathe or bend forward? If so, you might have what I have... ankylosing spondylitis. It affects any joint or tendon. And yes, there are joints and tendons in the chest.

I've been flare free for about a year! My gluten free/dairy free diet, vit. D supplements, fish oil and sulfasalazine (prescribed by my rhuemy) have done wonders.

I used to get it flaring up in my chest about once every 3 months. My rhuemy says AS usually exhibits as fibromyalgia in females, although it can lead to fusing.

Thanks for your replies! The thing is I've told my doctors and have had EKGs done along with stress test. Actually how I was diagnosed with fibro. was because of chest pain! I've been told that most likely these pains are from the fibro. but due to such a strong history of heart problems I get scared thinking "what if they are wrong"!??? A while back I tried to work out on my dh's workout machine and had 2 sharp stabbing pains instantly in my chest and have been scared to try it again! The pains I seem to have on a reg. basis feel like pinches mostly. Sometimes they are in my ribcage area and other times in the middle of my chest between my breasts. Then other times I hurt in the upper top part of my breast! Almost like these pains move around. See it's confusing... I seem to feel like I have gas pain most of the time as well. A few years back I explained to the doctor that it's like I'm "aware" of my heartbeat and he told me it's palpitations. I still have them pretty much all the time. IF this is just the fibro. then I'm thankful but like I say, I want to be sure cause it keeps me stressed and worried big time. You see I'm the youngest of 12 children and so far I had a brother die due to the doctors saying his heart exploded and he had an undetectible condition. He was only 42 when this happened. He was under a lot of stress, went and got into a warm bath to soak and try to relax, was having severe pain in his back but thought it was due to rods in his back that were to be taken out, next thing we knew he had died in the tub. To this day I get scared even thinking about taking hot baths at times!! Sorry I know I sound silly I guess but this really effected me. Then my sister next to me had a stroke and died. She had what they said was an un-operable heart condition where part of her heart was dead. I'm not that familiar with the medical terms so forgive me of any ignorance cause I'm going on what I was told. That sister had just turned 60 yrs. old. THEN out of the rest of my living siblings I've had 3 brothers and one sister who have had bi-pass surgery and recently my sister had to have stents put in her heart. From what we know my Dad died of a heart attack, was middle of night when he passed and we chose to not have an autopsy done. He was 72 yrs. old. Sorry this is so long but thought if I explained more in detail you might understand why this scares me so much. I believe I have reason yet I don't want it to CONTROL me!!! I also battle pain in my back, shoulder blade area, but of course as they say fibro. effects us all over so hopefully that's all it is as well.

Thanks sooooooooooo much for listening! You know I've asked on fibro. boards if anyone else has chest pains and was treated like I was nuts for even asking. Not kidding... When the doctor told me he believe it's the fibro. causing my problems it was really confusing. I realize the heart is a muscle and fibro. attacks our muscles but how on earth do you know for sure it's just the fibro.!?? Whew, what a mess...

Nancy, no I've not noticed any problems as you describe when bending forward.

By the way they have me on Wellbuterin for fibro. and I do believe it helps, depression wise I know it does, yet I seem to get nervous tics from it and even wonder if the constant shrugging of my shoulders could be causing my chest pains? Mercy I know I sound like a mess here but I'm just spilling my guts in hope for maybe something ringing a bell with you all! Other than that, I'm really a happy person. lol I have a wonderful supportive husband, a new home and am in the process of us adopting children.

Any comments or suggestions I'd appreciate. I pray that your health improves...

Oh good heavens, hearts don't explode! God, doctors treat us like morons sometimes. My own brother died at 50-something from an aortic anyeurism, which is what Jon Ritter died from. It is something that they'll never catch if they're not looking for it, and it rarely has advance symptoms. It is a very bad ripping pain, from what I have heard. It affects mostly men though. When my brother died of it I discussed it with my doctor and he had me undergo an ultrasound of my aortic artery and it was fine. Thing like untreated high blood pressure make it worse and it is a genetic defect. My Dad had one too, but he lived to be 86 years old and died of something else.

So if you're worried, find out what your brother really died from and if it is something like that, get yourself tested so you can put your mind at rest.

Have you seen a rheumatologist for the fibro? Have you been tested for autoimmune diseases like lupus or rhuematoid arthritis? I'm lucky that my rheumatologist is very good and diagnosed the AS. I found out about the gluten intolerance on my own and got tested for that, they're definitely all linked.

Well, I wish you luck and hope you can find a good doctor, they're so few and far between!

Hmm so I guess I was told wrong. Thing is I have to rely on my other siblings for what info. I get. Due to my dh being military I am no longer near where I grew up. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

No I've never been to a rheumatologist, maybe I need to try to see if I can get approval through our insurance to schedule an appointment with one. When we were in Va. I did go see a specialist of fibro. but had to stop going since my insurance would not cover it and the sessions were sooooooo expensive! As for gluten intolerance, yeah I've pretty much figured that out on myself as well. I knew something had to be linked to my diet since last time I went on LC it was like all the fibro. pains completely went away and the old me came back physically! I was actually on the floor doing head rolls where the winter before I was in so much pain I was pretty much bedfast. No exagerating here... I was! Okay gotta ask, what does AS stand for? When you tell me I'll probably smack my head and say duh! lol

Thanks for your wisdom and suggestions Nancy!

It's a rough one to learn to spell.

One symptom that is real common is you hurt when laying in bed, when you get up it goes away.

Hi Cissie,
I totally agree with Nancy. Since your current doc doesn't seem to take it seriously I'd go to another doc. If your insurance won't cover a rheumatologist, call around for other docs who treat fibro. Even if you get in to see a rheumatologist be sure to ask them how many patients she or he has treated for fibro.

We moved around a lot, too. And after getting the pat on the head and 'go shopping you'll feel better' routine a couple of times, I found it saved money and my feelings if I call and ask them how many pts they treat for fibro and chronic fatigue. Generally I speak to the nurse or someone who had been there a long time and one time that person actually recommend another doc in their building. One of the docs that helped me the most was just a GP because she saw so many pts with fibro.

But however you do it, Cissie 12 I'd get it checked soon. Not to be alarming, but you do have a family history of heart disease and historically docs don't take women's heart issues as seriously as they do men. You'll feel better just knowing what it is. It's that not knowing that creates so much worry and fear.