Hi,
I am wondering if anyone has info on the Heart, or problems with "Phanthom pains" .
My father has a pacemaker and has had open heart surgery in 1971.
He has just has his Gallbladder removed thinking that it might be the answer, but wasn't and he has been experincing pains that feel like a heart attack, but more like shooting pains the heart ,wall area ?

I am trying to find some help ion this issue, if anyone has maybe something close to his please let me know.

Thanks,
Valerie

Hi Dolfinz,

I would strongly suggest that your FIL go see his cardiologist as soon as possible. I have heart disease and had a heart attack two years ago with a stent being put in. He shouldn't hesitate to get it checked out. It's possible that the pacemaker needs replacing or something in that order but nonetheless, try and convince him to get it checked.
Love,
Linda

Sorry about that Dolphinz, I just realized it's your father and not your FIL. I apologize!
Love,
Linda

Hi there.. He has seen every Dr. he has a great Cardio, and they say it is NOT the heart. But the pains are around the heart area. I was told the Pacemaker couldn't be removed once in place ? I was wondering about chest wall inflamation??

That is very possible. I had that once and I hurt so bad and thought I was having a heart attack at the time and actually went to the ER. But, ER doc said it was chest wall inflamation. So, it's very possible he has that. I am sorry as I know the pain and it really hurts. It hurt almost as bad as when I did have my heart attack. Good Luck to all of you.

Love,
Linda

Thanx for the insight, I still feel it is the chest wall also maybe aggrivated somehow... It is so hard for my Dad because he lives in Fl and I am in Mass. But, I thought I would try to see if anyone elase suffers or heard of this..

a lot of possibilities for this pain.

The cardiac one is the most obvious. But following gall bladder surgery, many
people get sluggish duct and bile flow, as a side effect. The spasm of the duct can feel like it is referring to the heart area.

Also some gall bladder patients are prone to gas, and sharp gas pains can be very confusing too. A trial of Gas-X may help, to eliminate this possibility.
People vary in their tolerance to certain foods, following gall bladder surgery. And also large meals can be very problematic. High fat, and garlic seem to be the most common mentioned to me over the years.

So it is best to check with the doctor...since many possibilities exist for your
FIL.

Take care.

Hello, Valerie,

As I was reading your post, Tietze's Syndrome came into my head and that your father's chest pain may not be phantom at all.

Tietze's Syndrome is presented as chest pain from damage to the chest or inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs. The pain mimics cardiac symptoms, even to the extent of traveling down the arm and up into the jaw in some people, so in almost every case, it is misinterpreted as cardiac pain or a heart attack. When nothing cardiac can be found, the patient is frequently dismissed with, "It's in your head," or "phantom pain from the surgery." In the process, the patient is scared half to death with cardiac-like pain and no answers.

It can be a one-time inflammation that resolves itself or a chronic problem without inflammation readily evident. What struck me even more in your father's case is the cardiac surgery he had, which involved cracking open the sternum and retracting the ribs. If ever there was a trauma to the chest, that one leads the list.

I'm surely not a doctor or a diagnostician, but I thought this might be something to consider in your relentless search for answers. My guess is that an orthopedic doc was not on the referral list, and that's the one I'd start with if I were in your position.

I hope you find some answers.

TCC

The pain can be coming from myofascial trigger points (knots in the muscle and or connective tissue) in the chest.
Take a look at the following link
http://www.triggerpoints.net/_sgt/m1m1_1.htm

Front of Shoulder Pain
Specifically: Sternalis, Scaleni, Pectoralis major (2nd picture), and Pectoralis minor.
You can try to push lightly with one finger tip on the areas with the X and hold for 30 seconds to see if this reproduces the pain. If so hold until the pain reduces. You may also seek out a qualified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist or trained massage therapist.

Good luck.

Hi all.. Pain free, thanx for the link also,Cyrstal thanks Ihave checked into that.
There is an update and more to the story.
My father suffered a fall off a short ladder 2 months ago, had a head injury ( did CAT and was neg. bad contusions and shoulder pain of course !)
Well, yesterday, He saw his Cardio and the Ortho: the shoulder pains is a torn Rotator Cuff: BUT, the Phantom Pains have been there before this fall, and this fall just aggrivated the chest, arm, pains.The Cardio swears it is not the heart causing the pains. He does still have dizzy spells from the fall. (to be expected)
I know I am reading into alot becasuse he is my father, but I am the only one (Child) and being so far away (not for long) makes me crazy.
He was one of 10 of the first in the country to have Open Heart Surgery perfromed at Mass. General in Boston(1970: 27 yrs. old ) and they told him that he wouldn't live much longer than 10-15 years back then.. Wonderous how we have all made strides in that area, my dad is still alive and he is strong...