to want dh to go to the doctors with a pain in his chest?

[VeronicaMars]

What is the story with men who won't go to the doctor when there is obviously something wrong.
Dh had a pain in his chest on Thursday and it had eased by the evening (just as I got home from work). He said it was a twinge on Friday and he thought it must be a muscle. Anyway he was up at 6 this morning and it was quite bad (qoute 'I thought I was having a heart attack') but it has eased again and he won't go to the doctor today. He says he'll go tomorrow but I know he's putting it off. He is under a lot of stress at the moment and his dad had a massive heart attack at 42.
Am I panicking? I feel really worried.

Tell him if he wpn't see a dr today you will ring an ambulance.

With the family history of early heart problems he certainly needs to be checked out. But if I were you I would downplay it to him - he's probably scared shitless and doesn't want to hear bad news. Be as casual and practical about it all as you can - and remember, he could just have pulled a muscle. Maybe getting him to ring NHS Direct would be the first step - doesn't seem quite as serious as ringing the doctor, IYKWIM.

Please make sure he does, my father did this (he too had a massive heart attack at 42), he started with chest pains and I heard him groaning in bed (my Mum was at work). He STILL refused to see a doctor and in the end I rang an ambulance. Had I not, he would have died 30 minutes later at home. Please make him go and if not, do as ledodgy says and call an ambulance.

yes, I would actually call an ambulance now.

NHS Direct will send an ambulance Hassled, they do automatically with chest pains. They did it for me last year when I had them. Maybe ringing NHS Direct is a way to downplay it Veronica, they will most probably send an ambulance anyway so ask him if you can call on his behalf?

Yes my dad had chest pains for a week, groaning etc and wretching he refused to go to hospital. He died on the Saturday afternoon please make sure he sees someone. Better going to find out its nothing then not going and finding out it is something too late.

TBH if it was my DH I would get him to A&E and certainly ring an ambulance if he started to feel any worse. He needs to be checked over by someone ASAP by the sounds of things.

Maybe he has just pulled a muscle but I wouldn't risk it, especially with the history of family heart problems.

Just to say any pain in the chest should be checked out by a doctor.
If you call NHS Direct as soon as you say chest pain they will phone an ambulance for you.
I worked for ambulance service until recently. Unless protocola have changed any chest pain has to go to hospital.

Does the pain get worse when breathing deeply?
Does the pain go anywhere else? Arm, Back, Side, Neck?
Ask your DH to score his pain.
0 being no pain 10 the worse he can imagine. Anything over 4-5 get him to A&E for an ECG.
Do you have any Aspirin in the house?
Give him a tablet, on the safe side. Aspirin is a life saver.

Hope it is a muscle and not his heart.

Obviously I meant protocols

Even if his pain has completely eased? I think he is the one playing it down. We are in Ireland so no nhs, but we have health insurance. I'm going up to see how he is. He is very stubborn. Pain is in the middle of his chest, not running down arm. Does this make a difference? He thought is was really bad indigestion at first but obviouslt not.

Get him to the doctor or call NHS Direct at least.

FIL nearly died last month when he refused to let MIL call one an ambulance when he was having a heart attack.

In the end her and her sister bundled him into the car and took him to hospital.

Dh's Grandad also died from heart attack so I watch DH like a hawk and would do something immediately if I felt it was necessary.

Middle of chest pain can be a concern. That is where a pain of a heart attack can be felt. I'd ring an ambulance now tbh or go to dr asap. Why leave it to see if it get worse?

Yes, please do it, it is worth him being a bit annoyed!

You could phone the out-of-hours doc, have a chat with the nurse and see what she recommends. It sounds quite like a trapped nerve or pulled muscle in the back (I get this and it can feel like intense pain in the heart area). Phone the doc for peace of mind if nothing else.

Just noticed the family history bit! In that case I would say it is vital that you phone for help/advice!

TBH I think you ought to ring an ambulance now.

see here

Even if it is not traveling down his arm he could still be have been having mild heart attacks which will be damaging his heart muscle and could lead to a big one.

It may of course turn out to be nothing but please do not do what my mum did and let him convince you not to get help. She was left widowed and her 15 year old dd was left without a dad. it is not worth the risk imo.

Have you seen the advert about chest pain, saying "doubt kills, call 999"?

I wouldnt go calling GP or out of hours or NHS direct but just call and ambulance.

an

Just go to A&E. I would waste the phone call to the docs. They wont come out for CP. They will all tell you to go to A&E.
Get him in the car. He will be seen quickly. An ECG, stickers across the chest, which will show what his heart rhythm is doing. Painless.
A blood test, to check his hormone levels, any heart muscle damage throws of chemicals which are picked up by the blood test.
An Aspirin.
A prescription for GTN, to take when he gets the pain again.
Because he will get the pain again and next time it might be to late to get his heart fixed!
I dont want to worry you but CP is never nothing.
Dont give him a choice.

Sorry for all of your losses.
He says it's eased now but I am going to call the out of hours doctor although I know he will be annoyed with me.
Mild heart attacks damaging the heart muscles, that's very frightening.
I will post an update later.
Thank you all so much for your quick replies.

Good luck. Dont worry about DH he is probably scared/terrified. Inset which ever one fits
Let us know later how you get on.

Thinking of you both.

Well done, and good luck!

I'm sure he will be pleased that you called them, in the end!

Just to add for your information, if it is cardiac (heart), the sooner it is treated the better.

If there is a blockage to the blood vessels that bring blood to the heart muscle, this will cause pain, (like your arm going to sleep after lying on it), if it continues, the muscle will die from lack of blood supply. This will lead to that part of the heart not working. Depending on which part, the heart can go on functioning or be badly impaired.

If clots are treated early, this damage can be completely prevented or minimised. Unfortunately once the musle is dead, there will be no pain from that area anymore, so you don't know it's damaged, but the heart will function less effectively. An ECG will show any damage.

If it is not his heart, at least his mind will be put at rest (and yours) because stress will do no one any favours. Please get him checked, especially with his family history - at the very least he will have a check of his current heart status. How old is he?

Best wishes