Husband having chest pains OR indigestion?

[ILoveJoeBrown]

Last few times we have been on strenuous walks (last one was yesterday), DH has to stop with chest pains and dizziness. However he has had what seems to be indigestion almost constantly for the last 4/5 days. We've been on holiday and he has been almost continuously belching, farting, and complaining of his stomach feeling tight.

Is it his digestion or is it something more serious?

He is overweight and tends to chomp his meals which I have told him about- just slow down and chew properly - he guzzles as if he needs to catch a bus!

If he sees a doctor and it's indigestion he might feel a bit silly. If he doesn't see one and this is the warning signs of heart trouble, he might die. Its not a hard choice...

The nerves to the heart and stomach follow the same route IYSWIM, and heart disease is often mistaken for indigestion. Best get it checked out.

As an ex cardiac nurse- get him seen ASAP. Chest pain and dizziness on exertion is worrying.

Definitely see a Dr. It's always best to get things checked out if unsure, no Dr will think he's wasting their time. Take this from experience with my fit ands healthy husband who has an ongoing heart condition which could easily have never been discovered. X

No disrespect OP, but I have often wondered why the first port of call is never A+E or 111 or whatever. But Mumsnet will have all the answers.

I do realise it is a comfort zone sometimes, but honestly what does DH want to do? Ignore or get checked out?

Hi there,
Cardiac chest pain and indegestion Can often be hard to differentiate even for doctors. If he is having these symptoms while at rest for more that 15 mins he should definitely go to a/e where they will do a blood test and ecg which will tell you if this is an acute heart problem which I have seen present as vague indigestion symptoms so don’t take a chance.
If his chest pain is only on exertion you can speak to your gp and they will refer to the ‘chest pain clinic’ where heart related causes can be excluded

Please call 111 now. They'll be able to advise you.

Get yourself to A and E or ring and ambulance- classic heart attack symptoms or at the very least unstable angina

He needs to get reviewed urgently, I’m a cardiac scientist and as others have said chest pain and dizziness on exertion are very worrying.

The dizziness and that it’s worse on doing things means it needs checking urgently.

He's very stubborn and denies there's a possible heart issue. I can tell him to see the gp until I'm blue in the face but he won't go. Just insists its indigestion.

He's seen the gp for unrelated issues before and I get fed up of him being told he's not that overweight (unless of course he's lying?). He is 6ft1 and 18st. I'd say that was overweight?

I'll keep working to get him to see the gp.

I know of three people, all relatively young, who have complained of persistent indigestion and have been dead within 24 hours. The pain and dizziness on exertion are classic cardiac symptoms and along with his constant “indigestion” he needs to be seen at A&E tonight. No one wants to end up in hospital but it would be a shame to put it off and end up with permanent damage....or dead!

6ft1 and 18 stone is obese according to the NHS BMI calculator...

You can't force a mentally competent adult to seek medical help they don't want. Would he do it "to stop you worrying"?

Show him this thread?

And 18st at that height is definitely clinically obese.

Hi OP, how is your husband?

If you get one of these episodes, please call ambulance or go to a&e. As eyestightshut said - the dizziness and chest pain/indigestion-type symptoms are V worrying. Otherwise please go see a gp. They can do ecg - which is non invasive, ask the important questions and book further investigations if they think it is needed. If he does have a problem and leaves it too long, he may get some irreversible damage.

Dizziness is nothing to do with indigestion. He needs to see a doctor ASAP.

MinesAPintOfTea: I really hope so!

Gremlin78: he's fine today, and is OK as long as he doesn't do anything strenuous. He drove us home yesterday, apart from a couple of loo / coffee / walk / fish shop breaks on the way.

This morning, he's been sitting watching TV, doing sudoku on his phone and generally lazing around, while I've been doing the housework and walking the dog. Normal weekend!

He needs to see a GP urgently, and if it happens again call 111 for advice (who are very likely to send an ambulance) or just dial 999.

FWIW DH has just had treatment for blocked coronary arteries that would have killed him, and his symptoms (and risk factors) were much much milder than your DHs.

If he has a heart problem that’s not treated until it hits crisis and he ends up with long term heart damage it’s really not going to be very much fun. And he is clinically obese, by the way, according to his BMI which is 33. So next time he has symptoms just call 999 or 111 ‘on his behalf’. You’ll be doing both of you a favour.

If he gets chest pains when moving then he must go to a&e asap. I can’t believe he hasn’t yet...

I sent my Dh to the dr (pre c19) after two bouts of 'indigestion' according to him, no dizziness etc. He had a triple bye pass.

My step dad had annoying indigestion for about a week. He complained to my mum and she said "for goodness sake go to hospital or stop complaining. I've had enough." He was rushed straight into resus

He needs to see a doctor urgently. Look up the survival rates for heart attacks outside of hospitals and show him. He's risking his life by ignoring it.

Indigestion does not cause dizziness. He needs to go to A and E. Drag him if you have to! If he's had a heart attack he needs urgent treatment in case a bigger one is on the way. Sorry to scare you but it needs checking .