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Are Fibromyalgia, Obesity, Pain In The Left Arm And Chest Indicative Of A Heart-attack?

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Posted on Sun, 21 Jan 2018
Twitter Sun, 21 Jan 2018 Answered on
Twitter Mon, 6 Aug 2018 Last reviewed on
Question : I am 65, have Type II Diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, & some kind of inflammatory arthritis. (Dr. thinks it's psoriatic, but I am not convinced & my PCP could not find any reference to psoriasis in my dermatology records). I also am obese at 5'2 1/2", weight at 195. I am walking a mile a day & trying to work up to 2 miles, but gradually. I had total hip replacement in May 30 2017, but have another condition, probably related to the side-effects of needing that surgery. (My pelvic wall is twisted, is the way I recall it being described & I am doing PT to strengthen muscles for that.)

The symptoms I am having are not like anything I have ever had. My forearms feel extremely achy--as if I had just run the 100 yard dash & all my oxygen is depleted. I have been having chronic high inflammation for a year, plus a high wbc since 2011 with periodic low grade fever (just barely under 100F). Along with this sensation of depleted oxygen in my arms, my jaws hurt at the same time. I have pain across my shoulders pain off and on and sometimes just pain in my left shoulder & arm (but I have arthritis in that shoulder). My PCP says my heart 'sounds fine', though I do have HBP--controlled by Lisinopril, usually very well. At the same time frame that I have had these symptoms (off and on the last 4-5 days, but periodically over about 2 months), I have also had sudden headaches which are bad at the same time. (Background: I've had headaches all my life: brain tumor at age 3--pseudo glioma; AVM ft. anterior cerebellum with cephalamalacia (sp.?) which developed over time as the AVM surgery was XXXXXXX 6 1992; & numerous MRIs have shown that I have had migraine headaches (which I knew as they were only on 1 side & terrible--icepack headaches, I called them!--though I did not have auras. I was very sensitive to sound & preferred a totally dark, silent bedroom.) In addition, my sed rate has been in the range of 82-85 for at least a year. Methotrexate has not brought it down, so far. I am concerned whether the muscle aches, jaw pain, sense of arms' blood cells being low in oxygen (as if having just completed intense exercise), & shoulder & general arm pain are indicative of an impending heart attack. Please advise. I have an appt. to see my Rheumatologist next week and to be tested for allergies a day later by my allergist. As to the latter, for the last 4 years or so, as soon as I finish eating, I am 'flooded' with phlegm & end up coughing up phlegm (& sometimes throwing up, so much that I dread eating), and I have had more asthma attacks. I have had repeated pneumonia over the last 4-5 years, with it occurring once or twice a year. I also had Rocky Mountain Spotted fever. I know this is a lot of info, but does it sound as if I need to get my heart checked?
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Answered by Dr. Mirjeta Guni (6 hours later)
Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.

Brief Answer:
Yes, heart should be checked;

I have gone carefully through your detailed history and can understand your concern.
Being obese you have a predisposition for heart attack but you didn't mention if you have Diabetes or high lipids profile and family history for heart attacks (these are other risk factors that increase the possibility of coronary artheries disease).
Having fibromyalgia makes the arm ache differential diagnosis a bit difficult and in these cases we suggest further investigations (except of ECG).
Of course you need to get your heart checked, I would suggest not to wait for the appointment if you have again attacks with left arm pain, chest pain epicantic pain.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
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Answered by
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Dr. Mirjeta Guni

Endocrinologist

Practicing since :2006

Answered : 2411 Questions

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Are Fibromyalgia, Obesity, Pain In The Left Arm And Chest Indicative Of A Heart-attack?

Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice. Brief Answer: Yes, heart should be checked; I have gone carefully through your detailed history and can understand your concern. Being obese you have a predisposition for heart attack but you didn't mention if you have Diabetes or high lipids profile and family history for heart attacks (these are other risk factors that increase the possibility of coronary artheries disease). Having fibromyalgia makes the arm ache differential diagnosis a bit difficult and in these cases we suggest further investigations (except of ECG). Of course you need to get your heart checked, I would suggest not to wait for the appointment if you have again attacks with left arm pain, chest pain epicantic pain. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.