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symptoms of scad

royaltudor
0 Recommendations

Hi Everyone,
I am just wondering what the symptoms are for SCAD? I was told by an ovarian cancer nurse over the phone last week that my PET scan shows a dilated thoracic aorta, but that my oncologist will talk to me more on Tuesday at my appointment. All weekend I've been on pins and needles. I have had shortness of breath, breathless once in a great while when laying down, lightheaded while standing, extreme fatigue, and just the past couple of weeks I've had some weird minor chest pain. Thank you for sharing.

Explore topics in this discussion:

Artery dissection Cancer Pain Back pain Heart attack Pregnancy Sweating Ovarian cancer

8 replies

NZGirl

Hi there royaltudor,
I'm not really sure if any of my information can help you, and hopefully somebody who has had an aortic dissection will log on with more appropriate info for your case, but here goes anyway, and maybe some of it might help a little bit.
I had SCAD of the LAD artery in December 2006, which resulted in a heart attack.
As I understand it, the symptoms of SCAD will vary, depending on how long, and in which blood vessel the dissection occurs. Because my dissection was in my Left Anterior Descending Artery, my symptoms started with a very sudden pain between my shoulderblades (which quickly became almost unbearable), then I got way too hot, and then the pain moved through into my chest and down my left arm. This happened within about five minutes. I felt nauseous, but I did not have shortness of breath - but I do know of patients who have, in fact, I have heard many variations of the symptoms.
The thing is, it is hard to know which of my symptoms were attributable to the SCAD, and which were caused by the Heart Attack, as one quickly followed the other. So I really do not know what symptoms SCAD alone would cause. Can anyone else answer this question?
Whatever the answer, I am so sorry you have had such worrying news, and I do hope that you find out some more precise information at your appointment today. I think you will find that they will need to run more tests to give you more definitive answers as to what is causing your dilated aorta. Please do let us know how you get on, I'll be thinking of you.
Hugs from Sharon XX

royaltudor

Thanks so much Sharon.
Heidi

KAKLeon

Hello Heidi. I hope you've gotten some answers today. I had severe pain in the upper back along with more classic heart attack symptoms -- couldn't breathe, felt like an anvil on my chest, trouble using my arms, pain radiating into jaw.

A cardiac nurse told me at the time that the upper back pain is common to a dissection.

Hope you're having an "up" day!
Katherine

Kim84

I had an LAD dissection in Sept. 2006. I do remember feeling quite fatigued that summer and extremely tired the few days before it happened. I never had chest pain until the dissection/MI. Like Sharon's, it came on very suddenly. In a matter of 5 minutes I went from feeling like I had the flu to feeling like there was an elephant on my chest and had violent chills. I never had pain in the shoulders blades or radiating pain.

Best to you and I hope your appointment today brings you good news.

Kim

laurahc

I had a heart attack and right coronary artery dissection on March 30th of this year. I had chest pain that went down my left arm and up into my jawbone, and I felt overheated and very nauseated.

How was your appointment yesterday? How are you doing today?

best wishes,
Laura

titi4

How scary Heidi. Please let us know about your appointment. I had a LAD dissection in November 07 a week after giving birth. I had sharp chest pains with shortness of breath in my 8th month of pregnancy, but it did not compare to the pain of my heart attack. I had severe stabbing pains in the middle of my chest that made me fall to the floor. Unlike the others, I did not have arm, jaw or sholder pain. I did not feel nauseous, but I did have some shortness of breath. I remember it all like it was yesterday.

xoxo
Christine

TonyaJ

Hi Heidi,

Like Katherine, I had classic heart attack symptoms - crushing chest pain that radiated through to my back and across my shoulder blades, difficulty catching my breath, sweating, nausea... There was absolutley no question that something very serious was happening - I just never dreamed it was something cardiac! Hope your appointment was A-OK...

Tonya

KLKA

I had similar symptoms like Tonya's and Katherine's. Felt like a brick on my chest, pain/numbness in both shoulders and arms and suddenly clawing for breath. Like Christine (and Katherine?), it was a week after giving birth. I felt stiff/weird the days before the heart attack but attributed it to post-partum stuff. But, as everyone's noted, once the heart attack starts, you're certain something is very wrong.
I hope at the time of this post, you've gotten more information to work from. Being in the dark is so scary. Take care,
Kaia

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