Heart Disease and Heart Attack Forum - Spasm on L Side of My Chest After Bypass Surgery

I'm new in here and not real sure how to use this forum. Please pardon me if I do it wrongly. However, I have discussed my issues with my docs and am not completely satisfied with their responses. And, so as a result I cast these questions to the greater world of the Internet.

I'm a 59 year old male. One year ago I went into the hospital for a routine angiogram or heart-cath procedure. My doc had said there was a possibility that I would have a couple of stents put in; in any case it shouldn't be too difficult. As is the case, when he got in there he determined that I needed much more evasive treatment and ended up getting a quadruple heart bypass. That's OK, I needed it and it most likely saved my life.

My recovery was very good. I attended cardiac rehab sessions for sixteen weeks and have done very well. I am currently walking a mile-and-a-half twice every day; and doing it without any difficulty. In fact, I believe my recovery has been better than most I have talked with. However, recently I have developed some issues. And, since I also have rheumatoid arthritis I have had a difficult time determining if the symptoms are related to that particular disease or if it is something related to my heart problem.

Before I had my bypass my symptoms were a general tightness in my chest and numbness in my arms with a little dull pain. These symptoms progressively worsened and occurred with less exercise as time went on. A nitro tablet would relieve the symptoms. Needless to say they caused me to go to the docs and they found what they found and subsequently did what they did. About six months after my bypass surgery I developed some different symptoms. These are what concern me now.

Occasionally, and increasing in frequency, I will get a spasm on the left side of my chest. It feels to be near the surface, perhaps in the muscle. It will spasm and then move to the left under my arm and begin to tingle as it subsides. It will finish as a dull pain located under my left shoulder blade. The spasm lasts about 45-seconds; the dull pain can last for an hour or more. In fact, if I am driving the dull pain lasts as long as I am driving. Interestingly, as soon as I get home, the dull pain will subside when I lay in the floor flat on my back for about twenty minutes. In addition, if I hold my arm down at my side the pain seems to subside significantly. Only rest can make it go away altogether. However, the spasms and dull pain seem to be coming more frequently.

I told my doc about this and he suggested I take a nitro tablet when it happens to see if it helps. I took the tablet and it does not seem to help this; although, since the spasm only lasts 45-seconds or so it's difficult to know. However, it did nothing of the dull pain. As a result, the doc does not think it is heart related. I don't know.

I checked with my rheumatologist and he had an explanation of sorts. He said the breast-bone, muscle, and nerves in my chest were severed when they did the bypass. During the healing process they have grown back differently and are now under some pressure, thus explaining the spasms. As for the dull pain, he said my scapula was hitting on my sixth rib when I flexed my shoulder and thus casuses some inflamation at that point. Oh, well, it's an explanation.

My question are: Has anyone else had a similar experience? Is this typical? Can these be symptoms of something much more serious? And, since I am under a tremendous amount of stress recently, can it be stress related?

Thank you for any assistance that you can give me. And, please pardon me for the extensive entry.