# abdominal pain, profuse sweating, rapid heart rate **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946 "2013-10-11T03:29:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/1 "2013-10-11T03:29:03Z")
Any ideas what would cause this? Starts as abdominal pain as if one needs to go to the bathroom but then progresses to heavy sweating and rapid heart rate. Goes away in 10 minutes. Don’t need answer fast. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/2 "2013-10-11T03:38:16Z")
Does your medical insurance have a nurse/medical help number you can call? Or call the local ER or urgent care center. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/3 "2013-10-11T03:40:45Z")
Heart attack, gallbladder attack, anxiety, GERD… That first one’s a doozy if you guess wrong though. Heart attacks often don’t have the chest/left arm pain you see on TV. Please don’t pull a [Gurujulp](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=696268)on us. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/4 "2013-10-11T03:53:34Z")
See a doctor. Please. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/5 "2013-10-11T03:58:28Z")
Medical advice is best suited to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/6 "2013-10-11T03:58:55Z")
Go to Doc. Kidney stone Appendix Diverticulitis Go to Doctor… ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/7 "2013-10-11T04:03:17Z")
except for the sweating no other symptoms that suggest heart attack based on research. Definitely starts with lower abdominal pain. No constipation or diarrhea. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/8 "2013-10-11T04:04:50Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > except for the sweating no other symptoms that suggest heart attack based on research. Definitely starts with lower abdominal pain. No constipation or diarrhea. Stop posting and researching, get off the computer and call a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/9 "2013-10-11T04:07:59Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > Go to Doc. > > Kidney stone > > Appendix > > Diverticulitis > > Go to Doctor… Oh I will when I get the chance but without something to go on it’s pretty much a massive guessing game. Would like to narrow it down a bit. The one time I thought I was having a heart attack it was a fatty sandwich on crusted bread. About shredded my stomach. Easy to rule that pain out by drinking just about anything. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/10 "2013-10-11T04:08:02Z")
An elevated heart rate can be a symptom of a blocked or partially blocked artery which can trigger a heart attack, too. You have two symptoms of a heart attack. That’s twice as many as my husband had when he had his heart attack at the age of 50. Now, yes, it could very well be something else, and I hope it is and we’ll all eat crow in the morning. But are you literally willing to gamble your life on that? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/11 "2013-10-11T04:09:00Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Stop posting and researching, get off the computer and call a doctor. No current symptoms. not an emergency. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/12 "2013-10-11T04:16:29Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > No current symptoms. not an emergency. The second statement does not necessarily follow from the first. Please see a doc. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/13 "2013-10-11T04:36:08Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > The second statement does not necessarily follow from the first. > Please see a doc. I intend to but I’m trying to narrow down what it could be. ---
**Author:** ![Kerrigan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/49beb7/32.png) [@Kerrigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kerrigan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/14 "2013-10-11T04:42:01Z")
That is what doctors are literally trained and paid to do. Nothing about this sounds good. If you have an acute surgical problem in your abdomen, you could be one of these episodes away from death. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/15 "2013-10-11T04:44:30Z")
The brain’s nerve center doesn’t always get it right. When it doesn’t seem to be able to tell you where the problem really is, you get “referred pain” from somewhere that’s not really the problem. Add that to what **WhyNot** says are two other symptoms, and you get everyone worried that you’ve got coronary blockages happening. Sure, it could be something else and the sweats and changes in heart rate could be related to the pain and whatever’s spasming to cause the pain. Either one should get medical attention sooner rather than later. Google is your friend, but not that good a friend. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/16 "2013-10-11T04:52:07Z")
> [@Kerrigan](#): > > That is what doctors are literally trained and paid to do. > > Nothing about this sounds good. If you have an acute surgical problem in your abdomen, you could be one of these episodes away from death. point taken. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/17 "2013-10-11T04:54:02Z")
You know how the last one of these discussions ended, right, **Magiver**? Call a goddamn doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/18 "2013-10-11T05:04:26Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You know how the last one of these discussions ended, right, **Magiver**? Call a goddamn doctor. I’m going to. It’s not a current event. Or a recent event. Past history that I’m going to follow up on. Just wondering if there is something obvious to focus on. Would like to be able to answer the doctor’s questions after having given them some thought ahead of time. ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/19 "2013-10-11T05:58:39Z")
Magiver / MacGyver. Live up to your (almost) namesake. Get a coathanger, some whisky, a pen knife, a mirror, some pipe cleaner, a length of fishing line, a needle, a small party balloon, some drinking straws…and a roll of duct tape. When you have collected all that, let us know, and we can talk you through cleaning out your arteries just in case it is a blockage. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946/20 "2013-10-11T11:40:14Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m going to. It’s not a current event. Or a recent event. Past history that I’m going to follow up on. Just wondering if there is something obvious to focus on. Would like to be able to answer the doctor’s questions after having given them some thought ahead of time. Tough to do when none of us know what those questions are. You can always call the doc back, or answer more questions on a follow up visit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abdominal-pain-profuse-sweating-rapid-heart-rate/670946.md?page=2)