Side effects from meds

[KR07]

Hi, has anyone suffered from bloating on heart medication. Especially stomach,chest,neck and face. I am really struggling with this bloating,GP seems to be guessing, we don't seem to be getting anywhere. Heart attack 10 weeks ago,bloating has progressively got worse the last 7 weeks. My belly is so swollen it's affecting my breathing.

[Hidden]

Hi,Oh dear, what a shame!!! Im not sure what meds your on but perhaps a wee chat with your gp or cardio rehab team? They may be able to change your meds or re jig them a bit. Good luck.

[KR07 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Doora, GP has taken me off Asprin starting tomorrow when I pick up alternative,can't remember it's name. If this doesn't work she will replace the Atorvastatin with an alternative as well. Fingers crossed.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

I have some thoughts but would like to ask two questions first:

a) Have you gained weight since your HA?

b) Do you have oedema (swollen ankles)?

[KR07 in reply to MichaelJH]

Hi Michael,yes I have definitely gained weight since HA, my ankles are only slightly swollen,you wouldn't notice. But like I said stomach,chest,neck area and face have just ballooned.

[Hidden]

Hi there, bloating, gaseous, stomach swelling, chest pain and breathing difficulties have been my nemesis from the day ( 4 aug 2020) I had stents. Main culprit aspirin and plavix other med like beta blockers and others do exacerbate it.Recently had endoscopy with minor findings like inflammatory lining and small hatius hernia gasto told me Anxiety kicks in and create gases and bloat the stomach. It creates a myriad of symptoms similar to heart problems and patient gets into a never ending perpetual cycle of anxiety, stomach gases, pain more anxiety more gases more pain ...................

My advise eat small meals, light & easy, drink only 30-40 minutes after meals. No cold water keep sipping hot water through out day. I take prokinetec ( levopraid) it helps great in reducing bloating 25 mg BiD. Lansprozole and Librax ( libarium). Consulted three gastroenterologist and various cardiologist they all agree on these medicines. However get h - pylori test to confirm it gastrointestinal problems are infection related. Good luck

[KR07 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, your symptoms are exactly the same as mine,I'm extremely uncomfortable with the stomach bloating,and it does affect my breathing, feel like I'm being crushed. GP is taking me off aspirin,replacing with an alternative after that I think we will change the Atorvastatin. I have no stomach issues,had an endoscopy the morning before my HA and it was clear. Also had the h-pylori test done all fine. Thanks for your advice though.

[Hidden in reply to KR07]

Please do let me know alternate to aspirin ( I am taking 75 mg enteric coated) my cardiologist says it has to go one for atleast 1 year no alternate ( i can take plavix as alternate but aspirin is better in for no long term side effects) thanks!Do ask doctor to give you some relaxants as they really help bloating as gut brain axis are same. Any thing which make you anxious or tense effects tummy

[Pollypuss]

Yes I did have dreadful time after bypass. For three months was running to the loo. I became really depressed The cardiologist took me off everything ( can’t tolerate statins or any of the “prazolls “ ) apart from aspirin. Regarding the bloating which I had a lot - I found the best remedy was exercise . Walking was very good.

[Arnika]

Thank You for rasing this subject.

I had pacemaker fitted last October and was prescribed Bisporolol to add to my existing medicines. I had complications arising after op itself so I at first I hoped that the new symptoms will improve. Some of the problems became better, but I am still left with new symptoms.

Apart from an extreme fatigue I have several other new issues, but I cannot get to see my GP (it is all on the phone, and in a hurry even if I get GP appt) to sort out or just talk about it.

Reading your posts I realise that some of the symptoms I have exactly like you describe. My weight has been always stable. I have been wearing the same size for the last 20/30 years,. But over last few months I began to notice that my trousers and jeans are getting more and more tight in my middle. Wearing my bra was becoming a troture because I feel that I cannot breathe. Hot weather makes everything worse.

I am on semi-vegan diet, eat only fish and white meat once or twoce a week, I hate chocolate not fond of sweets and this has not changed. If anything I eat less then usual, since I have also completely lost my appetite.

Still, after every meal, I feel very bloated and uncomfortable. I sweat at night even when it s cold (I never did before) I often feel breathless for no reason. Worst of all I have no energy at all.

All this has made me feel quite depressed, which is also new to me, since I always tried to be enjoying simple things, and find nice distractions if I felt low, this despite many health issues. But at the moment I feel like giving up, I have no quality of life worth fighting for, I don't even have energy to seek help any more.

[KR07 in reply to Arnika]

Oh I so sorry that you are having these dreadful problems, I know we are all put on medications for reasons,but they tend to just shove you on all these meds, and have no regards at all for those of us that develop awful side effects. It does make me angry. Please don't give up, I do know how you feel when you say you can't even be bothered to try anymore, but we have to,you will find little pleasures in life again,keep on the fight. My bloating is controlling my life at the moment, I am embarrassed to be seen outside,and have no breath in me to try and excersize or work. Getting a GP appointment is such a struggle. But I have faith that 6 months from now they will have me on the correct medication and I can start to build up a new healthy life. Please get yourself to the doctors, insist on a appointment, write a list and take it with you.

[Arnika in reply to KR07]

Thank you so much KR07 for your kind words of encouragement. It sounds like you are dealing with some serious s/e issues yourself, I am very sorry to hear that. I am glad that you have faith that things will get better, and I hope that they will soon find the right combination of medicines for you to relieve some of your nasty symptoms soon. It sounds that you know how hard it is to do the simplest tasks, what effort it takes, and I admire you fro trying to fight back.

I am, or rather I have been fighter too, over many, many years. I have been trying to make sure that I get as good a treatment, as possible, since I had multiple health issues most of my life, but at the moment I am just completely worn out by the battle, and I have simply run out of steam to fight back, to explain the same things many time over, only to have my issues politely ignored, or told some platitudes, such as that we have to accept problems because of the fact of getting older, or being send from one specialist, to another, so they don't have to deal with it. They are all hiding behind the telphones, since it easier to dismiss you this way.

Mostly I am discourages because it is impossible to see anyone to get help. Like, for example desprate recently I rally needed some Physio, but could only get a phone chat, instead. So ridiculous, I had no idea what she was talking about, when telling me about some complex ecercises. I think I made things worse. I am worn out fighting. for everything.

Thank you so much for your concern, I will take your words seriously, and will try to follow your advice, but at the moment I need some rest from it all, I am exhausted by battles that led to nowehre.

[Jammydodger1993]

Not sure if its related but I had all the symptoms u described , I was perfectly fit and well just turned 50 and started getting your symptoms slowly but progressively worse , went to the doc about the bloating , as I say 6 ft 4 fit as a fiddle it thot , got the usual gaviscon bottle to take home , I knew it wasn't that but went along with it , week later back to tje docs , and then he took my BP and heart rate , heart was racing at 180 and going all over the place , he to me straight to hospital , and long story short , this was only back in September 2020 , I have now been diagnosed with heart failure , severe mitral regurgitation, and prolapsed mitral valve , since then I have had open heart surgery to repair the mitral valve and been told I have AF , so seen diagnosed and operated on all within 8 month during covid, I cant thank everyone involved enough. Dont know if its connected with your symptoms, but I'd push for an echo scan to start with , I hope you get the results you need to carry on and have hope 🙏