What does unstable angina feel like?

[Leszo]

I am very confused about the sensations of what exactly unstable angina is. My GP said it will be fine for me to stop my Ranolazine. This I did last night and had (which I expected, a rough time). I experienced on the left side of my chest burning hot and cold, and wave after wave of hot and cold flushes throughout my torso and back of the neck. But no central sharp chest pain, which I thought angina is or unstable angina is. It did settle down after an hour or so and occasionally came back throughout the night early morning. I have been led to believe that Ranolazine can create neuropathy, and that this could be perceived as a sort of withdrawal paresthesia. I’m feeling very weak, dizzy, nauseous and rather ill. Furthermore, I found in the morning to be feeling a bit better. However, I’ve just found out that unstable angina can make one feel similar, very weak, dizzy, nauseous and rather ill.

After 14 hours of not taking Ranolazine, I decided to carry on taking it as I could start feeling a wave of tingling coming on in the back of my neck.

I did ask my GP for an angina drug to replace Ranolazine. A substitute. But he said I would be fine. Not putting my faith in this guy any more.

Does anyone understand my problem? I hope maybe someone could put some light on my dilemma. Google is not very good at all for this condition.

Thanks in advance for reading the above.

[Hidden]

hi in answer to your post question my understanding is the feeling is not different in that symptoms can be the same but it’s when they come on. Stable angina - symptoms come on when you exert yourself/ exercise and stops when resting. Unstable angina comes on regardless I.e. you can have it when resting. Regards your medication, did the doctor explain why taking you off it / don’t need it anymore? Perhaps ask them why they think you don’t need even though you feel you still have angina. Also stopping immediately I have been advised on here is not good idea but again you’d need to check with doctor. Starting the med again when doctor said you don’t need it really you need to seek advise from doctor. Everyone is different I stopped my ranolazine cold turkey because my cardiologist told me to stop immediately so I did. But for me stopping made no difference to my angina and as I stopped another med at same time, I think the only difference I had was my BP increased as predicted. My angina remained just as bad as when I was on the meds. Hope helps but my advice would be go back to your doctor. Google isn’t too bad on this condition, you just have to consider the source of the information I.e. NHS, BHF are more reliable.

[Leszo in reply to Hidden]

I asked my GP if I could stop taking Ranolazine, as I believe that it was doing more harm than good. I did ask for an alternative, but I was not given one. Furthermore, I was just told to try it out that is not taking it and see what happens, which in the end was my bad choice.

During the day, my angina is kept well controlled with Isosorbide, it's at night when my problems occur. I do use the GTN spray at night, but most times it does not do anything.

Every time I speak to my GP, I don't really get any good suggestions. I'll just have to stick it out until the end of November, when I believe I'll see a cardiologist.

[richard_jw]

I was taking 2*500mg per day of Ranolazine.

The reason was said to be microvascular angina. Nos sure if it helped, but after several months I was getting all sorts of other symptoms (sweating, central chest pain, tingling fingers (prob. some form of neuropathy) lightheadedness

I talked to GP who probably had never heard of Ranolazine. He did numerous blood tests all of which were negative. He said that coming off Ranolazine might be the next step.

So I decided to discontinue the Ranolazine. I talked to a pharmacist at my local trust, and she said that it was not necessary to taper it off. In my case it did not create any side effects.

After 3-4 weeks, some of the symptoms have gone away.

There are other forms of anti anginal medication. Those with some form of nitrates tend to reduce blood pressure which in my case is not good because it's already low and lowering it more increases the lightheadedness. Beta blockers, calcium channel antagonists etc.

It does rather sound like you need to see a cardiologist. Certainly my GP is not familiar with the various heart meds.

[Leszo in reply to richard_jw]

Thanks for your response. I'm sort of stuck in the middle between taking it and stop taking it. If I can get my GP to give me a substitute, then I'll stop it for a while. I'm on 10 mg of bisoprolol and loads of other stuff. 90 mg of Mono Isosorbide I was hoping I'm on so much that stopping it would not be such a problem.

[Arty56]

hi Leszi, I have stable and unstable angina for over 3cyears now.

Unstable comes on with no reason, out of the blue, I can be lying in bed, watching TV anything, with no exertion.

Stable comes on with some exertion or with extreme anxiety.

I am on the same meds, I wouldn't just stop them, seems unusual to stop them, although your doc told you too, what is his reason?. Do you no longer have attacks?, are your side effects bad,?, is your gtn spray or meds good enough. Maybe a second opinion needed to ease your mind and be safe, good luck

[Leszo in reply to Arty56]

I asked my GP if I could stop taking Ranolazine, as I believe that it was doing more harm than good. I did ask for an alternative, but I was not given one. Furthermore, I was just told to try it out that is not taking it and see what happens, which in the end was my bad choice.

During the day, my angina is kept well controlled with Isosorbide, it's at night when my problems occur. I do use the GTN spray at night, but most times it does not do anything.

Every time I speak to my GP, I don't really get any good suggestions. I'll just have to stick it out until the end of November, when I believe I'll see a cardiologist.

[Arty56]

hi Leszo,

I understand what your saying, and it's night time that is worse for you. Sometimes the gtn doesn't work for me, but mostly it does. Like you said the cardiologist is the one to see, some docs don't know enough.

It probly won't make any difference to you, but, when I lie flat it's worse, so I have a wedge and pillows. I noticed you want to know what happens to other people during their attacks so here it is...

When I have my unstable angina, the pain is very bad in the middle of my chest, it is all consuming and I start rubbing it over and over willing it to stop. I feel nausea, tingling in my legs and sometimes arms, I sweat and feel hot, light headed, dizzy and I can't speak really and its frightening, after I'm very tired and I have a headache and nausea, I have used my gtn spray so may be side effects of this as well. And I want to sleep if possible. This is what happens to me. Good luck with cardi in Nov, I hope u get your meds sorted by them. Iv noticed since having this, if your able to handle the pain and attacks most of the time, iv been to hosp a few times with pain not going, they just leave you alone... eg my last cardi visit said your handling it, your meds and gtn working mostly so fine. I said should I have another echo and angio it's been 3 years and my breathing and coughing wheezing has got worse. The answer no itl be fine, just carry on..... So hohum I just carry on no energy and breathless sometimes. Hopefully you have a good cardi though and good luck x

[Leszo]

Thank you very much for your description. It seems I have similar. Recently, though, this stabbing /burning pain is getting a lot stronger. Which is freaking me out. I actually ended up in A&E this afternoon, as I've never had an angina episode in the morning. I used GTN on 3 separate times within 30 mins, and it just would not go away, so to be on the safe side I had my troponin levels tested, and it was normal. Furthermore, I was told that the hospital I went to do an Angina Clinic, which I have been put forward to, hopefully I'll be going there within 2 weeks.

Even though I did have this angina event, the Dr said it could be heartburn. Which I replied, I take Lansoprazole 15 mg twice a day. But the Dr said, try anti-acid as well.

I have recently taken a ton of Naproxen for a massive arthritis flare up, a few months ago. So I was wondering if maybe I've got an ulcer as well. It is very difficult to differentiate. Hence, I'm asking what does angina feel like.

At the moment, I get very little sleep due to these attacks occurring during the night. Which is increasing my stress levels.

[Arty56]

hi Leszo, it's my pleasure, imo and I'm no doc or no that much about diff heart probs, except my own coronary artery disease.

You shouldn't be having all these attacks for sure, they need to find the right meds for you.

At first I had alot of attacks. But over the years its decreased and its more manageable and I can feel them coming on sometimes, so I quickly do the gtn. I don't leave a large gap of 30 mins between each gtn dose, it's more like 10 mins or abit less, otherwise it could take over.

Its really not right you have all these attacks, you have to find the one that reduces them, cwell doc or cardi do.

I take lansoprazole too they think it's an ulcer and Gerd.

I take bisoprolol for BP and statins.

I used to take amlopodine at first, but, cardi said ranzo better for me.

I don't know how long you've been diagnosed and have had these symptoms,but I hope they find the right combi for you.

My overall health has declined and now I get very tired, breathless, wheezing cough, can't walk far, I did try to get help from docs, but, iv given up now saying anything now tbh.

But, that's me, I'm fed up with it, but it's diff for you the attacks need to decrease massively first then you can take stock.

Good luck with everything and keep pushing for answers

Best wishes

[Arty56]

also I understand Reading again u mean 3 times gtn in 30mins which seems right to me too x