Unstable Angina????? what is it

[Lindaguise]

well i seem to a have a little bit of indigestion/trapped wind, saw my GP who thinks it might be angina and has prescribed monomil half tablet a day, thing is I have it when I'm sat completely still, its not bad or painful, more annoying. I rang cardio rehab who said its OK to take the tablet & use the GTN spray and see if it makes a difference, as i may have unstable angina. Im on week 4 since my heart attack.

I wish I hadn't googled it - now I'm terrified my heart is about to stop any minute! Does anyone else have the same symptoms and have this?

[skid112 Heart Star]

Hi Linda,

Doctor Google can at times be a help, mostly not. Link here to a thread on it

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

try the BHF website as well, I am unable to get on there but I know there is a paper on angina, plus get the number and call the helpline for the BHF, honestly they are great and will help to put your mind at rest. Plus it may well be indigestion!

take care

Mark

[Lindaguise in reply to skid112]

Thank you so much Mark- I knew as I was googling I shouldn't have done it! some interesting stuff there and I can join a fitbit group so thank you very much for the signposting - think I'll live till at least tea time now much appreciated.

[stevejb1810]

Dr Google can be a bit scary, but if you know which sites to look at, it can be a mine of useful and accurate information.

Unstable Angina is the same as Angina in terms of it causing pain and being cardiac related. The Unstable bit is that it does not follow a pattern, therefore you can experience angina more often, and when at rest. Stable angina is more predictable (often exercise related for example), unstable angina just 'happens'. Unstable angina is the more serious condition.

Steve

[Hidden]

Hi,

I have suffered with both stable and unstable angina for about 7 years now and the simplest way I can explain it is stable angina is normally generated by exercise and should resolve by stopping what your doing and taking your GTN spray it should only last a few minutes, unstable angina however is a different matter and can be mistaken for a heart attack, it is a far more complex and sinister condition and can occur at any time though it`s normally at rest and can last for a longer time than stable angina and this is were the problems start as the patient cannot differentiate between unstable angina and a full blown MI. It can be initiated by a variety of problems ie coronary spasms, intermittent blockage of an coronary artery etc. The care plan I was given by my cardiologist is if the pain does not resolve with the use of my prn meds and last for more than 15 mins then I must call 999 the paramedics can then do their thing and advise whether hospital treatment is required. I have had to call them on numerous occasions and when they arrive they insist it is far better for them to come out to a angina attack than a heart attack that`s been left to late or it`s developed into a cardiac arrest.

My advice is to see your GP/Cardiologist and make a care plan suitable for your condition.

Best wishes

Steve

[Lindaguise in reply to Hidden]

Thanks I plan to discuss with my cardio rehab, really appreciate the advice 😀 I think more is worrying about worrying!!! Hope you're ok

[Hidden]

Good luck with the plan, you are right we spend to much time worrying about what if`s instead of concentrating on our recovery or as in my case the status quo or decline, it is not easy and it has taken me along time to train my mind not to worry but to concentrate on making the best of the present as we simply have no control of the future i.e. got up yesterday as normal but by 10 am back in bed with severe chest pain and breathlessness ended up taking my maximum dose of opiate analgesia through the day, but today I`m up and about not feeling great but still as I say to my partner "while I`m vertical I`m ok it`s when I`m horizontal there`s a problem and when I`m permanently horizontal it will not be my problem". Sorry if I sound flippant but its our way of coping.

Keep well

Steve