I have been diagnosed with coronary artery spasm. I was on angina drugs even though my angiogram was clear due to my symptoms of chest pain and breathlessness. Failed a stress test, needed help off the treadmill after 3 minutes.
2 years ago I woke at 6am feeling strange, went to bathroom and started vomiting, severe chest pain and sweat running off me. Shouted my husband to call an ambulance as sure I was having a heart attack which paramedics also thought when they seen me.Before they got me to ambulance all symptoms had stopped and ecg was ok so it confused paramedics. After eventually being admitted my troponin came back elevated and I was sent the heart attack nurse. Cardiologist then over ruled and said it was impossible for me to have a heart attack with clear arteries. Lots of tests and no firm answers but last October same happened again, 14 sprays of gtn over 2 hours and 2 episodes of severe chest pain, vomiting and sweats. Troponin elevated again with 6 hour later one less. I am currently having a disagreement with my gp as they are adamant I have not had any heart attacks but what other explanation can there possibly be? Thank you, sorry for long post.
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scottish1
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Thanks for your reply. My cardiologist refuses to use the term heart attack to describe what happened and my GP insists that I have not had a heart attack. I am quite upset that they seem blasé about it.
Omg that was me rushed in with symptoms of a heart attack triponin level raised twice, ecg and echo showing problems but the cardiologist in the hospital wouldn’t accept it due to my arteries being clear. Another cardiologist said it was microvascular angina no one will say if I have had a heart attack. 😱
Its frustrating. Heart attack patients get follow up, we get dumped. We don't qualify for any help and told its not serious. Well, it is serious to us.
I have MVD and CAS, and l have had 2 Heart Attack! Some doctors believe that to have a heart attack you have to have a physical blockage of atherosclorsis. Some doctors are trying to seperate things so that if they hear Heart attack they know there is atherosclorosis and if they hear Acute Coronary Syndrome then its Heart Attack by some other reason. Unfortunately for these the definition of heart attack just says narcrosis caused by ischemia ie lack of oxygen rich blood.
Other doctors and health professionals just havent got a clue! l call them the great uneducated
Its good to know someone believes me. I just don’t feel anyone does even my family. We are led to believe heart attack are blocked arteries. My mother died of heart disease at 60 my 2 brothers one age 52 the other 59. I have Lupus, Fibromyalgia and Sjoghens Syndrome. I am 62 not old why do they think it doesn’t matter. My go has made an effort to control my angina 90 mg of Isosorbidide and 2.5 bisoprolol. I am still breathless but not so much pain. Thank you for listening. It helps. Wishing you well. Do you live in Scotland.
Yes I am in Aberdeenshire. I am concerned that you are on Bisoprolol. If you have clear arteries you may have Coronary Artery Spasm and beta blockers should be avoided. Calcium channel blockers are the drug most of us are on for this condition, along with Isosorbide. Maybe worth querying this with your GP. I am on 120mg isosorbide so this could be increased for you too perhaps.
My cardiologist put me on Bisoprolol and Isosorbide but only 60mg my gp put them up. I no longer see a cardiologist you don’t get to have more than one follow up any more and they are only open for up to a year. On my last visit to gp she said she would write to the cardiologist but I am not sure she has I have never heard anything. I have other health problems going on at the moment and finding my memory is not good and can’t keep complaining so hesitant to going back. Thank you for replying. Reading all these comments has helped me feel I am not alone and have had a talk to my daughter so she understands to stand up for me if I ever go back in to hospital with this problem. Take care of yourself. 👍
Hi, I too have coranary artery spasms, I have been told i can have a heart attack at any time I'm just one of the unlucky ones also I have no blockage, I've never smoked I don't drink now or very little and I have never taken drugs. I'm on aspirin, ezetimibe, nicorandil and now angital sr since a hospital stay at the weekend. I have also been told if my pain doesn't go off with the spray I should phone for an ambulance. Please don't put yourself at risk because of one person's ignorance. Regards angimum.
Hi omg I’ve had the same been pushed from pillar to post over 2 + years I’m off sick now for 6 weeks due to coronary spasms after spending 4 days in hospital had stent some professional don’t listen to their patients
i keep having spasms in my heart and my bypass mamographic artery,,but my gp and cardiologists say you cant get it,altho this week,,i had spasms,i could feel,no pain but can hardly walk this week,with rotten uncormfortableness in my chest,was tolf by a stupid angina clinic it was my aspergers doing it,rubbish,one is not connected to the other,plus he said i had a learning disability which i also total rubbish,i asked him what did he know about aspers and vasospasms,reply was not alot!!!
I would like to go to the hospital but been treated so shabbily by my local hospital its unbelievable, my ct scan in oct 2019 was okish,,got a letter to say so,but there was still some issues.had appts for nov,feb,march,april,may,june and july all cancelled by the consultant and each time saying il get a new appt,i really dont want to go to the local hospital in southport as with the virus around ,too scared but my cousin went with broken ribs but sent him home with no efffects,i have repitory probs but my appt with them has been cancelled,my pacemaker apppt cancelled as well as neurology,rheumatolagy and arthritis,i cant stand the pain at mo,,cant even get an appt with my gp,,theyve shut up with the virus n not even doing tel appts.......rant over sorry
Hi Peter, sorry you are having tough time. Your GP has to be working, most are doing telephone consultations but someone should see you if you need to be assessed. Maybe try phoning your cardiologist too and get some advice. It is difficult times and we sometimes don't know what to do. My son has aspergers and it is definitely not a learning disability. Some doctors are just thick.
hi,gphas only just started doing telappts this week,,but i cant getthrutothe consultant,,thy are impossible get hold of them,the secretarysays theyl send a msg,to them but u nvr hear back
Get a GP appointment and discuss with them. It is their duty to help you. The government have said today they are going to get other appointments up and running again so fingers crossed you get to see someone. The alternative is attending A&E or phoning 999 if your symptoms get bad. Keep plodding Peter, help will come but sometimes you have to push to get it.
i already have a tel abbt for tomorrow,shewontlisten either again,,,,ive already had a rheumatolgy abbt on sat,that was stressing enuff,all the nurses n theconsultant had had the virus,,,,then ask a vulnerable atientto come in..soi know there obening clinics again,,im not going to a and e,ive been treated there so badly in our local hosital..ohitshim again or that freaks here,,ive ben trying for29 yrs
This recent research article discusses the various reasons why you can continue to have chest pain following a stent being inserted or heart surgery. The cause is thought to be due to Microvascular dysfunction or vasospasms in the small or large coronary blood vessels.
I live with coronary vasospastic angina which has landed me back in bed for the last few days. I agree the pain is a bit much at times. Vasospasms feel like being in labour for me.
Our mental and physical well being are of equal importance.
I am sorry you have encountered staff who have little understanding of how pain can effect a person's mental well being or conditions such as Aspergers syndrome.
Your specific needs as a patient are not being acknowledged. Do you feel able to raise this issue with the hospital?
i already have micro problems,,ive been told i have it n nothing more can be done.themoreitry to talk to consultantsin theast the more annoyed theyve gotten..iliveon myown,,no frends or family,,it isnt them that have it all,,they goby bloody txt books
sorry to the latter part about asergers they all see it as a learing difficulty or im just stuid...lettterb ,,or letter bewtween o and q isnt working..one consultant sed to me.whats it like living with a learning disability,another said ur IQ will 60=70 thennot great itshould be100 blus,,,infactmy IQ is178...so much for genious doctors and consultants
I know that feeling, you want a explanation as to why your feeling such pain, nothings black and white so you never get a direct answer only maybe 's. what I have is much the same. Coronary spasms bouts of severe chest pain nausea sweats. It took a while for them to find I had a moderate leaky valve and left bundle branch block. They explained it as my heart being squeezed. It could be momentarily or for a few hours. So how do you know if your having a heart attack.???
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