Is it angina?

[jefro]

Hi folks... I would like to delve into the tank of knowledge that this site has gallons of and ask you guys if the pain I get is like the pain you angina sufferers get. I know that sounds strange so let me shed some light on the reason I ask.

Over a year ago I had a chest pain that was associated with a pain in my left jaw. I did not call for an ambulance but got my wife to drive me to the local hospital instead. They gave me GTN spray but the pain had gone, they wired me up and called for an ambulance to take me to the Bristol Royal Infirmary heart department. After several hours they sent me home saying I did not have a heart problem. Then about nine months ago I developed a cough so I went to my GP who did a few tests and took some blood. The blood results were that I had heart failure. I have been well looked after at Musgrove Park Hospital with tests and CT angiograms etc. I had another pain in my chest and my left jaw and I went to my GP who gave me a GTN spray saying if the pain comes back and using the spray stops the pain then I have angina. Now the reason I am asking if it is angina is because the chest pain starts in different places in my chest, sometimes on the left side, sometimes on the right side and sometimes in the middle and ends right across my chest just below my nipples. I have since had several instances of pain and most times I have a jaw pain and when I use the spray it goes away, sometimes immediately and sometimes after two sprays. I do have oesophageal spasm and some other stomach problems and I think the 'angina pains' are in fact indigestion.

Please let me know if your angina pains are like mine or are my pains in fact indigestion and the pain would have subsided regardless of the GTN spray. Thank you all.

[Ginger1971]

My symptoms were so minor it was scary! Lucky to be there is what the Doctor said who did the angiogram. Now on the note of angiogram.... surely that would give you the answer?

[jefro in reply to Ginger1971]

I had the CT angiogram before the pains started and in fact the first one lasted about ten minutes so my wife phoned 999 and a doctor and practitioner arrived and did an ECG which showed no sign of a heart problem. I saw my GP the following day and she said angina does not always show up on an ECG. It was then that she gave me the GTN spray.

The CT angiogram showed lots of minor problems but nothing about angina.

[stevejb1810]

Does the pain recede faster with the GTN spray than without. Is the pain exercise induced or does it happen at rest? If the answer to both of those is yes, then it’s probable that you have angina (I’m not medically trained so I can’t give you a medical diagnosis). Angina pain will be different in different people so it’s hard to generalise.

[jefro in reply to stevejb1810]

The pain comes on at any time. Once when I forgot my GTN spray the pain lasted about five minutes. When I use the spray, by the time I have faffed about and used it, about five minutes or so have elapsed so I really don't know.

[jimmyq]

You think it may be indigestion? It has been noticed that a lot of people going to hospitals with heart attacks have indigestion tablets in their pockets. Be on the safe side, keep using the GTN.

[young85]

Does your pain come on during exercise?

Also you mentioned you cough, what kind of cough was it?

And finally what kind of pains do you feel when you get the pain?

I found a fantastic channel on you tube.

It’s called yorkcardiology, a dr called Sanjay guptar, his videos are full of amazing information!