Help please

[Jinky07]

I had unstable ingina attack 8 days ago 2 days ago I had an angiogram and they done a balloon at one bit. there was another area that had slight narrowing but it would have required too many stents. I got out of hospital yesterday afternoon. Since then I have a heavy feeling across my chest. Is this normal as I can’t find anything online I’m getting worried

[strubus]

I had 2 stents done 9 days ago. 95 and 75 percent blocked. I too have had this very unusual pain in my chest. It’s not a bad pain, it just feels weird. From this forum I’m finding out it might be the stents getting settled in. They have said your body took a bit of a shock when they mess with your heart. Some days it’s not so bad and others it is. Hang in there. I know every little pain we worry about and it’s hard not to.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

As said they can be a few weeks settling in. The main thing to remember is if you get chest pain and it is not relieved by GTN spray go to A&E.

[Jinky07]

Hi I ended up in A&E doctor there thought it was maybe anxiety but they kept me in until a cardiologist saw me in the morning. He adjusted some medication.

[Henry20]

Hi Jinky

I had angina and after an angiogram, they fitted a stent into one of three arteries (95-99% blocked). In one of the others, the blockage is only slight. The third however had gummed up over a length but how long this was, I didn't know at the time. This was 50-75% over the length of the artery. They said it would need a bypass but thought they should use drugs and that I'd be OK. A few weeks later last Tuesday, I had a ride in an ambulance to A&E. I had been getting chest pains and GTN didn't help.

The point of all this is that they were going to discharge me. But I was still getting pain in the chest. After lunch the consultant came to me and said they had been talking about me. They could offer me a stent 48mm long. (I have no idea how long the longest stent is!).

Op done an hour later, 8 days ago. So now I'm recovering.

Quite a change from my point of view, from bypass to a long stent. Nice picture now of the arteries with lovely blood flow.

Its worth asking the question about how long exactly the problem area is. Knowing that a 48mm stent even exists may help you when discussing options. Maybe BHF knows how long the longest stent is? Try asking their helpline.

As to the pain, yes, I had pains post op on both occasions. Second time, I've taken things very, very easily; like just sitting and walking around the house - a little. No lifting more than a kettle and tea cup. I've found that bending over is not good for me, so if I need to pick something up I kneel/crouch first to keep my trunk upright. Seems to be working so far. If I feel pain starting - I stop what I'm doing. Time between feeling pain is increasing so am gradually doing more, walking further, but not to far.

Good luck and I hope the pain goes soon.

[Jinky07 in reply to Henry20]

Thanks for info. It says very diffuse long area of disease/occlusion. (Whatever that means, I will ask though about 48mm