I am 2 months post HA and having 2 stents fitted in RCA which was 90% blocked.
I’m on Ramipril, Clopidogrel, Aspirin and Atorvastatin. I’m getting really bad side effects of indigestion, terrible anxiety leading to muscle spasms in my throat and tightness in my chest which is causing me to panic....vicious circle. I’m worried as I take 40mg of Omeprazole and I thought that was supposed to counter the side effects. Does anyone else have experience of this?
Are you taking Omeprazole before a meal (usually breakfast) and the aspirin after. The other one is heart disease is a shock and we all heal/cope differently. It may be worth asking for counselling.
Hi Michael, I take it first thing and then I have breakfast. I take my aspirin in the evening after dinner. I’m starting CBT next week so hoping that does the trick. This weekend has been the worse it’s been which is so frustrating as I thought I had turned a corner in the last few weeks.
I take aspirin, clopidogrel, atorvastatin, Ramipril and Bisoporol .. I was given Omeprazole but it really upset my stomach and was taken off it. I have been taking this combination for nearly ten months and the GP has been tweeking the dosages over this time. It is only in the last three weeks I have been side effect free after the last change of dose(s). We're all different and what works for one person may not work for another. I felt anxious all the time, sick and despairing and practically had to beg the GP to lower some of the doses. It;s worth talking to your GP and tell him how you feel, I take in my blood pressure readings for the week before an appointment so he can see what is happening. Michael is right about needing to talk to someone to get over the shock of going from "healthy to heart patient". Again ask your GP if there is anything available. Mine said there wasn't anything so I found a sympathetic friend and just endlessly talked about how I felt. Eventually things do settle down but I found it to be a lonely and isolating time. Have you still got a cardiac nurse? He or she might be able to help. Best wishes - this will get better
Had 3 stents in June was given Aspirin and Clopidogrel after a 4 months I had to stop Clopidogrel because it caused all my joints to feel very painfull I could hardly walk. I suffer from I.B.S and the Aspirin caused stomach cramps very painfull so the Doctor gave me coated Aspirin that only works when its in the bowls but that was very bad gave me cramps so I stopped that . Asked my Doctor what I should do he said if it gives you pain stop it . I see the heart specialist on the 25th hope he can sort it I know how you feel its like your on your own they sent me home after the opp did not say when I should start work or what I should eat. I still feel like I have Arthritis and because of the aspirin the doctor has put me on high dose of Pantoprazole he said I have an inflamed oesophagus it's very painfull but on the other hand go out on my bicycle for half an hour the heart works fantastic no problems I would feel great if it wasn't for the drug side affects
After my HA, I arrived home with a large back of drugs, Atorvastatin, Aspirin, Omeprazole, Bisoprolol, Candasartan, a diuretic and another drug to reduce the mucus. Within the year I had to stop taking Aspirin, I had dreadful heart burn, I ended up in hospital and after a week of tests, cat scan,colonoscopy, and gastroscopy, I was diagnosed with Lymphocitic Colitis, caused by Aspirin.
Next came Atorvastatin, that caused serious liver problems. Now my drug taking for my heart is reduced to Clopidogrel, Bisoperol, Candasartan and Ranitidine plus lots of exercise.
Hi, I left hospital in January with more or less the same mix of medication. Everyone has their own personal tolerance of what these chemical mixes do to them. If you feel the side effects as I do it's a slow journey to find the medication that is right for you and you can live with, it needs to be one tablet at a time to feel it's results.
One thing that my GP brought up was that you shouldn't take Opramazole and Ramapril together as one negates the other????
I was moved onto Lansoprazole 15mg, seems to do the trick. Always leave it at least 30+ mins before you eat to give it chance to work
Worth a chat with your GP ?
I have 6 stents and on a similar mix of tablets. GP added Rantidine to the mix in addition to Omeprezol and from that aspect I have been fine since. I also get angina that starts in the throat and spreads to the chest especially if I am stressed about something and a couple of times recently the paramedics have taken me to A&E but they can find no cause. I spent 44 years in fairly stressful jobs and coped OK but since the stents have been fitted that has changed. I, and my wife, just try to avoid stressful situations. Not easy I know.
I was on Omeprazole, but GP took me off that and put me on Lansoprazole 30mg which he believed to be better for me. There are certain meds that cannot be taken with Omeprazole. One that I read was Clopidogrel... I tried Clopidogrel after having started with Ticagrelor (which was making me breathless and subsequently making me anxious) . However after reading the BMJ trials in Clopidogrel vs Ticagrelor, with guidance from GP I went back on Ticagrelor and put up with the breathlessness, tbh it was more like sudden sharp intakes of breath. Two months on and this side effect has virtually gone. The other thing I do is have the Lansoprazole by my bed, so when I wake it’s the first thing I take, so by the time I get up , do bathroom and get dressed/prep breakfast the 20 minutes has gone and it has had plenty of time to settle in to my system. I had the other symptoms too, neck pain/discomfort; chest pain/tightness. These have virtually gone too... the problem is deciphering the usual pre HA aches/pains and what you need to take notice of! Generally speaking the aches/pains we feel and more sensitive to post HA are just aches and pains, but with specialist guidance from your GP and Cardiac Rehab Nurses you will be able to work them out. Are you doing the Cardiac Rehab physio ? Have found this has really helped me to grow in confidence, as well as the counselling. Btw I am 2 months post HA and had two stents fitted to the left.
Oh I am so ‘pleased’ to read this I was just about to post something similar.
I had a stent placed Tuesday last week - something of a drama before that with hospital stay and investigation but no heart attack.
None the less it was a whirlwind of investigation, diagnosis, treatment and discharge. I have the same meds including atorvastatin at 80mg and have got stomach pain. A number of the tablets all list side effects of stomach pain/ discomfort and although mild it’s causing me some discomfort and stress.
Not helped by the fact that a number of years ago I had pulmonary embolisms so lifelong warfarin wHigh has now been changed to Apixaban, that plus clopidogrel andfor one month aspirin means ‘triple therapy’ dose of anticoagulation.
I am so stressed and whilst I appreciate all that has been done for me I do feel that heart Team focus on their speciality and are a little bit unaware of what that might lead to.
My cholesterol is high I understand that but 80 mg is an almighty shock to the system and I am worried about it’s impact on the rest of my body 😕
I had stents fitted 10 weeks ago and like you was put on 80 mg Atorvastatin, I spoke to my GP and have gradually reduced this to 20mg and feeling a lot better. I must admit after 68 years of being relatively fit, the shock of having stents fitted is causing some anxiety which I am now just being able to control.
How was your health before stent? BP, Cholesterol and blood glucose?
Take care.
With living on Dartmoor I have always enjoyed the outdoors and quite fit, I first started to get chest pain when we were climbing Pen-Y- fan in Wales. Decided on checking it out with my GP who arranged for an Angiogram. My Cholesterol was about 4.2 But leaving hospital I was given the usual package of drugs.
Hi Susie. The hospital initially put me on 80mg atorvastatin after my HA, because they assumed I was already on 40mg (I hadn't been on any). My GP was happy to reduce it to 40mg when I told her my concerns about the high amount. Obviously it will be reviewed, but I have no idea when anyone will check my cholesterol again - it hasn't been checked since I was in hospital with the HA in July, ie when they first put me on the statins.
Thanks - I feel very vulnerable and not in a position to start challenging advice but like so many others do worry about the side effects both short and long term and don’t want to end up in a situation where meds are prescribed to combat the effects of other meds...
I have an appointment to see my GP next week so will talk about it with her - I have seen studies that challenge the benefit of the 80mg dose. The trick seems to be to be informed enough to advocate for yourself but not research to the point of fear 😖
Officially, I have 5 blocked arteries, 4 of which have been bypassed. Since March I have been following a WFPB (whole food plant based) diet after watching the film "Forks Over Knives". My weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and pulse have come down to "normal" levels (80kg, 100/60, 2.7, 60bpm), sometimes lower, such that my doctor has been reducing my medication. She has taken me off the statin because I was getting a lot of side effects as well as my cholesterol coming down. I am convinced that my arteries are clearing but I have no proof of that except for blood pressure, cholesterol and pulse. If my arteries were still blocked these would be still raised.
I’m on Ramipril, Clopidogrel, Aspirin and Atorvastatin and Lansoprazole , and like you have had quite a rough time getting used to them, The Atorvastatin has now been reduced from 80mg to 20 mg under the GP's guidance, After 68 years of being relatively fit having stent fitted it came as a shock, it caused me great anxiety which I am now coming to terms with, but at times my mind runs away will me and every ache and pain in the chest seems to be exaggerated.
Thanks Rakeman, that’s exactly how I feel. I will speak to my GP about reducing the Atorvastatin and maybe switching from Omeprazole to Lansaprazole.
Thanks to all for the advice and for caring x
I'm also on the same drugs as you , I'm concerned about the 80 mg statin as I've never taken them before , always refused them to be honest , but my Dr said I'll always be on that dose now after a HA four months ago and had 3 scents fitted , he's not concerned about my cholesterol and refuses to give me another blood test said its not important now , I told him I was concerned about my liver and what damage this strength of statin could do in the long run , I've been very depressed and full of anxiety , it's a kind of comfort to read on here so many more of you feel the same ..
I am going to rehab after a valve replacement, serious DVT a year ago and a heart attack in May.
I have been told to take Omeprazole 2 hours before my other meds. It works for me. Good luck
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