Unstable /non specific angina

[garying]

New hear...... Anyone suffer unstable angina.... Or non specific...... I need info after diagnosis and 10 year fight

[jimmyq]

Can you be more specific please? What do you want to know?

[garying in reply to jimmyq]

Hi..... I suffer from psoriatic arthritis.... And also sleep apnea..... Arthritis for about 20 years sleep apnea about 10......over approx 10 years or so have experienced chest pain.... Starts in right side jaw then chest.... Tight pressure dull ache can't sit can't stand etc.... Worst pain.... Can last few minutes to an hour...... Never with exertion..... Usually just watching TV... Driving etc.... Also experience breathlessness..... Tested for angina etc etc all came back clear.... So basically left to it..... Monday night had attack.... After 2. 5 hours went to hospital... Pain on scale of 1_10 was about 9......but of course it was over by time I got there and seen.... But was left drained and with pounding headache and ache in chest like hit by a car ...... Now there saying its non specific angina and one said it was unstable.... But ECG bloods all came back OK...... Getting app for scans.... But I'm confused how can it be if tests ckear?.... I was prescribed usual.... Statins asprin etc.... No spray tho... Which also though odd..... So after 10 years I'm completely confused..... How this ramble makes sense

[jimmyq in reply to garying]

Wow! You are really going through it.

I recommend that you watch the film "Forks Over Knives". It is on Netflix and YouTube. It is about global medical research, including a massive study of 800,000 Chinese people. You might find it helpful, I did. In the film, there is a bloke with 27 diseases. After 6 months on a WFPB diet he was down to 1.

[Hidden]

Mine is boringly long, too. I read similar posts. They shouldn't leave patients suffering like this. What you describe is appalling standard of care.

[garying in reply to Hidden]

I'm at a loss dont know what I have really... Just some mumbled diagnosis.... Some pills of you go..... No pain tonight... But chest heavy.. Tight..... So I know I'm not right..... Oh well

[Hidden in reply to garying]

It's very sad to hear as I have been through this myself, and I can only empathise.

It's something Cardiologists/NHS/those involved in making the guideline work for patients would need to review, I feel. The priority has to be to get the patients comfortable, relieving the discomfort involved in having angina of all types, especially when someone is suffering for "years". This means it would add the cumulative effects/adverse impact on health and essential aspects. It would not take any scientists to figure out how disastrous this may mean in all aspects. NHS needs to have some common sense and put patients first. Sometimes, I feel that consultants are over conscious of sticking to the guidelines for legal reasons and less concerned about the patient's welfare and ill health. I have seen the different attitude abroad where doctors put patients care well above themselves. They also take pride in helping patients.

[JonathanH]

garying, from the way you describe your symptoms- angina at rest - while having a normal angiogram, I would say that you may have microvascular angina (MVA) and/or coronary artery spasm (CAS, also called Prinzmetal's angina). I had MVA intermittently without diagnosis for 10 years. I finally diagnosed myself.

I am not certain that MVA/CAS always show up on ECGs but you should start searching for perhaps subtle ECG abnormalities indicating ischemia: Google T-wave flattening and ST-depression. Hospitals are often pretty useless and not bothered by subtle changes; I wouldn't assume that your ECGs are normal merely because that is what you have been told.

I frequently had bad attacks that caused us to dial 999. The algorithms on the paramedics ECG machines often said that I had ischemic changes but they later vanished. If you are like me, it may be that by dialling 999 when you have a bad attack (the paramedics and hospital staff always supported my doing so) ischemia would be captured on an ECG. If you have the money, you can buy a little handheld ECG off Amazon - I bought a Heal Force 180 and downloaded processing software from the manufacturer's website onto my laptop. It's do-it-yourself cardiology, because the cardiologist won't or can't do it for you.

Many cardiologists are very poor and I suggest finding one who knows about MVA/CAS, which is not straightforward in itself. Is your GP supportive? I suggest that you go to your GP to discuss referral to a cardiologist with an interest in MVA/CAS.

If I was on my laptop, not phone, I would paste here a link to the BHF info leaflets on MVA/CAS. If I remember, I will send you a message with some useful links for your GP.

Finally, I am not a doctor and I may be wrong!

Kindest regards

Jonathan

[JonathanH]

PS: Ask your GP to prescribe a calcium channel blocker, e.g. diltiazem, to see if that helps. You may need try more than one to find one which doesn't cause side effects.

[james223]

I have unstable angina and went 6 months without any pain just breathlessness at times. Then last week had an attack whilst sitting at the computer - used spray which worked on second attempt. You must get a spray - it works quickly and usually saves a hospital trip where they patch you up and send you home again.

[Hidden]

I have heard about someone, who suffered for so many years. He was outraged in the end, apparently, that did not surprise me. This condition could break someone. Is BHF doing something about this? Maybe, Cardiologists need to have this pain and they finally get to understand "the problem"? Or is this an issue of the existing guideline? Guidelines that dictate these specialists to comply with?

[Chappychap]

"Many cardiologists are very poor"

I'm sorry that you're dissatisfied with your treatment, but as one of the many people who have received absolutely first class treatment from their cardiologists I want to speak up in their defence. They're an amazingly dedicated and talented group, who have trained for many years to acquire their superlative skills. Through out my treatment I couldn't have been in better hands.

"I have seen the different attitude abroad where doctors put patients care well above themselves. They also take pride in helping patients."

I also have seen medical care in other countries, and I feel that we in the UK have a huge amount to be grateful for. I have no doubt that the vast majority of people in the NHS take enormous pride in helping patients, what's more they do this despite the appalling behaviour of large parts of the British public. Sometimes it's really serious, like the physical and verbal assaults that regularly occur in A&E. Sometimes it's minor but insidious, how often can a doctor meet with a sullen, entitled patient who's obese or smokes or gorges on take-away food, and compassionately deal with what are essentially self inflicted injuries?

[Hidden in reply to Chappychap]

I am assuming that you might have missed the point.

There are easy to diagnose angina, whilst I admit that I am NOT aware of which type you are suffering from. Lots of people who go on to suffer from the difficult to diagnose angina for so many years is unacceptable. Lucky you had an early diagnosis/treatment AND the great team to work with. Not everyone is as lucky as you are. Showing some degree of empathy for those, who weren't as fortunate as you were would be kinder if you don't mind me saying so.

[garying]

Thank you everyone for taking time to reply..... You have given me more information than I got from hospital etc over last 10 years..... Guess I need to wait to see my doc and see where we go from here etc.. And hope I'm OK to then lol

[Sebash22]

Hi, I was diagnosed with unstable angina 3 1/2 years ago. During this time I have had an heart attack and 3 surgeries (4 stents inserted ). My angina attacks are always at rest and mainly in the evening/night, but have the odd one during the day. On GTN spray, works well most of the time. Then about 14 months ago, found out i had coronary heart spasms. Now take Adizem twice a day. Like a lot of people with this, my attacks are worse in autumn/winter, my heart spasms get worse when it cold. Hence if it is really cold weather i stay in doors. Hope this information is helpful. All the very best to you.

[clarehealsworldwide in reply to Sebash22]

I also have angina & was advised not to go to very hot or cold places. If its cold weather I stay home, or go out with a "holey" or loose-woven scarf which I put over my mouth & nose & breathe through the holes in the scarf. That really helps me. Best of luck. Clare

[Sebash22 in reply to clarehealsworldwide]

Thank you Clare. Will try your scarf idea, many thanks. All the best, take care. Tony

[garying]

Thanks so much everyone.... Makes me feel better hearing others....

Someone asked ask symptoms

*Breathlessness... Not really bad.. But have it

*Occasionally the add light headed dizzy spell

*Blue lips

*Reddish tingly hands

*Right sided jaw pain... Mostly evening's

*Then chest pain..... Not sharp... Mostly evenings

*Lot of headaches

*Chest feels like someone sitting on it..... *For lack of better discription

[Kimberly07]

I’m more confused and stressed than ever. My cardiac nurse wrote to my doctor to say she felt another blood pressure tablet would help lower it. My doctor said no his not going to do that as I’m on two already. Then I went to the rehab gym they took my pressure and the man gasped and said oh that’s high but don’t worry. But what do you do if the doctor said his not worried about my blood pressure it’s reading in the region of 149/87. 135/92 125 / 103 I told doc I’m worried about the lower number as it was this high and higher before I had the heart attack. But again he told me not to worry his happy with it grrrrrr Does anyone else have a high reading or problems with blood pressure