Hi everyone! I post frequently so some of you will know me.
Really fed up now and really becoming depressed with this consistent chest pain that is frankly ruining my life.Sitting here with my 5year old on my lap on a rainy Sunday afternoon trying to have some daddy daughter time and once again im getting intermittent chest aches..dull lasting seconds.. then back for 2 or 3 minutes then goes then back again..all day on and off..As I've mentioned before its a daily occurrence apart from last week when I suddenly had 4days of no chest pain and suddenly felt normal again and smiled.
before all this is was an extremely confident guy..And when I had my stent procedure I got over it very quickly and just got on.
Now it's this nagging pain day and night waking me and interrupting my work and now family time..At times I feel washed out and no good to anyone..Yesterday I did a fencing job and had some pain but just got the job done..I've had a stent..eat well apart from losing more weight than I wanted and exercise as we should but I'm left with this..I'm off to Normandy on Thursday to do the tour because my father is a Normandy veteran so this trip is so special to me.But now I'm dreading the coach trip to Dover and then the ferry crossing to calais. And being alone in a hotel room for four days! All this because I have recurrent chest pain..How can I now enjoy this special trip knowing I'm living on a knife edge at every moment alone without anyone around that knows me..I've travelled the world alone now I'm reduced to an anxious guy who's worried about a trip to bloody France. I'm angry and disappointed because I had none of this prior to my stent procedure and now I'm fobbed off by doctor's and consultants who give me Meds incase it is unstable Angina or coronary artery spasm or MVD but not one person has had the decency to properly diagnose it hence why I have had to get a referral to another angina specialist in London now..I'm sick of this..sick of the daily worry and living on the edge almost waiting for a heart attack while I'm at work or with my kids alone..How is this living?? I have calcium channel blockers but I'm not taking them because no one has actually diagnosed me? so I hear you all calling me stupid! But why suffer more side effects when I haven't been diagnosed. I can't keep calling 999 or there be here every bloody day
so here I am..sitting it out again waiting for my partner to get home so I can to some degree relax..I've turned into an unconfident anxious guy that was doing so well before all this happened.
Now I wake and just try to get through each day..how is that living?
Does anyone on here think this is unstable Angina? once again as I'm writing this I've had numerous chest pain..and it hurts when I press next to my sternum?Bruised feeling .
sorry for the rant but I've just had enough right now😣😣
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Rob6868
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I know your pain is real and is no doubt due to your blood vessels misbehaving.
It is only natural to worry. Who said our angina puts us in a straight jacket? We have to keep our emotions in check because they just make the pain worse.
I hear your uncertainty and yes I rage about the unfairness of Vasospastic and Microvascular angina. I didn't ask for the pain.....I am slowly trying to learn to no longer carry this rage because it consumes to much energy.
However I am blown away by everyone else's experience on this site that we share their dignity and resilience and that some how it helps strengthen me.
It will be an emotional time for you going to Normandy for many reasons.
Will you be travelling completely alone or is it an organised trip?
If You are perhaps tell at least one other person on the trip about your condition.
Take a good supply of tablets, and spray. Plenty of warm clothes and a hot water bottle to keep warm.
Pace yourself, take things slowly. Rest.
Listen to some calming music or even meditations. When you breathe out you calm your system lower your stress hormones which turns the volume down on the pain.
I am terrible about telling people I am in pain. I very rarely press the buzzer to call the nurses when I am in hospital....It is not sensible I know.
I have learnt the hard way that it is important to ask for help.
Are you on a statin? I am intolerant to them. I had severe chest pain with them as well as shoulder pain. I was diagnosed with pericarditis and costochondritis due to sternum pain on touch. Very debilitating. I take Colchicine and sometimes Naproxen. I cannot exert myself as pain returns with a vengeance ☹️
Hi Dovaston Yes I was given a prescription for them when I asked why I getting chest pain many weeks after the stent procedure. So I suppose they where hedging there bets..I've had to fight to get my cardiologist to finally understand that I could now well be right and it is either MVA or coronary artery spasm or unstable Angina..But he won't comit to anything other than the fact he's stented the blocked artery so good by Mr patient and on to the next.Hence why Milkfairy has been a tremendous help in guiding me towards cardiologists that may know more about what I'm experiencing. Well that's the hope! It's now nearly 9pm and I'm still getting intermittent pain and some moments worse than others..It's taken its toll today and ruined my time with my daughter once again
I can understand your frustration particularly having been stented. The good news is that we are still here and they will get you fixed I am sure. Best wishes Rob
It helps doctors in their diagnosis and it encourages them to take your condition seriously.
Jot down a record of attacks, how severe, when they occurred, what possible triggers there might have been, what you ate that day, what activities you did, what medication you took, take your own pulse rate and jot that down at different times of the day. Record anything that mitigates the pain or symptoms; medication, gentle warm ups, breathing exercises, warm baths, etc.
You're looking for patterns, and you're demonstrating to the doctor that this is a well recorded ailment rather than just some vague and possibly unreliable recollections.
There is such a lack of recognition about myocardial ischaemia without obstructed coronary arteries if not prejudice by Cardiologists that they do not acknowledge that they need to look beyond the blockages.
I told a very experienced and well renowned Prof of Cardiology at a leading London hospital that I had chest pain at rest and the pain woke me at night.
He told me I had a Pain perception problem.
He was incorrect. My angiogram with acytelcholine showed that I live with vasospastic angina.
Unfortunately many doctors treat by test results and not by listening to their patients.
Milkfairy my cardiologist told me that they don’t do the provoking test here in the UK? But they did a CT angiogram to check for blockages? Results are pending.
I really feel for you and understand exactly your fear of being alone in a hotel room. Your anxiety, your fed-upness, sadness, bewilderment are not yours alone. Your friends here share them. We too know that feeling of surviving, not living. But still times of happiness can be found, like those 4 precious days.
My local cardiologist said "I don't know what's wrong with you but I will treat your symptoms". He prescribed a calcium channel blocker and it made a real difference. It might make a real difference to you, or it might not. Isn't it worth trying your CCB? It is more important that you should have a treatment that helps than a diagnosis. That is how I think, anyway.
like you Milkfairy has suggested I give the calcium channel blockers a go! It's Diltiazan is that correct? After reading the side effects it put me off
swollen ankles and headaches and feeling flushed etc..I can't work with all that going on and especially when no one has fully diagnosed my chest pain yet other than send me out the door with what I believe are Angina drugs? I never had any of this kind of chest pain before my stent procedure so it's all left a source taste in my mouth Jonathan
This stuff is ever changing, never easy and at times massively hard to cope with even when we appear to be “doing well”
I have found most of the good Drs ask how my pain is affecting my life. And go from
there. Until you see the second specialist perhaps you could consider another way to look at using the CCBs
It would help a Dr diagnose you better by ruling things out
If you didn’t have the pain you may not feel as frightened.
They might work.
The possible side effects don’t affect you. And if they did, but took away your pain your Dr would have more info to go on.
I do hope your Dr can find a way through this with you.
If you are going on an organised trip- please let the tour guide know you have recently had a recent procedure and that you sometimes get some pain. If you feel unsafe about going- could you take someone with you or delay it?
I have two observations here - You have discussed the symptoms with a health professional who has listened and prescribed calcium channel blockers - but you have decided not to take this advice because of side effects you may get. Rob, to be fair that is really not good enough - you must give them a try for if you do not, how will you know or even more importantly, your health professional will not know you are experiencing side effects.
The second observation revolves around the statement "I never had any of this kind of chest pain before my stent procedure" which has left a sour taste in your mouth. Do you think that is a logical statement to make? I have tried to describe how my sternum hurts after being cut apart and how much I still feel it 9 months afterwards. It is normal and unless you have had a similar operation before or been involved in a horrendous road traffic accident, you would in a normal life, hever feel the pain you are feeling. I had to sleep sitting up and when getting out of bed try and roll to get a stable grip of my feet on the floor - all normal recovery. Surely someone has discussed all this to you or given you paperwork, booklet outlining expections?
Rob, I take diltiazem and have zero side effects. Side effects are very individual but most people will probably not experience side effects to diltiazem. Try it and see what happens.
How awful for you, I understand how scared you must be. I hope you get some answers in London.
I’ve been fobbed off for years and like you live in fear every day .
I’m trying to get a second opinion now but it will have to be private, the NHS refused to do an extended monitor, they would only do 24hr tape, nothing found so I had a ten day monitor and it showed thousands of ectopic beats and four runs of AF, the usual medication offered . I will update when I have second opinion . Safe journey to France.
Hi Rob6868, I get the daily pain, it's not good, it's hard to plan, hi haven't said this to my husband. I'm seeing my cardiologist today. I'm writing down questions to ask and hope I get the answers I'm hoping for. I have cut down to two days work, I get flushes daily, it's not the ccb it's been happening for years, I put it down to my underactive thyroid. That's not running correctly either. I really do hope that you can get through the trip, here's hoping that the trip gives you some peace. There has been good advice given in these posts for you. Keep us updated on your trip, it may help to post daily, I wouldn't mind you posting. Privately if you feel it's appropriate. Please enjoy. God knows you need it and feel free to post away.. Sheena
At no time do you mention how long it has been since the major surgery. I do have to smile somewhat at what I am about to say - if it hurts pressing on your sternum - then don't press on it - simples! I can even hear your saying "I wonder if it is still hurting" - press "Oh god I really am in a total write off " when you do press and it hurts.
I can also give you immediate relief about the trip to Normandy to see where hundreds of thousands fit young men gave their all to rid the World of a tirant. Your father was a very brave man and was lucky enough to come back. I am former Armed Forces, much older than you and after a triple heart bypass in June last year would be confident to take your place and enjoy the trip - so no worries there - even if you pay for another ticket, I would happily accompany you so no problems there again. Wait a minute - is it a RoRo ferry or did they scrap them - would hate to have the bloody ferry sink. I have to ask, if you had these doubts, why did you book the trip in the first place? No that never happens now - but it could - low risk - no probs. So most of your anxieties now sorted.
Now the medical ones - you must still be under a consultant if the operation was recent and probably not signed off. No matter. If you feel concerned and a trip to A & E is unhelpful, there are more questions than answers BUT the issue could be you since A & E have never referred you on. You could pay privately for a consultants view but surely you have been tested thoroughly and they know more about you now, than ever before. I am always of the belief that if they are not concerned, then why should I be? After my operation I felt wretched and very sorry for myself. I developed chronic constipation due to the Morphine and could not sleep. A walk round the garden once a day was a marathon. Now nine months later my chest still is tender and when I sneeze, does feel sore - it does not hurt - it feels uncomfortable.
Will I die - of course I will, we all will but probably not from blocked arteries although that ferry you are going on on Thursday might not be too safe. Neither will you because you have new stent/s so just what worries you? Had you been a heart attack risk they surely would have found it and done something about it. When going for a stent, they will already have tested for everything just in case there had been more to be done during the operation. This negativity you feel must surely be affecting your wife and children - that has the potential to be disasterous - my initial guestimate is that you should go see your doctor and have a down to earth discussion about depression and anxiety disorders - which are all quite normal after major surgery. Have you been doing too much - fencing don't sound too geed although at 17 weeks I was up a cherry tree topping the top out of it. My wife went berserk and in hindsight I was stupid or unrealistic but have a stubborn streak about a mile wide.
You need to take a step back and reassess what you had pre op - post op and moving on. If that takes a visit to a specialist, pay for an appointment if you can't get one quickly. Worth the money for peace of mind.................Its Spring Time every creature has woken up and is smelling the coffee - join them!
I relate to everything your saying and I’m sometimes wondering if I really need to be on all the medication as I feel this is most of the problem but no one is listening and at times I feel like giving up. I don’t feel I’m living in the real world I feel drug up with no energy, they tell you to keep exercising but because of medication it’s not possible. I had so much confidence before my heart attack last September. I still get chest pain now and then, I get a couple days when I think I’m on the mend then back to square one. As I’m writing this to you I’m feeling so low and don’t want to continue like this. It seems everyone that has a heart attack and stents fitted its procedure to put us on the same medication, that’s what I got told but I believe I don’t need to be on all the medication I’m on. I’m so tempted to stop all my meds and then at least I’ll feel I’m back in the real world.
You need to go to your doctor and disclose everything you have said here - PLEASE DO THAT TODAY AS AN EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT - if that is impossible - ring 999 and tell them exactly what you have said in this last post. DO THIS NOW PLEASE
Thankyou ticking ticker I have taken your advice and I’m going to see my doctor this afternoon. I just have to make myself heard I don’t feel I’ve got the energy, before my hart attack I would fight tooth and nail for anything I knew was right but that part of me has gone
Hi Kimberly - will you please let me know how you got on? You made me very concerned and I truly was / am concerned for you. Either on the forum or a personal message it mtters not - to know how you are is the issue.
Kind regards to you
You need to go to your doctor and disclose everything you have said here - PLEASE DO THAT TODAY AS AN EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT - if that is impossible - ring 999 and tell them exactly what you have said in this last post. DO THIS NOW PLEASE
Hi ticking ticker sorry I caused you concern but also thank you for being concerned it’s such a nice feeling that people care. My doctor is going to go through my tablets one at a time and drop the mg s she has started with bisoprolol and reduced to 1.25 from 2.5 then she is going to phone me in three weeks to see how I’m feeling if I feel ok then she is going to cut down the statins. She says d I had to options either just stop taking all of them and see how I get on or do it this way she didn’t think the first option was a good idea but would go along with me if that’s what I wanted. She said it’s going to take along time to work our way through them but convinced me we’d get it right in the end. I’m also having counselling counselling started when my cardiac rehab ended. So fingers crossed and thank you again so much for your kindness xx
Kimberley I am so pleased to hear that you have had a result and whether it takes some time or not, you are moving towards a very posative end. It was actually how you entered a converstation I was having with another member and the content of your message that concerned me - the first thing for me to do was to let you know you were not alone and when you replied yesterday I was very happy to hear the maoves you had put in place. It is true that even although it appears you are talking to a computer there are many humans (well?) behind the white screen just waiting to help. I sincerely do wish you all the very best and please do keep in touch for many of us have similar problems as you have - mine is with bisoprolol and hip pain. Anyway, nice to hear from you and be good to yourself FIRST.
Hi Rob6868 , how are you doing? I'm really sorry to hear what you're going through. Please do get in touch with our cardiac nurses if you'd like to speak to someone. They'll be happy to talk everything through: bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...
I've flagged this to our nurses so someone should get back to you on your questions shortly. Please do get in touch if you're ever feeling low. The community is always here too.
You've had a rollercoaster of a time and it's been really difficult for you. There were some key words in your post that highlight being referred for some psychological support might be a good idea. Did you go to cardiac rehab after your procedure? It is a recognised core component. Your GP will be able to refer you to a clinical psychologist or you can search for CBT online as it is a very useful therapy for many. There are so many people who feel they are left to 'get on with things' and that they've been cured by their intervention, whereas the psychological side of having a cardiac event and its treatment for it can take much longer to recover from.
As the others have suggested,giving the new medication benefit of the doubt won't hurt and if it hurts when you push, that does sound 'musculo- skeletal' as we say in the trade. You may find some simple paracetamol will do the trick.
It's certainly not a one size fits all and there is a misconception that once you've had stents( or bypass surgery for that matter) you've been treated,end of story.
To put things in context, chest pain is one of the most commonly associated symptoms of anxiety and depression . When you've already gone through the trauma of the cardiac event itself and adding insult to injury( literally), addressing it is a good way forward and I have met many people who have benefitted when they thought they wouldn't.
Your trip sounds amazing and I really hope you enjoy the experience as much as you deserve.
This is a quote from Prof Colin Berry BHF funded researcher talking about his Research into Vasospastic and Microvascular angina when using acytelcholine during an angiogram to identify patients with myocardial ischaemia with no blockages or coronary artery disease....unicorns
'The diagnosis of “chest pain of noncardiac origin” almost fell off the map. Once cardiologists knew what was going on, they switched up treatment according to European Society of Cardiology guidelines for functional heart pain. '
Great advice on here Rob, and the reason it is great advice, is that we have all been through the mill. CABG followed by Stents 2 years later, then told, oh by the way you have Heart Failure which is Progressive. Oh and we can't make it better just give you some Meds and more Meds until you reach the Maximum Dose you can tolerate. Now
Just going to book our Holiday to France, Normandy as it happens taking out two grandchildren building memories.
I suppose the reason I am relaxed about it
Should I Die I won't really Care/Know about it. Should I have A Heart Attack I will be treated in France (Treatment is Pretty Good ) so no need to worry. What will be Is what will be. By the way I don't want to Die and I will go through anything that will prevent it and prolong my life/quality of it. Go to France Relax and unwind oh and should you not take up Ticking Tickers offer I only live 6 Miles from the Poole Ferry Terminal.
Best Regards Try Not to Worry over What you can't make any Difference To.
ps all sounds a little blasé but it's not meant that way, just trying to let you know we have all been down the path of Heart Diease
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Unstable angina …Judith 
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