unstable angina

[Shoshov]

hi guys as many of you know i recently had a stent replaced due to restenosis. have been doing ok these past few weeks with only settling in discomfort. today suffered crushing central chest pain in and off a few times. iv now just got a heaviness across chest but my jaws are painful. my question is when you have unstable angina and you receive a stent doesn’t that cure the angina. i thought i was fixed when i got it done and this episode has just floored me today. i think i’m panicking a bit and just looking for any similar experiences and outcomes. thank a for listening❤️shiona

[Shoshov]

had to use it twice but eventually worked after about 25 minutes

[Snowdrops_17 in reply to Shoshov]

Hi Shiona. When you use GTN spray, wait 5 mins than use it again, if the pain doesnt go. Still have pain after 10 mins ring 999!!! 25 mins is too long.

Hope you okay this morning.

[Shoshov in reply to Snowdrops_17]

morning. i did follow the routine. didn’t use it 3rd time as i was feeling very dizzy. thought i was going to pass out and was out shopping at the time so gradually went from bench to bench until i got to costa where i had a cup of tea and water. it took 25 minutes for pain to subside. nearly called 999 last night as i just didn’t feel right. didn’t think it was another blockage so quickly after stunting. i’m feeling better this morning thanks❤️shiona

[Snowdrops_17 in reply to Shoshov]

Goid morning, you must have been so scared when this happened. I had a heart attack and have now 3 stents in my heart. Praying they will last. Glad you are feeling better this morning 😊

nhsinform.scot/illnesses-an...

Have a look on this link. What meds do you take Shiona?

[Shoshov in reply to Snowdrops_17]

thank you. after HA last year i was only on aspirin and 40mg atorivastatin. they tried me on ivabradine and verapamil but i couldn’t take it. it was dropping bp too low. so just gave up i suppose. since this episode they’ve thrown every drug at me to see if i tolerate it. they’ve settled on clopidrogel of course ivabradine half morning and night 5mg altogether and 2.5 ramapril. so far so good but i feel my bp goes too low at times. recorded64/31 yesterday. so will bring it up when i meet up with rehab team on 4 th july❤️

[Snowdrops_17 in reply to Shoshov]

Hope Cardiac nurse has contacted you already, as you could ring her. Best in the morning before 9 am.

You might be able to discuss your concerns avout meds with her.

Got to work now. Speak soon😊

[Shoshov in reply to Snowdrops_17]

yeah she had. i’ll give her a call today. thanks❤️

[chaz59]

Hi Shiona , i too suffer to with unstable angina and am waiting for a date for stent or stents to be fitted..... as 447510 says 2 shots of GTN wait 5 minutes 2 more if pain is still present then its 999 , i have been told this by the paramedics as i have been hospitalised 7 times since 16th January and kept in anything from 14 days to 24 hours, always best to air on the side of caution. 🤔

[Shoshov in reply to chaz59]

hi chaz i know the theory but have been so many times and everything’s fine. only recently been diagnosed with unstable angina but when cardio nurse called me after leaving hospital i asked her if i still had the condition and she said no as it’s been fixed with stunting. i’m very confused❤️

[Lezzers in reply to Shoshov]

Hi Shoshov, If you are getting angina pains whilst at rest, that is unstable angina & is an emergency situation. Is your nurse aware that you are still experiencing this? Maybe you could speak to one of the BHF nurses on this site for advice.

[Shoshov in reply to Lezzers]

no she’s not as yesterday was the first time it’s happened since stenting. i’ll give her a call today❤️

[chaz59 in reply to Shoshov]

Hi Shoshov , i have been told by my cardiologist that after a stent or stents it does not cure unstable angina but it will in ease chest pain because the blood flow is greater . The angina is still there and can be triggered by i.e micro vascular disease or heart failure preserved ejection fraction, i am no expert only talking about my own heart failure/ unstable angina etc ..... 🤔

[Shoshov in reply to chaz59]

thanks chaz micro vascular had crossed my mind. i’ll get it checked❤️

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Shoshov]

Hi Shoshov,

I am agree with chaz59.

There could be a problem with your microvessels causing Microvascular angina. These blood vessels are far too small to see with a normal angiogram.

There are very few tests available to check for MVA at the moment.

MVA is poorly understood and recognised. However it is well known that the angina pain associated with MVA is more intense, lasts much longer and does not always respond well to sublingual GTN spray.

Having pain at rest can be a symptom of vasospastic angina caused by coronary artery spasms.

I get most of my pain at rest and I am often woken in the night. I don't have blocked arteries, I have vasospasms in my microvessels and coronary arteries. I had a very specialised angiogram to diagnose my condition.

You may find this article about Jenny Waller's experience helpful.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

You can have both coronary artery disease and microvascular angina.

I hope you feel better soon and the Cardiologists gain a better understanding of what is causing your unstable angina.

[Froggie0208]

Hi

I had a heart attack and stents fitted in 2016 in 2018 felt breathless and slight pain, I then had Restenosis in both left arteries, in April 2019 I had another Angiogram which they told me one of my stents had collapsed again now waiting for double bypass in August. Unfortunately it is very common that restenosis doesn’t work and they cannot keep repairing them. Go back to your cardiologist because this sounds like your arteries may have collapsed again.

Good luck, Thinking of you xxx

[Shoshov in reply to Froggie0208]

morning froggie. i didn’t realise that. i only had it done 3 weeks ago though. never realised they could collapse. i’m ok this morning but if it returns i’ll go to a&e. thanks for info❤️

[benjijen]

I was told that stents do not necessarily 'cure' angina, and had 2. I also have unstable angina which comes on at rest, or even once it woke me up, but since being prescribed isosorbide mononitrate have had very few episodes. If I have an episode I take GTN up to 2 times and have not had to call an ambulance since last year - I'm hoping this continues. I did have a further perfusion scan in January and nothing wrong with stents. I would take proper advice if I were you as I wasn't aware unstable angina would come on whilst shopping, only at rest. I may be wrong.

[Shoshov in reply to benjijen]

i know what your saying but i get it mostly at rest. i can walk 5 miles and don’t get any pain but about half an hour later i can feel it. i had literally just got out of car and walked maybe 100 yards when it started❤️

[Snowdrops_17 in reply to Shoshov]

That is crazy, but really hope you okay tonight. I haven't had any problems with my heart after my stents....

My heart attack happened end of Feb and still felt kind of traumatised for quite a while afterwards. I just couldnt believe this happened to me.

Suddenly life upside down, ambulance, emergency angioplasty...

Had another stent fitted 18th March but then experienced problems with my left leg...pain whilst walking etc, very uncomfortable! Got a 13 cm blockage in my femoral artery. Both legs are not brilliant, so got to keep doing exercises so it either gets better or not worse. Really praying that you get the right diagnosis for your condition. Please look after yourself Shiona. ❤

[Shoshov in reply to Snowdrops_17]

thanks. i was pretty much the same february last year. i started getting more and more pains watching tv since about 4 months post stents but wasn’t taken seriously. always told it was gastric or your gall bladder even though i haven’t had one for 12 years. only took me serious when EP asked what my symptoms were when i was activating loop recorder. when i told her it was pain she said your electrics are working great you should get your plumbing checked and when i relayed to rehab nurse a rocket went off and everything pretty much happened in about a 3 wk period. it was pretty scary when they tell you that they’re expecting you to have a heart attack. but hey ho were still here. we’re a hardy lot🤣

[Hidden in reply to benjijen]

Isosorbide gave me more chest pains episodes. Chest pain discomfort IS a side effect of this med!! Best wishes to you!!

[Mrvic]

When was the original stent placed?

[Shoshov in reply to Mrvic]

hi Mrvic original was put in febyladt year but as i said i started to get pains about 4 months later. been building up gradually up until about 3 weeks prior to restenosis diagnosis. thought that was it fixed but now i’m not so sure❤️shiona

[Hidden]

Your heart is a muscle and needs time to repair and get stronger. We don't have interchangeable parts and instant results esp after age 60 (for most of us). It took me a few months to get to my appro beats per min target range... And I'm only going to cardiac rehab as a PREVENTION! I have a friend who thought getting a few stents was going to correct his erectile disfunction. 🤷🏻‍♀️. His arteries veins capillaries have years of... Sludge effecting his overall system. Fresh veggies and fruits!! Watch the movie FORKS OVER KNIVES. Eye opening!!

[2stents]

Hi I had 1st stent age 40 with very unstable angina had a few chest pains about 3 days later every thing was ok felt great for 10 yrs then another stent fitted, last 5 years I have restenoisis in both stents so I understand how you must of been feeling. But please don’t wait to long if you have chest pain good luck and let us know how you get on please