micro vascular angina

[Shoshov]

good afternoon friends. was just at rehab and spoke to nurse about maybe increasing my isosorbide. as most of you know i’m very symptomatic to most drugs iv been put on. however about 3 months ago they tried me on 2x10mg isosorbide which iv tolerated. i also have unstable angina which has been occurring quite frequently lately. long story short i asked if i could increase isosorbide as i didn’t feel they were reLly helping. it was then she told me i had micro vascular angina. now iv never been told this before. i’m a bit thrown by this as iv been on this treadmill for 2 years now. reading posts on here i always thought i maybe had it but haven’t had any tests for it. don’t know how to progress with this as when i asked if i could just stop tablet as it wasn’t working she said no as it’s keeping you from having pain on exertion which iv never had. has anyone been in a similar situation that could throw some light on this. i’m currently on 40 atoavadtatin clopidrogil lanzoprazol and the isosorbide. help❤️shiona

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Shoshov

I am sorry to hear of your experience.

I suggest you ask to see a Cardiolgist to explain why you have been diagnosed with microvascular angina. It is important for the Cardiologist to diagnose you correctly so you receive the correct treatment.

There are several different causes and it takes trial and error to treat MVA. Unfortunately MVA is not well understood so you may not always be given appropriate information.

There are different possible treatment options and it can take sometime to find the best combination of medication that works best for you.

This is something to discuss with your Cardiologist.

As you know I live with both MVA and vasospastic angina- microvascular and coronary artery spasms.

I get pain at rest rather than on exertion my angina is very unpredictable and unstable. However I have a confirmed diagnosis.

I hope this helps !

[Shoshov in reply to Milkfairy]

i was hoping you would pop in. she really floored me. it was a bit of the cuff. i’m just left with so many questions. she knows i don’t get “ normal” angina so don’t know why she said that. totally confusing. i was supposed to see my cardio this month but haven’t had appointment in yet. i’ll maybe chase that up. i remember you saying there’s good meds for it so why have they not given them to me? too many questions. but thanks for advice. it was just what i needed❤️

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Shoshov]

Sheena are you based in Scotland?

[Shoshov in reply to Milkfairy]

yes i am

[Hidden]

My scan results were "in consistent of MV ischemia".

Artery spasm causing thickening/narrowing is yet to be proven.

That would be the next....

[benjijen]

My isosorbide mononitrate was increased to 60mg early last year due to my unstable angina being a problem Like you, not had pain on exertion and have been going to rehab for 3 years now. Later last year it was decided I could halve my dose, which I did and promptly had 3 attacks within a very short time and my dosage has been put back up. Since then (touch wood) I've not had a significant attack. I hate the side effects of meds; I have several complaints for which I take other meds and would like to come off them. However, at the moment I won't be pushing for this one to be reduced again any time soon! Definitely speak to your Cardiologist to have your condition correctly diagnosed. Good luck.

[Shoshov in reply to benjijen]

wow benjijen. another eternal rehaber 🤣iv been going for 2 years so not as experienced as you. iv never had angina on exertion. the last 2 times i had severe bouts i was hospitalised for 2 weeks while awaiting cath lab. both times was stented. that’s why i find it strange that knowing i’m experiencing a lot of pain that she just brushed it aside and threw in the microvascular word which i have to say took me 3 stations of circuit before it dawned on me what she said. but to dismiss the idea of increasing isosorbide as i don’t feel any benefit from being on it. none of us want to take unnecessary meds. we take enough. when i said should i just stop it then she said no because it’s stopping pain on exertion which is important. maybe i’m just missing the point. you think you’ve got things all worked out in your mind then something like this happens and now i feel i’m all confused. i’ll make appointment with my gp first and see what she says. i’ll also chase up cardio appointment. thanks for confirming there’s others like me out there❤️shiona

[Sunshinebrew]

I have been told I also have MVA with coronary artery spasms but haven't had a test to confirm this, it was suspected and the diagnosis was made by cardiologist based on my symptoms.

I take isosorbide increased to 60mg twice a day, and 500mg ranolazine twice a day at the moment and I am seeing a cardiologist to monitor this.

At my most recent appointment I was seen by a different doctor who thinks I may have a heart murmur as well which no one has mentioned before so I understand how you feel when a medical professional mentions something you were not aware of its very unsettling.

[Shoshov in reply to Sunshinebrew]

morning. i just find it so strange the way it happened. this nurse is the senior of the rehab team and she knows i don’t have normal angina so to say the isosorbide is stopping pain on exertion just stumped me. i think i’m missing something somewhere. i’ll call gp and chase up cardiologist. i spoke to him about this on last visit in october after taking an attack while visiting the golden jubilee in glasgow. the doctors there suggested i may have mva. he said symptoms could fit a lot of things and said no more about it. i don’t know if he contacted the jubilee after that and spoke to someone there,but you would think they would let me know. thanks for answering❤️shiona

[SaraTwycross]

Hi Shoshov i have unstable angina and i am taking ranolozine i cant have the isosobite as i had an adverse allergic reaction to it, made me so ill. Are you intouch with the cardiac nurses they could also maybe help you discuss your diagnoisis. Hugs sara

[Shoshov in reply to SaraTwycross]

hi sara. it was the cardiac nurse at rehab that told me yesterday. i think it was her attitude more than anything. she was more interested in playing with the remote for the music. i’m just getting i bit frustrated as i feel iv been passed between so many departments in the last 2 years and just come out with that was the last straw i suppose. just needed a wee moan. i’ll get over it in a few days. if she’d even mentioned something else as i told her i was getting a lot of pain but just fobbed me off. that’s good you’ve got something that works for you. thanks for replying❤️

[SaraTwycross]

Oh dear i hope you find the answers about your diagnosis soon, getting used to a diagnosis can be quite a stressful time, hugs sara

[Shoshov in reply to SaraTwycross]

thanks sara. continue to feel well ❤️