Anyone relate??

[Buffy6956]

Oh hello pain ... where did you pop up from in the middle of he night after I’d just got back into bed from the loo!!!! But your not the usual infrequent sharp stabbing like pain this time.... no.... this time your more of a deep pinching pain in the top of my heart and your lasting somewhat longer maybe 30 secs or perhaps a min and also couple of pains on the outside of first my right then my left arm fleeting and then gone as are you the original pain but one that made me sit up for a second and think “ ok this isn’t right maybe I should go to the hospital “ only for you to be gone the next minute...!!!! And now it’s the morning I’m up dressed eaten breakfast feel ok and so I’m thinking that if it was something bad surely it would if carried on?? It couldn’t really be angina as my RCA was opened by stent snd my Lcx is ok has adequate blood flow and a restenosis takes time like 3 months or so (I only had my stents 2 weeks ago) and if a clot had formed then that would be an acute situation that wouldn’t resolve? I know all this but still can’t help but worry snd wonder what these weird odd pains out of nowhere are ??? Anybody???

[Gladwyn]

I'm so sorry I wish I could help but sadly can't . Some knowledgable person will be along shortly with the answer or at least know of possibilities! All the best 😀.

[Squash1961]

Hi Buffy6956

I’m now 5 weeks after my HA and stent in my RCA and I still get some twinges, sharp stabbing pains and chest tightness (particularly after exercise) and also fleeting pains down my left arm. But they are far less frequent as the heart recovers and repairs. When I was going through the initial few weeks I thought restentosis, another HA, etc all the time. As my Cardiologist explained this is all quite normal and restentosis (which can happen at any time during the first year) is very rare nowadays with the 2nd generation drug eluding stents they use. And as you said it would not resolve, you would need to go back in for a re-stent. The key is to stay on the meds, control BP, cholesterol, weight and exercise and the risk is even less.

Having said all this, if you are getting pains that are continuous, you should go back to A&E, if for nothing else, just for re-assurance and peace of mind. I went back after a week because I was so anxious and all was good. Now even after 5 weeks, I’m far more calm and less anxious when I get the twinges. During the angioplasty your cardiologist would have checked for plaque build up and signs of potential blockages in other coronary arteries and would have let you know if there were other concerns. Anyway, good luck with your recovery!!

[Buffy6956 in reply to Squash1961]

Ty... yes they did look and my left main and LAD are both normal ... my L circumflex has plaque buildup but they did a fractional flow test on it with a wire and it was 0.93 which they said was a non significant plaque as it wasn’t impeding blood flow at all... and my RCA was stented so basically I’m thinking that how could it be angina pain? So then I’m thinking that the only other thing it could be was restenosus but then I would keep getting the pain? Yesterday the top outer edges of my left arm and for a while my right arm too both hurt for ages (around an hour maybe) it was a burning pinching pain ... it scared me again so I decided to do excercise to see if it got worse or not.... I got my heart rate up too 130 and after five mins I stopped I had no pain and none after either when I sat down.... this morning I can feel the ache in my upper arm mostly left ... it’s not painful but I know it’s there.... it just baffles me what this could be that’s all

[Squash1961 in reply to Buffy6956]

It might be the meds. I went from taking zero meds to the full cocktail after the HA. I have had the left arm aches on and off and the sharp stabbing pain when I get my HR above 125, so I ease off.

When I had my stent, within 12 hours I was in incredible pain, worse than the pain from the HA (which was just bad indigestion/heart burn) it turned out that I had stent thrombus/restentosis, and they rushed me down for another angioplasty, where they replaced the stent. I think the pain would be continuous and severe If you had the same problem. But if it continues and you are anxious, go back to A&E, and they might put your mind at rest. Take care

[jon22 in reply to Squash1961]

Hi, Interested to know how they 'replaced' your stent? I thought stents were permanent? Thanks.

[Squash1961 in reply to jon22]

Hi Jon. Bit of a miss print. They cleared the thrombosis around the original stent and then placed a second stent in the right marginal artery. You are right, stents are permanent. Cheers

[jon22 in reply to Squash1961]

Thanks. Thats what I thought - I have 4 stents overlapping (in the widow maker called a full metal jacket) and hoping they see me out ! I am 62 so we will see.