Fight for your right, my story.

[Smerblue]

Last year I had 2 stents fitted to my RCA. About March this year I felt a little bit unfit when running. I had a burning feeling central chest area. To cut a long story short it has been gradually getting worse over the last months to the point where i was getting angina pains 80% of the day with spike and troughs. This resulted in 4 x 999 calls and 2 trips to hospital. Every time my TropT and ECG results came back showing no stress to heart. I was sometimes made to feel like someone who just liked the attention and calling on our overworked NHS. On this trip the consultant at our local hospital stuck by what i was saying and sent me to our specialist cardiac hospital Castle Hill for an angiogram. Yesterday the cardiologist carried out a ward round before the ops and totally disregarded what I was saying, asked if I thought it was unstable angina to which he basically said I was picking the symptoms to suit what I thought it was. Made me feel like a fake. Sceptical was his verdict. I had the cardiogram yesterday and spent 2 hours having 2 stents put in the LCX and a branch off the LAD. Which were both only20% blocked last year but between 80 and 90% this year. He carried out a lot of balloon work and also cosmetic work whatever that is. Good news is my 60% blocked artery and the stented artery are the same as last year... Anyway the purpose of this long winded message is to say we know our bodies and what feels wrong. Stick up for yourself and push for the medical checks we deserve and don't be put off by those professionals who don't believe you. If I had gone along with everyone and everything I was told I would of had a heart attack within a short space of time. Keep well.

[Calliope153]

I recognise everything you are saying but it is so hard to be persistent. I totally agree you end up feeling like everyone thinks you are faking it or attention seeking. I struggled along for over a year and a half: won't bore everyone with story but 12 weeks after an emergency admission and a replacement valve and aortic graft the quality of my life is absolutely amazing in comparison to what it was and I am still recovering. I don;t really know how you force the GPs, consultants etc to investigate and refer you on for more tests. All I can say is my GP on the telephone calls (2 since I came out of hospital) treats me quite differently....... he was supposed to have referred me for an urgent angiogram a few weeks before my emergency, life threatening admission.......Best wishes for ever improving health.

[Smerblue in reply to Calliope153]

I can't imagine what it was like going through that for a year and a half. Perhaps our stories will help others to fight by taking examples to their professionals showing that tests don't always tell the full story.

Stay healthy.

[Calliope153 in reply to Smerblue]

dailymail.co.uk/news/articl...

and by coincidence the next thing I saw was the above.....

[Sunnie2day in reply to Calliope153]

I read that, nodding my head and thinking 'Same up here!' (I'm in Scotland). My annual echo has been 'postponed until...'. It's to monitor persistent pericardial effusion and while I feel quite well so I know the effusion isn't increasing, I'm still not happy about the postponement especially now the pandemic has eased off so much here.

[080311 in reply to Sunnie2day]

Same with my yearly echo Sunnie down in the Central Belt! Mine due May 😉

[angel343]

im so glad you persisted and was sorted out ithink its shocking we all know our body and when something is wrong. before my heart attack i repeatedly went to doctors and told them i was having heart flutters. was told it was stress due to a bowel condition i had, two weeks later i suffered a major heart attack and had angioplasty and was in icu. that was 5 years ago. Now been diagnosed with LQT. Am feeling the worse i have in my life im waiting today for a telephone consultation if nothing happens i have told my husband i will have to go in, i cannot stand without feeling faint im dizzy all the time and the exhaustion is horrendous. I feel forgot about and ive not got the energy to fight. Take care hope your feeling better soon .

[Smerblue in reply to angel343]

Unfortunately it's the only way at the moment to push them if you know things are serious. I do hope you find answers and get sorted.

[angel343 in reply to Smerblue]

thankyou smerblue take care.

[Sunnie2day]

Smerblue, it's great you're now 'sorted' - I just want to know one thing...has the cardiologist bothered to apologise for suggesting you were somehow cherry picking symptoms to fit your narrative? (grrrr, why-why-why do they do that?!)

[Smerblue in reply to Sunnie2day]

No. From what everyone in the hospital has said he's known for it. When he came round this AM. He just wanted to be away. I was asking about tests going forward as 2 of my arteries closed so quick. " some do some don't" was his answer.

Hope your echo is organised soon. Take care.

[Superdar]

We know our bodies........best advice ever.......1 stent in 2009.......3 way bypass in 2017.........2 more stents 2020.......cleaned out blocked carotid artery 2020............ no heart attacks....... because if I feel short of breath or feel like passing out I head for the hospital. Still kicken!! God is good!!!

[scotsrish]

Nice to know that no matter where we are the problems are so similar. I am BC, Canada went through the same treatment before my HA with dizziness, palputations, fatigue and unwell feeling for months i was told i was fine. Then in April really short of breath hiking, mild pain in left arm, jaw and back plus horrible painful chest pain/heartburn. Went to emergency and waited hours then sent home with apparent gerd. Pain all night back to emerg waited hours while i had heart attack and my RCA ripped. I was flown emergency to cardiac hospital. Since the HA and two stents i have had to go back to that emerg because of problems. Each time talked down to and treated like a hypochondriac. I am now awaiting an emergency echocardiogram and the wait is 6 weeks. I keep thinking of that saying what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and hope it is true ha ha.