New to angina.

[Debscrease]

Hi recently been diagnosed , I had been having symptoms for around 18 months. I hadn't had the attacks very often. It starts with an intense dull pain between shoulder blades , coming through to between breasts. Then it radiates up my jaw and my teeth. I've experienced this whilst sleeping a couple of times, and whilst eating. It doesn't appear to happen on exhersion. I was diagnosed 2cweeks ago, been given gym spray. I haven't had an attack since. Is it normal to go weeks without an episode?.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello Debscrease

Welcome to the forum.

Have you been referred to the Rapid Chest Pain clinic?

It is important to have the cause of your symptoms investigated properly.

The BHF has this information about angina.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

I also suggest you call the BHF helpline and talk to one of the Cardiac nurses too.

[Debscrease in reply to Milkfairy]

Yes my GP have referred me to chest pain clinic.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Debscrease]

Hopefully you will not have to wait to long to be seen.

I live with a less common type of angina which is very similar to unstable angina Vasospastic angina. It is more common in women along with Microvascular angina.

I have my pain at rest in response to exercise or my other stressors such as the cold or emotional or mental stress.

The BHF has this information about vasospastic angina

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[benjijen]

I also have unstable angina and find it helpful to keep a spreadsheet of attacks along with how long they last and how many times I have to take GTN spray during attacks. It helps when you speak to GP/Cardiologist. Yes, you can go a while between attacks. Have you been referred yet so they can try to determine why they occur. I had 2 stents fitted which helped but it doesn't always 'cure' angina.

[Debscrease in reply to benjijen]

I've been refferd to rapid chest pain clinic. I'm waiting for appointment. Having read up on symptoms and types of Angina, mine does sound like unstable . The first thing I've done is contact help to quit Wales, and have reduced my smoking dramatically , whilst waiting for smoking sensation to contact me.

[Esselstyn]

Hi

Dr Esselstyn has had lots of success with angina, it takes from a few days to a few weeks for the symptoms to clear, as well as Dr Esselstyn check out the work of Dr Dean Ornish, both men have peer reviewed studies on this subject, you can see them on YouTube and get their books. Dr Esselstyn carried on Dean Ornish’s work, but concentrated on diet, while Dean Ornish did diet, meditation and exercise, Dr Esselstyn showed that diet alone ( he also used statins for some patience ) worked. Both of them carried on the work of Nathan Pritikin from the 70’s. Do look them up they will help you.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Esselstyn]

Please can you help me understand how your advice is in keeping with the guidelines of the forum posted by BHF admin ?

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to Milkfairy]

I agree, Milk Fairy. I couldn’t find any evidence of peer reviewed papers. If there are any....they would be interesting.

To quote Wycopedia ‘the claims made by Esselstyn are misleading and that the evidence on which it is based is "pretty skimpy".[10] Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic said that his claims are unproven because there isn't data from rigorous clinical trials to support them.’

[Esselstyn in reply to Kristin1812]

It is such a shame that so many science journals have pay walls, but here is a sample of Dr Esselstyn's research, you will be able to hear him explain things in videos, he is very famous, and rightly so.

I find using Google Scholar, a google search engine just for scientific papers very good at finding these things. Don't forget Dr Dean Ornish, again he can be found on the internet and he has written book, he has done well respected studies, they both have.

ajconline.org/action/doSear...

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Esselstyn]

That's quite an old list of references many are 20 or more years old.

Medicine has certainly moved on in the last 10 years let alone 20 years.