Can anyone describe true angina pains?

[Misstibbs]

I had a heart attack last Boxing Day at 69 after a lifetime of fitness marathons etc and perfect weight and BMI? This really dented my positivity. So for me I guess it’s cholesterol? Bouncing back though jogging exercise and swimming in the sea at the moment.

[Chappychap]

The vast majority of heart disease can be explained with a small handful of causes; smoking, obesity, poor diet, etc. All the usual suspects in fact!

But just because these explain the great majority of heart disease doesn't mean they explain them all. Some of the other causes can be sleep apnea, gum disease (sounds bizarre, but there you are), exposure to heavy metals, persistent stress as measured by high cortisol scores, fatty liver syndrome (sometimes sufferers are called "TOFI", thin on the outside but fat on the inside, ie fat deposits around the organs and in particular the liver), genetic disposition towards insulin resistance, and the list goes on.

If you're interested in learning more a good book is "Beat The Heart Attack Gene" by Dr Bale. It won't turn you into your own cardiologist, but it will allow you to have a more informed dialogue with your own doctors.

Good luck!

[Misstibbs in reply to Chappychap]

That’s much appreciated and helpful thank you

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Misstibbs

By your name am I correct in thinking you are female?

There are some ' classic' symptoms and then some very bizarre ones too!

Women do have the same symptoms as men however they also can have the added symptoms of extreme tiredness and breathlessness.

A small number of people live with angina without blockages in their coronary arteries.

Non obstructive coronary artery disease.

The BHF have this information about angina.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Also you may find this article about women and heart attacks interesting too.

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

[Misstibbs in reply to Milkfairy]

That’s very helpful thank you, no Im a fella didn’t think about the username it’s after the pet cat!

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Misstibbs]

Haha shows that you can never make assumptions 😊

[Pollypuss]

Oh this is a movable feast. I was fit like you: blood pressure and cholesterol and weight ok . Started having pains two years ago playing tennis but the pains went when I progressed through the match. Had several passive ecg’s and all came back fine so pains were put down to muscular problems. Last October I noticed the pains started happening when I was in bed at night and thought it was indigestion .. took indigestion medicine and the pain went until one night I thought it was a bit odd. Went to A&E and from there was in hospital for two months and had a triple. To this day I cannot tell the difference between angina and indigestion. Maybe because I am a female and symptoms are different. Anyway after being recycled I am doing fine and back at tennis.

[Misstibbs in reply to Pollypuss]

Wow that’s very interesting and helpful sometimes it is very difficult to read your own body. Anyway good to hear you’re back up and playing 👍

[nilmonisikdar40 in reply to Pollypuss]

Here in this forum we learn every thing new and that is so important because it's your own body and some heart symptoms can be just specific for you. Even good, experienced cardiologist misses cardiac problem for heart burn or indigestion can be the dominating symptom and these are the pitfalls. Thanks Pollypuss.

[Pollypuss]

Thank you. There was so much going on: indigestion , painful shoulders, but nothing unbearable that would have alerted me to what was to come. I never needed anything for the pain and in all I felt ok. This is the danger of heart disease because all my tests were fine . I always stress that heart disease can be so complex regarding symptoms and push people to insisting on further investigation if it something that won’t go away