I am 61 female and diagnosed micro vascular angina 25th June
Discharged with Amlodopine 5mg and Bisoprolol 1.25 mg and Atorvastatin. I took the Atorvastatin for few weeks but then stopped and started Red Yeast Rice from health shop.
By mid September I put side effects I was having down to Amlodopine and stopped that.
I now just take Bisoprolol.....
Does any one have any advice or their opinion on this?
Regards
Dolly
Hello ampdolly
We're a peer to peer support group and under the community guidelines we are required to not offer advice on medication, and certainly not encourage, or offer opinions as regards people discontinuing their medication,
You really need to consult your GP about your medication.
Cases like this must drive our NHS crazy and ask what do we have to do 😡
What do you mean please?
I’ve had no follow up and there’s none on the horizon....
When I was first diagnosed with MVA I was given nothing, no meds or follow. Now have Afib, heart block and pacemaker but still no regular follow up with Cardiologist just yearly pacing check which is literally a 5 minute job ! seems once we have a diagnosis they lose interest ☹️
Also....
I work for NHS
MIDWIFE
Also I am not a case like this !
I think the worry is it appears you've not contacted your prescribing medics to inform them of the difficulties you were having with the prescribed meds. How is the Red Yeast Rice working for you as a substitute for the prescribed statin? My arteries are 'crystal clear' according to the angiogram done November 2019, so I'm not on a statin at this time but am interested to know why you chose the alternative (the rice) and how it is working.
Owing to the extremely long queue for the definitive diagnostic test for MVA, my cardiologist says he 'strongly suspects' I have it. My symptoms are under complete control so there is no rush to bump me to the head of the test queue.
So far (over a year now), the low-dose Bisoprolol 1.25mg+300mg aspiring every morning is controlling my suspected MVA very nicely - how is the Bisoprolol working for you?
Finally, how was your MVA diagnosed, did you have the definitive diagnostic (angiogram with acetylcholine provocation)?
Hi
I was completely well and suddenly developed HA symptoms.
Daughter took me to hospital and I was initially treated as HA
Had angiogram etc as you say and MVA diagnosed
I’ve never needed to use GTN spray that was prescribed
I’m just trying the RYR Cos don’t want to take statins x
Are you aware of a Myocardial infarction non obstructive coronary arteries?
MINOCA
ahajournals.org/doi/full/10...
About 6% of heart attacks are due to MINOCA the most common causes Microvascular dysfunction, vasospastic angina, spontaneous coronary artery dissection.
As the others have suggested it is important to work with a Cardiologist to find the best medication that will prevent further heart problems later and treat your MVA appropriately.
Have you been offered a Cardiac MRI to check your heart?
Where in the UK are you based?
As someone who lives with both Microvascular and vasospastic angina which has been at times so poorly recognised and treated appropriately by the NHS that I have been diagnosed with PTSD I feel your comment above lacks understanding and compassion.
We are here as a support group not a judgement group.
I have to agree with SpiritoftheFloyd on this. Before discontinuing or changing the dose of any prescribed medication you should consult with your GP/cardiologist.
Besides reducing cholesterol statins also reduce irritation, often a precursor to plaque formation, and stabilise any existing plaque. Does Red Yeast Rice do this? It has also been linked with yeast infections.
Besides reducing BP Amlodipine also acts as an anti-anginal. In your introduction you state you suffer from MVA yet you stop a drug perscribed to relieve these symtoms! If you had side effects you should have discussed it with your doctor. I did and subsequently took Diltiazem which is also a CCI (calcium channel inhibitor). This did not cause the odema I had with Amlodipine.
We all need to work with our GPs/cardiologists for the best outcome!
Good to see your name come up again in a response. How are you now?
How is your rehab going? I often think of you, and what you have recently gone through. Any news on possible house move? How is your walking? And the healing? And your prosthetic?
Anyway, thinking of you, I’m down in sunny Sussex at the moment, not looking forward to the winter. Shouldn’t moan, but have enjoyed the great weather of the summer.
Don’t know whether I shared with fellow hearties , but following my replacement aortic valve and single cabg, July 30th 2019at Harefield Hospital, back home after course of Ciprfloxin, Sep 17th had complete Achilles Tendon tear, not picked up till Dec 20th. So my walking is awful, particularly as L leg weak as result of back surgery 2016.
Apparently 1 in 10,000 known to have that complication from Ciprofloxin, and I was the one!!
Oh well I’m grateful to have a mended heart, but my balance bad and walking. But I can drive, and still do what I can. Have to count the blessings don’t we?
Michael, how about a bbq say on Firework night? Good to have a bit of banter from everyone!
Best wishes,
Marigold
Hi Dolly
Why have you been discharged from Cardiology?
How was your Microvascular angina diagnosed?
Microvascular angina is a serious long term condition that needs the oversight of a Cardiologist.
I suggest you discuss the side effects you have experienced with the medication with your GP and ask to be referred to a Cardiologist with an understanding of Microvascular angina.
It can take time to find the best combination of medication that will help treat your Microvascular angina. It is really important to discuss stopping your medication or taking any supplements with a Healthcare professional first.
The BHF has this information about MVA
The NHS has not shutdown you can call your GP. But your choice if you prefer to self diagnose
I agree the NHS is not Shutdown, BUT it is very Restricted.
I have a Echocardiogram for Thursday and it is for 6 PM first time I have been to the Hospital in the Dark hope I can find it !!
Hands Face Space to Stay Safe
The NHS is not open as normal for many heart patients. It is in some areas very difficult to get even a telephone appointment with a GP.
There has been an increase of deaths due to cardiac events during the Covid pandemic.
keele.ac.uk/research/resear...
The original poster has been given a diagnosis however they have been inappropriately discharged from the care of a Cardiologist.
This reflects the lack of recognition and understanding of Microvascular angina by healthcare professionals and the public alike.
I am sorry I was not aware that the person was inappropriately discharged had I known that was a proven fact my reply would have been to write a letter of complaint to the local NHS trust.
Given the current situation I still think our NHS is performing to the best of their ability under the circumstances. But no excuse for an inappropriately discharge
This may help with your inappropriately discharge
Let us know how you get on
nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-...
Dolly. Was the link of any use to you ?
Yes I’m quite intrigued by it and I would like a CMRI....
I had same episode 20 years ago with same investigations and results
High troponin but no coronary artery implications !!!
Discharged from cardiology after 6 months
Called it coronary syndrome X then
Thanks for that link and obviously lots to consider
I’m only taking bisoprolol because I cut out the atorvastatin and amlodopine- side effects made me feel crap mid September
Anyway my BP is 133/80 today And cholesterol 5.6 and hdl and ldl both 2.7
I totaly agree with your reply.
At the start of September I phoned to ask for an appointment to review my meds of High BP, still not under control after 12 months, I was asked "why" explained BP was still high and due for a review, was told Dr would phone on Friday, thursday morning call from surgery saying "the Dr want's to know why she needs to phone you" I explained that I was due a med review and was told unles i have some other underling health problem she didn't need to call me and to continue with meds.
Not once have they asked for a BP reading which is anywhere from 152/89-178/98. end of month I requested a repeat pscript and instead of 1mg Doxazosin received 4 mg once a day. On contacting the surgery to question it I was told I has been taking 1mg twice a day since july, which was news to me, so the Dr had upped the dose to see how I mange it, receptionist said Dr would callthis was tuesday on Friday my Dr got another dr to call and ask me what was going on exp[lained I had not been taking meds twice a day as only enough sent for once, she checked and found that it had been altered on screen but not prescribed,
I just think that there are toomany Dr that think "I'll just try this, they can always go to hospital, they can deal with them.
This is just my view as a fellow MVA sufferer. There is no one size fits all treatment for MVA. If you ask a group of MVA patients what medication they are on you will get a wide range of different approaches. So it's often a question of try it and see with the medication to get the combination which works best for the patient. But it's best to go through this process with a specialist cardiologist who knows the field.
I think my cardiologist would have a fit if I self medicated, I have awful side effects at the moment due to steroids and a lot of other meds, under 8 stone and still look like a cross between bhudda and jabba the hut, but I would be far too scared to stop anything, my arteries are pristine but I still take a staten to keep them that way, the nurses in my specialist hospital are of the opinion that anyone with a heart condition should be taking them for prevention or cure, they are lots of different ones to try, and some may have no side effects, I live in Scotland and the clinics have all re started with face to face, or mask to mask! appointments, which is very reassuring, char
What an amazing Christmas it has been this year, family didn’t expect me to still be here for this!
Statin reaction 
Bisoprolol withdrawal
Bad/Weird Dreams
CoQ10
