My 3rd Angiogram

[Bell7]

Hi.

I'm feeling pretty low at the moment after having my 3rd angiogram no change.50% mid LAD,maybe microvasular disease.Ive been taken off Bisoprolol & have to continue with amlodipine & gtn spray.Doctor says I'm a mystery.I continue to get breathlessness & dull ache in my chest through to my back upon exercise.I used to be quite active & loved swimming & power walking, but now find this difficult. I have put on weight about 2 stone in the past year or so which is making me feel so low in myself.I have also been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. I just want to feel normal again & do the things I used to be able to do but can't as all the medication I've been on has not made one bit of difference. Why am I still experiencing these chest pains & breathlessness continually (I had this before I gained the weight),still being investigated but this has been ongoing for the past 3 years.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello Bell7

I acknowledge your frustrations.

I have lived with coronary vasospastic angina for nearly a decade. I have vasospasms in my small and large coronary blood vessels.

Have you been asked to be referred to a Cardiologist who has some understanding of Microvascular dysfunction and vasospastic angina?

Have you got a copy of your angiogram report?

A routine angiogram is unable to test for microvascular dysfunction or coronary vasospasms.

The BHF has this information about Microvascular angina.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Bell7 in reply to Milkfairy]

Thankyou for your reply.Sorry to hear what you have been going through.Yes I'm seeing a cardiologist for further investigation.ive my report too.Just need to know why things aren't improving.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Bell7]

It can take time and patience to find the best combination of medication that will work best for you. There is no quick fix.

Microvascular dysfunction and vasospastic angina are complex conditions to manage.

Unfortunately many Cardiologists don't have much knowledge or experience of how to care for us as a group of patients.

Did they measure your coronary flow reserve CFR? If it is less than 2.5 that suggests the problem is microvascular dysfunction.

Beta blockers can help patients with microvascular angina however make vasospasms worse.

Calcium channel blockers such as Amlodipine are the mainstay of treatment for coronary vasospasms.

I suggest you ask your Cardiologist to review your medication.

There is alot of interest and research into Ischaemia non obstructive coronary arteries INOCA the umbrella term to describe microvascular dysfunction and vasospastic angina.

There is also this group set up by 4 patients supported by over 25 world leading experts into the condition. You'll find lots of research articles on the website.

internationalheartspasmsall...

[Bell7]

Thankyou so much for your reply & information, much appreciated.

[Sunshinebrew]

Hello bellI I understand your feelings completely

I have 3 stents put in 4 years ago but still suffer dull chest pain and tightness followed by breathlessness regularly, and have had a further 3 angiograms following the stents to investigate which have all been fine, so I was told.

I am not sure if I have vasospams or microvascular angina and the cardiologists aren't sure either, but I'm being treated with medications which are reviewed and I try to have the best quality of life I can. I walk enjoy gardening and exercise when I feel well and rest when I don't reading listening to audiobooks and meditation get me through the bad days.

I have my down times too so can sympathise, and just hope with more understanding of microvascular disease we'll get better treatments and diagnosis soon.

Your not on your own and there is more awareness now of the condition thanks to milk fairy who has helped me enormously over the past few years.

[Bell7 in reply to Sunshinebrew]

Thankyou very much for your reply.Its very frustrating isn't it,I used to be quite active & find now I can't do the activities I used to do.I find walking which I used to love,quite difficult now & have to use my gtn spray a few times if I do.I'm waiting to hear from my consultant to do some more investigating.

[Sunshinebrew]

It is frustrating yes very, but speaking from my own experience I was unable to do any gardening or walk very far without feeling ill, was unable to help with grandchildren and felt like an invalid but now I am able to do all these things on a good day. I still get symptoms every couple of weeks when I have to rest but in between I can do most things and feel good. So keep working with your cardiologist to find the right medication for you. It's good to keep a diary of symptoms and what brings them on etc. to tell the cardiologist, and read all the information available. There are lots of medications to try, but it can take a while to get the right ones and then in my experience it doesn't make you better but it does help you to manage the symptoms in order to get the best quality of life. I wish you well.

[Bell7 in reply to Sunshinebrew]

Thankyou,I wish you well too.You have been very helpful.Much appreciated.

[Emgee]

I know things can get you down, I went through all kinds of tests to try to find out why I was having a feeling like a spear had been thrust through my chest from front to back every so often. Many tests later, I discovered myself that whenever I had an ice cream cone while out shopping, I suffered this same dull ache. When I cut out milk products, I did not have it anymore. Here I was, lactose intolerant and did not know. A woman I had worked with thole me about her experience, which made me aware it could be my cause also.Be sure your symptoms are not digestive related, by cutting out certain lactose foods for a period. My tachycardia used to be induced by various foods I ate, and so I always thought it was from the vagus nerve.

[Bell7]

I do watch what I'm eating & try to stick to a healthy diet & thankyou for your reply & will look into it.Much appreciated.