Unstable Angina

[Garto1]

Does it get any better ? H/A October 2020 now have unstable angina started with spray and gone onto Isosorbide Mononitrate 10mg twice a day . Then 20mg, 30mg and after attending A&E at weekend and spending the night in hospital I’m now on 60mg twice a day . Living with this is a nightmare . I was sitting with my feet up knitting when the chest pain came on and would not go away after using spray 3 times . To make matters worse couldn’t get an ambulance as they were so busy so husband drove me to hospital. What a journey that was ! Can anyone offer reassurance please . Thank you

[Hidden]

Reading back through your last post it seems to me that the blocked artery should have been stented? Did they offer you any reason why they did not think it was worth doing, on the face of things it could have been a bad decision? Obviously trying to treat it with meds is not working, especially as you have constant pain. I think I would be pressuring my GP to refer you back to the cardiologist for a rethink.

[Garto1 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, The dr who did the angiogram said it was a small artery that had narrowed but was not completely blocked and he was sure I would do well on medical therapy. I have decided to give the increased meds about a month to see if they make any difference and if not I will call cardio specialist nurse and ask to be referred back for further investigations. I feel like I’m living with a time bomb just waiting to go off again. Thank you for your reply .

[Hidden in reply to Garto1]

I know how you feel, I had a 50% blockage in my RCA but they decided not to stent it along with the 2 others I had in my LAD. I have done my utmost to try and prevent it increasing but it is always at the back of my mind.

[Garto1 in reply to Hidden]

Maybe I need to start asking more questions as I don’t know any of the info that you have think I was in shock . Thanks for your reply . Keep well and stay safe

[Hidden in reply to Garto1]

I think people seem to be split into two camps. Some wish to stay unaware of the medicine while others become immersed in it and end up quite knowledgeable, as are some on this forum - it probably depends on if you have an enquiring mind or not I guess. One thing is for sure, the more you can enlighten yourself about this misfortune that has befallen you, the more equipped you will become to deal with it, both yourself and when talking to the professionals. I accept you should not use "Doctor Google" as a replacement for a GP, but there is a wealth of understanding to be had out there for sure. Good luck, we all need it.

[Mater123 in reply to Garto1]

Hi that's my story too, exactly the same as yours. I have an 80% blockage which wasn't blocked a year ago and they say my artery is too small for stents, and to try medication. I have been on the same medication for 3 years, so my thoughts are the meds have not stopped this blockage.Previous history 3 stents blocked within in a month, then emergency triple bypass.

But this time nothing is going to be done due to the small calibre of the artery.

So yes I too feel like I'm on a time bomb, I keep calculating how far it has blocked in one year and doing my maths..... so scared

[Garto1 in reply to Mater123]

Thank you for your reply. I’m so sorry to hear of the terrible time you have had at such a young age. I sometimes think I am going to die of the fear of what may happen next but trying to stay positive and hope the medics have it right and that eventually the medication may work.

[Mater123 in reply to Garto1]

I do hope you stay well and try to be able to enjoy little things . that's what I try and having spent a lot of time in hospital I now appreciate beung able to make a cup of tea and go out to the garden .keep in touch if you hear anything interesting or new !!

[Garto1 in reply to Mater123]

Thank you I will

[Hidden in reply to Mater123]

Just read through your profile, fantastic when people actually fill it in!! Did they give you any reason as to why your arteries seem to be blocking up so easily? Did you modify your lifestyle following the discovery of the blockages, diet, exercise and so on? I was told during Rehab that you cannot "work out" how blockages are progressing, it is so dependant on other things. Do you have any other factors like high cholesterol or genetic propensity for atherosclerosis? What type and strength of Statin are you on?

[Garto1 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, They gave no reason as to why my artery may be narrowed and yes I took part in online Rehab for many weeks . Walked every day and so far I’ve lost two and a half stone. I don’t drink or smoke and never have . I also do online cardio classes with my local authority. My walking dropped from 30mins a day to not making it past 4 mins before angina pain kicked in and I was unable to continue . Cholesterol was ok as far as I know and no one has told me otherwise. I am on 80mg of Atorvastatin.

[Mater123 in reply to Hidden]

Hi thanks ..for taking tge time to reply......my cholesterol last reading was 3.5...I'm on 80 mg statin. Possibly genetic..some lifestyle factors maybe ...I do need to make time for my walks between kids needs...

[Hidden]

3-4 years ago I had a angiogram at st barts. They went in to stent and decided it was not bad enough at that time. Since then they have massively changed and juggled my meds that still is not helping enough. I am on 60mg mononitrate, was on up to 6mg bisoprolol at one point and now on 40mg nicorandil. My Bp fluctuates from 95/63 to 135/95. I finally have another angiogram in the next couple months, will be fitted with 24hr monitors for Bp and heart rate in the next 3-4 months.

[Garto1 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply. I suppose if 60mg doesn’t work then they will consider another angiogram. I will contact specialist nurse if I have any further problems .

[Hidden in reply to Garto1]

I have found doctors really like exhausting all options of meds. An slow to test.

[Garto1 in reply to Hidden]

I think your right and I may have a way to go before they have the right meds/treatment for me. Thank you for your reply

[Hidden in reply to Garto1]

Your welcome

[Garto1 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for reply . My head is mince with it all but I will ask more questions when I next see someone .

[Gibson01]

I can sympathise with you. I have been struggling with UA for over 12 months and have had numerous trips to A&E since then. First thing to appreciate is that UA is not a diagnosis it’s a catch all term which simply means that you have angina symptoms at rest. What’s needed is to identify the cause of the angina. Yes you do need to give any medication changes time to settle, and if there is no improvement go back and keep going back until this gets resolved. You have a long way to go on the medication front yet.

If you can afford to, see a cardio consultant privately, they will typically see you within a week and may then put you on there or a colleagues NHS list for further investigations.

I write this from a hospital bed awaiting a repeat angiogram. Last one identified a narrowing in LAD between 2 stents which he advised was treatable with medication. I’m now on 120mg isorbide, ranolazine and Amlodipine yet the angina is much worse now than before.

Even now various consultants have different views on the cause and treatment proposed. The angio will use a pressure wire and other tests to see if blockage is truly significant and determine if small vessel angina is the issue. Proposed treatments range from more drugs, through a stent to bypass surgery!

From my experience you can see that there is a long way to go yet, and you will probably get worse before you get better. Good luck and keep on going until you get this resolved.

[Garto1 in reply to Gibson01]

Thank you for your reply good luck with your angiogram and I hope you get treatment and relief

[Gjkas]

Hi Gartro1. I was told that I had a Heart murmur 30 years ago. Then a few years later the chest pains began. I was diagnosed with unstable Angina .They did an angiogram and said that there was a narrowing of one of the small arteries that they didn't think was worth putting a stent in at the time. But the last few years have been a downhill spiral. I have an Atrial valve stenosis which has affected my Mitral valve.They can't find a Cardiac Surgeon who would risk doing a valve replacement for me because I wouldn't survive the Surgery. My Cardiologist and myself decided that I wasn't to have another angiogram, because it wasn't without risk, and I have numerous health problems..I have had several T I A s. mini strokes etc.

My blood pressure have gone up to 220/120. They called me a walking time bomb..But now with medication it's evened out, but on saying that, sometimes it's gone quite low and i get so giddy. I'm not normal. The Doctors say that I am complex. When I go in hospital the Doctors either say, Oh Oh, here comes our Nightmare, or here comes trouble..But I can't help it. I wish i could.

4 years ago I was rushed into hospital by ambulance because they thought that I was having a Heart Attack.

When they did a blood test my troponin was high. So the Cardiologist on duty told me that I'd had a Heart Attack. But 6 hours later they did another blood test and. my troponin had come down..

So I was told that the Heart Attack was questionable . But 6 months later I was taken in again with chest pains, and they wanted me to stay in for a few days. But a few days later they decided that I should have another angiogram. My Cardiologist wasn't on duty, so I told the other cardiologist that he wasn't to go in my groin. He said that it was alright because they could go through my wrist.

But when they took me down for the angiogram, that Cardiologist wasn't even there. It was a young man called Dave that was doing the procedure.

So then I told him that he wasn't to go in. my groin. .He said yes that's alright.

But it wasn't alright. He couldn't go through my wrist because it was calcified. But then I had a terrible pain in my groin, my back, my stomach and my right leg. I was soaking wet from my Tummy down. I thought OMG ive wet myself. I nearly passed out because of the pain. The man that did the procedure had his fists pushed into my groin. I screamed at him,. Shit get off me. But he said ' I can't I have to stop the stem. All hell broke loose and one of the nurses had to get him a stool for him to step on so that he could put more pressure in my groin. Then I realised that the wet that I felt was my own blood.

When he attempted to do the angiogram he tore my main blood vessel and I bled out. I had an haemorage and I was in and out of consciousness. I know they put me in something ( I don't know what ). But I couldn't move, not even my head. I was kept there all night. Then in the morning I was taken back to the Cardio ward..The Nurses were bringing me water to drink, but I had to drink it through one of those bendy straws.I still had to lay flat on my back. Then the nurses were told that they could raise my head 1 inch every hour.

The following day the Cardiologist came to see me. I pulled the sheet up on the bed, so that I wouldn't have to even look at him. He apologized so profusely, but it was too late, the damage had been done.

If I was strong enough I would have bloody well punched him for not even being there. 2 weeks later one of the Nurses that was in the same room where they tried to do the angiogram told me that the man that did my angiogram was new there. I had 1 small little mark from my 1st angiogram, I had no trouble whatsoever with that one.

But I have another2 lumps in my groin ,so he must have attempted to do it twice..

I hope he's on Healthunblocked and reading this, because I would want him to know that it's because of him that I am worried about having another angiogram. My Cardiologist thinks that I do need stents. But even though I'm out of breath, I just don't know. I am on loads of medication, including Monomil XL ,Trinitrate spray ,Amlodipine, Bisoprolol,Aspirin and I was on Clopidogal, but that has now been stopped. I can't remember them all because I'm so very tired. I have COPD ,Asthma, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis , Osteoporosis and I also have Chronic Fibromyalgia .

I hope you can get something sorted out..

Get to see your Cardiologist and ask questions. Write down what you want to ask him/her, because if you're anything like me, I always forget something.

Fibro Fog. Stay Safe and keep well.🤞👍

[Garto1 in reply to Gjkas]

So sorry that you’ve had to go through so much and I hope that you will feel better soon . It’s just awful worrying all the time and having pain every day . I feel like my life will never be the same again and that I will feel like an invalid for the rest of my days. Take care of yourself.

[Gjkas in reply to Garto1]

Hi Gartro1. How are you doing. Hope you're feeling a little better. As for me, I don't think it's gonna be long before I'm back in hospital.

But its frightening having to go in hospital because it's not like it used to be a few years ago..

Take Care and Stay Safe. 🤞👍

[Garto1 in reply to Gjkas]

Hi Gjkas, I’m doing ok (thank you for asking ) as I’ve had no further chest pain although still have niggle in back between shoulder blades. I’m sorry you feel that you will be back in hospital is there any thing you can do to prevent this ?. Keep safe and well