Wheezing/breathless post stent

[Ratso109]

First time posting

I’m a 50 year old nurse with a recent stent placement in June. Probably similar story to many - had no idea I was experiencing angina. Thought I was unfit and breathless due to covid lockdown lack of exercise. Long story short, had a positive stress test, started rosuvastatin, aspirin and metoprolol. Positive CT showing LAD blockage with 90% block. Angioplasty and stent all within a 2 week period. Haha!! Crazy times!!

My question. I take the above meds still, plus Ticagrelor. I feel like I have asthma. I have felt like that all the way through - it’s what sent me to the doctor. I can’t really remember whether I felt it strongly before all the drugs, because I also had a lung sensation at the same time, and thought I was developing COPD (incorrect diagnosis hence nurse not doctor!) sorry - long winded, but has anyone else felt wheezy with the medication? I have honestly had about 10 people listen to my lungs, plus a lung function test and there’s no actual asthma to be found!!

Thank you 🙏🏻

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

Hi Ratso (like the name!). To my untrained eye it looks like nothing much has really changed for you on the breathless/asthma/lung front… ..it’s just that you’ve now had a stent and lots of new heart meds, but with little or no effect on your lungs. Have you been to a Respiratory Consultant?My experience is that heart meds can need a fair bit of juggling to get a mix that has the right effect on your heart, and their side effects are manageable for you.I also wonder what you mean by ‘lung sensation’? Is that a technical term?

[Ratso109 in reply to Kristin1812]

Hi Kristin thanks for replying Haha, no, I’m a psychiatric nurse, I have zero technical terms for anything general health.

I had breathlessness on exertion plus a feeling in my chest that felt like my lungs do when I’ve had a bit of a chest infection and it’s been a really cold day. Like my bronchi are a bit inflamed. That was apparently angina, but I didn’t have a clue because it didn’t feel like a heart thing. That’s why I called it a lung sensation.

I have a constant need to cough. Im wondering whether it’s the drugs or if I have a problem with the stent and maybe a tiny clot? Hoping that’s just paranoia because I have no chest pains particularly, but then I never did…

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to Ratso109]

Thanks Ratso for your description…..Sounds more confusing with your chest, being so like the lung experience you recognise. My chest feels tight in the cold (and humid) too, and they have identified that as angina. I have no identified lung problems. Also I had one drug, Ramipril, that did cause me a dry cough (it’s known to, in some people).

[firstlight40]

I'd speak to a cardiac nurse or GP. Some heart medications have a side effect o making people feel breathless.