Microvascular angina and weather triggers

[Worvera]

Diagnosed Microvascular angina a few months ago. Does anyone with the same diagnosis find that humid/thundery weather affects them. Whilst not in chest pain I’m finding that I become breathless. I embarrassingly recently had an ambulance after NHS 111 called it out when I went into a full blown panic attack. I’m getting used to cold conditions causing a trigger but just wondering if humidity is a cause too 😢

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Worvera,

I live with Microvascular and vasospastic angina due to coronary vasospasms.

I also have migraines and Raynaud's phenomenon.

All of these conditions are known to be effected by the weather.

I feel sometimes like a human barometer.

Any sudden change in the weather, drop in air pressure, rain, thunderstorms as well as the cold can trigger my symptoms.

I am enjoying the warm weather now however if the temperature drops suddenly with thunderstorms on Thursdays, I'll have more symptoms.

It takes time to come to terms with any ill health. Please don't feel embarrassed if you need to go to A&E. Perhaps try and find some strategies to manage your stress and anxiety?

The problem we also face is that so few healthcare professionals understand Microvascular or Vasospastic angina.

[Worvera in reply to Milkfairy]

Thank you Milkfairy. You’ve given me valuable advice since ever I joined this forum. I am a psychotherapist so understand health anxiety and I do lots of stress management exercises. The breathlessness I experience in humid weather is a new one on me though. Trying to do breathing exercises is so difficult at these times (hence the panic attack). It always seems to help when you know others experience the same thing because you can stop suspecting that you’re overreacting and normalise the experience. 😊

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Worvera]

Actually feeling breathless is the one symptom I also find difficult to manage too.

I feel I can't breathe in, it feels as though someone is squeezing the air out of my lungs. My bra feels too tight.

I manage by sitting upright, often crossed legged ( even on a hospital trolley) put my hands on my tummy, fingers just touching and try to concentrate on making my finger tips part as I breathe in.

Alternate nostril breathing can help.

healthline.com/health/alter...

[Worvera in reply to Milkfairy]

When I was a nurse I’d go around uncrossing people’s legs who had circulatory problems. But that was a million ears ago 😆.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Worvera]

I sit in the lotus position.The nurses know if I am in this position I have angina.

The ECG machine often arrives besides my bed as a result.

🧘‍♀️

[Sunnie2day]

I've been tentatively diagnosed as having 'presumed' MVA (the queue for the definitive diagnostic is years long and I'm constantly shifted to the back of the queue as I'm responding well to the beta blocker+aspirin+prn GTN regime) - my triggers are heat and high humidity.

Everyone is different (most MVA people are triggered by cold among other things) but humidity does seem to be a common trigger for all of us. I can be sitting here in perfect room and outdoor air temperatures but still having chest pain - when I check the hygrometer I discover the humidity is over 50%, no wonder I feel the need for the GTN!

My optimum level is no more than 72F (22C) with 50% humidity. And currently as I type, the room is 70F with 76% humidity despite the full-blast dehumidifier AND floor fan. Before I turned everything on this morning around 0630hrs the room temp was 69F - but the humidity was a shocking 92%!

Keeping a log helps work out what level of humidity you can tolerate. I have a hygrometer and jumbo dehumidifier in every room of the house except the bathroom where I have grudgingly learned to endure tepid showers to avoid steaming up the room beyond the ability of the extractor fan and open window.

[Worvera in reply to Sunnie2day]

Hi 👋. I never even knew that it was possible to check the humidity! I do have a dehumidifier but stupidly I’ve never thought of using it for this purpose . It’s off into the attic for me this morning then. The air feels thick here in Glasgow. Thanks for that! 😊

[Sunnie2day in reply to Worvera]

I'm up in Angus and the Mearns where the air is thick as thieves today (and for weeks previous)!

[Just-Wanna-Run in reply to Worvera]

You can get a small thermohygrometer which measures temperature and humidity. I monitor this as I just can't run in high humidities due to my MVA. I even struggle to walk and have to use my GTN lots more. Weather has a strange impact on us. Both myself and my two daughters get headaches/migraines when thunder is due.

[Worvera in reply to Just-Wanna-Run]

Oh thanks! I’ll try to find one. Not that I can run but even going for a stroll is an effort 😊

[Sunnie2day in reply to Worvera]

I bought my ThermPro on Amazon - temp and humidity only with a 'smiley face' I find slightly annoying but it's 'cute' according to my grands. Mine were under a tenner each, simple to change batteries, and I have one in every room including the bathroom.

You can go ultra fancy with the brand (there are several brands out there but for me the ThermPro seem to be the most reliable), the range goes from the super-simple ones I favour up to ones you can put a probe through the wall to get readings for indoors and out, ones that double up with clocks, alarms, 'nightlights'...everything but doing the washing up, lol!

[Heartsofoak in reply to Sunnie2day]

Hi, I have unstable angina also 12 stents and the humidity levels definitely cause problems luckily the GTN spray us very effective. As an aside is there any limit to how many times the spray can be used.

[Worvera in reply to Heartsofoak]

I’m not sure about that Heartsofoak but I’m told to phone 999 if the attack doesn’t ease after 3 double sprays over 15 minutes! 😊

[Sunnie2day in reply to Heartsofoak]

Every single on of us is different even if we have the very same symptoms and diagnosed conditions. The only - only - only person(s) who can advise regarding daily amount of GTN use is your medic(s) who knows your particular medical history and current status. I am not a medical professional and cannot answer your question safely - what if I give you the answer that works for me using the GTN but when you follow my schedule you end up overdosing (it is possible and it's not nice)?

I had several lengthy discussions with my cardiologist regarding my GTN use. After those discussion he is confident I know when to use or not use, and am alert to signs I've used the spray too many times in a day. I log use (and why-when, I also log other health related information, all on one handy spreadsheet) and email him the log on a regular basis. As important as having his 'permission to use as needed' - by discussing my GTN use and seeing my logs, he is alerted to changes in my condition that warrant his face-to-face interventions.

Talk with your consultant(s) - they know your history and current status and will be able to give you safe, reliable advice.

[Sunnie2day]

I don't know that aspirin is THE recommended part of a treatment regime, I just know for me, like you, the aspirin works nicely. I don't tolerate paracetamol well at all so they said I could try aspirin which does. The blood gases monitoring isn't nice but it's only once a year and I'm alert to the signs aspirin is causing me a problem - 20+years on I'm still fine. My cardiologist says I'm a medical puzzle

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi TRST

If you think you may have microvascular angina you need to see a Cardiologist for proper testing and diagnosis.

Microvascular angina is a complex heart condition and certainly needs the input of a Cardiologist.

[Sunshinebrew]

I find the very hot weather difficult too not necessarily chest pain but more breathless and very tiring

[Hidden]

I remember reading that when the body encounters hot weather, the heart responds by pumping more blood to the skin through the blood vessels. This acts as a coolant when the skin encounters the heat. The downside is that more strain is put on the heart.This has helped me a lot, because when I get in the car andnits hot, I immediately start to get angina. I've learnt to get the air con on straight away so as the car cools quickly. This has helped the length of the instances reduce.

Hope this helps.

[Worvera in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for that idea Snoweybm. I’ll try it out 😊

[Sunnie2day in reply to Hidden]

So true - hot and humid car interiors bring on chest pain SO quickly! My husband (I no longer drive) gets to the car first and opens all the doors and the hatchback to cool things down before I climb in, it really does help make things easier on me - and the car air con as it doesn't have to work as hard if the doors have been opened for a few minutes before being switched on.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

This is so interesting. When I was in Madrid I coped with the crazy temperatures of high 30oCs .

However when I walked into the humid greenhouse of the botanical gardens I felt awful.

Light headed, breathless , I got out before my chest pain hit.

[Worvera]

It’s not so much chest pain for me in this weather it’s breathlessness and light headedness. I’m usually a sun lover but I kept indoors today (with a fan in the room)