Unstable angina …Judith

[TEDDYs2]

Hi I’m new to this .I had chest pains on 4 occasions and ended up in A& E each time the tests show no heart problem .then I went for angiogram and shown only slight blockage in all 3 tubes so no stent needed .i was put on angina tabs and statin and aspirin .I’ve had 3 angina attacks since while resting within 2 weeks .it scares me silly .can’t understand why blood can’t get to my heart when not much blockage .i on healthy diet now and do lots of walking .i read that resting angina is dangerous .and with bee on tabs thought iit would stop but it’s got worse .has any bod had similar.I’m scared going to bed now 😫

[Hidden]

Dear TEDDYs2

Hello to you and welcome to the forum .

So sorry to hear the anxiety that not being able to get answers to your problems is causing you.

I am not medically trained , but even I can see that you cannot go on like this without some help.

Finding the answers can be a problem, but the only ones that can do that is the medical profession I am sorry to say.

Soon other member will be able to give you their help as many have suffered the same symptoms as you.

Contact your GP / Cardiologist , you need answers.

Take care

[TEDDYs2 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Healthyheart1]

Hi TEDDYs2 and welcome to the forum. It sounds like your at the beginning of your journey and your mind is all over the place, you've come too the right place to get some friendly support. I have unstable angina and it has taken a long time for the regime of tablets to work and be the correct ones for me. Are you still under a cardiologist and when would your next appointment be? It will take time for them to get you on to the correct tablets for you. I suggest in that you phone the British heart foundation nurses, they will be able to talk you through what is happening and maybe help your mind doing overtime and thinking the worst, unfortunately there are lots more of us out there on different parts of our journey but you will get through this. Regards Sheena x

[TEDDYs2 in reply to Healthyheart1]

Thank you .will phone BHF

[TEDDYs2 in reply to Healthyheart1]

Thank you

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello TEDDYs2

Welcome to the forum

I have lived with a type of unstable angina for nearly 10 years.

I have no blockages in my coronary arteries. My coronary arteries and small blood vessels go into temporary, transient constrictions, vasospasms. I experience most of my chest pain at night and at rest.

My vasospastic angina is treated by medication. Though I cannot take beta blockers as they make coronary vasospasms much worse.

Vasospastic angina is rare and often overlooked, difficult to diagnose and treat.

I suggest you ask your Cardiologist to consider whether you may have non obstructive coronary artery disease NOCAD, caused by microvascular or vasospastic angina.

The BHF has this information about microvascular and vasospastic angina.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[TEDDYs2]

Hi .after I had my angiogram I’ve had no appointment no follow up no one to talk to so cardiologist.thank you

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to TEDDYs2]

I suggest you ask your GP to refer you to a Cardiologist who has some understanding of non obstructive coronary artery disease.

There is a study taking place at St Thomas's hospital in London into diagnosing Microvascular disease.

You can contact the research team yourself.

You can find the contact details of the researchers at the end of this link.

isrctn.com/ISRCTN94728379

[Griff-64]

Good morning Judith.I went through the same when I first started getting breathless and chest pain.

A visit to the doctor saw me put onto various meds and I was told it was angina.

Visits to A&E and an angiogram showed no blockage in my arteries, and a visit to a cardiologist just depressed me when he said it was probably indigestion, (he doesn't believe micro vascular angina exists) but I decided to read up on it, and this is the best place to do it.

All the info you need is on here.

And talking to others who are experiencing the same thing will put your mind at ease.

[TEDDYs2 in reply to Griff-64]

Thank you

[TEDDYs2 in reply to Griff-64]

Thank you ,I believe I’ve got the same as you after reading .

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to TEDDYs2]

You might find this website useful. It was written by 4 patients with over 50 years combined experience of living with microvascular or vasospastic angina . They are supported by over 25 world expert Cardiologists.

internationalheartspasmsall...

[TEDDYs2 in reply to Milkfairy]

Yes thank you .good reading

[Griff-64 in reply to TEDDYs2]

For me, the more I found out about it and what was happening, the easier it became to live with.One doctor I had at the start would "Google" symptoms in front of me then explain the condition, I can do that myself.

Next time I saw him, I gave him a list of meds I needed to take, he agreed with all except beta blockers, but when I changed surgeries, the new doctor asked why I wasn't on them 😏

It can be very hit and miss unfortunately, that's why I joined the BHF site and read other people's experiences.

I still have bad days occasionally, but my biggest friend is the gtn spray at such times.

I've gone from being scared of something I didn't know existed to

"oh well, it's a 3 sprays of gtn, sit down and relax" kind of day when I get a pain, and I've at last found a doctor who knows a lot about it, that makes a huge difference.

Good luck with your journey.

[Heather1957 in reply to Griff-64]

What a lovely positive reply!

[Griff-64 in reply to Heather1957]

Thank you 👍

[TEDDYs2 in reply to Griff-64]

Thank you .I’ve sent Email to dr but not heard anything yet

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Griff-64]

It certainly can be hit and miss.

Beta blockers are usually contraindicated if you have vasospastic angina however helpful if you have Microvascular dysfunction.

I was incorrectly assumed to have Microvascular dysfunction before my diagnosis of vasospastic angina was confirmed. I was given beta blockers which landed me in CCU for 5 days.

I also have a very good supportive Cardiologist and GP.

[Griff-64 in reply to Milkfairy]

Vasospastic angina is another one of the things I knew nothing about and was never mentioned by a doctor or cardiologist but found it here.

Having said that, the subject came up in a conversation a couple of weeks ago with a Dr I've not spoken to before, as I'd had a short period of waking up with high BP and mild chest pain every morning, not something I normally suffer, a tweak in meds seems to be getting on top of it though.

[TEDDYs2 in reply to Griff-64]

Glad you found a dr that understands you ..I’ve just spoken to mine he was talking so fast I could hardly hear him .think he was reading from Google .lol he has referred me to cardiologist.hope I don’t have to wait too long , but until I hear from cardiologist he’s upped my medication but I might be on wrong tablets if I’ve got micro vascular so will have to see .what a night mare .thanks for your update

[Griff-64 in reply to TEDDYs2]

I did ask the doctor if I can change to her, she told me I don't need to but just ask for an appointment with her, either face to face or by phone.Once you find a good one, you have to keep hold of them. 😉

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Griff-64]

I absolutely agree.A Cardiologist who understands Microvascular or vasospastic angina is worth their weight in gold!

[Heather1957]

Hi Judith (I guess that is your name?) like you my understanding is that unstable angina is worse than stable angina although with medication it can be helped.From your last comment your unstable angina happens when you are in bed, I suffered from unstable angina last year (before I had stents fitted) and it tended to happen in bed, I wonder why lying down seems to set it off?

I hope you and the doctors manage to control your angina whether by changing your medication or further exploration.

[TEDDYs2 in reply to Heather1957]

Yes I know unstable is worse that’s why I’m worrid and it does happen very early morning or evening .thank you .hoping to see some soon