Recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and fast heart beat. Discovered through a routine check up. Waiting various procedures after telling doc I had chest/tightening over Xmas.
I have been given a GNT spray. I have a uncomfortable fullness feeling in my left breast, it feels very heavy. Is this angina? Confused as always thought that with angina it would be more like pain? When I use the spray it does help but still confused as I don’t want to make a fuss over nothing. I also get discomfort in my shoulder blade.
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Caz39
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Welcome, although you probably didn't want to be in this forum, it's great to get feedback and reassurance here. Pursue tests, as high blood pressure and high cholesterol warning signs. I liken angina to an iron fist squeezing your heart. But be aware, females have such milder symptoms, I know, both of my heart attacks, ambulance personnel assured me that they were not heart attacks. So if it's difficult for them to know, how much more for us. Be guided by professional advice, but you do need to be aware of that different feeling. Hope you get it sorted. Take care. Moni
I have recently been diagnosed with angina after two visits to A&E, having noticed discomfort across my chest and upper abdomen after steady exercise The discomfort was more of a noticeable 'pressure' rather than pain. I had a HA 4 years ago, and after an angiogram was told I have coronary heart disease, which is not surprising given my cholesterol levels before I was put on statins over 20 years ago. So my previous medical history would have probably influenced the angina diagnosis. I am now on Nicorandil 2 x daily which seems to be working. I have a follow up with the cardiologist soon.
Given you tell us you respond to a GTN spray would suggest to me (as a layman) you have angina so you just need to follow through with the treatment regimes the medics set for you. If its any help I take statins for lipid control , irbesartan for high blood pressure, and a PPI for reflux and they all do their job, and have done so for many years and I don't get any side effects.
However if you have a really bad attack of chest pain and you feel your symptoms have changed,get yourself down to A&E asap or even ring 999, that's what they are there for, and that is their recommendation.
Thank you for all. I think I just need a ‘label’ as spend so much time worrying whether I have real pain/discomfort! Also wasn’t sure if it could be angina as my fullness is there daily and one sided and if I’m honest not really been told specifically apart from ‘pain’ that I should be using my spray. I do use it for the fullness when I get uncomfortable and start to have twinges. I worry more about wasting peoples time (medics) than what is actually wrong with me and suppose if I’m honest if I knew what was wrong with me I’d feel less guilty about using up the health system. Does this makes sense and hopefully I’m not alone feeling like this?
If you have been told by health professionals that you have angina, then you should have no qualms about receiving the appropriate levels of investigation, care and attention that go with it. Whilst your condition itself is not life threatening, it may be a symptom of something that could be serious, so you should ensure you take advantage of all that is offered to you, and if you ever feel you have a medical emergency associated with your heart condition do not hesitate to use the emergency services, since it may save your life.
As for using your spray you should talk to your GP about that.
Hi Caz, your story sounds very similar to mine. My symptoms started in Nov.2021. I have non-obstructive angina and have been prescribed a GTN spray, aspirin, statin, calcium blocker along with a nitrate tablet. The nitrate tablet was added recently and it's this that has taken that full crushing feeling away! Good luck with your journey
Hi Caz39 I too get the left breast pain .whilst waiting tests i continually mentioned the pain and was told ' its not heart related ' so just put up with it for the last year , i finally had a angiogram which showed 80% blockage in LAD as i was being discharged i was then told the pain i had been complaining about was heart related after all ! Im now on the usual cocktail of pills waiting for a stent .
Wow!It just high lights even more than we are individuals!
Glad your being treated according and hope you get sorted asap! Take care. I waiting for CT scan and hoping (is hoping the right word?! ) that something is found/sorted so I can deal with it accordingly.
Mind me asking is/ was the feeling in left breast there a lot? Mine seems to be there all the time but will increase and decrease at different times through out the day eg. worse after eating etc
hi the pain is quite intermittent but now i have a diagnosis i mentioned again to cardiologist as i felt since taking tablets it seems to be there more , he thinks the pain suggests coronary artery spasms .
HiI’ve just had a couple of quite sharp pains in left side but only lasted seconds and GNT spray has helped. Hope you don’t mind me asking but do you get this with angina?
i dont really know . I always thought angina just meant chest pain . my pain is only ever in my left breast sometimes its a dull ache sometimes a fullness like my bra is too tight and the odd occasion a stabbing pain , I have been given the spray but as yet have not used it . x
Women sometimes feel different sensations when there is a lack of blood supply (angina) to their heart as well as chest pain.
Everyone one's different.
Here's what I feel when I have severe unstable angina and about to head off to hospital.
I have angina at rest and on exertion. Pain, aching pressure to the left of my breast bone, it radiates in a line around my rib cage to my back and shoulder blade.
I feel as though my bra is too tight, I can't breathe in as it feels as though someone is squishing the air out of my lungs.
The pain radiates down my left arm, I feel sick and I sweat.
I have a sense of unease, extreme tiredness and sleep poorly.
I have a confirmed diagnosis of vasospastic angina.
However I suggest that if you are ever concerned, if you have to use your GTN spray 3 times, 5 minutes apart to relieve your symptoms of angina, it's time to call 999.
That sounds awful Milkfairy, can I ask how often it would be that bad that you would go to hospital and what happens when you go in , how do they treat you ? from the description it sounds like i would expect a heart attack to be .
Yes, a severe episode of coronary vasospasms can lead to a heart attack if not treated.So far in 10 years I have always managed to get into hospital in time.
I have a Admission protocol to guide the staff how to care for me.
I am given an intravenous infusion of GTN to relax my blood vessels and morphine.
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