Angiogram

[guineacat]

I'm confused over the last few weeks I've had an MRI, and other tests . And today I've had an angiogram which didn't show any blockages. So I don't understand why I am in heart failure, basically what the causes are? I don't feel that I'm getting much advice from anywhere. Is this the normal?

[RufusScamp]

I don't know about normal, but my experience is similar. I have LBBB, as do many others that I have spoken to, My "severe heart failure" has been dealt with by meds and a pacemaker, but the cause of the original problem is unknown. You are not alone.

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

I am sure you have asked your GP for a summary explanation?

The Heart Helpline team on 0300 330 3311 Mon-Fri 9-5pm or email [e-mail] are trained and very helpful with general questions,

[Carercmb]

as always good advice and support.Your a good friend to all in the group.I hope you have benefited from this also.Your time and sympathy is valuable.

[guineacat]

Sadly no conversation with any GP it's impossible to get through to them let alone get an appointment!

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to guineacat]

I totally understand. We have exactly the same problem in my area. Don’t give up though you need to keep phoning both GP for a consultant referral or nearest Cardiac hospital unit.

[Hidden]

I don't think its services being cut to the bone. In the case of GP services it seems to me their unwillingness to engage with their clients certainly on a face to face basis brought on by the pandemic. Certainly that's the case with my GP surgery. Typically I have an annual asthma review which will again be over the telephone, which is a nonsense now things are more or less back to normal. Lots of expensive investigation kit at my surgery going to waste, but the excuse is the pandemic.

[devonian186 in reply to Hidden]

There are always a lot of unknown abbreviations used on this forum. The term "GP" is another. Looking in the history book I think it's a mythical creature a bit like a Unicorn.

Apparently in the myths they used a horn they called a "Receptionist" in order to ward off interlopers. So, only a myth unless someone here has caught a recent sighting of this rare creature?

[Hidden in reply to devonian186]

😂

[Silvertail in reply to devonian186]

Well, 'general practitioner' IS a bit of a mouthful. 😊

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to devonian186]

👏👏

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to devonian186]

🤣🤣

[Hidden]

if you didn't get the opportunity to discuss the outcome of the angiogram with your consultant as should have happened, or didn't get the opportunity to ask questions, then my advice is you have to contact your GP, who should have access to all your medical records. However if you are unfortunately unable to make an appointment by phone you perhaps need to go down the surgery and arrange one there, although this may be more inconvenient. Sadly without the input of a health professional who has access to all of your records you will remain without piece of mind which I am sure you would not wish on yourself. Hope you get sorted.

[Cat04 in reply to Hidden]

Our GP surgery doesnt permit appointments to be made by visiting the surgery in person - it is telephone contact only to make one!

[Hidden in reply to Cat04]

totally absurd !

[Silvertail in reply to Cat04]

In many of our surgeries over here, you can book online which is great. You can choose the doctor and the time of appointment.

[guineacat in reply to Hidden]

My GP surgery refuses to make appointments if you turn up in person! They tell you to go home and phone! It's ridiculous my friend had a complete freak out there and refused to leave the building!!

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to Hidden]

Same as Cat04. Can only make appointments on phone which can take weeks of trying and that is as long as you have not died in the process.

[Hidden]

Yup. Don't disagree with some of the points in there. As for the push back from A&E to GPs my observation and anecdotal evidence is that A&E are under more pressure than they should be because people are struggling to see their GPs, and so A&E is where they end up for treatment and there is little the A&E people can do about that. I had a blood test at my local hospital earlier this year and the phlebotomists were highly critical of GP practices sending people to them for routine tests.

Otherwise its very worrying given your experience of using the pharmacy. I might have been tempted to return and give them some 'feedback' 😉

[Pollypuss]

I sympathise about the Gaviscon. What was even more dangerous for me was the fact that the Gaviscon got rid of the pain which must have been angina just before I was told I needed a bypass . Very odd

[Silvertail in reply to Pollypuss]

This is a problem, Pollypus. Quite a few times I have been to the ED and as well as blood tests for troponin levels etc, they've given me gaviscon or similar to test if it's reflux. If that takes the pain away it's (mostly) presumed I don't have a heart problem at the time, if other tests are negative. However, I've found that GTN spray takes away 'indigestion' pain as well as cardiac pain, so I'm never sure whether or not to go to hospital.

[Swalecliffe88 in reply to Pollypuss]

oh yes exactly how I was convinced it was. I was like the typical alcoholic with bottles of it everywhere. Even in the car!!!!

[Finaus]

I sympathise. Perhaps you could start with asking why you have been diagnosed with heart failure and how its severity has been assessed?

[Treeclimber62]

A friend of mine recently spent 15 hours in ae she's 83

[Sim22]

Hiya, Heart failure means that the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly. It can happen for a number of reasons. When you had your investigation’s, your cardiac team will have looked at your ejection fraction (EF) this is a measurement, expressed as a percentage, of how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction. An ejection fraction of 60 % that means that 60 % of the total amount of blood in the left ventricle is pushed out with each heartbeat. Originally, my EF was 35% now it’s 50% .

I have atrial fibrillation which, may have contributed to my HF.

Do you feel tired, odeama in the legs, can you walk without feeling exhausted etc. With appropriate treatment and life style changes it can be managed. Do you have a cardiology nurse looking after you?

[guineacat in reply to Sim22]

My ej was 39% no contact with anyone from cardiac unit. And no follow up after angiogram only to tell me no blockages

[Sim22 in reply to Sim22]

I suggest that you speak to your GP and discuss your concerns, you may be a candidate for a defibrillator type pace makers , plus a range of medication. In addition you could always contact the cardiac nurses at your hospital and ask for advice. Don’t leave it

[Janouska]

This is really helpful. I am learning so much on this forum. Thank you to you and everyone who take the time to share their experience

[devonian186]

Surely that land is itself mythical and you fall off the edge of the world heading west over the Severn Bridge?

[Digger0]

I saw an ace video explaining heart failure the other day. If I can find it I'll repost it here Found it ! twitter.com/DrAmirKhanGP/st...

[Weeps24]

My partner was diagnosed with heart failure which two cardiologists assumed it was due to multivessel coronary artery disease. After angiogram showed no blocked arteries he had an mri. Heart was then said to be back to near normal. Consultant did say that no cause may ever be found 😔. In his letter he wrote "suggestive if cardiomyopathy, likely to have been caused by a chest infection". So really we are not any more wiser ❤️

[heart_surgery]

I had an Angiogram without knowing what was going on, people were doing things to me that I had no idea about. When you are unconscious you are not in control unfortunately. Write down your questions think about what you have to say and what you want to know so that you are prepared when you finally get a few minutes with a consultant. Good Luck, Tim

[Zbignieva]

Hi,

I have never forgotten my pathophysiology professor telling us that 30% of people have a cardiomyopathy, mostly undiagnosed, that could lead to heart failure.

My colleague at work had been very physically fit and healthy, but had sone sort of viral infection and his dilated cardiomyopathy manifested. His children have the same genetic issue.

He now has heart failure with 30% EF and struggles to walk very far or very quickly before he is out of breath.

My mum had high cholesterol from a young age, but went on statins (Canadian health care), I am the same, but was only put on statins after unstable angina and a stent (UK health system).

If you have children, please advise them to be screened.

The most common causes of heart failure are myocardial infarction (heart attack) and high blood pressure, but there are quite a few other causes.

It is possible to have a heart attack without blocked arteries (MINOCA), vasospastic angina or Takotsubo disease.

Sometimes people just have the unfortunate roll of the genetic dice.

Luckily, modern medicine is really quite good at dealing with heart issues.

[Swalecliffe88]

I too would like to add my thanks. Suffered serious heart issues for 8 years now, but have known I had inherited family heart condition for 40 years. So have tried to take responsibility for my heart and general health seriously since then. I consider myself intelligent and have read and researched medical papers to inform myself. But thanks to this site I don’t feel I’m the only one anymore and feel so much more empowered and informed. Thank you to all that take the time to support others.

[guineacat]

5 weeks for a non urgent telephone appointment!!