I had a bypass 12 years ago, and have to admit that, since then, I've been hypervigilant about any symptoms I have, partly because I also suffer from anxiety and partly because I am blatantly aware of the consequences of 'getting it wrong'.
In the early days this led to two or three visits to A&E with 'chest pain' which obviously turned out to be nothing.
Recently I've had two or three symptoms altogether - I had a blackout, I've been getting increasingly breathless even on resting, and I've been having chest pain whilst resting which I've relieved using my GTN spray. As a result I'm seeing the cardiologist on Saturday.
Am I wasting his time? Do lots of you have to deal with this breathlessness, blackouts, and chest pain? Am I being a wimp? Or are many of you in the same position?
The problem is that in my own mind I really don't know when it's time to seek help, and yet I know that the consequences of getting this wrong could be catastrophic, not so much for me but for my wife and family. As I said in an earlier post, I'm torn between accepting my mortality and hanging onto life.
It seems like a fine line to tread.
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IanAG
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You can have both and so much more, always hang on to life with both hands.
As for your mortality ? well { like us all } you would have got to an age were you would have questioned that anyway.
The heart problem has { like all illness } brought the subject forward, it properly has crossed your mind before but normally it passes as quick as it comes.
But its a different matter when the heart is involved, I honestly think, after talking to my heart nurse about it, that its the suddenness of it with little or no time to say goodbye and to get your house in order.
I was shocked how unready I was to suddenly die and the complete mess it would have been if I had done so, all my plans were for a long life with a " I'll get around to doing that later" attitude to sorting my lot out.
I found that having a chance to sort all that { far from morbid } gave me more peace with my diagnosis and mortality.
Start taking control, if you feel ill, go straight to A&E/phone 111/Drs etc and get that worry away from yourself and your loved ones.
Enjoy every heart beat of life till there is no more.
I have done a lot of work over the past couple of years sorting out my affairs, and have found it really helpful, as you say not morbid at all. In a sense it has helped me to feel prepared and brought me peace. And I have talked about things with my wife, who is my rock.
Anyway, I've made an appointment with my cardiologist and am seeing him tomorrow morning. I'm hoping that he'll agree to tests, something like a heart MRI or whatever they call them or another angiogram. As we all know those are the only definitive tests. I don't want to be fobbed off by the hospital do an ECG and a troponin test and then sending me home.
I think, that your thinking, is sound and should see you through this incident as Im sure it has done with many others before this.
I also think that you are correct about the two tests and if you have the means { in a perfect world you wouldn't need to } you could get them done privately and have your cardiologist team read the results.
Luck? no you do not need it, you will get there, its a time thing and we know that we can't cheat that.
I definitely think your doing the right thing seeing your cardiologist all those symptoms together sound like something that needs checking over and let me assure you that you are not being a wimp it's horrible having feelings like that and not knowing why or where it's happening from and it definitely causes anxiety and stress which sometimes as I know can make things worse it's easier said then done to day try not worry to much because all you are going to do is worry its a scary time in your life 😰.
Please take care and let us know how your appointment with cardiologist goes.
Thanks Yumz199725 . Seeing cardiologist in the morning. I'll let you know how I get on. Really hoping for some tests, because part of me KNOWS that this is a problem with my heart.
Glad your seeing your cardiologist, hope appointment went well and they did all the tests that you need. Yeah I agree you always know when something isn't right it's always best to trust your gut instinct! 😉
We spoke the other day and this is your body and your life and you just have the one so you need to take the best care of it as you can and forget what others might think if you think something is not right then you seek help x
Hi I got mvd and am getting worse, pain all the time, I seen cardiologist and he is like no its it's not cardiac, I'm like yes it is, he did a treadmill test and there were big changes and I said I told you its my heart, we know when there is something wrong ❤❤❤❤
Hi Shellac . Sorry to hear that you're having problems too. I hope that they get to the bottom of your pain and manage to find a way of easing your pain. I think we know instinctively when it's our heart, although they often try to pass it off as anxiety. Take care.
My situation was the exact opposite. I was offered tests and was thinking of cancelling because I was feeling a bit better. Turned out I needed an urgent triple bypass 🙄.
I had a double bypass 2 years ago. After 10 months started feeling unwell and after a telephone consultation with cardiologist was put on the list for angiogram.
Waited 15 months and had the angiogram in September. Shocked to be told one bypass graft blocked along with another artery which was not bypassed.
Now have a complex PCI on 5th January and am pretty scared.
Don't ignore your feelings, I am sure my cardiologist, I won't say didn't believe me, but will say was sceptical. You know
your own body and how you feel. Good luck with your consultation and fingers crossed all is well
I've had the same experience, I think that my cardiologist is sceptical too. I think at times that they have a little too much confidence in their procedures.
My intuition is telling me that my heart is struggling so I'm going to follow that. Seeing the cardiologist in the morning so hoping that I can get some tests arranged - although the idea of waiting 15 months doesn't exactly give me hope.
Oh well, chin up and all that!
Hope that your PCI goes well on 5th January. If you don't mind, I'll hold you in my prayers.
I truly understand the anxiety and hyper vigilance. It is the suddenness that evokes the fear isn’t it. Sometimes I worry I’m a walking time bomb. Logically I know I’d reach out for medical support if I needed to but there are instances where we wouldn’t be able to.
It is hard navigating the emotional impact having heart problems have on us.
Be kind to yourself. It is scary. Can be helpful to just acknowledge that.
Hi simplysal , I can so relate to that....a ticking time bomb is just how it feels at times, especially when I'm having symptoms. At other times when I feel well I completely forget about it.
The point about cardiologists "trusting the process" is a good one. I have -- well, I won't say lost confidence -- been concerned that my cardiologists are too quick to dismiss symptons sometimes. I understand scarce resources, huge number of patients etc., which is why you have to be your own best advocate.
Just yesterday I was at my 6 month checkup (get 2 a year), and my cardiologist had not even bothered to look at the results of test she had ordered because she was too busy. Luckily I save everything in Dropbox so could just show her my phone. She said her email inbox was always stuffed so she just stopped looking at it...I understand, she's a public doctor, has a huge caseload, but still...on the other hand, if I did have a real emergency I think she'd be there for me...
Went to see cardiologist today and explained symptoms. He's ordered CT Angiogram, EKG and some other tests just to check everything out. Not concerned about faint as he says it doesn't sound cardiac, but says we definitely need to see what's going on with chest pain and breathlessness.
CT angiogram booked in for 6 January, waiting for dates for other two.
I went private in the end. I feel ashamed that I did that, but I am fortunate enough to have some savings and I don't want to wait 12 to 18 months until the NHS can fit me in. It's totally against my principles, but when it comes to life and death then I guess I have to look after myself. Seems I've paid National Insurance all my life and when I need help from the NHS it's not there. At least I have a choice. Many people don't.
It will have to be my Christmas present to myself.
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