worried about hubbys chest pains

[Kimkat]

my husband has been having mild chest pains for months now and hasn’t told me until recently while we were visiting our daughter in Canada. The thing is this, while we were there we were helping her convert her basement into 3 separate rooms so hubby was putting up partition walls which is heavy work and he’s now 70 but he didn’t feel anything whilst working, however his pains started whenever we walked the dog, he had to stop a couple of times to recover. As soon as we arrived home he went to our gp surgery and had an ecg, which the nurse said is ok but wanted to fast track him to the cardiologist, in the meantime his blood pressure tablets have been doubled. (He was on a very low dosage) and she has given him a nitrate spray, he’s only used it once in almost a month, his appointment should have been yesterday but because of the nhs strikes, has been put off until next week. Obviously I’m really concerned and have been trying to get him to cut down on all of the niceties that are around at this time of year but he’s very reluctant to give any of it up. We eat quite healthily for the rest of the year with the odd treat but I can’t stop thinking that if it was me, I would be a little more reluctant with the mince pies. My question really is, if it’s a blockage, what can he expect from his appointment and going forward? I have a pacemaker but mine is an ‘electrical’ problem as the cardiologist put it. We are normally very active and ski twice a year, however he broke his shoulder in March of this year so couldn’t do much for quite a few months through the spring and summer and he is type 1 diabetic.

[BridBoy]

When I used to go out walking with my wife and had a good chat at the same time I started getting chest pains/arm/jaw pains.I went to see our GP, the following day I had lots of checks at a rapid access chest pain clinic where they diagnosed angina.

Interestingly the specialist at the chest pain clinic laughed when I mentioned "walking and chatting", he said it was a "classic" symptom of angina.

I'm pleased to say the cocktail of medication I was given worked a treat.

The Glyceryl Trinitrate spray is an amazing product. I used to use it proactively rather than reactively to avoid any angina pains.

With any luck your husband will have an angiogram and they can see if any stenting is needed.

Let us know how he gets on.

[Kimkat in reply to BridBoy]

thanks for your reply, interestingly though it was me that was doing the talking (he would say as usual 😂) and when I turned around he was leaning over a little bridge looking at the water, when I asked him what he was looking at he said I’m a bit out of breath and my chest feels tight, that’s when he told me that he’d had it for a while. Hopefully he won’t need a stent, he’s so worried we won’t be able to go skiing in the new year.

[jeelpie in reply to Kimkat]

hi kimkat,

chest pain is really scary however your husband will be seen by a cardiologist who will then look at the best course of action and that may well be a stent if there is a blockage, I know this really worries you however having a stent can transform your life and take all the symptoms away so your husband can carry on his active lifestyle. I had a HA just over 1 year ago and 1 stent put in place, I wish they would have realised there was an issue with me prior to my HA because if the did I wouldn't have had to gone through the trauma and recovery of a HA, im 53 now, so please tell your husband to hang in there take it easy until his appointment the cardiologist will get to the bottom of things.

it's really good that you can talk to each other as I said it is a pretty scary time but fixable, so happy new year and make a test to enjoying many ski trips in the future. please keep us posted x

[Kimkat in reply to jeelpie]

Thank you for your reassuring reply it’s very much appreciated and HNY to you, I will keep you posted on what happens, only 5 days to go 🤞🏼

[Kimkat in reply to jeelpie]

Just to keep you updated, hubby had his stress test a couple of days ago and all seemed to be ok and that there doesn’t seem ti be a problem with his valves. He was told that the consultant will look at the results and he’ll be in touch. Because I wasn’t allowed to go in with him, he didn’t ask any questions like, when should I expect to hear anything or will there be any other tests forthcoming, so we’re no better off really.

[Kimkat in reply to jeelpie]

Well I never, just had a phonecall from the cardiologist who is pleased with the stress test and said that there’s very slight furring of the artery not enough to put a stent in, so he’s asked him to continue on the higher dose of ramipril and if things change, he’s to contact his GP 😊

[Harvist]

I had a similar experience last February. Had a stretch and exercise regimen each morning and every day I had a little pain that went as soon as I stopeed. Then one day, it didn't.

A&E, 3 days in hospital and an angiogram. Due to lifetime type 1 diabetes they said one artery was 30% "furred". Now lots of pills but no more exercise pains. I still react to every body ache or disturbance but all seems fine currently.

The pills are a problem in that some side effects are a concern, Has definitely affeted my diabetic control, which now needs even more monitoring.

However, although the medics want us to exercise and I do, I'm now a lot more careful.

[Kimkat]

Thank you for that, the diabetic issue has been mentioned quite a few times as he’s got older which didn’t occur to us before. His control has always been pretty good and he now has a freestyle libra monitor which has been a game changer, do you have one? If not mention it to your gp/diabetic nurse next time you see them.

[Sukaya]

Hello Kimkat,

I am in a similar position, I have now been given nitrate spray( used twice). I have had a visit to chest pain clinic. They booked me for a catscan and this shows LAD about 70% blocked, other arteries are mild.

I have been booked for an angioplasty for a possible stent. . It will probably be a couple of months wait but in the mean time have changed diet to chicken / fish and vegetables mainly and cut out anything with trans fats like biscuits/cakes etc.. and processed foods. Plenty of warm lemon water. I am type 2 diabetic and have managed to get my glucose down quite well with diet. For me, the fear of having a heart attack is what has driven me to make changes. I still walk my two dogs and my aim is to get fitter. I think I spent too long behind and office desk and have had a stressful life. I am trying to change this, I have changed my job, walk more and have less stress….

Hope this helps.

[Kimkat]

Thank you for your story and advice. I’m hoping that my husband will take all the advice he’s given with reference to food, we do eat well and healthily but he does think that he’s earned a ‘treat’ at times which normally means all the things that are forbidden. Only 3 more days to go now before his appointment and it can’t come fast enough .

[Kimkat]

So hubby had his appointment with cardio clinic and he is to have a stress test but that will take between 4 and 8 weeks approximately, so we are assuming that they don’t consider his condition is an emergency? In the meantime he was advised not to go skiing but keep relatively active but not overdo it.