I’ve lost my faith in the NHS altogether.

[Leszo]

I put a post up 4 months ago about Isosorbide Mononitrate regarding unstable angina.

I had to wait 3 months to see my cardiologist. As my unstable angina was getting worse, I decided to go private, as I was going to A&E too often and getting nowhere. Not one medic in A&E could help me. And after speaking to my GP 5 times, neither could he. In fact, each time a spoke to him, I ended up worse from the advice he gave me.

I explained to my cardiologist my symptoms, he immediately said does not sound like unstable angina to me, more like GORD. I replied, saying I take Lansoprazole 15 mg twice a day. He said your GORD can get very deep in the tract and Lansoprazole cannot reach it. So, as I’m his NHS patient, he quickly wrote a note with a new medical regime on it and said take this to your GP surgery ASAP and your GP will help you out. He also said that he will be writing to my surgery about my situation.

He did also verbally tell me what I should do immediately. Reduce my Isosorbide Mononitrate by 30 mg, then by the end of the week stop taking it all together. Then stop taking the Ranolazine 375 mg all together. Your GP will change the Lansoprazole 15 mg twice a day to Omeprazole 20 mg twice a day. And arrange for you to see a gastroenterologist for an endoscope. I felt I’m now getting somewhere. Let’s see what happens.

So I took the note to my GP's surgery, where I was told this note being written on a Private Hospital headed letter. “Cannot be accepted as it is from a private Hospital.” I’ve been in considerable pain for the past three months, going to A&E frequently (as one has to go to A&E with chest pains). And I get a STOP, do not PASS GO response. WTF!

I did make a bit of a fuss about this and ended up being told off by my GP. WTF!

I’ve called the ambulance out 4 times, that costs the NHS a fair bit of money and, now, I feel that I’ve got to the heart of my problem solved to only be told off ?????

Luckily I remembered what the cardiologist said and the next day I reduced my Isosorbide Mononitrate by 30 mg, and also stopped taking Sertraline (the cardiologist said so).

The so-called unstable angina went away immediately. By the end of the week I was sleeping fine, no waking up in the middle of the night with sharp pains in the chest (thinking it was unstable angina). Then after stopping the Ranolazine 375 mg twice a day, by then my GP received the NHS letter from the cardiologist changing my Lansoprazole 15 mg twice a day to Omeprazole 20 mg twice a day. Most of my pain has now gone. And the fear of having another heart attack completely gone.

However, my stable angina quickly came back. By this time, my appointment with the cardiologist was due, and I’m now on 60 mg of Isosorbide Mononitrate, and back on the Ranolazine 375 mg twice a day. I do get a few GORD symptoms during the evening. But it is tolerable and not as bad as it was.

I’ll be seeing the gastroenterologist this Wednesday.

I’m shocked at how the NHS medical practice was incapable of helping me. The medics in A&E did not have a clue and inferred that they cannot go over the decision of a senior cardiologist, the same too was the response from my GP. They both implied that they can add to what the cardiologist has prescribed, but not take away. My GP was convinced I had some form of neuropathy and put me on anti-neuro drugs (Sertraline). All this did was exacerbate my situation, which made me more ill.

If one looks at the NHS website, GORD specifically states “some medicines can cause GORD or make the symptoms worse, including calcium-channel blockers (used to treat high blood pressure), nitrates (used to treat angina) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)”.

So how come these well-trained Medics and GP could not work that one out?

I’ve lost my faith in the NHS altogether.

[scentedgardener]

I lost my faith in them a long time ago. I can't take the PPIs, and I had to work out that it was those that caused me to lose 2 stone, and undergo at least 4 unnecessary tests, but I get pains similar to what you describe and cannot get referred to a gastroenterologist.

[Hidden]

Hello

I am so sorry about everything you have and are going through which I know does not help you much but we are listening

I think quite a few have lost faith in our NHS so you are not on your own there

I really do hope you soon get the right diagnosis and medication

Keep us updated how you get on x

[Gowers]

Very interesting to read the advice given by your cardiologist. I didn't know GORD could sometimes go too too deep for Lansoprazole to work & being changed to Omprezole. I intend speaking to my cardiologist about this at next appointment so your information is very helpful. My cardiologist seemed to think Lansoprazole was the better drug, but certainly worth me discussing again with him