unstable angina

[Fourwhitesheps]

Hi I have been in and out of hospital since December with unstable angina. I am currently waiting for my 3rd angiogram so they can try drilling the blockage and fit a stent. 100 percent blocked right coronary artery double vessel disease. I am on so many tablets that I feel,like a zombie.

Lisinopril 2.5mg. Bisoprolol 2.5mg . Amlodipine 5mg. Lansoprazole 30mg. Rousuvastatin 20mg.

Ranolazine 500mg twice a day. Chemydur 90mg. Asprin 75mg. Clopidogrel 75mg . Naproxen 250mg. Paracetamol.

I am also on 125 mg levothyroxine for under active thyroid, my blood pressure is quite low anyway. My question being how do you all cope with the side effects of so many drugs I asked the pharmacist and he said just take them all together but I know my thyroid medication has to be taken separately from everything else . Sorry I am feeling really low at the moment and they have just added Amotripyline for nerve pain does anyone take this? Just reluctant to take anything else x

[Tos92]

Hi Fourwhitesheps

I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling a little bit low at the moment.

I am not on any of those medications however, I do suffer with a type of unstable angina called vasospasm. I am still under investigation for my condition, but I just wanted to wish you well and let you know you’re not alone!

Good luck

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to Tos92]

Thank you I hope you get sorted soon ❤️

[Avdi]

Hi I had unstable Angina in April 2022 caused by blockages in my Left Ascending Coronary Artery and it’s branches. I ended up having a successful double CABG ( bypass ) in May. I am on Lansoprazole Aspirin Clopidogrel Bisoprolol Atorvastatin and like you 125μg of Thyroxin for under active thyroid. I was on Frusemide, codeine and paracetamol for 6 weeks after my Op but they have since stopped.

I take the Lansoprazole first thing when I wake up, eat breakfast 1/2 later after which I take the other medication less the Statin which I take around 10 at night. I have done this since being discharged last May and everything seems ok. I do get side effects from the medication, tiredness, aches, pains and my already slow heart beat is even slower now. I don’t let any of it bother me and just crack on with life accepting some days my batteries charge down and I need to rest. I walk over 50 miles a week (retired) sometimes more depending on the weather.

It’s a case of accepting what’s happening to you and deciding on how you want to deal with it. Live life to the full while you can and have a little nap when you batteries run down

I hope they sort everything for you, take care.

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to Avdi]

thank you I appreciate that. It’s the living with constant chest pain and shortness of breath. I am my parents carers in their 90s and just want to be ok to go and care for them. I can’t drive at the moment as don’t feel that I am safe to. Hopefully I will get an appointment soon and they can attempt it again. I am glad your surgery was successful and thank you for your reply I really appreciate it. I think I am just having a blip as only just came out of hospital after being in for a week . X

[Avdi in reply to Fourwhitesheps]

Hopefully they will get it sorted for you so you can get back to normal and continue caring for your parents. Take care x

[devonian186 in reply to Avdi]

Avdi

Similar experience to you and as you say sometimes our batteries are more run down than others not helped by the weather, any bugs, our state of mind

[Avdi in reply to devonian186]

Half the problem is beating yourself up when the batteries flatten and feeling guilty for doing nothing, in my case zzzzz! I go with the flow and listen to my body. I still have chest aches and pains from the Op but they are getting less and less over time and of course the medication side effects. But Hey Ho I’m still here

[devonian186]

I was on only 3 medications inc aspirin when I had my angina and a total of 6 following my heart bypass last May, with 1 due to drop out in a few months. A couple of the doses have been marginally increased.

That is an awful lot of medications you are taking.

I often feel that the drugs are piled on to us but one may counteract another or not be effective because of another and I do wonder if it is sometimes worth getting a review of all the medications we take and the doses, to see if collectively they might be causing some of our problems?

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to devonian186]

I came out of hospital last week and they increased the Ranolazine to 500mg and put me on amlodipine 5mg too. I am at a loss as what to do as they didn’t want to put me on amlodipine the last time as blood pressure was too low. It just seems every time I go to a and e I end up with more tablets I hopefully will get my appointment soon as this has been going on since September.

[Kayec26]

I was put on bisoprolol a few years ago along with aspirin etc and have under active thyroid. I found the bisoprolol made me feel like I was wading through porridge with my wellies on but after speaking with my consultant he suggested taking them at night rather than in the morning as he said it was the same meds just better maybe before sleep rather than through the day and it helped me a lot. Maybe ask if that's an option for you? Hope you start feeling better soon. It does improve. I also found that some time for yourself is a must. Give yourself an hour of something you enjoy and it can just help you feel a bit more like yourself. Reiki, reflexology, meditation can all help with feeling better in yourself which us important too

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to Kayec26]

thank you. I appreciate you replying. I will speak to my doctor if I can get an appointment. ❤️

[Nanny1086]

hi , i’m sorry to know your feeling as you do , i’m not aware of some of the drugs your taking but i do have to take a number of inhalers and medication aswell as thyroxine,,,, what i do is the following ,

i take my THYROXINE first thing in the morning before breakfast , and also my blue VENTOLIN inhaler , then after breakfast i take OMEPREZOLE ( to help with reflux) and my respimat inhaler , then 5 minutes later i take my purple inhaler SERATIDE , Then once i’m dressed while doing my hair etc i take my AZITHROMYCIN (antibiotic i take 3 days a week ) AND my ANTIHISTAMINE, and also MONTELUKAST ( to help with my asthma ) , and then in the afternoon ABOUT 4/5 pm i take MY LOSARTAN FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, i do find that if intake all the tablets at the same time i sometimes felt sick ,,, but 5/10 minutes apart and i’m fine , and i do finf taking my blood pressure tablets later in the day suits me better , i hope this helps you , and your soon feeling improved.

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to Nanny1086]

thank you very much for your reply the nurses said just take them altogether including levothyroxine witching know you have to take separately! I just think that it is a complete overload and felt as though I was going to faint today 😢

[Deeb1764]

I have just been diagnosed with a heart issue but still need a correct diagnosis as still having imaging being done, so being treated as angina but lots of add ons. For my auto immune conditions I have to take 15 meds a day plus now the heart ones. Re side effects I have been super sensitive to medication since having auto immune and my consultant always says to me

Health vs medication vs Side effects.

so if the side effects so BAD I cannot cope, I come off them, once I have reported the issue and we try another med. My team know I want help with my diseases but not to the point I am a zombie or wiped out as so strong I cannot do anything. Can hardly do much at the moment but I need some quality of life!!!

Hope that makes sense

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to Deeb1764]

I do understand I can’t even hoover at the moment. My husband is really trying but I just feel such a failure even cooking is hard work. I just want to be me again 😢

[Deeb1764 in reply to Fourwhitesheps]

😘I pace myself well most days but I am not who I was 3 years ago and had to accept huge changes due to autoimmune and now heart. So I just learn to do things differently and in little bursts of energy as walking 10 steps is hard going

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to Deeb1764]

I have 3 dogs and just feel awful when they look at me as if to say why are you not taking us out 😢.