hello
I have been getting throat and chest pain when walking . Just been to the dr she said I have angina and given me a spray don’t know how to use it and told to buy aspirin . She will refer me back to the cardiologist. No advice and I was in shock to ask should I stop doing everything until the referee scared stiff to move now . I am 48 had ecg last week . Echo 5 moths ago and ct coronary angiogram and calcium score 2 years ago .
thank you for any advice
Hi there,I had same pains as you also diagnosed with angina and waiting for a heart scan,I was very scared at every twinge at first,but logic told me I'm on right medication and also have the spray incase of bad pain.I actually asked the pharmacist for directions on how to use spray as I wasn't shown either,one spray under the tongue and then another if that one didn't work.I'm also on aspirin and amlodiphine for high blood pressure.Take good care of yourself and try and relax(easier said than done I know),big hug.xxxx
Thank you . Are you still waiting for tests . Do you still manage to do things . I have just sat all day scared to walk
Bless you,I was the same,to be honest became abit agrophobic,but I talked to my GP who is lovely,he said that what a good thing they have found the problem and can now sort it out and I must try to be grateful that medication is so good these days.Also he said the mind goes into a sort of shock when you realise that you have heart problems,sort of a PTSD,so perfectly natural you feel this way.I have to have a stress test as I couldn't have an angiogram, I'm allergic to the iodine dye,have been waiting nearly two months now,what are you having, waiting is hard!!
I’m not sure what test I will be having the cardiologist discharged me after doing tests in 2021 . I have had a ecg and echo recently at the doctors and an and e . She didn’t really explain anything
Dear Doggyday Lovely to hear of someone else allergic to the dye I am too I need ped a angiogram and a aortic heart valve replacement via TAVI both needing the dye They found that if they pretreated me with anti allergic drugs pre dye I would be fine I was terrified when they tried as 30 years ago I nearly died on the table as no-one knew about the allergy However this time with the treatment I had 2 lots of dye without a single problem so it can be done Myop was at the Freeman hospital in Newcastle a major heart centre
Hi
I was terrified when first diagnosed in March. Prescribed Bisoprolol, statins, Aspirin.
Had same procedures as you.
I doubt if the Bisoprolol is needed in my case. I think the Consultant was following the policy for anybody presenting with any type of heart issue.
I am seeing a different Cardiologist tomorrow, as had very little faith in the previous one.
Try to relax as, as time goes by you kind of adjust to life with heart disease and can live a long and happy life with the right medical support.
Take care
Oh forgot to say I've had the nitrate spray since March I've never had cause to use it.
Thank you my anxiety is awfull
Bisoprolol slows the heart and opens the arteries allowing blood to flow easier through them which is why it is used for angina. We all hate being on medication permanently but I wouldent take myself off any without a proper expert opinion.
I think I'd go back to doctor who diagnosed you with angina and ask more questions as they don't seem to have explained things very well to you,just giving you a prescription isn't enough,you need reassurance.As Maninthemirtor says you can and will live a full and happy life,I hope you have lots of family,friends support.x
I would first before doing anything else give the cardiac nurse a call they can be very helpful.
And explain your questions in words you and I understand so when you see your Doctor or cardiologist you don’t go in there blind.
Good luck 👍
Although it must be scary for you at the moment it sounds like you are on the right path, and hopefully your cardiologist will be able to diagnose and rectify the cause of your angina this time.
You may want to have a call with your GP to confirm what you can and cant do while waiting for the cardiologist appointment. As some one else suggested the cardiac nurses were also really helpful to talk to their contact details are on bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...
I was diagnosed with angina a year and a half ago. I remember how hard it was to think of the right questions on the call with my GP or in the meeting with my cardiologist.
While waiting for the cardiologist meeting I was also scared of moving although my GP was fine with me walking and helping my elderly mother but drew the line at doing parkruns; the cardiologist agreed with my GP. I was also given a GTN spray by the cardiologist, who gave the same instructions as doggyday's pharmacist.
If I was going through it again I would write down my questions for the GP and cardiologist beforehand and make sure they had been covered which would save follow up calls and emails to my GP.
I needed angioplasty but it has fully cured my angina and I am back to running.
Wishing you all the best.
I have had predictable exercise-related "stable" angina for quite a few years now. At first it was scary but as it quickly died away when I rested I fairly soon got used to it. I didn't like the idea of being on medication for the rest of my life though!
I think the advice is to keep exercising if you have angina.
They do seem to automatically prescribe more-or-less the same medications. Bisoprolol (to lower blood pressure) is usually one of these but it tends to cause a lot of side-effects. If you do get side-effects ask your GP/cardiologist to give you an alternative. There are plenty of them and you don't have to suffer as well!
Low-dose aspirin is another one but it was explained to me by a cardiologist that the benefit/risk equation is unclear if you have not yet had a heart attack. So I was told I could stop taking it.
I was also prescribed the nitrate spray which you are supposed to use if you start to experience pain on exercise. This didn't seem to work for me, and it may depend on what the cause of your angina is. You won't know this until you have had a battery of tests.
For your reassurance my mother had stable angina for over well over 30 years before dying of a completely unrelated problem at the age of 95! As far as I know she had none of the tests that are available to us now and kept on taking the same meds for all that time (even though she probably didn't need some of them.........).
Good morning,I am surprised that you weren't given advice about angina and using the spray. If the chest pains are strong, then if you can, sit down and rest. Then if the pain doesn't go away, use the spray by pressing the top down and spray 3 times underneath your tongue. This will open up your arteries and allow blood to flow quicker. I was told that if after using the spray on TWO occasions the pain hasn't gone away, then PHONE 999. My cardiologist explained that while getting the pain, your heart is making new small blood veins to try and repair the damage by getting more blood through it. I hope that this helps.
bludnut
Hi this is reassuring information I get slight pain/discomfort while walking sometimes and wasn't sure to press on through it or to rest completely. No one tells you and I didn't remember to ask my cardiologist on the follow up phone call as he threw me with a new maybe diagnosis of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy....
Hi
So sorry your going through so much our GP don’t give any advice these days it scary with no information definitely ask the the pharmacist they are so helpful….mine are.
You Doctor will refer you to the rapid chest pain clinic where your seen by cardiac nurse practitioners they take all your history of chest pain check your heart take your blood pressure then refer to have and echo cardiogram and ct scan I have been to seen them myself with throat pain and horrible chest pain then it shoots up too my yaw and ears it’s so scary when we don’t understand I have had you 12 to 15 years had all ecg heart monitors 6 years ago it showed normal so we just carry on it comes from no where then the throat pain it’s an I no what’s coming I have the spray I have used it in the attacks it does work had the aspirin and solzem I have nothing now so don’t want too the doctors the cardiac nurses I saw are referring me for a echocardiogram its 6 week wait and the ct scan it 9 to 10 weeks I felt a little fob off as they kept saying you have asthma and did I know the difference with anxiety attacks felt really upset as they kept talking about that I felt like leaving I have a murmur so I will wait for the scans which could be this time next year or never due to the state of our NHS sorry to say.
Good luck getting answers from your pharmacist.
Take care 💐
Hi, after you've had all the tests and they've diagnosed you, which does come as a shock! You can't believe it's true, so I know how you feel, try not to worry, I know that's hard, over time you will get used to the idea and as you have angina attacks they won't be as scary, because you will find out if you have triggers and that your gtn spray is a life saver and makes it much better.Before my meds and gtn each time I thought, well, this is it the pain was unbearable, but now you have the gtn you have that safety net.
Take one spray under your tongue, if it's not working say after 5 mins, depending for me on how bad it is I take another spray, then if it's not working and it's full on call ambulance, but, on average it works now I have the meds too.
Remember it will get better, you need to get your meds in place and do not forget them there very important. Listen to your body and don't exert yourself unless your cardi says you can exercise wise.
It's been 4 yrs for me. I felt quite abit better when they prescribed ranolazine 500mg x 2 daily helped with attacks with bisoprolol, aspirin coated, atorvastatin 80mg also vit d and lansoprazole to protect my stomach with all the meds.
Hope your angina gets less frequent, stress brings it on for me too so watch that as well good luck x
thank you everyone. So I took the spray didn’t help , took again nothing . Went to hospital did ecg all ok . Sat it waiting room had the pain the whole time this time 7 hours had 2 blood tests all ok . Doctor wanted me to take the spray infront of her it didn’t help . At this point I had the pain for about 12 hours . She said if it was heart related I would not be here now and spray would of helped . She thinks it’s coming from the throat pipe . Back to square 1
Dear Cappichino,thank you so much for that,I am terrified of dye after my last allergic reaction,I will mention what you have said as I was just told I couldn't have angiogram.So glad they have found the cause of your pain Mar321,no wonder spray wasn't working!!Take care of yourself.x
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