hi, I have just joined this forum and hope someone can reassure me. I have been having chest pains but put it down to indigestion until last week when it was worse. I didn’t want to call an ambulance as gp suggested but they saw me in surgery straight away. I have been on statins for years as most of my relatives have died young of heart attack and stroke. My sister had to have a heart bypass in her 50’s. Ecg was abnormal so they referred me to cardiology clinic. Appointment was within a week but he said he would put me on w/l for angiogram and prescribed beta blockers, gtn, aspirin and increased statins. He said he suspects angina but was concerned re family history.
I know the w/l will be long and I am terrified I am going to have a heart attack. I am scared to exercise and have dull chest pain on and off every day. I feel like my life is on hold… any advice very welcome, thank you
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Anniecat680
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Hi Annie I just wanted welcome you to this fantastic forum. It sounds like to me that your dull chest pain could be the sign of angina, you have a GTN spray and you have been put on aspirin and beta blockers which is a good start, hopefully you will get you CT scan so they can do your angiogram soon to see what the problem is. I also been experiencing dull chest pain for a long time now. I have a Arotic Root dilation holding at 4cm and the Ascending Arotic is holding at 3.4cm, I don't get to see the cardiologist consultant for the first time not until March 26th 2024. I also been experiencing heart palpitations and Anxiety. I worry most days about my condition, life is really difficult. I have a family and I don't want to lose them. If you are finding exercise difficult at the moment, I would do some light walking near to your home and always take your spray with you just in case you need it. Keep us Upto date. Always take care.
Thank you so much. It’s very scary, suddenly I am aware of every little pain or sensation in my body and so so scared of a heart attack. It certainly helps to hear from people who are going through similar
personally I think you should gently exercise, like walking every day for at least twenty minutes, so that your heart (which is a muscle) is still exercised.
Read up on “angina” in the NHS website for help, or indeed the British Heart Foundation website.
until you get your diagnosis have a look at diets and smaller meals it will be a complete change of life style, and try not to worry it could make it worse
Hi thank you for replying and I am going to look at smaller meals as the pain sometimes comes after dinner which is what made me think it was indigestion
In addition to what others have said......If, whilst waiting, you experience chest pains then, please, call an ambulance.
They will, as a matter of course, give you an ecg and if they suspect anything and, given your family history, they will bump you to the top of the waiting list by taking you straight to hospital and to the cardiologists.
They would rather come to you 100 times when there is nothing wrong than attend just once and find they are too late.
Thank you so much, I hate the thought of wasting nhs time but as I am already in the system now I will call for help should I feel it’s necessary and hope it’s not. Just worried to go anywhere in case it happens
Hi......I am in a similar position, I have chest pains most days and if I even look at a hill, I panic as I know it will be a struggle to get up. I'm also terrified I'm going to have a heart attack. Im on 350mg Ranexa, 80mg atorvastatin, dispersable asparin, gtn spray which has made me pass out in the past so im scared of using it. I went to my doctor and he told me to go straight to A&E which I did and waited 18 hours in a room with other people sleeping on the floor waiting for blood tests scans, ecg's etc . I've also been waiting from May 23 for a Perfusion scan which is in March 24! Since being in A &E I have received an appointment for a telephone consultation for 21st December. I'm afraid our NHS is in a very bad state of affairs due to abuse from which I noticed on my visits there, which isn't helping us with heart problems. Just to say I totally understand what you are saying Annie. Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Thank you so much for replying. I used the gtn spray once and it was pretty horrible. I just feel that if there is something wrong I need to get seen and sorted but I guess that’s the same for everyone and I just have to wait. Just need to try and change my terrified mindset
Don’t be scared of the GTN spray. I’ll admit it can give you a headache to start with. But you really must use it for severe pain and if you’ve used it twice and pain continues. Call an ambulance.
Hi Annie I am pretty new on here too but wanted to reply as I found the replies I got to my first post and the kindness and understanding shown by strangers to be the only thing stopped me crying all the time.You sound the same as I sounded -shocked worried and frightened you are going to have a heart attack any minute .Waiting for appointments sent my mind into overdrive as did googling for hours on end and thinking the worst case scenario all the time !
You have seen a cardiologist very quickly and hopefully your angio will come through soon. I had ct angios and then a cardio angiogram through the wrist 3 weeks ago. I was due to have 2 stents fitted in January but had a phone call to say they are doing my stents tomorrow so I am back to thinking all sorts googling constantly and frightened to death again!!it is hard to think positive when all this is happening to us and hard not to think about the terrible things that could happen. I have realised that in terms of heart health most things happen over years . Whilst waiting for my tests and diagnosis I have stopped smoking eaten as healthy as I can and tried to walk a bit more although I have MS so am limited in what excercise I can do. I brought a lovely pink treadmill so I can walk whilst watching TV without going out in the cold and also means if I fall I am indoors! I also found having the gtn spray with me all the time very comforting although I have never used it yet. I also updated my contacts on mobile phone so it is clear who to ring in case of an emergency. I packed a hospital bag and also gave a spare front door key to my brother as I have a doggie and was worried if anything happened she would be home alone. Maybe you can do a list of things to do to feel more prepared in case of any emergency? I know all if these things do not change what you are dealing with but anything that helps with the stress and feeling of doom definitely helps.
To be honest I am absolutely pooping my pants about tomorrow but I am trying to look for positives- I am lucky that my stents are being done tomorrow instead of 7 weeks time although I don't feel like it. My first angiogram was absolutely awful experience and not looking forward to going through it again BUT afterwards my LAD will not be 98 %blocked and I can get on with my life without thinking I am going to die any minute!!This forum has been a life saver for me and got me out of the deep depression I was in and it really did help reading about others experiences. Try not to worry I know that is nearly impossible to do !Good luck with everything and I hope your appointment comes through quickly for you take care x
Thank you so much for replying and firstly I hope tomorrow goes well and I will be thinking of you. I think once it’s done it will be a huge weight off your mind. I am googling like crazy but I am going to try and stop as I don’t really know what is wrong and I will end up worrying myself to death! It’s comforting to read from you and realise that heart health is happening over time.
I have tried to be ready for anything, my daughter is a nurse and I asked her to show my husband how to do CPR but that hasn’t reassured me as when I am out and about how will I know if someone will be able to help? I have a horrible full ache in my chest on and off all day but I think maybe I am just focusing on everything now. But again thank you for taking the time to answer my post especially when it’s full on for you. Please let me know how you get on
Hello and welcome to the forum. You sound like me 8 years ago. I was having symptoms for quite awhile before I went to the GP who sent me to A&E. I spent the night in hospital and they sent me home on all the meds plus GTN spray and on a wait list for an angiogram. I too had a family history of heart issues.GP told me NOT to exercise until after angiogram. I felt so rough and scared. Waited 2 months for angiogram and had a double by pass the next day. Consultant told my husband I was about to have a heart attack within a week. So my advice would be take things really easy and try not to google anything. I won’t say don’t worry because that’s impossible. Lots of support on here and keep us informed and really good luck 😊
Thank you for replying to my post. Omg that is really scary, I just want to have the angiogram so that I can see what is wrong and get it fixed. I hope I don’t have to wait as it’s making me so anxious. I am glad you are sorted now and continue to feel well
Had another thought I had 2 ct scans on nhs both were not very clear and consultant basically told me not to worry gave me the usual meds and said go back to gp if things get worse I was in a terrible state worrying so my son suggested a private consultation. It did cost 250 but he was so helpful my son paid for a private ct scan which was 800 a lot of money but from that scan the private cardiologist told me I had triple vessel disease and needed an urgent angiogram and would need stents or even a bypass. I sent the nhs cardiologist the report and scans and had a letter the next day with an appointment for an angiogram the following week. From this it showed I needed 2 stents which I am having tomorrow. I know paying private for scans may not be an option but it would speed things up and give you some answers. The nhs is struggling so much at the minute and I know they do their best but the waiting times just adds to our stress . I would say I have changed nhs consultants and my new one is wonderful.
I am so thankful that you have taken the time to mail me when you are so anxious about tomorrow. I don’t have enough money to go private but I am going to phone cardiology tomorrow for a realistic time frame for my angiogram and if it’s too long I will try and find the money for scans as I can’t carry on this stressed. Good luck for tomorrow x
You can usually ask to go on the cancellation list too that might speed things up for you .Hopefully you will be able to speak to someone tomorrow I was originally told 2 to 3 months for angiogram but I would imagine it is different in different areas. I.hope you get some answers and thank you for your good luck wishes x
As others have said, don’t let it ruin your life. If you have a mobile, take it with you when you go out (you can phone for help from anywhere - not just your sofa) symptoms of acute stress can cause tightening in your chest so try to just carry on as normal and relax a bit. You’re in the system so hopefully it won’t be too long. Fingers crossed for you.
PS I had a heart attack that didn’t include any chest pain so it doesn’t always follow.
No I could only speak to the booking service and they have no idea. Clinic note from 8 November still not typed up so not even on meds yet…. But more importantly how are you x have you had the cardio gram?
No I could only speak to the booking service and they have no idea. Clinic note from 8 November still not typed up so not even on meds yet…. But more importantly how are you x have you had the cardio gram?
I had 2 stents fitted yesterday and all went really well no pain and completely different to first angio. No bruise at all this time it really was such a different experience. Hopefully you will get your letter any time now and hopefully it will say which meds they want gp to prescribe. It will probably also say you are on waiting list for ct angio . There have been several times I really wanted to speak to cardiologist but it seems like its impossible unless its a scheduled phone call or appointment. My original referral was in February so it has took 9 months to get to stents fitted. I kept telling myself that if anything was needed urgently surely they would do it. But its the fact they say about phoning for an ambulance implies that something could happen. Everyone even my brothers said not to worry - it was only my son who did not trust the nhs so much and in my case he was right I am not saying this to worry you at all but do feel waiting times on nhs are way too long -it must be very frustrating for cardiologists i so wish I had private health insurance!in saying that the cardiologist i have now is brilliant and I trust him 100 percent. I was so scared yesterday but know I am so lucky to have stents done so soon I used to envy the ones who had had treatment. Please let me know when you have any news and try not to overthink things I know that is easier said than done
Thank you and I am so glad your procedure went well and not too traumatic, it helps if you feel you can trust the consultant. Do you feel different now the stents are in?
Please keep in touch and let me know how you are getting on.
I will wait patiently for angiogram but if I get pain that doesn’t feel right I will go straight in then hopefully may get it done that way!
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