Hi 👋 I posted 5 weeks ago about going to gp with chest pain, she did my bp was slightly raised and said to go A&E. I went there they did xray, ecg, bloods etc. Everything fine but the troponin was 42. They tested again in 3 hours was 43. Said unlikely a HA everything else fine and sent me home. Next day consultant called, said he was going to speak to cardiology due to elevated troponin. I had never heard of this before. They did more bloods and an ultrasound, like an echo. Troponin was 46 but said it didn't indicate a HA , couldn't see anything on ultrasound. Said they wanted to get me back for an MRI. A wk passed nothing, called said they couldn't see anything in system. 2 weeks later I freaked out as my BP was high. Took myself to a&e as life is scary when you're told anyone with elevated troponin has an unhealthy heart...not the best thing to tell someone who is a natural worrier anyway. They got a cardiologist to speak to me. He told me that it would try and expedite the scans and now I would be getting an ehocardiogram and CT. He said just to go away and if I get pain come back. Great.
4 weeks passed and I had my Echo last week. The sonographer was very nice. She couldn't see anything untoward is what she told me. My partner insisted on coming. Afterwards he was like well you're fine...crack on but how can I I still need the CT. Every twinge, pull, etc. I feel and always typically in the left side I think...is this it!!
I'm really fed up. I've not exercised for nearly 2 months, haven't met with friends as I just can't face anyone. I'm a head mess.
I called the hospital this week re the CT they said expect to wait 3 months...ffs!!!
I just don't know what to do or how to feel, so low and depressed by it all.
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This all sounds very worrying for you. Unfortunately the NHS are so busy the scans can take awhile. I waited two years before having a valve replacement.
We are all here for you to talk too and with the nice weather coming up definitely try and go for a walk or meet up with a friend.
They said they'd get me back within. 2 weeks it's now 5 I know I've had the echo but I just need answers.. private so expensive 😩 I did mention to my partner. Maybe I'll look into it again x
You really need to keep pressing them on this . I went to an and e Nov with an ache in my left arm on exertion . Elevated troponin . Was initially told I had heart attack , then no , it was just angina . Cut a long story short I ended u with stent for blocked artery . Hope you get answers and good luck
this is a worry for you, but I’m afraid the NHS is so busy. Please do some exercise, like go for a walk in the countryside if you can, or in a park. Maybe meet up with a friend for a coffee.
do some breathing exercises.
Twenty years ago when my husband had some heart trouble all these tests didn’t really exist. So he was not given an echo or ultrasound. But he’s still here, well and happy. And I hope you too will be well and happy in twenty years.
I remember you posting and sorry since your last post you have not got peace of mind and we need that so much I am an anxious person so I know how much it means to you to be sure nothing is wrong
I am not sure but I wonder when it comes to Troponin levels if there is a range by they have to go up a certain amount to indicate a heart attack maybe someone who knows more than me will be able to tell you when they read your post or you could phone and talk with the BHF Nurses who are full of knowledge and be able to explain what they expect
I had 3 heart attacks resulted in a triple bypass and even after all that I suffer with indigestion and where do I have to feel it the left side of course which even now sends me in a panic but before all what happened I may have got indigestion in my left side but you start to become more aware once you know or feel something could be wrong
You could pay for the scan and if you feel you cannot cope with all this and can afford it then it will be money well spent so something to think about
Men and I am not saying all men but they do tend to think different from us and so don't feel dismissed by what yours said as no doubt of they heard that they would think well I am fine then even if they did need more tests
I can understand you not wanting to exercise but a nice walk will do you so much good for your heart as well as your mind so maybe just take some walks while you are waiting to get the scan done
It is not the best idea to cut yourself of from friends and family they can be a great support as well as you can start feeling depressed eventually when you shut of from everyone and when you say you do not feel like it that is a sign you are already getting a little depressed so if it is just one family member one close friend try and start talking to them and open up about how you feel
On a positive though if they had seen anything so far that was of any concern to them I am sure they would be fast tracking you so be reassured they are happy for you to wait to have the scan done but as I said if you can't and can afford private then look into it
Thanks BeKind28... I am trying to get on with things I'm still going to work etc. But it's just hard with friends as they don't understand really. Infact most people I've told the echo looked ok, most of my friends have said well that's really good news you can put it behind you now.
I have looked at going private, it is really expensive but it's a option but would the NHS still treat you if you go private? That I wasn't sure about 🤔
Sounds like you've been through a lot as well...how do we turn off those negative thoughts the amount of times I've wanted to take myself to a&e is crazy. One thing the cardiologist did say to me when I went a couple weeks ago was that my trop levels although raised weren't indicative for a HA as they stayed stable for 12 hours and that someone who was having a HR their trop levels would raise threefold or more...thing is the echo can't predict a HA only see if there may have been one....so why were they raised. Thats what I need answering. I've got the ct to show any narrowing etc. But if not heart then why... someone said they start to worry if over 30 so...
I dunno. My mum died of cancer at 64. Then my mind start wondering... its bloody awful and I can't make it stop.
I am glad you are going to work I hope that gives some kind of distraction but I do understand how you feel when people say that is good news you can out that behind you and they do not understand it is not that simple when it is happening to you
I think maybe they are trying to be supportive but with anything unless you have been through it you cannot understand
I can imagine private will be expensive and I am not sure and hope someone else might be but yes I do believe you can go private for scans get a diagnosis and then go back to the NHS this would be something if you decided to do you could ask but I am almost sure you can
I had 3 heart attacks and had a feeling it is to do with how much higher the levels have gone up on the second blood test which is awful when you are waiting for it to come back and that there is a range they look for and sounds you were in that range so that is something to hold on to as when you say how do you deal with these thoughts we have well after so many years I am still trying to work that out but one thing is when I get the negative thoughts I try and look for something positive not always easy I know but with those levels I would keep telling myself they were in the range they should have been and just keep telling myself over and over again
I am so sorry you lost your Mum at 64 I lost mine at the same age to and when you are getting nearer that age I think I have started worrying even more even though it was not my Mums heart
Hand on to thinking if it was anything bad they would be having you back in asp and they have not so that I think is always a good sign
Let us know if you go private or you manage to wait I know no doubt you will have asked t go on their cancellation list as well that might get it done quicker fingers crossed but keep us updated how you get on x
Hi there, I hadn't asked for the cancellation I was going to try and speak to a gp tomorrow to try get clarity not my gp as he's a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to treatment/advice and I need someone to listen.
It's so hard losing someone I was 40 when my mum died and there when she got the diagnosis it was one of the worst days of my life, probably worse than seeing her pass! My son is only 10 and I'm not even 50 yet just 2 years to go. I've got so much worse since my mum died as her cancer went undiagnosed and mistreated so I don't have a lot of faith which I know is wrong but true.
You must have been scared but you are still here as crazy as it sounds part of me thinks its easier when they do find something as then you can justify it.
When I first went to hospital they told me they'd get me back in two weeks what a crazy lie that was
Still I just keep going and hopefully, from the mouth of the sonograpger it might have been a blip...
Maybe I'll go for a swim tomorrow...I need to do something I was supposed to be running thr Gatwick 10k next wkend but that won't be happening now
If you get to speak to the Hospital ask them to put you on their cancellation list as well as then if anyone cancels and you can go at short notice you might get it done quicker
I am 61 now and I lost my Mum when I was 41 she managed to be here to celebrate my 40th which I kept her card she sent and always look at it
My Mum could have still been here she had a thrombosis and they missed it and she was here one day talking to me and then a call she had gone it had travelled to her heart and not even my Mum or any of us knew she had it and it is such a shock and I still have not got over it as my Mum was the one that could always calm me down
I know how you must feel but it is so hard try not to let your mind run of miles in front I always am on the worst scenario before I even know anything and then when things are nothing like I imagined they would be I have made myself so ill with worry !
And as you have been told this could have been a blip and I hope that is what it turns out to be and next year you will be running the Gatwick 10k for sure x
That's awful I am so sorry for your loss. Much like you I miss my mum terribly, she was always the one to calm me down and talk sense to me too. That made me sad 😔 I hole you had some support. I didn't really. Again as nothing can prepare you nobody knows the hole it leaves. 40 / 41 is no age to lose a mum.
Let's hope I can get all this sorted and can start to move on one way or another. Xx
Thank You and yes you hold on to that as I know everything is going to be alright for you so when you have lost faith at the moment I will keep it for you till you are telling us you are fine x
Hi BeKind try The Naked Pharmacy Good Gut for your stomach. I've gone from 10 Rennie's a day to none in just under 2 weeks. I'd got to the stage that no matter what I ate, I got wind, heartburn, swollen tummy etc. Now I feel so much better.
No I have not been tested for that but I have had IBS for years and once they started throwing in all these heart tablets even though I know I need them and take them well it has played havoc with my stomach
I have mentioned that to my Doctor before and she says I do not have the symptoms she also says my anxiety does not help and I cannot disagree with that either
Hello , while ago I was taken to hospital with heart papilathions , then they discover my troponin was 172 . But I didn't have heart attack , I did have miocarditis. Troponin sometimes high if you have inflammation in the heart muscle. But yours is not very high. Hopefully you ok . T
all these tests can sometimes be more hazardous than good. Have you done anything to address lifestyle issues because a lot of pain comes from the fight or flight mechanism and what goes into the body. My HA ( totally blocked CA)came totally out of the blue, age 67, I had no waiting time no prior tests I lived what I thought was a healthy life. But since then with no intrusive intervention on stents I did a audit on my life now no to very little comfort food (sugar ) no pastries etc very little dairy cholesterol levels dropped from 7.5 to 3.6 within weeks. But what I did realise I was living a more stressful life than needed. Is your screen name an indication of your life? Because mine is now.
Oh my I'm a worrier as you may have read it's got worse over the last 8 years since mum passed. I just can't shut off the negative thoughts.
My life on the whole is healthy, I don't smoke, rarely drink, go running, play golf, I do like a bit of chocolate every now and then, my cholesterol is 3.4 so well within range. But stress is my biggest gripe...if I could take all that away I think I'd be ok but to do that I'd need to win the lottery lol. It doesn't help having a 21 year old nearly who sits at home day in and day out due to anxiety about himself which has led to self loathing and depression a partner who is not on board with him they rarely talk it causes tension in the house, he is not my partners son, our son is only 10. I'm 47 almost 48.
So that is what I was saying : I have never smoked been teetotal since 2007 ex army police support worker been in some dodgy situations but I was laid off work for stress related work disorder then became a driving instructor. It wasn’t the inside bits that got me as my family have always hovered around 6.8 on the cholesterol scale I’m positive now it was the adrenaline and noradrenaline effect on the body. You need to be selfish now or your life will be continually poor your son is an adult your partner is an adult you are ill from the effect of them who wether or not you like it are toxic. Graveyards are full of well meaning people. It’s a hard pill to swallow sometimes but there are two definite things we are born into this life and we leave it the distance in between is variable but we have a lot to do with that. Be strong for yourself because there is profit in ill people. Get well soon (all said in love)
Thank you 😊 yes you are correct I need to be selfish right now... x
Hi, we all get over worried when first on this journey, my troponin level was 4000 and turned out I had a minor HA. NSTEMI with no known causes. I had discomfort on the right side of chest which I understood immediately to be a heart attack called 999 and which over time (1 hr 15 min) increased significantly (just like contractions when having a baby) then just stopped just as paramedics walked through the door. Paramedics couldnt find anything so I went to hospital for the troponin tests 6 days in hospital and I had all the tests trying to find out why it happened and nothing could be found. I’m now three years down the road and still no idea why despite all tests, questions and explorations.
Unfortunately thats life sometimes, not everything can be explained and because of this I worried a lot for the first two years every twinge etc so I do understand as do others here.
My husband said not to dwell but you do because its your body your life you are living it. Overtime I have worried less but if I get pain or twinges around the chest or back it still makes me stop and listen to my body.
Maybe try to explain to husband its the not knowing, if you had had a HA and a stent fitted it would possibly be a change of diet, exercise, stop smoking, drink less kind of lifestyle choice to make but this feels so up in the air with no guidance and months of worry ahead.
If he doesn’t understand, we do.
Personally (im a first aider but not a doctor) I would advise to keep an eye on that blood pressure, try to lessen stress by breathing exercises to calm you, find activities to absorb you so you think less about it and try gentle (maybe sitting exercises) and gradually increase them as you feel comfortable. Go at your pace. Be kind to yourself, this is a huge shock and of course a massive worry.
Hoping the next few months waiting go well for you and try to think positively if you can. Each and evry day is a gift to everyone, but sometimes we forget to be grateful for it. I love waking up now as I know I am alive and its a new day.
Thanks Swim2fitness...I think its the not knowing isn't it. Wow its mad that they couldn't find any reasoning or justification...were you going through a period of stress at this time? I can't count the amount of people who have said mine has been brought on by stress! My life must look crazy to the outside world.
So pleased you are ok...im going to try take up yoga but I miss putting on my trainers and going for a run along the seafront or on the downs...I live on the South Coast so it's beautiful in the summer...I just want to be back out running with my music and my thoughts...but nice ones.
A day at a time...when it first happened I was grateful to wake up in the morning. I tried talking to my partner last night and that he needs to support me even though I am worrying and he said 'yeah but you've had all the tests and the scan and they've said you're ok so why worry' I asked him if he knew or had read anything about Troponin since my event and he said he had...he clearly hadn't.
Anyway I am trying not to dwell. I have a PT session and Sat to work on my core strength and mobility/flexibility lol and then maybe try a bit of golf. Thank you for listening and understanding just like everyone on here xx
Hi Emma. There is nothing like your heart misbehaving to make you a basket case. Trust me I’m one. Patience is key. You have seen the cardiologist you are being reviewed. Nothing untoward in the scans. But yet you still feel it that sense of urgency and concern deep within you. There was great book out years ago cannot remember the author but it was Feel the Frar and do it anyway. So As one who hasn’t swam since March 15 and is currently awaiting a 3 day tape, I fully understand the trpedation. Try a gentle walk. Say 5 lampposts Look all around you. Listen and feel the wind. Then go home and go one lamppost further tomorrow As humans we are hard wired to go to catastrophic first. So if the worst happened and you collapsed you’d be taken to hospital you’d be looked after. None of that is in your control and no amount of worries will change that. So breathe and try to focus on happy things. (Easy to say but it helps. Try the breathing apps they are really helpful )
The most important thing here is you are not alone. And if they were concerned about the levels of trop they would have admitted you. Yes they are overwhelmed but in an extreme situation they will be there for you.
Meanwhile live your life. Meet your friends exercise gently xxx
Thanks Behappy63...I am going for a lunch time walk now! Need to try and get those 10,000 steps in...im not the type of person to sit around but I think my lifes been so busy I have taken my eye off of me.
I'll take a look out for that book... I need to start some breathing exercises etc. I know these will help. If I feel weird to the point its not normal I'd definitely take myself back to A&E I just wanna be around to see my kids grow into men and well my eldest get his life sorted.
Good luck with your appointment hope it goes ok and you get back to swimming soon xxx
Thanks Emma. Feel the Fear and do it anyway. It’s a small book but useful. Don’t think you have to reach the 10k in steps as a mum you will be doing tons of hidden exercise. Which just because it doesn’t have a metric - ( iron 19 shirts/ hang out 2 washings/ make 6 dinners 12 pack lunches/hoover/ do the messages etc etc) doesn’t mean you aren’t doing anything!
If there was anything drastic they would have admitted you! I went to a&e with pain and spent night in there,got angina gtn spray now but anxiety doesn't help it makes it all worse and yes totally agree it's your heart and that is keeping you alive,perhaps see gp to see if they can help with anxiety,I have now had ct scan and echogram seeing consultant in 2 weeks,I keep my anxiety down with breathing exercises take care
Please contact your GP, explain how you are feeling and ask if he/she could contact the hospital to expedite your CT appointment and ask for something for your anxiety too. Me saying try not to worry is useless. You could ask to pay for CT. I'm not sure I'm helping you very much. Try and be strong.
I'm so sorry you are so anxious, I'm afraid the NHS is rather slow these days.When I first started getting problems I had to go to A&E several times, not the best experience in the world, especially in 2021.
I had raised troponin levels, similar to yours, but I think that was caused by the pain and other symptoms causing my heart to beat faster, work harder, etc, probably made worse because I was anxious as it's a very scary experience.
Sorry that your friends don't understand, people feel they have to say something positive to "cheer you up", not realising that it just makes us feel that they are minimising our very real concerns.
At the risk of doing just that I have to say that your echo is very encouraging, but you will feel better when you've had the MRI. I had a very surly man do mine, who would not tell me anything, in fact he barely grunted the whole time.
Thank you. What happened did you have a HA could they find anything wrong in the end? I've become obsessed with taking my BP which I am sure isn't always accurate...
I know friends mean well it's just sometimes you kinda want them to say something else...I don't know what lol!!
I'm trying to hang on the positive that she didn't pick anything up...she was in all fairness lovely, explained what she was doing and looking at. That's a win for sure.
Grrr, I started a reply then the site went down for routine maintenance so I lost it.It was never clear about a HA, as they were really busy and the second troponin test got missed. If I did it was only very mild, but it did take me months to recover from that episode.
Actually all they've discovered so far is that there are no abnormalities in my heart, and my ejection fraction, both stress and rest, is better than that of a healthy young person, so that's excellent.
It's more likely that my troubles are caused by an endocrine issue, but that's a whole different narrative.
About well meaning friends, I have one in particular who is an ostrich, seems to think if she ignores issues they will go away, where I prefer to confront them head on. We've known each other nearly 60 years now, so I'm used to her.
It would be better, I think, if friends said something like "Well, that's reassuring but I expect you're still worried " and give you the opportunity to talk about your fears. It is hard to understand unless you've been in the same position, and even then we're all different and react in different ways. You might find some reassurance if you chat with one of the BHF cardiac nurses, the number I have for them is 0300 330 3311.
Another useful source is Anxiety UK, I don't have their number to hand but you can google it. They could give you some tips to help with your anxiety while you wait for your MRI.
Good luck with it all, let us know how you get on. Do try to do a little exercise, the fitter you are the better it is for you no matter what may be amiss. I had to walk up and down the flattest piece of my road, I live on a really high hill and there was no-one who could come with me, and if I tried to venture further I lost my mobile signal, and I'm a bit prone to falling down. Good job it's fairly isolated here, what anyone would have made of a stick wielding pensioner slowly staggering up and down, then turning round to do it again, all the while with a grimly determined expression on her face.
Ok so at least no heart issues that you're aware of, but endocrine is a huge issue I also have Hypothyroidism that I take meds for.
Yunno that would be really nice if someone said that...ive had 1 friend who I've known for 20 years who said whilst the echo was reassuring I bet you've still got questions...that was nice as she knew it's not enough.
Maybe I'll give that team another try I called on Tuesday and they weren't available I've not had a chance to call back yet.
Just to clarify, there are no structural issues with my heart, I do have AF, but there is no explanation for why I get the red flag symptoms. Currently I'm having a break from them as my endocrine issues have resulted in persistent AF, but I will be having a cardioversion, hoping that will kick me into NSR.I think people are uncomfortable dealing with health issues so just want to offer reassurance and move on. Sometimes there is nothing to say, and all you can do is give them a hug. Speaking for myself I don't want people who haven't a clue giving me advice, no matter how well meaning; laugh with me, cry with me, swear with me, pass the tissues, but unless you've been where I am, don't tell me what I should do.
Ungrateful, aren't I? I think most people need to have experienced it before they know what to do.
Good luck with everything, despite all of the NHS's current problems they are, above all, excellent at saving lives and being ultra cautious, if they have the slightest concern for your well being they will not let you go home.
Thanks scentegardener I hope that you get what you need and the reassurances you need.I'm totally with you on the people front ,nobody can offer advice unless they've been there. I'll be sure to keep you posted
It's hard not to worry. My HA came completely out of the blue 6 weeks ago. My initial troponin level was 37 when I arrived in A and E They did another after 3 hours and the level came back as 750! All I can advise is to keep nagging your GP to see if your tests can be expedited as stress and worry won't help your physical or mental health. I hope all gets sorted for you and your mind out at rest.
Hi, sorry to hear about your anxiety awaiting tests . You could always go private a CT with contrast dye costs around 1300 GBP. I had mine through private and there was no waiting time. Last year after my CABG operation I was in Cyprus and because of the pain, I went for a CT scan which cost 85Euros. During the scan they found nodules in my lungs. My surgeon sent my Cprus CT to radiologist in the NHS and I never heard anything back.
I am going back to Cyprus and will get the CT repeated to check if the nodules have grown if not they will be benign.
That's the problem everything is so expensive here...or you wait. I just don't have 1300 lying around not even on a credit card be cheaper to take myself to Cyprus like you x
There can be other reasons for elevated Troponin besides Myocardial Infarction. It's good if the Echo was fairly normal. Have you received the actual report?
The gold standard test would be a cardiac MRI. This will show any and all scarring within the heart along with a multitude of other information.
I'm in the US but am aware the wait times can be longer with the NHS. Can you consider a private consult with a cardiologist and possibly an MRI?
I am waiting on a CT scan hoping they will show similar...isn't an echo supposed to show any abnormalities/scarring/blockages etc. I know it doesn't show the arteries like a MRI or CT. The waiting times are crazy... maybe I'll take myself back to a&e x
The Echo will show chamber sizes, valve health (i.e. regurgitation, etc.), various pressures, and volume and speed with which the blood flows in and out of your heart. Diastolic filling volume and Ejection Fraction (EF) are big indicators on how your left ventricle is filling up and also ejecting (pushing out) the blood to your body. They are all important measures of heart health. If you have a normal Echo, that's a good start.
Scarring however is one of the main focuses of an MRI. A heart attack will typically induce some level of scarring, which is why they look for that on these tests.
I'm not sure if a CT will show scarring, but something you could ask. A CT is typically used to address level of CAD coronary artery disease and see how much, if any restrictions or blockages are present in your arteries going to your heart.
Sadly, Cardiology in the UK is a bit of a mess. Had an 'alleged' MI last October indicated by Traponin levels of 100. Rushed back to A&E a month later and told I have Pericarditis. This was diagnosed without even an Echo to confirm. Fast forward nearly 6 months from my MI and I still suffer from dreadful chest pain.In between We've moved house and am now under a different health authority so literally had to start the process all over again.
My new GP referred me to the local Cardiology Dept and have just heard a Cardiologist is due to read my notes to see whether they are actually going to see me. You can't possibly get an account of how daily chest pain affects a person just by reading notes.
Now here's the rub. On the day we made our 90 mile house move I got to see the head honcho of York and Scarborough Trust who cast doubts as to whether I'd actually had a heart attack in the first place.
So where the hell does that leave me.
Anxiety levels used to play a big part in my life but I now tend to ignore the chest pain, otherwise I'd be at A&E every week.
Hi EdtheDead wow that sounds exhausting...thing is they give you this information and expect you to roll with it without any clear justification. I have had more chest pain in the last 6 weeks than I have ever had in my life completely exacerbated by what's going on I have no idea what's Real or not...perhaps its stress and anxiety that tool me there 2 months ago.
Really hope this new guy can clarify a few things for you...sounds like you need it too.
At the moment I am thinking I might need to pay for a private MRI just to set my mind straight one way or the other.
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I still need the CT. Every twinge, pull, etc. I feel and always typically in the left side I think...is this it!! 
Going through tests, really really worried and would like some support and advice please?
Pacemaker Needed
Viral Myocarditis
Troponin levels elevated
Heaviness on chest cause?
