In October last year I had a bout of light headedness and palpitations. It all cleared up after a couple of days, but was placed on a low dose of beta blockers and had subsequent investigations. Yesterday I received a copy letter explaining that I have been diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease and recommending the GP start me on aspirin and statins, and to see the coronary care team in 6 months.
So I'm currently slightly freaked out, as I've been pretty much asymptomatic apart from that wobble last year and currently waiting to speak with my GP.
I did call the BHS nurses, incidentally, who did help to explain what was contained in my letter, which was extremely helpful!
I'm aiming to do more to clean up my diet and modify my exercise routines, but in the meantime the uncertainty of the situation is pretty worrying.
Take care everyone.
Written by
WaywardSon
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Welcome to the Hearties club - a diagnosis is a positive step in dealing with your condition. Many of us had no idea we were about to join this club, so you are in good company! 😮
I'm presuming it's now down to the Cardiologists to maybe run more tests to fully diagnose and recommend if further treatments are needed(?). Improving diet and modifying exercise routines will only put you in a much better shape to deal with how the diagnosis concludes and treatments 💪. It will take time, so patience and keeping sane are needed!!
There's a great source and back-catalogue of anecdotes, information, re-assurance and advice to be found on here to help coming to terms and dealing with how it pans out...
Thanks Snowflake. The tests to date have confirmed I have a couple of partial blockages, but in the cardiologists's words they aren't causing a material obstruction at this time, hence the statins and aspirin - but I am concerned that they don't want to see me again for another 6 months and am thinking about whether I need to go private to get a more urgent second opinion...
It is unsettling. Sounds like you've caught it early enough to maybe manage it without angioplasty or other surgical intervention for now. This is hopefully a good thing as long as they keep an eye on it? My blockages were 'occluded (with collaterals)' and 'severe', yet still not urgent enough to jump the 7 month queue for a bypass.
Sorry, can't really comment on going private and if there might be a different outcome, guess it depends what you might be hoping for (e.g. angioplasty / stent). I thought about going private to speed things up, but then decided to rely rightly or wrongly on their judgement that it (angina) was manageable over the 7 month wait with medication (aspirin, statin, ranolazine, bisoprolol).
OH that's brilliant hat it's been discovered before it causes any serious problems. Despite my family history of 14 close relatives dying from heart problems, mine wasn't ever checked until I had a heart attack and two s tents; luckily with only minor damage. A second angiogram showed that I had two more blockages in the main artery that were 65%- below the level at which stents were needed and blood was flowing freely so nothing more was done except to change my lifestyle and, after a year of he usual treatments after a heart attack I now take only aspirin and a statin. Nothing's been checked now in 6 years apart from my GP doing annual blood tes ts. They obviously don't think you have a problem or you would be seen much earlier.
Look on it as a very fortunate warning to change your lifestyle and diet to prevent it from getting any worse.
Thanks for that - good to hear you've had a positive outcome and doing well. I don't really know anyone IRL going through this, so it's great to get positive stories to help balance my paranoia!
Hi, you don't say how old you are,or the degree of cad, I have just been diagnosed with mild coronary artery disease, depending on our diet through life we lay down plaque,this builds up and slows the blood flow,aspirin will thin the blood,statins lower cholesterol,I've lost 2.5stone and am now overweight and not obese but at 67 quality of life means more to me than lots of pills!!
Hi - thanks for the reply - I'm 56, 46% stenosis in one place and 25% in a couple of others - good flow results and largely no symptoms at all - always been a healthy weight and pretty active, which is part of the reason this has come as such a shock TBH with you.
Ok yes can be a shock- I've been active all my life,struggled with weight but no health issues apart from arthritis in a knee,then suddenly last year had AF,finally told have large hole in my heart probably from birth,and coronary artery disease which is mostly normal in my age bracket!! (67) now also get angina and loads medications !!
Hi, I was diagnosed with the same condition 18 months ago. It does come as a shock, but after trials and errors with beta blockers (no good for me) , I’m on aspirin and ezetimibe and everything seems fine. Good luck
It was all a surprise for me, too. I fainted; an ambulance was called; they said I’d had a mild heart attack (nstemi). So now I’ve got two stents and take various drugs. I hope yours sorts itself out with what they gave you. Best wishes!
yeah perfectly understandable to be feeling how you are BUT seriously it’s not the end of life - sounds like you’re already doing the right things and way better to know about it as plenty you can do to help yourself carry on living a great life - my advice learn all you can about it, learn what options are there to improve your condition and push like hell to get the treatment you need
Thanks everyone that's taken the time to respond - I really do appreciate your kind words and advice. It's certainly given me something positive to focus on and I'll push hard with the GP to ensure I get the support I need from them, and perhaps go private for a second opinion if I can't get a clear way forward. Thanks again, stay healthy, everyone 👍
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