M.I. 12 years ago now sudden Angina & I'm scared.

[Kev_64]

Hi Everyone.

I had a heart attack in 2012 aged 48. The left circumflex artery was completely blocked. I had a stent fitted and they saw no evidence of any problems with the other arteries.

A lifelong smoker, I stopped at that point. I did all of the cardiac rehab classes and the phase 4 gym sessions etc, but slowly I let it all slide. In the intervening years I've abandoned all exercise, put on a couple of stone and my alcohol intake has increased.

This week I suddenly had a slight crushing pain in my chest that lasted a few minutes then went. Two days later I was driving home and my car broke down in heavy traffic on a bridge. I got out and pushed the car across the lanes into the hard shoulder - slightly uphill too! Immediately the crushing pain returned but stronger than before and lasting about five minutes or so.

The AA came and got me going again and I felt it coming on again as I was driving home - which by this time was about 2h after the first pain. I took two squirts of GTN (which I've always carried 'just in case' - it's not prescribed for me though), and the pain subsided.

I knew then it was cardiac related pain.

Later, I decided to go to A&E to get it checked. My ECG was normal and my two troponin tests were both 19, three hours apart, which is apparently indicative of heart damage but the doc said that as I had no other symptoms like sweating or nausea etc, it was very unlikely that I'd had another heart attack but that it was stable angina. I'm being referred to the Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic but I think the waiting list for that is about three months! So much for "rapid".

Anyway, I'm scared now. I'm scared to go to sleep, every twinge of any sort I'm worrying it's the start of another heart attack. I'm worried that this angina, if that's what it is, has come on so suddenly. About six months ago I went on my running machine for 30 minutes, at a fast walking pace without any problems. Tonight, I did a test to see if the chest pain would start with exercise - and it did, but at a far slower pace than I had walked six months ago with no problems. I took GTN and the pain went.

I'm scared that maybe this isn't angina in the normal sense but maybe one or more of my arteries have clogged like the first one did - or are about to clog - or they've misdiagnosed me in the ridiculously busy A&E dept - after all, a troponin level of 19 is in the 'grey area' but it's definitely higher than the 'no heart damage' ideal of 14.

I'm scared that through my own complacency over the past decade I've now got myself into a place where a second, and possibly fatal, heart attack is increasingly likely.

I'm worrying that because I'm at the mercy of the NHS waiting lists, something might happen before I even get to the Rapid Access chest pain clinic.

Sorry for the long post. I'm just writing a stream of thoughts as they happen!

Thanks for reading this far.

Kev.

[TasteLessFood4Life]

Hi Kev,

Hope you are feeling better. Given that you have done a few 'experiments' and discoveries from your end - chest pain during exertion or stress is typically heart related. Given your history, better to get it checked out asap before it gets too serious. Also, they usually ask for the intensity of the pain too and location? Heart related is normally centre of the chest. Watch out if the pain spreads or radiates to arms/neck which could be a sign of HA.

[DWizza]

Kev, I’m not surprised that you feel worried. At least you are in the system and your trop count was pretty low. I had Nstemi heart art last July, thought it was trapped wind , centre of my chest , like being stabbed , didn’t spread etc. Luckily paramedics insisted that I should go into hospital with them for trop test to confirm any heart event as my ECG was fine. My first test came back 74 , second trop test was 402! I ended up being an assessed emergency case and was transferred from Maidstone to St Thomas’s London and 12 days later had quadruple bypass. I was told it is much better to be an assessed case than an outright emergency. Hopefully, you’ll get the best treatment for your condition. If you get the pain again call 999 . I hope you get your appointment soonest. Is there a possibility that you can call the rapid access pain clinic to see if you can get a cancellation or find out if you’ve been allocated an appointment?

[Happyrosie]

I can understand your concern, but let’s look at it from another angle.

You see someone cardiac related in three months’ time so you’ve got three months in which to improve your diet and lifestyle.

If you don’t have one, get a blood pressure machine (or measure at docs surgery if they have one) remembering to sit quietly before you take the reading.

Have a look at the websites of BHF and/or NHS for advice on diet and lifestyle. For instance, “couch to 5k in three months” for exercise - don’t go mad take it gently - and increase your vegetable intake. Try and remove processed food from your diet - ready meals, sweet breakfast cereals and so on.

Phone your doc’s surgery and tell them of your chest pain and ask to speak to someone (depends on how your surgery is organised) such as pharmacist who might advise on taking some medication, if you don’t have any. But measure your BP first.

This puts YOU in control, so you don’t feel helpless.

[pole-climber]

Kev you did not say weather you are still drinking and carrying your extra pounds if you are try to reduce both and stop pushing your car uphill. Had a stent fitted Oct 2017 and did rehab then did nothing put on weight and enjoyed the drinks but two years ago had some sort of heart related issue in the night and thought I was on my way out took my spray and fell asleep downstairs, luckily had an appointment with my consultant who put me on some tablets.--This was my wake up call lost weight very little alcohol had an angiogram last year and every thing proved OK.---- Just saying, this is my experience ,hope all goes well for you.

[Pinksock2]

are you able to get a private GP appointment? It sounds like you need answers as quickly as possible? Google private gps in your area, they will probably refer you to more specialist heart help

[Kev_64]

In case anyone finds it interesting, when I had my heart attack in 2012, I was fascinated by the images on the screens as they were sorting me out. I asked the consultant if I could get a copy of the images. A few weeks later they were kind enough to put them onto a CD for me and I put it up on YouTube.... It would be interesting to see what state my arteries are in now in comparison 🙁.

youtu.be/zbeUE6TLCgM(Not working as expected?)