I found a great help

[robbiemac]

I was finally diagnosed with Prinzmetal angina after 21 years in 2019. this followed several ambulance rides over the years.

The frequency of the episodes had increased to around 5 a week, sometimes 3 in a single 24 hours.

One day I sat down in front of my computer and just looked at the information. Then it hit me! Prinzmetal/unstable call it what you will, happens mainly at night between midnight and 8 am. Right. So what's different about those 8 hours and the other 16 hours of the day?

YOU DON'T EAT!! you're asleep....that is until you're woken up feeling you're in a vice. Pain in chest, back, arm/s neck ,jaw.....

So I decided to have a bowl of porridge about 2 hours before bedtime each night. I went 3 weeks without an episode! WOW.

Then I tried eating a breakfast bar instead, I went 8 months without an episode. I had a stressful time when I lost my younger son so I did have another episode, but much reduced in pain. It's now a rare thing to have an episode, though sometimes first thing in the morning before breakfast I might have a twinge start so I have a biscuit and that works. I very rarely have a full blown episode, if I do there's usually some stress at the time.

I think it points to low blood sugar.

I hope my experience will be a help to someone. Best wishes and good health to all.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

I am glad you have found a solution to your problems.

I have lived with vasospastic angina since 2012.

Coronary vasospasms are more frequent during the night probably due to the changes in the body's hormones and due to changes in autonomic nervous system activity.

How was your angina diagnosed?

I had a specialised angiogram to confirm my diagnosis.

[robbiemac in reply to Milkfairy]

Thanks for your reply Milkfairy.

I had been suffering for a few years waking up in the middle of the night with chest and back pain etc, then in early 1998 I had an episode which didn't resolve.

The doctor came and said it was my heart and so I had the first ride in an ambulance. Then over the next 21 years there were more rides to hospital, and one doctor told me "it was nothing" ......!!

My GP said she thought it was arterial spasm and told me to look it up on line.....?! I was sent for a mibi test at Papworth hospital but didn't hear any more. I went for another Mibi test, which nearly killed me! I had to ask them to stop as I felt I was going. Again nothing said. Then my cardiologist suggested an angiogram, my poor radial artery didn't like that at all and after 5 attempts, as soon as he tried to put the catheter in the artery went into spasm, he gave up and went into my femeral artery.

He told me it was inconclusive and he diagnosed me with coronary microvascular disease. ( I also have paroxysmal afib, and asthma and have heart failure.)

I was very pleased to discover the link with hypoglycemia, it may not help other people but it certainly helped me. I haven't had an episode since last year despite several stressful times. I see I'm not allowed to mention anything religious but it also plays the most important role in the management of my health.

In 2019 I became ill with Polymyalgia Rheumatica, It was an extremely stressful time as I had just lost my beloved cocker spaniel Bernie, he was my last dog. The PMR meant going on Prednisolone which in turn put my blood glucose up and I became T2 diabetic. To be honest, the angina is the least of my problems, but at 83 years old despite getting very tired as the day wears on, I enjoy life with my two cats and the love of my family. My elder daughter is coming to live with me next month to care "for her old Mum" hahaha.

I had thought of looking for a group of others with Prinzmetal's angina but I'm not used to doing this sort of thing, but then I thought what I had discovered might just help someone else. Keep well.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to robbiemac]

You might find this website helpful. It explains the difference between microvascular dysfunction and coronary vasospasms.

internationalheartspasmsall...

Take care 🙂

[Heart2025]

Thats very interestig Thanks

[Loobycare in reply to Heart2025]

So sorry for your loss x