Cardiologist update

[nsd_user663_61363]

Hello to everyone

I've had my appointment with the cardiologist and he has diagnosed me with Angina as well as artery disease, I've been prescribed statins, although my heart condition doesn't require surgery (luckily), the statins, nitrate tablets, and GTN spray along with the life changes will help prevent it getting worse.

However, he's concerned regarding my breathlessness (taking into account my history) which hasn't improved much since stopping the fags, and I'm still struggling with everyday tasks. He suspects COPD, I'm very frightened and am being referred to a lung specialist. I'm using fostair and ventolin at the moment.

It's a lot of changes & adjustments to cope with and I keep a diary so I've some structure to everything.

We all have specific reasons for giving up smoking, along with our lives and circumstances being different. Thinking of everyone on their own individual journey. I don't post much, but I read lots and am grateful to you for the support it gives me xx

River xx

[nsd_user663_60964]

Tell you what, River, if it does prove that you have COPD, you won't be the only one on the forum. Indeed, Lostie recently stared a social group for forum members with COPD. If it is any consolation to you, my boss has COPD (along with quite a lot of other health problems) and there's very little he can't do. He's learned how to manage his condition and quitting smoking (he was a heavy smoker) has certainly improved his COPD symptoms. Also, I regularly talk about benefit options at a pulmonary rehabilitation group programme at the local hospital (it is coordinated by a therapist who specialises in COPD and who is one of the loveliest and most knowledgeable people I have ever met) and it's amazing how much group members improve during the duration of the programme just through learning about COPD and what they can do to live with it.

However, it may be that you don't have COPD at all and that the breathlessness is all related to the angina (and possibly-unsurprisingly under the circumstances- anxiety as well?) and that it will settle down once you've adapted yourself to the heart issues. I shall keep my fingers crossed that whatever the situation is, you get a speedy diagnosis and all the support and help you need.

Thanks for the update and well done on sticking with your quit. You should be very, very proud of yourself.