Final Post Unless Things Change

My GP called last week, they got the letter from the hospital following the Coronary Angiogram. It’s a bit of a strange one as I feel I’ve been left in some kind of limbo land with no real diagnosis. I’ve been taken off Beta Blockers, Statins etc. But was told to keep taking the Isorobide Mononitrate and Aspirin. The consultants advice was to ‘perhaps consider an Endoscopy’.

But I’ve declined it, I don’t have heartburn, I only get chest pain/breathlessness if I exert myself and had sometimes experienced what I call weird niggles overnight.

I’m not following it up anymore as I’ve come to my own conclusions on this. The Isorobide Mononitrate works. If I forget a pill I know about it early next morning when I start moving about. And it can effect sleep if I forget to take one as I don’t feel right.

Whilst I have something that works I won’t kick up a fuss so to speak. I’m only on 40mg a day (2 tablets). But I do think it’s either microvascular or spasms. I just haven’t got that in writing. I’ve put myself on a healthy eating and gentle exercise plan. I’ll follow up with the GP again if anything changes, gets worse. Hopefully the hospitals will get back to some kind of norm in the next year or so, because it’s very obvious the care for anything other than Covid has taking a huge hit. The hospital haven’t been proactive in their care. They’ve ruled out Coronary Artery Disease and wiped there hands. At least that’s how it feels.

BHF and this forum has been so useful in the sense that without it, and all the information available, I’d be far more worried about all of this. I’d recommend it to anyone with any concerns in relation to cardiovascular health. Thank you to Milkfairy in particular, the information provided has been brilliant. I was more than happy to come off the Beta Blockers as they hadn’t been sitting right anyway, I was on the lowest of doses. I’m now the proud owner of a gadget to check my blood pressure and have an iwatch so can kind of check things for myself and will shout up to GP or turn up on the hospitals doorsteps if I have concerns.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello SloopyLJ,

I am sorry you feel you might leave the form.

One thing I will say it took a while to get my diagnosis. I did have to be persistent.

I would go back to your GP and ask to have non obstructive coronary artery disease NOCAD excluded too.

Good luck

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

An endoscopy (TOE) can be used to check the mitral valve, and other structural issues with the heart. That might be why the Cardio suggested it. You could check if that was the reason, in your case, with your GP.

[Hidden in reply to Kristin1812]

Thank you, that’s interesting, I didn’t know that. Neither has any of it been explained to me. I think that’s where they fail is to be fair. I have sent an email today. Asking them to write to the consultant to ask if they could provide more clarity. As the doctor said to me they had put “perhaps consider an endoscopy”. I assumed to check for gastro related issues. So I’ve asked if they have ruled out both CAD and NOCAD before I consider it as I don’t want to take tests unnecessarily. Hopefully they’ll expand on the information provided and I can make a more informed decision.

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to Hidden]

Good idea. Best to get the whole story.