Living With Angina. Stents and Angioplasty and Life After Stents
80Agina - The Stent Strikes Back
There is a strong chance that, as you are reading this article on angina and stents, you either have a problem or you know someone who has a problem. Maybe you have had an angiogram, or perhaps you are due to have an angiogram. It may be that you have been told, or that you suspect, that you have a blocked artery.
I genuinely know how you feel. So, read my story, which began 6 years ago, in 2005.
48 years old. Heavy smoker. heavy drinker. A life full of stress
Any of this ring any bells with you?
This is one of those "Once upon a time" stories that ends with "lived happily ever after"
July 2005. My wife and I took our caravan down to Cornwall as we regularly did. We were camped at a lovely little caravan park and we had enjoyed a lovely break.
When it came time to pack up we followed our usual routine of packing and tidying away and loading stuff into the caravan, which included taking down and packing away the awning.
That's when it forst started. The first twinge. Not a full-blown chest pain. Just a twinge.
It felt like I had maybe pulled a muscle so I just carried on but with a little extra care.
Over the next few weeks I started to notice these 'twinges' more and more until they were becoming frequent. When I mowed the lawn, put the bins out walked more than a short distance . . . . . . . .
I finally started to worry, so I went to see my doctor. He said it was probably a digestive problem so he started to treat me for acid reflux. Then, when the tablets diidn't work, he gave me different tablets and then stronger ones.
Still the twinges were there, only now they had developed into real pains and they were coming more and more regularly. Several times each day. I kept going back to the doctor because now I was becoming more and more sure what the pains really were and in my mind, it wasn't due to acid reflux.
They sent me for ECG and other tests, including treadmill tests. Nothing. No irregularities. And so the doctor was adamant that it was acid reflux.
An appointment was made for me to see a digestive consultant and in the meantime I was off work and struggling to function more and more with each week that passed. Then, in the November, nearly 5 months after my first 'twinges' I finally saw the digestive specialist.
The initial idea was for me to have an endoscopy.
The consultant spent about 15 minutes talking to me, asking me questions and then he finally said "I'm not a heart specialist but I don't think I need to be. It seems clear to me that your problem is not digestive but heart related and if its ok with you, I am going to refer you to a colleague of mine who IS a heart specialist"
"If there are 2 possible problems and one of them can kill you then I think we should look at the one that could kill you first before I start shoving cameras down your throat!"
And so, I saw the heart specialist who after a few questions asked me if I would mind having an angiogram. I said I had no objections.
He explained that it involved injecting a dye into the heart and then monitoring the passage of the dye through the blood vessels and arteries to see if there was a blockage or any damage.
I didn't really fully understand it all really but I agreed and so, about 3 weeks later I arrived at hospital to find that they were going to make an incision in the artery in my thigh and thread a sort of wire or tube up my artery until it was close to my heart and then, inject the dye.
They gave me some 'happy juice' which was like this beautiful warm sensation that swept through my entire body and within seconds, I didn't have an absolute care in the world. The whole procedure was exceptionally simple and, thanks to the happy juice and, of course the local anaethstetic, I didn't feel a thing. Yes, local anaethstetic! It turned out to be a fascinating experience.
I was watching the overhead monitor which they had turned so I could see it and there, on the screen, they showed me the blockage in my artery.
4 weeks after that I was admitted for the angioplasty procedure which was exactly the same as the angiogram except this time, the wire had a 'balloon' on the end and once it reached the blockage, they inflated it and it busted the blockage away and then, they deflated the balloon and inserted a chemical coated stent into the area where the blockage had been.
The stent is like a tiny wire cage which is coated in chemicals and it holds the artery open. The chemicals prevent any fatty tissue or other junk sticking to the stent and growing over it, thhus keeping the artery open and clear,
I was in hospital overnight and was discharged the following lunchtime. I left hospital with statins, beta blockers and asprins. I will take these medicines for the rest of my life.
However, from that day to this I have never experienced pains again.
I play 5-a-side football, cricket, I swim 20 lengths, body board, go cliff walking and mountain walking and do all the things that I did before.
I have my life back.
My blood pressure is generally between 120 and 130 over 80(ish) and my cholesterol is 3.5. My doctor says I am in perfect health.
The point is . . . . before I had the angiogram I was petrified. Really, really scared.
I was afraid that something would go wrong and I would die.
I went to see the doctor and begged him to give me medication of some kind that would 'do the trick'. Anything, but NOT the angiogram or the angioplasty procedure. I wanted to live, not die.
He matter of factly told me that he could do that but my condition would remain as it is and although the trinitrate spray I was using would continue to help, I would never get better and, in time, the condition would finally worsen and I would have no choice but to have the procedure or die.
I cannot describe the fear when I went to the hospital.
And afterwards I cannot describe the relief once it was all over and it had all been easy. In fact, it was far more preferable to and pleasant than the dentist!
I went on a hospital excercise programme for 6 weeks and I was able to push myself to the limit and my heart rate never excceded 108 and my blood pressure was always normal and that gave me the confidence to live my life normally.
So, if anyone reads this and is in a similar situation. Fear not. It is really worth it.
If you do read this and you are in my situation and you are afraid or anxious or you have questions, leave me a message and I will help you. Talk you through it. Give you any information that you want.
Just go for it though. It is a life altering procedure and considerably preferable to death!
It is now 6 years since I had the stent fitted and, in a physical sense, my health has never been better.
I swim about 100 lengths each week, sometimes more. My best in one session is 70 lengths. I play cricket and football and I have surfing lessons booked for when I go to Cornwall next week. Quite often I play tennis with either or both of my twentysomething sons. We usually play 1 set and sometimes 2. We are now looking for a squash court so we can take up squash. At least, for my eldest son it will be a matter of taking up squash. I used to play, before I became ill, so this could be the one sport where I actually have an advantage over him!
Having angina is a terrible, scary thing but having a stent fitted can be, quite literally, a life saver and not just from the cardiac perspective.
Not only has my stent made me physically well again, it has given me back my life, in the 'living' sense too.
I would love to hear and share your stories of overcoming cardiac problems by having stents fitted, so if you would like to contribute to this hub, please leave your comments and if you have found the article to be useful or helpful, please vote it up!
Thank you
Do you have concerns or a success story?Loading...
Believe me, Paul, A visit to the dentist is much worse than an angiogram! Good luck and keep in touch.
I should undergo angiogram tomorrow and I am scared. Your article gave me courage.
I am 58 and have been having pains on my left side, left arm, left shoulder and sometimes moving up the left jaw. The doctors query angina and the angiogram is to show where the blockage is.
I have the procedure explained to me and I read about it in the internet. I am scared.
I would be grateful if you would respond.
Hi Therese
I wish I had an email or something so I could write to you personally. Believe me, I understand your fear VERY well. Before my angiogram I went to the doctor and begged him to tell me there was another way . . .give me better medicines. . .anything but surely there was another way.
He told me that he could give me strong tablets and we could do all sorts of things BUT, my condition would never improve. It would remain as it was and all he could do would be to help alleviate the pain but eventually, it would get worse.
On the morning of the procedure I was checked in and I was petrified. I was first to be done and I was wheeled off on a bed to the theatre room.
Once they gave me the happy juice, which is a sort of relaxant, I didn't have a care in the world. I could feel something (which turned out to be the local anaesthetic being adminsitered to my groin) but I was NEVER aware of actually 'feeling' anything.
Throughout the whole procedure, which was about 20 minutes, maybe a teeny bit more, I was SOOOO relaxed.
I was able to watch the monitor, which they turned so I could see, and they showed me everything. It was fascinating. They showed me the blockage and then explained how they would fix it.
I then went back about 2-3 weeks later I think and they repeated the whole thing again but this time, they inserted the balloon and the stent and Hey Presto! I was fixed.
I played cricket on Friday, chased balls really hard, bowled, batted, felt great.
I am trying to remember how long I was in for when I had the angiogram, a couple of hours maybe before I could go home.
I truly do understand your fear. I was totally afraid that I would die during the procedure but then reality kicked in. I WOULD die without it and should something go wrong, what better place could I be in than a cardiac unit in a hospital!
Afterwards, I felt such a baby for being so silly about it all. Truly, the dentist is a lot worse. I mean it!
If you want to contact me, my email is maharg79@hotmail.com and I will add you to my messenger in case you want to 'chat'
Graham
Hello Graham, I am also 48 (turned 48 today) heavy smoker and drinker. Having angioplasty with possible stent Wednesday. Terrified... Thanks for writing about your experience, lots of information on the net about the procedure but very little from actual patients. I actually do feel a little better about it after reading your tale. From what I understand, 99 out of 100 have great luck with this procedure and without it, eventual heart attack is almost a certainty. I think I like the odds. Regards, Paul
Paul . . . Good luck. I will be thinking of you. Once you are back home, please let me know how it went. I understand the fear / apprehension. I was a wreck the night before the angiogram. Once I was in the hospital, though, and they gave me the 'happy juice' I didn't have a care in the world! After that I actually couldn't wait for the angioplasty procedure, which followed a few weeks later.
Believe me, the whole procedure is painless and afterwards there were no after effects at all. I went to hospital gym sessions twice weekly for a couple of weeks, which was great because it gave me the confidence to realise I could push my body once again and then I was playing 5-a-side football again, swimming, surfing, cliff walking, all sorts of things that had been beyond me before I had the stent fitted.
Hi all, your comments are lovely to read. My Mum had all of the symptoms you describe and was told it was indegestion when I took her to the emergency doc two weeks ago! Unfortunately last Thursday she had a dreaded heart attack, luckily she got there in time and had the stent done and is on the mend. Having suffered a heart attack though she isn't quite a spring chicken yet but after reading your comments I am very positive :)
thankyou
Bernice
I have undergone the anjio plasty 15 days back .no problems now.
hi,im 47 heavy smoker,phsycally active with my job,at work i started to get an ache in my chest and shoulders ,because i suffered with anxiety for years i started to take notice of these aches and pains so i took myself off to the doctor,he put me on asprin ,beta blockers and statins straight away,he also made an appointment for a stress test.i dont mind saying i was very scared now,anyway i went to the hospital and saw a lovely nurse who talkted to me for a while then told me there was not any point in doing the tread mill test as it was fairly obvious that i had angina .so here i am waiting for the angiogram to see the full extent of the problem,and feeling very scared by it all, but your story gives me hope that this procedure will make things a lot better,so now i have given up smoking and have changed my diet ,will let you know how it all went
thanks
martin
Hi Graham, Thanks so much for your story. It has really helped as I feel I am going through this totally on my own. My name is Lee I am 45 and had no warnings at all before the pains hit. I had a sudden pain in my chest on Monday 19th December 2011, this lasted about 2 minutes, my wife rang the Doctor who said call 999, I was reluctant as i am too young for any heart problems!!
The paramedic arrived and ut the monitors on and said it was probably strained muscles, great I thought. The ambulance turned up and the paramedic sent them away, all good. My Doctor rang whilst the paramedic was still there and they were arguing over the phone about whether I should get to hospital. I felt terrible at this point and decide not to go. Less than 24 hours later I had a much worse pain that lasted 10 minutes. I was rushed to A & E and admitted for 4 days. Anyway I had the angiogram in January this year and they have decide to put 3 stents in, or maybe a by-pass. Just to let you know the nurse forgot the local and I felt everything during the angiogram, sorry if your going in for this but remind them to give the happy juice.
I feel more comfortable after reading your experiences as I have had trouble sleeping as I have thought I may not wake up, also the procedure seems to be fine. I am hoing to gat sorted as I have just not felt great for about 2 years. I am diabetic, fairly well controlled, not overweight dont drink much, smoke plenty, but generally OK.
I just want to get my life back as I keep thinking about dying young. I want to feel asgood as I can again.
Did you give up smoking? I am going to set the day on the day I have the op as I am too worried at the moment and as you know smoking helps the anxiety.
Anyway thanks again really helped
Lee
A better way to counter angina or heart attack, or prevent them is infusion chelation therapy. I am undergoing this for my angina and prevention of heart attack. It is similar to the administration of dextrose. You are seated. In fact, the set up is not even a hospital, it is a clinic. The principal ingredient of the solution is EDTA (ethylene-diamine-tetra acetate). You don't have to go through angiogram. EDTA erodes plaque, reduces population of free radicals that started artery blockage in the first place. I have Hubs "Framework of Treatment of Heart Disease: Free radicals (Chelation therapy), Risk Factors (Heart Bypass Surgery," and "Chelation and Stem Cell Therapies Completely Repair the Heart." In angioplasty with stent there is a possibility that plaque will grow on the stent. Besides blockage can grow on other arteries, which chelation can prevent.
Please can u give some more information on where the clinics are where u can have this done ,
I am due to have angioplasty and stent and i do not want this operation I am so scared
Hi Julie
I understand your fear, although there is no reason for fear. It is a very simple, routine procedure, nevertheless, I too was petrified when I had to have it done. Which area do you live in? Usually you have it done in your local hospital and your GP or consultant would explain about your choice of where to have it done . . . .
Hi Julie,
please access arxc.com or Chelation/Oral EDTA Chelation Therapy/Cardio Review
Hi to all those who have to go for angioplasty and have a stent fitted.Let me start by saying dont be afraid.
I left it to late and took no notice of the pains until it was to late.I had a hear attack on the 12th of this month and had the stent fitted as everybody says there is more pain from the dentist.I to watched it all on the screens and felt no pain throughout.I thought my life was over but thanx to coventry unaversity hospital i now have a new and long life to live.Inow feel 95 per cent better than before and wont be long till im 101 per cent.
Hi
Thank you for adding your comments. I am so glad to hear about your success after what must have been a dreadful experience. I know the hospital well, too. It is my local. Great place.
All the very best of luck (amd health) for the future
hi everyone ..i have just had an angiogram and am now waiting to have a stent fitted..i too was worried about this proceedure but now know it is nothing to worry about .it all went very smoothly you hardly feel anything so if this is what a angioplasty is then i am not abit worried about having this done ..i just want a better quality of life .so it will all be worth it.good luck to everyone who has to have this done ..diane
Hi Diane
I am so pleased that your angiogram went well. The stent procedure is no different. Good luck to you in the future. Do keep in touch with us all and let us know how things go for you.
Hello my name is Sandy I am 51 years old and I have angina and I am waiting to have stents fitted and yes I am scare. Last Friday I started having chest pains and I ended up in Blackpool casualty. The pains lasted for5 hours then they gave me morphine and I had a stay overnight. I came home and am still waiting for the stents they said if I have chest pains to ring a ambulance. Wouldn't you think they would get on and do the stents but no I am on the waiting list. So I am sat at home unable to do anything because I may get chest pains. I hope that when I do get my stents it will be has painless as you are saying. Kind regards to all Sandy
Hi I'm 54 years old do not smoke or drink and just waiting for a small stent to be fitted. Thank you for the kind words I feel more at ease. Just had a little cry when reading all the advice. Thank you
Hi Alison. I am glad the hub was of help to you. Please feel free to email if you want more information or just some words of support. maharg79@hotmail.com
I am 65 and been pretty healthy . Have not done any strenuous exercise for many years though I exercise daily for 15/20 minutes. Been feeling a twinge in my left shoulder last couple of days....not very painful but quite pronounced and that prompted me to Google the symptom . The posts here have been informative and reassuring. As I ve experienced this twinge only over the last 2 days its early days yet ....anyone with a similar experiece who had it diagnosed immediately ? If so please let me know prognosis. My email : gmeld2@gmail.com
Hi Param. Have you sought medical advice yet? I am obviously not a doctor and these hubs are simply a way of sharing experiences and giving information but they can not provide medical guidance. I would have thought you should make an appointment with a doctor as we all read that with any health condition, early detection provides the best route to effective treatment.
I don't think you should rely on Google or articles to obtain a prognosis or diagnosis. Please, go to see a doctor
dear graham,
thank u for the details that u have given,its really helpful.i will be 42 on july 6th 2012.3 weeks before my angina was diagnosed with 4 narrowings in the arteries.on the 6th of march 2012 i have done my multivessel angioplasty.my pain in the chest and short of breathness symptoms are relieved after the procedure but now iam feeling pain in my shoulders and sometime in the lower back area and in elbows.i have completey quit smoking and also on regulated diet along with medicines.kindly tell me if u have any understanding about my problem
Hi Amir
I am pleased that you have successfully had your angioplasty procedure and that your pain and shortness of breath have now gone away. As for your other pains, I can only say what I have said to others, which is to seek the advice of your doctor or consultant.
I do know that I was fortunate to only have 1 stent needed and I am sure that with multiple stenting there must be more factors to consider, as that is a lot of stenting. So, please talk to your doctor or consultant and ask them what they think.
In the meantime, good luck for the future. I hope you are soon able to move forward with life and enjoy it. You are still just a young man.
Thank you for sharing your comments.
dear graham,
thanks for ur prompt reply.i will definitely follow ur advice.morover if u have any idea about the onwards lifestyle,diet,exercise after stenting do share with us.
regards
amir
Hi Amir. So glad you are going to talk to your doctors. As far as diet and lifestyle advice, I am a bad example! For a few weeks I ate all the right foods and did all the correct things and then, once I was sure I was going to be ok, I just took up playing 5-a-side football, cricket, tennis and surfing and other stuff and ate whatever I felt like!
I simply lived as if I didn't have a stent or any sort of problem. I wouldn't reccomend that as an example for others to follow but I suppose the point is, I just got on with life again, and still do. The stent has given me back my life and so I am going to live it!
Good luck and keep in touch
Hello Still reading all the comments. Just been given date for stent, 4 weeks not long now. Thank you again.
Take Care everyone.
Hi Alison
So glad you have the date for your stent. Once it has been done I really hope you have the experience as I have had, plus so many others, in that it liberates you and gives you your life back again.
Best of luck and do stay in touch
I had coronory angioplasty when I was 30 years old (I am a female). I had a few blockages and 3 stents were placed. My symptoms were pain in the chest, jaws and left arm and a horrible feeling in the chest which I knew was not indigestion. I was put on the treadmill for a stress test but only managed to do 59 seconds and the machines alarms went off. I am now 40 and am fine. My cholestoral is 3.9 I was placed on aspirin and statins when i was 30. I can honestly say that I am fine and there is nothing to worry about when having this procedure done. At the time of my angioplasty I was told by the cardiologist that I was the youngest person he has ever worked on.
Hi Mena. Thank you so much. Absolutely lovely to hear of such a positive outcome. Exactly the sort of experience this hub needs, to provide hope and encouragement to all who read it. So glad that the stenting worked so well for you.
hello mena,its good that u r enjoying a healthy life after stenting.share ur experience of the last 10 years that is about ur diet,excercise,medicines.have u done any angio during this period or any examination of the stents.
indeed such experiences are very helpful for new patients like me.
I just went through this this week! I am 42yo 6.2 and weigh 315lbs and i was very active . I never had any problems and then last week i had a slight pain in my chest and jaw. Within a few days i was sure something was very wrong, so i went to the emerg room! And sure enuff they put in the hospital. I had 3 blockages 1 at 99% and 2 at 50% I now have 1 stent and a lot of meds to help and reduce the other 2 and help me for the rest of my life. It is so good to hear you are doing grate and this gives me a lot of hope for the future.
Hello S J So good to hear that our hubs have helped. I am really glad you were able to be diagnosed and treated so speedily. Best of luck for the future. I hope you will stay in touch and let us all know how things go for you. After a short time the medication just becomes an everyday part of life and you don't even think about them.
April 18, 2012. I just had 4 stents installed in arteries in the front and back of my heart 24 hrs ago. (Providence,Southfied,MI) It was a piece of cake. Less pain then the dentist. I was really worried going into the Heart hospital. I expected pain. There was no pain. I would call it painless. Now 24 hrs later I am very happy. I had over 95% blockage in my arteries at age 65. They told me I never would have seen my 66th birthday. The said the total cost to my insurance company was around $20,000.
Just for the record I thought I would add my 2 cents worth. maharg1956 seems to have done it the hard way; for some reason his first doctor never caught onto how serious it all was, which I think is amazing.
For myself, I was 63 in May 2004.
After parking the car, I used to walk up a hill to work; not a steep hill, just one where your heart is working harder without one really realising it.
Early in May it started to hurt, so I would slow down. Then I started stopping and walking very slowly the rest of the way. It was only 100 yards.
I'm no fool frankly (OK I'm pushing my barrow a bit..) but I realised what it was just about immediately - that's why I'm amazed at the problems maharg1956 suffered!
About the 3rd week of May I went to my doctor (in Sydney, Australia) and told him the symptoms and he had few doubts either. He simply said "well, I guess you owe it to yourself to get checked out by a heart specialist, right?" and booked an appointment there and then to see one mid July. The specialist did his tests etc, and confirmed it all and booked me into the 'cath-lab' of the RPA Hospital in Camperdown, Sydney (ever seen the RPA hospital series on TV? Same one..) for September 8, 2004.
THEY did the femoral artery bit, put the die through me, I watched the TV and in 45 minutes they found the blockage in my right coronary.
Seven days later they installed the stent, which took 20 minutes less than the original search, kept me in overnight, and the next morning I went to the nearest hill (a steep one) and gave it a test drive. Perfect of course.
I must admit that the whole thing, that took about four months, seems to have been rather casual, indeed I played tennis during that time, but I do want to point out a couple of things:
1) I never had much doubt of what was the problem, and
2) didn't waste any time going to the doctor.
Indeed I NEVER waste any time going to the doctor; I visit the poor bugger at least every month (I'm just coming up to 71) and I've never had any qualms going to the doctor. ANY guy who is worried by doctors is a BLOODY FOOL, and let me point out that if you are ALIVE, how can you NOT have a pretty good idea of what is going on in your body?? I simply make sure that everything is fixed ASAP - the SOONER the BETTER - because if it's left until later it's SURE to be WORSE!!
**Monitor your body: Nobody can do it as well as you!**
Best wishes to everybody.
i was told after having chest pain last year that i needed a angiogram. so after having this was told that i had a 90percent blockage and that it would be treated with medication :( two weeks ago i was rushed 2 hospital were i stayed for 9 days waiting for a stent 2 be fitted :)whilst my stent was being fitted i was in agony and had 2 be given morphine. saying that since my stent i have felt little chest pain :)
Hi Sandra. What a rotten ordeal you had to endure. I am so glad that now, though, you have finally got your stent fitted and that your chest pain has improved so much. I really hope everything goes well for you now. I have no idea which country you are in but your experience sounds a lot like the NHS in the UK!
My dad had his angioplasty 6 mos ago and i am afraid coz he's telling me that his heart is aching,hard to breathe and felt a little chest pain.so what is the meaning of this.im so worried about him.do u encounter or feel this too after 6mos of operation?
I have a close acquaintance who had one angioplasty then felt the same symptoms coming back. The hospital that did the first angioplasty scheduled another angioplasty so proceeded with another angiogram. Before the scheduled second angioplasty could proceed he met my lady friend who has been undergoing infusion chelation therapy for her arterial plaque. He said he had heard of chelation therapy before, preferred it, but could not find a chelationist in the Philippines. So the lady is like a Godsend for him. He cancelled his second angioplasty and came over for infusion chelation therapy. Before this, he was taking 15 tablets for his heart disease a day; he could not taste his food and he was catching his breath. After one session of chelation therapy his taste for his food came back and catching for breath stopped, meaning his breathing has been normalizing. His kidney had been damaged by the drugs his first cardiologist made him to take that is why he can be administered one chelation session for one week only. He has completed 10 sessions now and is coming on stronger in time. You may access the internet with the search entry cv chelation therapy cranton frackelton for more information. I have an earlier comment in this Hub. I have other Hubs: "Why Is Heart Disease the Number One Killer In the World?" "A Free Radical Theory of Heart Disease That Insures Effective Prevention, Treatment and Cure For it."
Hi Chix
I am sure that none of us can answer your questions and indeed, articles like this are not a place where any of us should attempt to give medical advice or opinions. I would strongly say that if you or your Dad have concerns then you should get him to go and see his doctor or the consultant who he was referred to when his angioplasty was done.
I had my first heart attack a month ago at age 38. I woke up with what I thought was heart burn. once I lit up my cigarette to start my day I felt horrible, I went to the hospital right away and I was told I was having a heart attack. Still a month later I'm just as scared as I was the day of the heart attack that my life might end soon. they put a stent in one of the arteries in my heart that was 90% blocked, the stent they used has medicine on it to shrink the inflammation. I felt great after and they put me on a baby aspirin and effient, 1 week after taking effient I broke out with a horrible rash on my back, doc took me off the effient and put me on plavix. now after reading the horror stories about plavix, i'm not so sure how much longer I will live. my doc told me plavix is a great drug, but when I told him about what I read online about the drug, he really didn't seem to care. All I heard was you need to be on this drug, which I understand I need a thinner but isn't their a better alternative? Since I was put on plavix, I'm tired a lot, just not myself, while I was on effient I felt great until the rash appeared. Can't win for trying I guess.
Hi, thank you for sharing your situation. I suppose the good news is that your angina symptoms are now gone (from what I understand)but then, you are having reactions to the medication.
I have been fortunate in that I have suffered no side effects from the tablets I am on, except for a tiny bit of muscle fatigue. I do read a lot though about people who react to the tablets differently, so I would think the thing to do is keep talking to your doctor about it or, if you feel that he isn't listening, see a different doctor or ask for an appointment with one of the consultants where your procedure was carried out.
One thing I have learned is that doctors (just like the rest of us) can be very variable in how they respond to our fears, concerns and questions.
BUT, it is your body and your life so you just don't accept the answers you are given until they satisfy you. Just keep on at it and make sure you explain how you feel. There is always an alternative. Sometimes you just have to pursuade the medical people to look hard for it!
Another thing I have learned is READ INTERNET ARTICLES WITH A GREAT DEAL OF CAUTION.
For any given situation there will always be good stories and bad stories and it is our human nature to gravitate towards and take notice of the worrying stories!
If you have to read internet articles about medical things, look for proper medical articles and not patient groups and forums (which, really, is just what this is!!)
Good luck. Don't give up. Keep in touch
yeah I have to agree those internet articles are scary, what scares me more is the plavix ads from a lawyers office on tv saying if this and if that you are entitled to money and so on, next thing I know i'm on the drug. scary feeling.
CommentsLoading...
My mother will be 81 today birthday. She has gone through alot in the past 3 years.
5 or 6 stents. Not sure 2 from the aorta to the stomach thru down the leg. She is doing well but very tired and thin. 85pounds
but eats well. i try to make plans on doing things. She has not been in a pool for
the last 3 years. Should I encourage or be concerned this might not be a good idea?
Some doctors say it is O.K. others say stay away from the pools and water. What to do?
She must have a fun life while here but I do not want to encourage if this will be a factor. I encourage a glass of red wine, she was never a drinker. She is on coumidan
forever and she is scared now. Use to like a glass of alcohal now and then, use to love to go swimming when on vacation. Now she is so afraid and cant do the things she use to enjoy. I tell her do it and enjoy but yet I do not want to send her into a pool and then go to the hospital for an infection again. Seems we go every 3 months. Would this be commom to swim or extreme case?
Hi TC
I suppose the first thing to say is 'Happy Birthday'! Given all that your Mother has been through, how wonderful to be able to celebrate her 81st birthday!
As for the pool . . . . how can any of us say? If the doctors cannot be consistent with a view or opinion, how can any of us offer advice?
Does your local doctor's or hospital do any form of sessions for people who have suffered from angina or heart related problems?
I know that when I had my stent fitted, I was really scared afterwards about what I could and could not do but my local hospital did a series of what you would call exercise programs for people who had recently had stents or bypasses.
Doing those sessions with trained hospital staff gave me the confidence to do things I was unsure about and from there, I regained my life.
Maybe you should make enquiries to see if anything is available in your area?
All the best to your Mother on her birthday!
I don't know how I came across this but I am sure glad I did. I am a 49 year old woman and for about 3 years now I have been having chest pain when usually doing something outside, i.e. walking, mowing lawn, generally anything that entails activity. To sum things up...heart disease runs in my whole family. I went to a cardiologist who did a stress test which I passed but my blood pressure went to 210/109. That was when I was put on BP medication and the Cardiologist wished me "luck". Well a year and half ago I ended up in the hospital for something different and they did an ECG to which they found a Left Bundle Branch Blockage so off to that cardiologist again. This time he did a few more tests (stress test where I didn't have to go on treadmill but they induced stress, I've had a mio cardio infusion test, echo, oh gee I can't remember them all) Anyways the doc decided I have angina. Well this was over a year ago approx. and now I can hardly do anything. I immediately get pain in my chest which leads up to my jaw. I am on a nitro patch but it doesn't seem to be doing much. My mother went through the same thing (doctors not believing she had a heart problem) until she just about died from 3 blockages. In reading all these posts I am thinking I should ask to see a more compassionate and understanding cardiologist and hopefully he will keep checking until we find out what the problem is. I am thinking maybe I do need an angiogram cause something just is not right. :(
Hello. I am so sorry that you have an ongoing proble that your doectors have not been able to help with, so far. I think that the golden rule always has to be if you are not happy with how you are being treated, complain. Just keep on asking for help. When all is said and done, it is your body, your health and your life.
Ask to see a different doctor or consultant or specialist. And do it straight away. As you will read from all the posts, angina is very easily and quickly treated and people should not have to suffer when there is a straightforward solution.
Stay in touch and let us know how things go. Take good care
paul eddleston 2 years ago
sounds like i wrote it myself even the caravan and cornwall bit. i havent had the angiogram yet but i feel much more comfortable about things
paul