Angina advice

Thank you, I thought it was high I will ask questions with the Dr at next visit.

I had no choice in dosages, my cholestrol has the medical and scientist researchers baffled and "according " to my cardiologist I have been spoken about and my cholestrol looked at by others worldwide. They have tried me on all cholestrol lowering medication at every possible dosage rate...they went as low as possible but it was still nearly killing me in the muscle and joint pains,

Hello there, thank you for reply - it's hubby not me that's ill right now. Interesting how many others have similar symptoms whilst on statins. We were just concerned as he says he has never felt so ill in his life - strangely apart from previous chest pains before the angiogram the muscle aches and fatigue were not there, just since being on all these meds, they are really wiping him out with the fatigue, just wants to sleep all the time and when he doesn't he has absoloutly no energy or strength. Back in hospital at end of month for treatment of further blockages.

Hi RubyRed,

​Gee that was a bit harsh on your GP and Cardiologist, I was taken off them immedietly under the advice by both, but like you I'm not suggesting that someone stops taking them.

I've been reading a lot about cholesterol and it's medication and it's rather interesting, Research has shown that it works in controling cholesterol and that a large amount of the population can actually tolerate statins,however, other research has also shown how dangerous statins can be.

​The latest research is out abut cholesterol but getting a cardiologist to agree with them is another thing, latest research has shown there is "no such" thing as cholesterol, I have lost the research I was reading due to a windows 10 upgrade, for some reason it just vanished off my computer even though it wasn't suppose to accoding to the update notes. If I had it it probably wouldn't be allowed to be linked via here so Google will be your friend in finding out this latest research.

Hi RubyRed,

​I meant to ask you in my last comment, do you find that all the Nitrates and the Calcium channel blocker Diltiazem work well with your angina ? I have been told by several doctors and paramedics that we can become "immune" or "tolerant" to these medications even though they are the gold standard angina treatment. I found that Diltiazem greatly helped my Prinzmetal Angina but it seemed to only keep it in check during the warmer days, I'd have trouble in winter especially this year as it was our coldest winter in 50 years.

​I'm on 480mg of diltiazem, 20mg Nicorandil twice daily and 120mg Monodur once a day and of course Aspirin, GTN well I can nearly drink that if it doesn't fix my spasms up after around 10 sprays. I have spoken to other Angina sufferers and they say that if they have to use their GTN regularly (every day, every second day ) it has no effect .

Hi Samuels

I've found that the Nicorandil (10mg twice daily) has been the gold standard for me so far (fingers crossed), I haven't needed emergency care since I was put on this med by the consultant during my last hospital stay (I was in/out A&E frequently with coronary vasospasm), but I believe all the medication I'm currently taking appears to be a good combination and works well all together. Sort of stabilised me so to speak.

GTN spray, well sometimes that's worked for me & other times I've needed hospital care for the gtn infusion. However, not needed to use it since being on Nicorandil  but still part of the meds package.

Also during that last hospital stay I was referred for a myocardial perfusion scan which I've recently had & am waiting for the results.

Wowzer, that's a big dose of Diltiazem you're taking, I'm taking 120xl mg and 1.25mg of the Bisoprolol. Aspirin I usually take every now & then, not strictly everyday (I'm supposed to).

Hi Samuels

My cardiologist was the one who was elated to put me on the statins in the first place! When the first lot made me very ill, my gp put me on another lot with the same outcome, then another lot with a worse outcome. When I went back again and he wanted to try yet another lot, I said I'd had enough of it all and already stopped taking them. My gp told me the cardiologist won't be very happy  blah blah!! at the end of the day it was my choice, and the cardiologist told me to persevere with them, there's more I could try. Nope not taking them anymore.

To a certain degree cholesterol can be improved, normalised, and controlled with lifestyle changes, which I have done (mine wasn't particularly very high at the time just raised) and I'm actually due for my yearly cholesterol test next month, be interesting to see if it's still in the normal range as was my last one.

 

Oh I don't know its all so confusing for us, it's hubby that's having the problems. I think 80 mg is too high and it's knocking him out , sleeping loads and very achy. He was fine before angiogram went wrong and his heart stopped - obviously the chest pain before was a huge concern, a stent was fitted in one 90% blocked artery, but he has two more that are 50% blocked and they are being corrected at end of month, worried it will all happen again - also so many meds to deal with, we are just not sure he should be feeling like this as nobody tells you. 

Thank you for info, seems like these side effects are quite common - we are just not really sure what to make of it all to be honest. It's so confusing as this has all happened so quickly, one minute hubby was ok and working hard with the odd chest pain that got worse until admitted to hospital, and now it's like he's totally washed out and exhausted - life has changed dramatically literally overnight , from being very active to totally exhausted with fear and dread hanging over us. More treatment ahead unfortunatly, and more meds no doubt.

No problem Lou, very sorry to hear what has happened it's a lot to have to adjust to, I completely understand. I was the same, very active relatively fit (so I thought).

Statins seem to cause the same side effects on most people that can't tolerate them, I've been on a lot of different medication combinations over the last couple of years for the heart, the consultants have changed this one or that one because one or the other hasn't worked for whatever reason, they never tell you anything clearly if at all. But I am currently pretty stable. 

It's a very emotional time for both you and your hubby, lots of changes both physically and emotionally, fear of the unknown too. I hope there is good support for you both & some cardiac rehabilitation for your husband to help with his recovery. 

Thank you very much for support and kind words. So glad you are stable right now - it's a massive thing to get your head round, a shock and lifestyle turnaround, it's early days and we are at the beginning of a long road ahead and then we will adjust our lives around whatever the situation whatever it ends up being. I keep telling him and reassuring him constantly that he will be ok and we will get through it - let's try to remain positive and stay in a good frame of mind as much as we can. It's hard though when Drs are telling you things in medical language that you don't understand in a factual way and then you're left trying to understand it all and put it all in perspective ! - yes maybe rehab will be better when this is all over and hopefully we will be able to make sense of everything.

This is all so confusing I have to say. Hubby only went into hospital for investigation of severe chest pain, angiogram followed when his heart stopped and now all the meds - truth is he feels so much worse now than he ever did, all the muscle and joint pains, random stabbing chest pains STILL, breathlessness, fatigue, and total bewilderment as to what's going on. Heart beat down to 45 - 50 Bpm for a reason, but it's slowing everything down , he's so tired all he wants to do is sleep. Hope all these meds they've given him are ok - also part of heart wall damaged and not functioning as it should, but it was fine before the angiogram when things went wrong and he had to have a few chest compressions - so what did exactly happen   .  . . . hospital have said it happens sometimes when they do these procedures, really ?

Just looking at all these meds and wondering and worrying which would be giving all these symptoms and which is likely to be causing these symptoms, any ideas :

Autovastatin 80mg

Clopidogrel 75mg

Atenolol 25mg

Glyceryl Trinitrate Spray.

Seems rather a lot.

Since your husband has had a Stroke, any sign of the Neurologist yet  

Hello, no sign of anything like that - had a call yesterday from rehab for when second procedure complete, she told him quite clearly to rest and to be aware that he should not over exert himself as he is high risk of another heart attack ! We understand she was doing her job but we thought slightly insensensative thing to say over the phone when we are sitting here worrying. Facts are facts I suppose.

None of the above have worked for me, Even the diet, well  I had to make one modification no sausages that has dropped my cholesterol a couple of points but is still in a cardiologists terms "A walking time bomb"

Yeah that's Cardiac Rehab not Stroke Rehab,, it seems to me your husband is suffering more the effects of the Stroke / rather than Heart issues (not that I mean to minimise his chest pains) ​

For example the Brainstem controls Heart Rate, this Bradycardia (the 45 - 50 BPM) on Atenolol 25mg (I don't even know why he's on Atenolol as Bisoprolol is the standard) could be a result and also the unusual Tiredness (unless he's being bunged Morphine),, also the Vertigo and Dizziness, all textbook Brainstem Stroke

Yeah   Lay off the pies as well then   My Cholesterol​ is fine on the 40 mg Atorvastatin, just high Triglycerides​ so there's been rumblings for another medication NOT more / another Statin though ​ 7 medicines a day already, the thought of more is making me do