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Post Angioplasty/Pill problems - Irregular pains

Posted , 2 users are following.

ross84532
ross84532

12 months ago after having an Angioplasty op. where I had three stents fitted, one week later I was woken up with pains just under my ribs in the centre of my chest. this has carried on during the year varying from daily up to two months between these events.

The pain level is about 6/10 and allways occured 8 hours after evening meals and dissipated after four hours.

I had around 7 tablets for around 6 to 8 months and then this was cut down to 3 tablets, I believe that the tablets are causing this problem and they are Dispersible Aspirin 75mg, Simvastatin 40mg (which I had changed to try to stop the problem) and Omeprazole 20mg.

During a conversation with a cardiac freind, he told me that his wife and sister had similar problems as me and changed the Omeprazole for a similar tablet as the capsule casing was causing the problem not the drug inside, they changed from a blue/orange capsule to a yellow one, sounds silly but could be correct.

Does anyone out there know any better?  I would be very greatfully if you could respond.  I am really fed up that I have to suffer for nothing.

Thanks

Ross

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest ross84532

    Posted

    You should ask your GP to refer you to a Consultant Cardiologist, for someone in your condition I feel that you aren't medicated enough smile 
    • ross84532
      ross84532 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Benny and Samuels,

      Thanks for your reply's, what makes you think that I am under medicated, I was on 7 tablets but was reduced in stages until 'sign off' from the consultant (actually performed by my Doctor, not consultant).

      I am coming to the conclusion  that the statin is causing my problem which is getting more frequent (6 gastric events in under 1 month) I have to do something now 'cos its driving me barmy!

    • Guest
      Guest ross84532

      Posted

      The Aspirin is the medicine most likely to cause your problems smile

      You said you had 3 stents, that means you should be on Clopidogrel for life, also I'd expect you to be on a beta-blocker like Bisoprolol for life as well neutral

    • ross84532
      ross84532 Guest

      Posted

      I'm a bit concerned about your suggestion about the other meds, I was on both of them untill the consultant told me to stop them.  two of the 3 stents are in the same blood vessel next to each other so may only count as 1.

      I had another 'event' last night and have decided to stop the statins for up to a couple of months to see if it stops, the reason being that I take the statin before bedtime and the pain alway's appears about 2-3 hours after that.

    • Guest
      Guest ross84532

      Posted

      Of course your Consultant knows best about your condition and has decided what is what, I'm surprised that's all smile An Endoscopy seems in order to find out what's going on down there, it needs looking at wink
    • samuels
      samuels ross84532

      Posted

      Hi ross,

      What kind of statins are you on ? if you have stents in I'd highly recommend you talk with  your doctor before  taking yourself off the statins, you could well end up back in the same position in a different area of the artery, you should at the minimum be on Aspirin but with 3 stents in I would imagine the cardiologist has /had put you on Plavix or Warafen in the worst case scenario ?

  • samuels
    samuels ross84532

    Posted

    Could well be the "indigestion" acting up and they haven't put you on the correct dosage to countereact, If I forget to take my Nexium just once I will know about it within a day....As I said I'm on Nexium (Esomeprazole), I can't tolerate any statins what so ever so I can't take them but I believe the biggest side effect from them are muscular and joint aches from the knees down, I could hardly walk when I was put on Lipitor then was put on others over the years but they all did the same thing to me.

    Is it possible it could be the stents themselves causing you this grief ?

    • ross84532
      ross84532 samuels

      Posted

      Thanks for your interest guy's, I really appreciate your comments.

      I had the gastric pains less than a week after having stents put in and have been given all clear on many occasions, but the pains went on and on.  I stopped the statins inSeprember for 2 1/2 months to see what would occur (with the doctors approval), there were no problems during that period but within 2wks on a different statin, it came back.

      doc asked me to continue with statins, so I did, now he says I should come off again to see what the result is.  He has also arranged for an endoscope session, i dont know when that is going to happen but should be soon.  The pains feel different to Angina and are in the centre of my chest whereas the angina pains were on my left, side but also a different type of pain.

    • samuels
      samuels ross84532

      Posted

      Glad to hear,hopefully it will all be sorted for you in a timely fashion, I was speaking to my Cardiologist, well not my regular one on my last admission and he explained everything in laymans terms to me and adjusted one of my medications and I'm having less Prinzmetal Angina attacks now, he was telling me that they are awaiting a new drug for cholestrol and from the way he was talking it also helps vaso spasms, it's not an oral medication , it's an injection and has very few side effects, he said they are very excited about this new medication, problem is I've forgotten the name of it, it sounds like the name of a police canine group....K92HCP but don't quote me on that name I have a follow up with Cardiology next month so I'll be sure to ask the name of this awaited drug.

      Even though my first "mild heart attack"  (NSTEMI) I thought it was only indigestion and luckily because I felt like a truck had run me down I decided to call an ambulance.

      I get the impression Cardiologists know that Statins can be dangerous and yet they still prescribe them like they are going out of fashion.

    • ross84532
      ross84532 samuels

      Posted

      Its going to take 1/2 a year to establish which pill is to blame (if any) all 3 of my pills list indegestion.  If you remember or get to hear what the injection K9? is called, I would be very interested in persuing that one so long as it comes out before I peg it, i've still got a few years left.

      You asked if I had been to A&E whilst going through the pain, yes, several times but they checked me for cardio events and totally ignored where the pain was happening, after1hr of injections and tests, I had to wait 3hours for a second blood sample to be taken to see if there were changes from the first one, there wasn't any change, so they said I could go home as it isn't a heart condition.  I asked what is the pain likely to be, the doc said take some Gaviscon that should sort it, but it didn't!!! and still doesn't 12mths on.

  • samuels
    samuels ross84532

    Posted

    Just out of curiosity, have you ever gone to your emergency department whilst going through your pain ? You are right, it can just be an ingredient in any one drug setting something off,like the coating on the drug to the simplest of an ingredient,talc powder, sucrose,  etc etc . I could well be wrong but I have not heard of statins giving indigestion side effects, I'd be looking more towards the reflux medication, possibly the Aspirin as a lot of people can be allergic to it, then there's the other "worst case " scenario that you maybe actually suffering some kind of event with your stents and heart ?
  • samuels
    samuels ross84532

    Posted

    I stand corrected Ross, Sorry

    Zocor... I did a quick drug side effects look on Zocor, and indigestion is a side effect so I would be consulting your doctor before taking yourself off of it.

    "Less serious side effects may include:

    headache;

    joint pain, mild muscle pain;

    constipation, stomach pain or indigestion, mild nausea;

    mild skin rash;

    sleep problems (insomnia); or

    cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat"

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