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Prinzmetal's

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RubyRed21
RubyRed21

I've been pretty stable Angina-wise for quite a while now, however been really unwell for the last 4 days, started feeling sick and had really tight chest dull ache, breathless, left arm ache & used GTN - tight chest & ache went but still have sickness, breathless, then have pain in my right shoulder then heavy tight chest and lots of weakness all over. GTN hasn't been relieving since after the first time.

Yesterday morning I'd had enough and I'm not sleeping because it's keeping me awake and rang the surgery for GP appointment but they couldn't give me an appointment receptionist said, all she can do is give me a telephone consultation next Friday with GP, I explained everything to her and have other health problems aswell, am not feeling any better and I'm under a lot of stress at the moment.

I also have swollen ankles last 2 days which is a new symptom, does anyone else get that with Angina?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • samuels
    samuels RubyRed21

    Posted

    Hi RubyRed21,

    I wouldn't be waiting to go see your GP or even for the telephone consult, I would highly suggest that you go straight to your emergency department, some people do get swelling of the ankles with angina, however this swelling could be more to do with the heart rather than the spasms. an ECG and a Troponin will say yay or nay that you are actually have a Stemi or NSTEMI, only takes about an hour to know the results in the emergency department for peace of mind plus they will give you the once over to check the angina out. 

  • andrew22534
    andrew22534 RubyRed21

    Posted

    I would agree with Samuel wholeheartedly, also i would makea complaint to your practice manager, anyone with chest pains that arent being relieved by their meds should be told to go to A&E / Emergancy dept!!!! all  the helpines say this all the online advice says it... i use alivcor to monitor and even then after only an hour of failing to manage the situation with GTN and other meds i get myself taken in.... the receptionist failed you very badly and gave incorrect advice...  

  • fiona82663
    fiona82663 RubyRed21

    Posted

    Yes to swollen ankles . A sign your Heart is not working properly.

    I'm sure if you insist on an emergency appointment they should fit you in.

    A Doc at my surgery always refuses to see me if I call in with chest pain. He says go to hospital, but without a raised troponin you get sent home from hospital . Very frustrating.

    I should avoid salt to keep your fluid levels down or the ankles can be a side effect of some meds.

    My Best Wishes to you.

    And don't get fobbed off by the receptionist!!! She is not a health professional .

  • RubyRed21
    RubyRed21

    Posted

    Hi, thanks for the replies, I had a Prinzmetals Angina attack.

    I made an emergency appointment and got a different GP, told her my symptoms, she took one look at me and had ambulance blue light to the surgery told me she thought either angina attack or heart attack. The GP told me: 2 lots of GTN 5 mins apart, then another 2 lots of GTN 5 mins apart, if that does not work ambulance immediately. Horrible, rude paramedics did quick ecg there, that was ok so slow drive to A&E.

    I thought it was disgusting when the paramedics came (x2) one of them I had seen before, told me you still haven't got it sorted out then - no I haven't it's a long-term chronic condition and I haven't needed medical services since before xmas. Furthermore, if I need medical assistance everyday, I am going to call for it everyday now, don't do the job of caring for sick people if you don't want to care for sick people. shouldn't be working in that environment, appalling. 

    Had blood test then consultant said I could go home, another consultant came and said no you're not going home you have to have 2nd blood test 6 hours apart - Troponins fine. No heart failure/damage.

    I was put on a drip in hospital and my heart rate dropped to 41bpm, the ecg's were all ok, put me on ward to monitor. Vital's were all ok so sent me home, on letter says prinzmetals angina.

    Thanks Ruby x

     

    • samuels
      samuels RubyRed21

      Posted

      I experience this all the time, they act this way because they say there is nothing they can do and that Prinzmetal angina isn't life threatening, according to some ED doctors, very frustrating. The doctors that fob off Prinzmetal obviously haven't been taught enough or anything at all about the condition, I have suffered 3 NSTEMI's  from Prinzmetal and now they have to tread very carefully.

    • RubyRed21
      RubyRed21 samuels

      Posted

      The emergency GP I saw at the surgery did also say that chest pain should always be treated as an emergency in any case. Trouble is it might be that one time that it isn't checked out that it is something serious - that's how I'm looking at it from now on.

      Educating and re-training might be helpful to some of them!!! I do everything I can to manage this the best I can so I don't call on emergency services unless it's absolutely necessary. I think it's really bad practice of them to treat people the way some of them do, from what I've heard of other people's experiences I'm not the only one.

      Anyway, sorry for the rant, all the best.

    • samuels
      samuels RubyRed21

      Posted

      I have had a paramedic have my daughter in tears, he was ripping into me for always calling them, I was simply following all the doctors and my cardiologists advice advice, as you have stated every chest pain case should be treated as an emergency untilroven differently, I nearly missed my first heart attack, I wasn't going to go to emergeny but my moter suggested I did as I didn't look well, ECG was normal but troponins were elevated for them to confirm an NSTEMI, I've had 2 more since then , I had a paramedic that was hesitant in taking me to hospital, I mean he was happy to take me but because I'm a frequent user he was thinking of a way to keep me out of the emergency department, I told him to ring the head clinician of the department to see what he had to say, anyrat I decided to be taken in, I was informed  my troponin was slightly elevated, emergency said right on the cut offpoint bt cardiology tol me another number was the cut off point because of the brand of the testing equipment. So if you feel the need to go to emergecy...go.... and don't worry hat anyone says, I don't anymore, it's wonderful when you can pick up the phone,write and e-mail or letter to make a complaint against ignorant paramedics and doctors.

      I had a doctor tell me awhile back that I'm socially irresponsible because I smoke, I  m trying to give up  but I don't find it easy, the doctor also said she pays for my blood tests with her tax money, I saw red then, I wasn't going to take that kind of an attackrom a doctor in pain or not, in the end I gave up because she couldnt / wouldn't see my point and she works in the profession where the tax from my cigarettes are supose to go. For a pack of 30's here it's $30 a packet, doesn't cost much more than what a couple of dollars for the cigarettes and packaging, I remember when I first took up smoking around 34 years ago a pack of 20's cost 60 cents.

    • RubyRed21
      RubyRed21 samuels

      Posted

      I totally sympathise with you regarding smoking, it took me an uncountable number of times before I finally managed to do it, had no problem giving up the booze, no problem changing diet, making those type of lifestyle changes but the cigarettes, oh my another story altogether!! I think it must cost near on £10 per packet of 20 here in the UK nowadays.

      The thing is, when I was drinking, smoking, not exercising, not eating properly everytime I went into hospital the cause of the angina was blamed more so on the smoking than anything else, but they still used to rope in everything else that's a possible lifestyle problem - just to add to the mix. So now my lifestyle adjustments are all pretty much top notch including regular fitness, alongside no smoking, no drinking, pretty sound diet the issue in hospital now is I don't fit the criteria for Angina, although I have it, I have heart disease, I have several confirmed diagnosis now of Prinzmetal's Angina in writing and in my GP and hospital notes.

      Stress and anxiety triggers it off for me I notice, don't cope too well with either which makes matters worse (doesn't make it any easier the way we're treated sometimes).

      When I had my NSTEMI I think I remember my troponins were either 23 or 29 which is only slightly raised I beleive, think the cut off point here is 14 or less for the all clear, but I could be wrong. I do hope you are keeping okay now Samuels.

  • Daniel6262
    Daniel6262 RubyRed21

    Posted

    I'm new to this, my heart problems only started a year ago but if I was feeling the way you feel I would make an emergency appointment. Doctors receptionists can be very unhelpful and ask questions they are not entitled to. Hope you get better

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