prinzmetals angina

Hi,

If you was diagnosed with prinzmetal angina in 2012 why weren't you put onto treatment ? when I was first diagnosed I was prescribed Nitrolingual  Spray , commonly known as GTN ( A spray that goes under your tongue ) I am now on a cocktail of angina medications. Because of my ongoing issues with this, my new cardiologist has cancelled my truck driving license.

How old r u ..? 

Usually they prescribe u medication? 

Yes, no insurance when I was tested doctor did not say I had it found out through mixed up when his office sent results from 2012 to employer , lost my job!!

On greyhound going back to Fl from Mo. I was told to go see MD maybe he can release me🤔

Well beatbox option would be to go see ur regular dr than.. and maybe he can get things situated for u ..

Ahhh ..... I see now, I'm not from the USA but surely you have some kind of access to medications and treatment ? depending on individuals situation ?

Can you apply for Medicaid. Did they tell you they let you go for medical reason? Unless a physician had said you could not work that is not legal. I started having issues at 41 and I was not disabled until 61 now 63. DID YOU CHECK WITH dR THAT WAS YOUR RESULTS AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE THEY SENT TO THE EMPLOYER. i HAVE HAD THAT HAPPEN.

 

Hi redtile,

 prinzmetal angina pain (coronary artery spasm) pain can last for hours, generally depends how well a person responds to the correct treatment, the medication works well until your body becomes tolerant to the medication, if I can't get on top of mine the pain and discomfort lasts up to 2 hours, then can return an hour later or a day later. Mine started around the same age, 36, and progressively got worse, I had my first heart attack at the age of 46 and that's when they found I had mild heart disease, they found some plaque and narrowing of the major arteries, not blocked enough for stenting, I have 60% in the RCA and 50% in the LAD.

Yes I do get the tingling burning sensations but not every episode, I average a bad episode once a week requiring me to call for an ambulance, the pain lasts any where from an hour to 2 hours without pain relief. Prinzmetal angina is a real life changer and debilitating , it can be hard to diagnose without the proper test and as I have stated before, where I am this test is not performed due to a high incident / mortality rate.

Now you mentioned that you use marijuana and got higher than you intended to this time, cocaine is usually the major cause in coronary artery spasms, in  healthy people, marijuana can cause coronary artery spasms but it's not high on the "cause of list" . If it concerns you and continues while you aren't using the whoopy weed I'd be going to see another cardiologist. I'm not a doctor but have been diagnosed with prinzmetal angina, your description closely matches the criteria but I think it's more to do with the whoopy weed and anxiety. I've never touched the stuff, ever, and I suffered 26 years of panic/anxiety attacks, I was told to try it to relax so that the anxiety or panic would go, never did as other sufferers that I know tried it and it in fact made their symptoms worse according to them and have ended up in emergency themselves only to be told marijuana and anxiety doesn't mix, it worsens it, I'm only going on what I have been told by my GP and other anxiety sufferers, as I had said I have never used it so I can't really say yay or nay.

Hi,

I put a comment up and it is awaiting a moderator to look at it, why I don't know. prinzmetal pain can last from 5 minutes to hours, generally up to 2 hours, this condition is a life changer and very debilitating as sufferers get repeated attacks daily, weekly etc etc . there are several triggers for this condition, usually cold weather, extreme heat, high emotional stress or it just comes on out of the blue while at rest or awakens you from your sleep. there is a specific test but as I have mentioned here previously it's not performed here due to a high incident rate " apparently " .

My first episodes started at around the same age as you, nothing could be found although my cardiologist at the time said it was the small blood vessels in my heart going into spasms, I had angiograms over the following years and coronary arteries were in pristine condition. I was finally diagnosed with prinzmetal angina via all the symptoms. I had my first heart attack at the age of 45-46 and that required another angiogram, they found that I had mild heart disease. I average a bad attack of prinzmetal angina once a week which requires me to call for an ambulance. I have had 2 mild heart attacks and was in the grey area for a third one about 2 months ago. I have had a lot of stress this year and it triggered off the prinzmetal angina every day. I am given strong pain relief when the spasms aren't controlled by angina medication,

Hi, I am a 30year old male from south east of England.

I was diagnosed with Prinzmetal Angina in January 2014. It is the most painful thing I have ever dealt with, attacks lasting 5-40mins and dealing with the symptoms is horrible. So I feel for anyone that suffers with this crappy condition.

I have been taking the following medication; Amlodipine, Diltizem, GTN.

This year I had a month of attacks with literally tired me out back in March 2017 and then went months without any attacks. But now it's come back with vengeance! I have multiple attacks daily since last week, however, my symptoms have changed feeling sick, light headed, cold, jaw pain.

I have been to hospital today and spent 7hours to be turned away and asked to come back tomorrow morning at 8:15am to see a Cardiologist! Bearing in mind I could hardly walk as I was having attacks.

As anyone suggested to their Cardiologist to but a stent in?

Hey mate,

I am 35 from Surrey and had a heart attack in Oct of 2016 - which was then diagnosed to be as a result of prinzmental angina. A few episodes of what I would describe as "panic attacks" over the years and tight chest but no real pain.

my Cardiologist Dr TP Chua at royal Surrey hospital (also works at mount alvernia in Guildford privately which is where I was seen) did discuss pros and cons of stens for me but as I had pristine arteries he said medication was the way to go - all symptoms have pretty much gone so I have stopped the meds completely.

Smoking a cig or anything else will cause the tight chest to come back so I just lead a healthy life style now and hit the gym a couple of times a week. Oh and stay anyway from any sleeping tablets, dr said they could worsen the situation especially if you have sleep apnea (I am getting tested in Dec)

Hi,

I see you are from the UK, I'd imagine all the prinzmetal angina sufferers would be starting to get their attacks back or worsening, why , you are in autumn and about to go into winter aren't you ? winter and prinzmetal angina do not mix.

I see you mentioned you had been to the hospital today and spent 7 hours to only be turned away and return the next day, was this your emergency department that you went to / they shouldn't of done that, they have to treat any chest pain seriously until they can rule out safely that it's not heart attack or heart related in the emergency department.

Stents are used for blockages in arteries, I have been asked why haven't I been stented by many medical professionals, My arteries in my early years were in pristine condition, my cardiologists exact words, he put me on calcium channel blockers and GTN, this worked for awhile but then the attacks returned. cut a long story short, I was told this might happen as the body can get tolerant to the medications. In 2012 I had my usual prinzmetal angina attack and I went into our emergency department and nothing was found on the ECG but a heart attack was picked up by the troponin blood test, was taken down to the cath lab for angiogram, a 60% occlusion was found in the right coronary artery, more medication and had to attend cardiac rehab for 4-6 weeks. had another NSTEMI back in 2014 more medications added to the mix . Had another angiogram 2015 and they found 50% stenosis in the LAD (left anterior descending ) and no real improvement with the 60% in the RCA, as you can see in 3 years I developed a reasonable blockage, considered large by us but not cardiologists, the way I look at it is, imagine a pipe and block it off in diameter by 50%, that's pretty significant I believe but cardiologists don't think that way, they say the artery compensates by "growing" little blood vessels of the artery, if you like of that impaired artery, to compensate for any loss of blood flow.

I spent the early hours of yesterday in our emergency department with an attack, they did the usual and my troponin came back raised, hardly significant but none the less raised, it was only 20 but still past the negative cut off point of 14, the nurse tried to tell the doctor that is my normal reading, what it normally comes back as, how can one say that when the universal negative cut off point for this particular brand lab testing equipment cut off point for negative is 14 ? Troponin is a heart specific enzyme and anything else that contributes to it's rise is secondary, explained to me by my cardiologist, if that makes sense to you ? . I have found that the younger generation of doctors don't understand coronary artery spasms and the pain and discomfort it causes, just because it doesn't damage your heart at the time doesn't mean it can't over time, I was told last week to stop wasting emergency doctors time with my presentations of chest pain because we know what it is and nothing will ever come of it, this emergency doctor threw in his own opinion and went as far as to say it isn't,   even heart related pain. Surely if the cardiologist didn't think it was heart related I wouldn't be put on heart , well, angina medication for nothing as if it was for nothing then I would be asking for trouble or even a heart attack by taking the medication for a non existant condition ?

Thank you for responding back, sorry to hear you have been through a lot over the years I feel for you.

Well I saw a Cardiologist today and explained to him my symptoms have got worse, the male nurse was really helpful and gave me a lot of advice.

I had changes in my ECG and it was also abnormal and my echo.

However, the cardiologist stated because I have not had a heart attack I am in no danger at this moment in time! He said to continue as I am and come back if needed, he advised there is no cure and it will be a life long condition.

I said right so in 5years or more I may have a heart attack and there is pretty much nothing I can do, because I don't smoke, I don't drink and I am exercising when I can etc. He said you can never stop a heart attack, main thing is just to live your life.

Great so basically stay in bloody annoying!! He said what would you like me to do, I said cure me so I can be normal. I cried!!

My tropinon levels were 17 and they said it's fine.

Hi Luke, (and Samuel good to see you are still going...!!!)  spent an unhappy load of hours in my A&E over the weekend as the Prinzmetal spasms brought on an arrhythmia attack I didn't control with Flecanide ....  A7E doctors and many (most) cardiologists don't hear Prinzmetal or micro vessel angina spams they only hear angina.... which isn't helpful as angina isn't the answer . I now use blood vessel spasms as the only wording.... it does work better as they have to ask what is that and again I avoid the angina word ... it seems once any (most sorry) medic hears angina their brain just overwrites everything else you say. Stents wont work long term as the spasm just moves along the blood vessel either or both ways... also it will or can occur across different blood vessels including in the neck or head (I am lucky its only hitting 1 in my neck)... it is powerful and nasty and hits you when you least expect it, or on a cold draughty day... I went from elite masters athlete to housebound.... it has taken me near enough three years to get to some terms with my life, but, I now call it my new life, a life where I do different things plan more extensively when we go out  ie plan where I can rest while wife goes and gets car and pick me up - if we goon walks... all walks, plan on where I can be picked up by ambulance, etc etc etc... get your mobile registered for silent calls with 999 so you can call...and they will take over... normally silent calls do get an investigation but a low priority (or none) however a registered silent call means you have told them already you are ill enough that at some point you may need help and be unable to talk. they will find you and rescue you.  by planning you get some independence back, do I still get upset angry etc - yup I do... but less so ... or less frequently do I sulk and throw the toys out the pram yup, but less frequently.... its just learning how to live this new life as best as possible.... have a whistle with you if out by yourself its easier to blow and louder than a shout... accept this and work with it... sorry.... and remember don't give the medics all the information give them the spasm detail and don't use the angina word....... As Samuel experiences some medics can be very cutting and unsupportive, others are brilliant, though few and far between....   

Thank you for the information Andrew much appreciated.

I will definitely get registered I appreciate that info. I am literally bed bound atm and I am not intending to go outside until i'm 100%. 

It does suck but your right I need to just accept it and get on with it. Otherwise what is the point of living! 

 

I can understand wanting to be bed bound.... but.... but.... to help the heart a bit some exercise is helpful. I also have ME and intermittent arrhythmia and both macro and micro vessel spasms...  it has taken a while but I now have a daily rotation which I can often achieve. 1 hour rest after seeing the wife off, then active for an hour, then passive active(reading computer etc but sat) then snooze for an hour, then repeat twice more. the evenings are set as passive recovery ..... being with my wife...  it is hard to achieve and often slips and fails, but remains a target I know sometimes I can achieve. a nice target and an ambition. .. and after three years a bit of a relief I don't know if I can improve on it...but.... and the bonus is I now often am able to coach twice a week a brilliant group of athletes, which also helps again took three years to achieve regularity and thus being a responsible coach. ... but... it is a challenge I often feel unsafe due to dizzy, fainting legs feeling like they have run several three hundred metres... but I have plans in place to cope and hopefully survive. it is my life to live as best I can and I wont be dictated toby an illness I didn't cause and others didn't help with but was caused by outside influences of stress and etc so.. it wont beat me either.. my path my road ,my journey it is more difficult and changed my life but my interaction with the world may have changed but I still will try to have a go... will keep on trying to be me... perhaps I am just a stubborn git with more determination than brains... but my athletics career has taught me self belief self monitoring (essential) and self determination....  try to be you just make sure you have plans in place, being 100% isn't an option anymore (sorry but it isn't) however with a plan for what ever you do- do  means you know how to deal with any situation and can cope.... just be gentle one step at a time... one small step at a time...

but if any person tells you to have a positive mental attitude.... tell em they don't understand how you are being made to feel and as for those people who say - you are looking well today... don't respond they also don't know how you feel... I just say thanks if I looked like I felt you wouldn't be so happy... but be you, or the new you... ( you can imagine my blunter thoughts I usually keep to myself....) each day you wake up enjoy the day to the best of your ability, celebrate beating another day and night celebrate seeing the rain the sun the snow...  even the fog.... 

Hi luke,

Sorry to hear you recieved some bad news but at least you know what you have and are up against. As Andrew said we have to learn to live with what we have and go with the flow, by the way how's things going with you Andrew ? long time no hear .This isn't what we wanted out of life so don't let it drag you down, make adjustments not just physically but mentally to. I know this isn't much comfort but my retired cardiologist once told me, so you have a heart attack, we can fix them as long as you are near a phone or other people to be able to assist, he did say that if you have the "big one" you may feel a bit of chest discomfort or other type of discomforts before passing out, he said you are usually dead before you hit the ground with the fatal heart attacks, he did have a sheepish grin on his face when he said that, although we were having a bit of a joke during our discussion which might explain the sheepish grin. He reassured me with words, I know it's not comforting to know a heart attack could be lurking around the corner, but hey , like my cardio said with his words, so could a perfectly healthy person with no angina or heart problems just drop dead, either by way of a heart attack or something else. My nephews best friend was around 24 from memory, doesn't smoke, did drink every now and then but he was a fitness fanatic going to the gym daily, well one day he just collapsed, people went over to him to see if he was alright but was actually found to be dead, prompt action by the gym owners and an AED machine were able to resuscitate him, paramedics had arrived on scene and took him to emergency on the way in he had to be resuscitated again, I'd have to ask my nephew what damage was done to his heart during this event because I can't remember, this young fellow has to have a pacemaker now, I think he's about 26 years old now.

Hi Samuel, so far so good, learning to live my new life, still get grumpy but...... have a little more support than before and am learning new ways of dealing with the medics which helps... Making batter going out plans, and enjoying my hobbies a bit more still a way to go, but progress is progress... this weekend after going in to A&E has really confirmed don't say angina stick with spasms even up to registrar level it is interesting how selective hearing works even amongst professionals.  Good to see you are still going too!, I will make more effort to keep in touch..... my head is getting clearer, taking a daily dose of Arginine (Holland and barret uk)  which makes a significant difference, also apparently slows or stops the body getting used to GTN etc... will be interesting to see if that works out!!!!  but taking it as part of my daily meds has made a difference. All good wishes, Andrew  - Luke please notice on here you get some good support and indeed friendship from people not only in the UK but from all round the world... lean on us.... also there are a couple of good facebook sites.... supportive and informative not just grumblers.... if either of you are interested pm me and I will pass on details...(or anyone else reading and wanting)

Hi Andrew & Samuel,

Thank you both for all the information and advice I will definitely take this on board. I am sorry that you both have experienced a lot and still having difficult times and I salute you! Because having these attacks as well as the awful symptoms that come along with it. You are both inspiring!

By all means add me on Facebook Luke Smith, Hampshire. Profile pic is myself in a white top.

Any forum groups that you recommend definitely send details.

There is facebook support group 'prinzmetal angina support group (coronary artery spasm) '

Hi Cher,

I tried signing up to it but it said it was closed and I've heard nothing back from my request to join.