Angina?

[EmmaReed84]

Does anyone here suffer from, or know someone who suffers from unsable angina?

I have quite a few health problems and before xmas I got really bad chest pain, I saw my doctor and he said the next time I get the same pain for longer than 5 minutes I need to call 999 and get to hospital for tests.

Anyway I hadn't had the pain for ages and on Friday I got the pain again and had to pull the car over and get DH to drive but it only lasted a few minutes. On Saturday I got it again but again it only lasted about 5 minutes.

Today I went to pick DS up from school and started getting the pain again, it has lasted longer than 5 minutes (so far 1 hour 40 minutes) I still have the pain but it is like a niggle now and a pain between my shoulder blades.

I have checked NHS direct and it flashed up bright red call 999 but it just feels a bit extreme IYSWIM. I hate to feel like a time waster, hypocondriact (sp?) just wondered if there is anyone I can pm and talk to about it.

Please dont say call 999 as I am at home with my two kids and just feel a bit sill considering that I can sit here and type.

[sarah707]

Any sort of chest pain that is recurrent or prolonged needs investigating as soon as possible.

Don't ignore it - sort out the children and get yourself seen to.

I know you are scared but you must prioritise your health.

Hugs xx

[pears]

I agree with Sarah and asap.

hope your ok.xx

[rickysmiths]

Go to the hospital now thats what you were told to do!!!!!!

[EmmaReed84]

:o please dont shout...but, I know I was told to but the pain has eased and is more of a niggle... and if I am honest (this is where you may shout) I feel so totally stupid calling 999 and asking for an ambulance when I am not in sheer agony.

I hate going to the doctors and causing a fuss and the thought of arranging care for my boys then calling an ambulance to rush me to hospital for tests on a pain which is not hardly there seems so OTT.

DH is home from work soon and if the pain has not completely gone then I may get him to drive me to the hospital, but it just all seems so dramatic.

[onceinabluemoon]

Get yourself to hospital now. They will probably give you an ECG (painless and only takes a while) If the hospital think its angina they will probably give you a spray called GTN (Glyceryl trinitrate )which you spray under your tongue and it helps. Please please go, this sounds like the pains my mum had and she almost died on Boxing day (It wasn't angina!), please go, do it now, tonight, don't wait anymore.

[pears]

much less dramatic dong it while your in control now and can tolerate the pain but what about if it gets worse in the middle of the night!thats scary!please get it checked out.x

[rickysmiths]

Sorry didn't mean to shout and I know you must be very worried and so are we concerned for you. Don't feel you are making a fuss this is what the NHS is for and you really must get yourself checked out even if you feel better when dh gets home please go along and get checked.

[crazyXstitcher]

Have you been officially diagnosed/had hospital tests with unstable angina. If so you should be on various medication and at the very least have a GTN spray. Either way, kids with you or not, you need to/MUST get checked out properly. Any chest pain especially what you are describing should be taken seriously. No one will think you are being silly/a hypocondriac. They would rather deal with a false alarm than the real thing (Eg heart attack)too late.

I had a heart attack when I was 38. I had the same kind of pain. Even when I was being carted away in the ambulance I was still convinced it was just chronic indigestion and was contemplating how embarrased i'd be when they sent me home with industrial strength rennie. I will forever be thankful to the Boots pharmacist who knew better and called an ambulance while dh was asking for strong indigestion remedies.

[Mollymop]

If hubby is home soon then wait for him and then get him to take you to the hospital!! But you must go hun
You were told to go to the hospital if the pain went on for longer than 5 mins and it didn't it - it went on for longer than 5 mins, the gp wouldn't have told you this if he didn't think you would need to go to the hospital.
If the pain comes back while waiting for your hubby phone 999

What would your do if it were your own child?? You would take them to hospital, wouldn't you, no questions or ifs or buts!

[FussyElmo]

Emma you need to get to the hospital asap - the doctor told you too and now this is the 3 rd time you have had the pain and now its been prolonged.

I totally understand about your children and needing care Im in that position myself alot of time but sometimes waiting isnt an option and i think is one of them.

[crazyXstitcher]

OK IF YOU ARE STILL HERE I'M SHOUTING
:o please dont shout...but, I know I was told to but the pain has eased I HAD PAINS ON AND OFF THE WEEK BEFORE, BECAUSE THEY WENT I BRUSHED THEM OFF, WITH HINDSIGHT THEY WERE WARNING SIGNS and is more of a niggle... and if I am honest (this is where you may shout) I feel so totally stupid calling 999 and asking for an ambulance when I am not in sheer agony.

I hate going to the doctors and causing a fuss and the thought of arranging care for my boys then calling an ambulance to rush me to hospital for tests on a pain which is not hardly there seems so OTT.

DH is home from work soon and if the pain has not completely gone then I may NEVER MIND "MAY" GET HIM TOPLEASE DO IT get him to drive me to the hospital, but it just all seems so dramatic.

Quite frankly I would rather look extremely silly for shouting at you to go and you coming back to say it was nothing, than you not going and being seriously ill.

[EmmaReed84]

ok, so I called NHS direct and explained about the pains, how they felt etc and he called an ambulance and transferred the call. I spoke to the ambulance people and again explained everything.

DH arrived home and sorted the kids out and ambulance car arrived, he came in with a heart monitor and asked loads of questions. He said the ecg looked ok, he took my blood pressure and temperature which were both a little raised and he listened to my chest.

He told me off for not calling at 3.15pm when I got the pain and for waiting:o, he said he thinks it could be a chest infection which may have caused me to pull my intercostal muscles. However he went in to great detail about "cardic pain" and what to look out for so I would be 100% next time. He also said to go to my GP as they may still want to refer me for a chest x-ray because of my kidney problems which has cause high bp and cholesterol and the fact I get shooting pains down my arms.

I am off tomorrow so will be going to the doctors, I just hate making such a fuss... great at dishing out advice, not so good at taking it :o

Just wanted to send out some hugs for everyone xxx

[WibbleWobble]

i have put a great big shoe on my right foot to give you a big kick up the :censored:!

but then again i am exactly like you...


remember last year when i had chest pain and fluttering heart beat?

i ended up in hospital over night and have since been diagnosed with atrial flutter- not life threatening but still scary. and like you i am young(ish) and on meds for BP, cholesterol and now thryroid.

if this happens again -no more werritting on here about what to do..you get to the hospital ok?

right lady bend over and take your punishment!

mandy xxxx

[jane5]

I am glad everything is ok Emma :thumbsup:

[Mollymop]

GLad to hear that you are ok!!!

[crazyXstitcher]

Glad to hear your ok.

[LOOPYLISA]

How are you today? x

[VeggieSausage]

glad you got advice, I knew a woman who was getting pains in her back when she went out in the cold weather, went to the docs, he sent her straight up to hospital and she had had a heart attack....better to be safe than sorry. Glad you are ok x

[rickysmiths]

i have put a great big shoe on my right foot to give you a big kick up the :censored:!

but then again i am exactly like you...


remember last year when i had chest pain and fluttering heart beat?

i ended up in hospital over night and have since been diagnosed with atrial flutter- not life threatening but still scary. and like you i am young(ish) and on meds for BP, cholesterol and now thryroid.

if this happens again -no more werritting on here about what to do..you get to the hospital ok?

right lady bend over and take your punishment!

mandy xxxx

Well said :thumbsup:

Hope you are ok today.

[EmmaReed84]

Thank you all, I am feeling better today but I did get the pain again this morning but it only lasted about 4-5 minutes. I went to see the doctor this afternoon and explained what happened.

He said he thinks I would be incredibly unlucky if it was anything cardiac related as I am so young, also because my blood pressure and cholesterol are well managed with medication.

He sat there for ages looking totally stumped, he asked how the pain felt and what other symptoms I got so I told him about getting cold and clammy hands and shooting pains down my arms.

He said his gut instinct was telling him I was getting esophageal spasms and he has prescribed medication for it and said if I get a pain longer than 5 minutes to take it and see if it helps and to monitor the pain, if the medication helps then we have the answer, if not then I need to go back so they can investigate further.