Angina Support Group
Angina pectoris is chest pain due to ischemia (a lack of blood and hence oxygen supply) to the heart muscle, generally due to obstruction or spasm of the coronary arteries (the heart's blood vessels). Coronary artery disease, the main cause of angina, is due to atherosclerosis of the cardiac arteries.
I have angina; I have CAD and two stents, plus 4 blockages on the LAD artery, which cannot be stented due to the length and structure of the artery. It also can't be bypassed. So in April and May I had EECP treatment to open new vessels to the heart. Now I am having a different kind of chest pain; it seems to be right where the heart is. It happens when I'm moving around; when I rest I have to lie on my right side and it will go away. If I really exert myself, I get full chest pain, but that goes away if I stop and breathe and relax. My question is, since it can't be stented, and I've already gotten the EECP, do I just need to live with this? I'm eating well but not really exercising much. The doctor told me to be as aerobic as much as possible, but that just brings on angina attack. Also, I have had one unstable episode a couple of weeks ago. I was mentally stressed at the time and I'm thinking maybe that's why? I haven't had one since. Any advice or feedback at all would be appreciated.
However before accept it I would try to get a copy of your angiography (in one CD) and get a second opinion.
Also, are you using nitro patches? those helped me a lot before my stents.
Any pain that just goes away changing position, I do not think it is ischemic related.
A few thinks that also help are:
1) Make small, very small meals (5-7 times per day).
2) Avoid hot or cold weather.
3) Avoid any physical stress (in my case showers are very bad)
4) Get a good sleep (at least 7 hours/day)
5) Rest horizontally at least 10 hours/day
6) Start to walk whatever you can ... and increase the distance weekly. I do it on a thread mill in the gym with A/C to avoid weather stress.
Jesus.