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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Arterial spasm or valve problems
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests
Arterial spasm or valve problems
by suzzie1, Jul 28, 2006 12:00AM
Hi, I am a 46 year of female, I have had heart problems since I was about 13 or 14 years old. Things have gotten worse over the years and at the moment I feel very unwel.I take emcor for an irregular heartbeat and dilzem which is a calcium channel blocker. I am tired all the time, have no stamina and can barely walk enough to get about shopping for my children without getting chest pain. It comes in the form of pressure and can sometimes radiate up into my neck. I will be short of breath and weak. Recently Iv been getting pressure 'IN' my heart when walking. Its different to the chest pressure.Feels as if my heart is going to 'burst'.Also when in bed I suddenly wake up gasping for breath and my heart feels weird. Last August I was given Cordarone(Amiadrone) for my irregular heartbeat which I have since found out is a pretty toxic drug. It helped with the irr. beats but because of side effects I stopped taking it.My irr. beats have improved(I was getting over 1300 a day), but my general health is worse.I dont have health insurance and the health service in Ireland isnt good so I have been waiting 5 months to see a consultant in Dublin, all the time feeling worse. I have never been overweight in my life, so that is not an issue. I am a single parent with 2 children and I am desperate to feel well and be here for them. I feel I am being neglected by my gp and that noone understands how unwell I feel. I have 2 questions: Does anyone recognise any of my symptoms, and could it be a problem with my heart valves? I would appreciate some advice from anyone or everyone.I...THANK YOU
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-MJM, Jul 28, 2006 12:00AM
Hi Suzzie,
I am sorry to hear about your circumstances and understand that it must be very difficult.
Does anyone recognise atany of my symptoms, and could it be a problem with my heart valves?
It is difficult to tell from this discription of your symptoms and could be almost anything from a valvular problem to an arrhytmia like atrial fibrillation, pac's, pvc's. It wold be worth checking an echocardiogram to evaluate your heart function and valvular function. An EK G would help determine your current heart rhythm and a monitor could be used to correlate your symptoms with your heart rhythm at that time. These symptoms may also be experienced with anxiety, although other causes of your symptoms should be ruled out first.
I hope this helps. Thanks for posting.
I am sorry to hear about your circumstances and understand that it must be very difficult.
Does anyone recognise atany of my symptoms, and could it be a problem with my heart valves?
It is difficult to tell from this discription of your symptoms and could be almost anything from a valvular problem to an arrhytmia like atrial fibrillation, pac's, pvc's. It wold be worth checking an echocardiogram to evaluate your heart function and valvular function. An EK G would help determine your current heart rhythm and a monitor could be used to correlate your symptoms with your heart rhythm at that time. These symptoms may also be experienced with anxiety, although other causes of your symptoms should be ruled out first.
I hope this helps. Thanks for posting.
I suffered with depression for 8 years (after my marriage broke up) and took seroxat(an anti-depressant) for it but had to come off it last august in order to start on 'cordarone(amiadrone)'for the irr heart beat.It was extremelly difficult coming off it but I did it. Unfortunately after about 3 months I had to stop the cordarone because of side effects.The cardiologist who put me on cardarone said it was heavy duty medication given in extreme circumstances, and his last words to me before I left the surgery were ''dont worry I will keep a good eye on you ''. Well, I havent heard from him since. My gp rang him and wrote to him to try to get an app for me but he is impossible to contact. I didnt go back on seroxat because I wanted to gain some control over my body and (mind) but lately I find it increasingly difficult to get out of bed in the morning because the day is such a struggle.Of course I do get up and hide my unhappiness from my children but its becoming more and more difficult. I hope this doesnt sound weird, but its such a comfort to know there are other people out there going through similar stuff to me. Thanks again.
My proverbial heart goes out to you.
When I tried a calcium channel blocker like yours for chest pain, I felt exhausted, depressed and couldn't walk without shortness of breath. I quit the drug and VOILA! I felt better but had to seek further advice on treating my angina.
Like you, I have a history of depression which led my initial evaluators to consider panic, anxiety or psychosomatic syndromes. It was an extremely painful process towards diagnosis because I consider myself smart, pretty and "above" being susceptible to somatization.
Ahem.
The fact is that the mind is closely linked to the body, and the heart is the seat of our emotional link between the mind and the body. Your heart is loaded with neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and other molecules that communicate with the brain constantly and in rapid fashion.
Chronic stress is devastating. I know from first-hand experience, and a lengthy study of the biochemical basis of emotions with my father who is a neuro MD.
I can't believe that Ireland, a deeply religious country doesn't have support networks for single parents facing health-related issues. Do you have support from a church or mothers' group? Can you confide in a local priest or rabbi? (Rabbis will listen whether or not you're Jewish).
Raising two children on your own creates tremendous stress which leads to symptoms like you describe, and increased risk for heart-related ailments. Study after study links depression, lack of community or family support with cardiovascular events.
You've already gotten some good advice here. I would add that you may want to research the words, "Cardiac Syndrome X" or "microvascular disease." When I experienced spasms related to microvascular disease and a leaking aortic valve, I found relief taking a statin (Vytorin), diuretic (Inspra) and folic acid supplement. I also took nitro as needed. I went to the ends of the earth here in the States to find the best treatment for my symptoms, so in a way, you're lucky -- you can benefit from my experience which cost thousands of US dollars.
But I also sought relief in walking daily, changing my diet and developing a "mindful" attitude. I let -- to the best of my ability -- most things roll-off my back. At one point I even gave up building a new home because I recognized that the stress of it was killing me. And that was hard. For you, it may be forgiving someone who caused you much emotional or physical harm.
Find support. Pray or meditate daily. Exercise, (even if it means including your children in your routine). And don't be "a quiet person" when you're discussing your symptoms with your doctor! Be assertive. This is your life, your children's mother we're talking about. They need their mother in every sense of the word.
I hope this helps.
Caroline
As for walking, I do try but,whereas I start out feeling good and filled with hope, by the time I get home (10 min later)Im deflated because the dreaded chest