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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
coronary artery spasms again
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coronary artery spasms again
by itsa48, Mar 23, 2002 12:00AM
i wrote to you once and explained that i had been diagnoised with prinzmental's angina. made thru heart cath ergotivine challenge. it took 7 weeks to get my meds to the right dose! which that suprised me.
1. does it usually take that long to get meds correct?
2. is this really that rare, i can't find anyone with a true diagnoises, they say he thinks i have it or they were told they have it without testing (which i don't know why a good cardiologist would say that) and then find out they have stomach problems, testing is the only way to tell correct?
3. i also have a slight blockage in same artery, could this be why i have it?
4. and i have high cholorestel, which now i take lipitor its 298. he said i would stay on the cholorestel meds for ever?
5. I also take imdur 60mgs 2x and norvasc 5 mgs 2x this seems to finally be the meds that worked for me.
iam 42 year old female and didn't realize that my shortness of breath and other symptoms that i was having was all coming from this. until the heart cath. was done. I still get symptoms but they are usually only 1 in about 10 days so iam getting there. But my energy level is horrible. and has been for long time, can i expect this to improve?
and one more question. since the change of norvasc to 5 mg 2x my feet swell terrible by end of day, i'm not a salt eater. I called the nurse and they said it was a symptom of the meds and i would have to live with it. but when i saw my dr. last he said to watch for swelling, at that time i was not having it. can the swelling be harmful? I see him april 12. thanks
1. does it usually take that long to get meds correct?
2. is this really that rare, i can't find anyone with a true diagnoises, they say he thinks i have it or they were told they have it without testing (which i don't know why a good cardiologist would say that) and then find out they have stomach problems, testing is the only way to tell correct?
3. i also have a slight blockage in same artery, could this be why i have it?
4. and i have high cholorestel, which now i take lipitor its 298. he said i would stay on the cholorestel meds for ever?
5. I also take imdur 60mgs 2x and norvasc 5 mgs 2x this seems to finally be the meds that worked for me.
iam 42 year old female and didn't realize that my shortness of breath and other symptoms that i was having was all coming from this. until the heart cath. was done. I still get symptoms but they are usually only 1 in about 10 days so iam getting there. But my energy level is horrible. and has been for long time, can i expect this to improve?
and one more question. since the change of norvasc to 5 mg 2x my feet swell terrible by end of day, i'm not a salt eater. I called the nurse and they said it was a symptom of the meds and i would have to live with it. but when i saw my dr. last he said to watch for swelling, at that time i was not having it. can the swelling be harmful? I see him april 12. thanks
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-CRC, Mar 25, 2002 12:00AM
1. does it usually take that long to get meds correct?
A:I don't really know how to answer that question. Medication dosages are a dynamic thing and may change quite frequently. It depends on how frequently the dosages are adjusted, how stable the patient's condition and the medication itself. Often times a stable medication dosage can be found in a few days to a few months but sometimes it may take longer. 7 weeks does not seem like a particularlly long time to me to adjust to a stable dosage.
2. is this really that rare, i can't find anyone with a true diagnoises, they say he thinks i have it or they were told
they have it without testing (which i don't know why a good cardiologist would say that) and then find out they
have stomach problems, testing is the only way to tell correct?
A: You are correct that the only way to confirm the diagnosis of Prinzmetal's angina is with an ergotivine challenge in the cath lab. I think it tends to be overdiagnosed without proper testing in general.
3. i also have a slight blockage in same artery, could this be why i have it?
A: Yes. Usually we see this condition in persons with mild coronary artery disease.
4. and i have high cholorestel, which now i take lipitor its 298. he said i would stay on the cholorestel meds for
ever?
A: Forever is a long time but in general we recommend long-term therapy with cholesterol lowering drugs for patients with coronary artery disease.
5. I also take imdur 60mgs 2x and norvasc 5 mgs 2x this seems to finally be the meds that worked for me.
A: This seems reasonable.
A:I don't really know how to answer that question. Medication dosages are a dynamic thing and may change quite frequently. It depends on how frequently the dosages are adjusted, how stable the patient's condition and the medication itself. Often times a stable medication dosage can be found in a few days to a few months but sometimes it may take longer. 7 weeks does not seem like a particularlly long time to me to adjust to a stable dosage.
2. is this really that rare, i can't find anyone with a true diagnoises, they say he thinks i have it or they were told
they have it without testing (which i don't know why a good cardiologist would say that) and then find out they
have stomach problems, testing is the only way to tell correct?
A: You are correct that the only way to confirm the diagnosis of Prinzmetal's angina is with an ergotivine challenge in the cath lab. I think it tends to be overdiagnosed without proper testing in general.
3. i also have a slight blockage in same artery, could this be why i have it?
A: Yes. Usually we see this condition in persons with mild coronary artery disease.
4. and i have high cholorestel, which now i take lipitor its 298. he said i would stay on the cholorestel meds for
ever?
A: Forever is a long time but in general we recommend long-term therapy with cholesterol lowering drugs for patients with coronary artery disease.
5. I also take imdur 60mgs 2x and norvasc 5 mgs 2x this seems to finally be the meds that worked for me.
A: This seems reasonable.
what iam wondering if anyone else has been diagnoised with a true diagnoisis from the study and what meds that your on, how long you have had it.
i have been doing alot better on the meds, just once in awhile which is about 1 in 10 days with out angina. last one being easter sunday evening...and it was bad had terrible chest pains didn't even realize it was angina that was first time i had anything like that type of pain, but the nitro worked so had to be part of it.
one problem i'm having now is that i get terrible swelling in my feet by the end fo the day and iam getting leg pain, maybe from swelling pressing on a nerve? its more in the right hip area, '
i have developed other kidney problems since the heart condition became know to me, but one has nothing to do with the other. I don't think. at least my kidney dr said no. i have had blood in my urine on 5 occasions now with no infection. so iam scheduled for a kidney test april 25.
oh and if you try to ask the dr. a question its just a matter of good luck that you get to post. i have gotten on here twice and just timed it right!
ps iam same as itsa48
changed servers had to get a new name.
thanks Lynn