Nitro Patch

[Mberingo]

My Dr. is starting me on the patch for chest pains. How long after wearing it will it take for me to know if it is working and what side effects can I expect. I am on isosorbide dinitrate until I recieve the patches in the mail, and the pill gives me a horrible headache.

[joanincarolina]

..and to my two good friends ed and flycaster! M watched my video show and is pretty sure he has this micro dysfunction. He is in the southern states and he contacted me so I could help and provide some MVD information. He would not be alone as a male with the diagnosis of MVD and clear coronaries as Emory has a male w/o CAD, or anything else, who has this ailment.
I had be managing this well until this past week when I threw in the towel as none of my tricks and meds were helping and was admitted for IV nitro which made all things well again. So much for the "naysaysors' telling me that I would build tolerance......24/7 high dose nitro now since May 2008 and it worked very well again this time via IV route. I am grateful for it! Hugs from Joan to all three.

[Mberingo]

90% of the time it is with exertion something as simple as walking down the driveway to check the mail.
I also get dizzy, short of breath, and start to feel very weak.
The pill seams to help with the chest pain but not as much as I would like it to.
No  it doesnt seem to happen after eating, most of the time its only if I am up doing something, it has occured a few times while I am at rest but not much

[Mberingo]

90% of the time it is with exertion something as simple as walking down the driveway to check the mail.
I also get dizzy, short of breath, and start to feel very weak.
The pill seams to help with the chest pain but not as much as I would like it to.
No  it doesnt seem to happen after eating, most of the time its only if I am up doing something, it has occured a few times while I am at rest but not much.

[ed34]

May I ask some questions about your symptoms.

Do they occur at any time or only with exertion?
What are the symptoms? just chest pain?
Do Nitrates stop the symptoms?
Do the symptoms occur within an hour after eating?

[Mberingo]

I will thank you for the advice, I don't think he is worried about a heart attack as my angiogram showed no blockages, I am just trying to get a diagnosis as they don't no whats causing my sypmtoms and the chest pain.

[Flycaster305]

I'm wearing the patch, and it's helping me.  My instructions are to put the patch on a hairless area of the upper chest.  I'm a male so I needed to shave the chest prior to using it.  I'm instructed to shower in the am, rinse and dry completely, and wait about ten minutes before setting the patch and drying the chest again with a dry cloth.  The patch will have a slit through it.  Bend it twice, remove the plastic and set on the chest.  Once in place, remove the second plastic cover.

I'm told to wear the patch about 12 hours and take it off, as the body gets used to the nitrates.  I'm sorry to tell you that the headaches will continue for awhile, but should be less using the patch.  If you are prescribed the patch, the doctor suspects you could be a candidate for a heart attack, in my opinion, so tough it out.  Avoid alcohol.  I made the mistake of tipping a bit of wine when wearing the patch, and the headache that came instantly was intense.  
The headache will go away in about two weeks.  However, my chest pains went away at once when I started the patch.  In my opinion, headaches trump angina.
Keep us informed.

[Mberingo]

How should you apply the patch, I would like to do it the right way so I am getting th emost out of the therapy. I am not a fan of the pill I need to take it at 7 am then again 5 hours later and it makes me feel terrible.

[ed34]

The pills are hard hitting, and not really long lasting. Your headaches are due tot he sudden drop in pressure as your arteries open. They usually take about 2 hours to start working (at the most). That's of course if they are applied correctly.