heart spasms

[annie808]

I am a 52 year old woman and have heart problems for at least 10 years. I was rushed to the hospital countless times and when EKG’s were done nothing would show. After a few times they started to show some change so my PCP called it stress and put me on xanax. It only got worse. I met and found a friend who is a cardiovascular doctor and started to see him. The countless EKG’s stress test, halter monitors, nuclear stress test would also show nothing. Then it happened I was told I had heart spasms I was in the hospital for 11 days I had a cath done and they were going to put in stints they wouldn’t know how many till they got inside I was transferred to a better hospital and they did another cath and told me they couldn’t stint because the spasms were so bad inside the whole heart. I have times where this last for months every day and It’s like sitting back waiting for the big one to happen because my doctor told me there were only 3 meds to take for this condition first was verelin pm and xanax I also carry nitro. Now I’m on diltizem cd 240 mg once at night and xanax .5 every 8 hours and it still doesn’t help some days are so bad for me and others I can just deal with. Please someone just let me know that there is something that can be done for this.

[ChatterAlly]

I have the same problem.  I had pain that would wake me up out of a dead sleep.  My doctor put me on Norvasc and I haven't had anywhere near the problems I had before.  Norvasc has a generic and is a calcium channel blocker.  Hope this helps.

Take care! Ally

[annie808]

nitrate doesn't work for the pain

[kenkeith]

Does the nitrate relieve the chest pain?  

The diagnosis of coronary artery spasm has taken on new significance because of the marketing in this country of a new class of drugs, such as nifedipine, called calcium channel blockers. These drugs have afforded dramatic relief in spasm-induced angina. Patients were treated with calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem, amlodipine, nifedipine, and benidipine.