heart spsams

[tara1950]

I have not been on for a while, but I just wanted to see if anybody has tried all the channel blockers and nitro paches and noting seems to help with the spsams.  They are now sending me to John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore MD.  has anybody seen any doctors from this hospital?.  The spsams are coming eight or nine times a day.   They now come when I am doing things or driving.  Before they only came at night, I am now at a point where they are really depressing me and I am afraid to go or do things.

[joanincarolina]

I'm glad to hear you are getting some relief. Nitro and diltiazem are very effective and it's the combo that helps me. Joan.

[tara1950]

So far so good, I have been taking 400mg magnesium oxide and 400 vitamin e also I do the nitro patch at night, I also take the diliazem cd 120 mid morning.  I have only had the spasms once a day compared to 10-14 a day.  Big difference for me.  I am feeling so much better.  I hope maybe this is my answer, I hope maybe it will work for someone else.

[ed34]

I just looked on the internet about my new medication which the Doctor said is better than Diltiazem, and will affect my heart less, it's also a lot more expensive. The new medication is Dilcardiar. It contains Diltiazem as the main ingredient. So this is probably the same pill, but in capsule form, and in a prettier box. What the ?

[ChatterAlly]

Great news!  Please let us know how that works for you.  I keep forgetting the aspirin. I have Vitamin E, but I can pick up some of Magnesium Oxide today. I am still looking for that magic cocktail of meds that will stop my spasms.  At least, for the past few days they have settled down.  Take care, Ally

[ed34]

thank you for keeping us informed, the bit about aspirin is very interesting, I didn't know that. I look forward to hearing how your medication change works out and what the test results reveal. thanks again.

[tara1950]

Hi, I called John Hopkins yesterday and told them I was feeling terrible, I lucked out and they had an appointment today.  The doctor is a heart specialist that deals with transplants and all types of heart problems.  I really liked him.  But he is a bit puzzled  he has never seen someone having it so bad. He said he will contact other doctors around the country and try and find some answers.  In the meantime he wants me to stop 81 mg. aspirin. he said it can inter fear with the spasms. and make them worst He wants me to take magnesium oxide 400 mg. and 400mg. vitamin E and wear a nitro patch at night for 14 hrs. and take nitro when needed. and diltiazem cd 120mg. once a day.  I am supposed to call him in 3 weeks and see how I am doing, he also took blood work for thyroid and anemia.  hopeful at some point they can get to the bottom of this.  I at least have a little better outlook.  I will keep everyone posted.

[ChatterAlly]

I remember my dad having to take a tranquilizer towards the end because of so much chest pain.  I was wondering if maybe that would help me.  I had a better day yesterday, but this morning I did have a spasm when I woke up.  And myheart continue to feel slightly bruised, and I have a slight tightness in the center of my chest.  Not sure what that is all about.

[ed34]

Well after reading about calcium channel blockers it has become clear how they work. For smooth muscle, such as cardiac or artery, to contract, calcium is required and is fed through tiny channels in the artery wall. So, a reduction in calcium prevents smooth muscle from contracting as much, keeping vessels open more. HOWEVER, this also obviously affects the smooth muscle of the heart, making it contract slightly less. The bonus is the heart doesn't work so hard. It also affects the conduction of the electrical signal across the heart, giving a further delay in the sinus node. This gives more time for the atria and ventricles to cycle, slowing them down. I didn't realise it affected the heart muscle, my Doctor only mentioned arteries. What worries me is that neurons in the brain are reliant on calcium, but I have no idea how CCB affects those. The heart is not restricted from the sympathetic nervous system with CCB, but it does prevent the heart from suddenly jumping into any kind of action. However, the limits are not as high as those enforced by Beta Blockers.
Now knowing this, I'm more confused than ever. Have CCB helped me by being a slightly weak version of a beta blocker, keeping the heart relaxed? or is it because of the effects on the coronary arteries? (well all arteries in reality). Has it cured some kind of electrical problem? Swallowing a cure with no knowing the cause upsets me because I would like to know exactly what the problem is for obvious reasons.

[tara1950]

thank you for all the information from everyone.  It is nice to have people to talk to.  I had a pretty bad day today, I had to take nitro every half hour at a total of 13 tablets.   I have tried renexa, indur, and most channel blockers with no relief.   I am going to try and mix them up and take some again.  I made my appointment today at hopkins in MD and my appointment is on the 27th of May.  I will keep everyone informed.  Thanks again.    

[ed34]

I have read that calcium channel blockers work by slowing the electrical signals in the heart, but is also used to lower blood pressure. I can't help but wonder how this works in stopping spasms in arteries? perhaps it inhibits signals to those too? Is this one of those drugs where they have just found out by accident that it can treat spasms, but don't really understand how? It seems to make me feel much better but I'm only on 180mg (3x60mg) a day, others seem to be on much higher dosage. Do others on CCB take them throughout the day? or just one pill each morning? On the internet, it seems to say specifically that Norvasc opens the arteries, dilating them, which I assume is similar to a nitrate, but I am not sure if other CCB medication does the same? I assume they do because isn't this how these drugs lower blood pressure?

[ChatterAlly]

Hey there.  I haven't been in here lately because, yes, I am having a terrible time with this.  I went to the dr last week and was prescribed Cardizem LA 360mg.  I thought I would die that night.  It took the entire 24 hours for the symptoms to subside.  I didn't have any spasms, but the other was awful.  I had such a tightness and squeezing in my chest.  My heart felt bruised and I couldn't even walk across a room without getting out of breath.  It just zapped the strength right out of me.  I skipped the next dose and those side effects have diminished, but I am left with a weird feeling in my chest and I am waiting now to see what happens.  I went back to the dose of Norvasc this morning, whcih hasn't been much help but I can take this without any ill feelings. The spasms are no fun and very scary.  Enough so, that I went to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack.  I have these day or night, sleeping or walking, and as many as 12 a day.  I am still waiting to see what drug or combination of drugs will work for me, and to see if I will ever get to that level of comfort I had earlier this year.  Take care and keep me posted, Ally.

[joanincarolina]

Tara; I know the underlying medical issue with my spasms and I believe you read my journal 'joanincarolina' some time back. I'm sorry you're having this problem.It took a lot of nitro, daily, and a calcium channel blocker twice a day to keep my spasms settled down. They do still occur and if they are particulary strong I'll spray with nitro on top of the patches I wear. My experience has been one of trial and error to get the right med combo to be effective.I'm sure that the doctors at Hopkins will be able to help.Also, you do not have to have problems with your larger coronaries to have spasms. They can be from the smaller microvessels of the heart.I understand your concern with doing anything that may bring one on; I can explain some of mine, the others just occur and I could not have predicted them.There are some very good vasodilators like Ranexa and Imdur that may also help.Avoid stress,stay quiet and relax a little; you'll get help. Joan.

[Flycaster305]

I hope ChatterAlly on this site sees your post, she is going through the same problem.

[ed34]

Hi Tara,  I guess I've been one of the lucky ones. I was put on Diltiazem 120mg daily in the last few days and (touch wood) my symptoms have all stopped. I just pray this is a long term solution and isn't going to last a few weeks only.