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Oh no, sorry to hear that sad news.
Makes me glad I did come in though. I had to drop back from a walk at work on Friday and return to my car, not felt well since.
Hang in there longdog, it's a long road with heart issues.
My wife has had troubles since I met her 19 years ago, had a valve replaced, wore out 2 defibs, until last july we got the call that they had a new heart waiting for her.
That was a truly surreal time.
But now, 8 months post transplant, she is fitter & stronger than she has ever been.
I know it's at the extreme end of the scale, we didn't really know how sick she was. The doctors were amazed she was still working 5 days a week.
I hope you never get to that stage, but it's been life changing for us.
Wow Kiwijohn, that must have been a lot of tough times! Glad its worked out well in the end though!
Hopefully seeing my consultant in a bit...
So, I got the results (copy of letter to consultant) of my ct cardiac angiogram back a the other week...
Calcium score of zero, no stenosis or or abnormalities in soft tissues or structures and a strap line that stays the results can reliably exclude cardiac arterial disease as a cause of my issue. Plumbing is clean as a whistle.
I'm still waiting to see my consultant for a follow after this, great news but wtf?!
I'd already stopped my 3rd medication just after the test (bisoprolol, then nevibolol, then diltiazem) due to side effects that were angina like, I did ask the consultant.
When I was in hospital a couple of days due to angina symptoms they told me they were not even considering it being an electrical problem, just CAD and to expect the possibility of stenting.
So I have no idea. I'll mention/query Lyme's carditis when I see him, but again I queried that in passing in hospital and it was brushed off as not likely.
Off the meds I'm feeling much better, but still getting some issue when tired and I've noticed a non-decaf coffee will make it worse (ordered on autopilot) Pretty sure its not stress, though obviously this whole carry on and med induced illness has been bloody stressful!
Anyway still alive, trying to do some more exercise and waiting to speak to my consultant....
So I have no idea. I’ll mention/query Lyme’s carditis when I see him, but again I queried that in passing in hospital and it was brushed off as not likely.
Be aware that there is plenty of denial by doctors and consultants and a complete lack of knowledge regarding Lyme disease in the NHS. 'Not likely' simply sounds like a dismissive opinion.
Hope you get sorted.
Cheers(y)
As you can imagine I'm not exactly filled with confidence with my experience so far with my consultant :/ Though having CAD ruled out is a massive relief!
Longdog. re-read my posts above in this thread. Agatscan calcium score of zero here too. Given that cardiologists do not currently fully understand your problem, further assessment is required. You have to push for a cardiac MRI scan. Worth me mentioning that 3 weeks of intravenous ceftriaxone antibiotics sorted me out. Good luck.
Cheers yellowbelly, I will when I get to see him. Like I said I did query it on passing a short while back, but they had their CAD blinkers well and truly on at that point. I've been reading up about Lyme carditis today again.
This may be worth a read, some Lyme patients with carditis have spoken highly of this doctor who does have an interest in this.
https://drsanjayguptacardiologist.com/
That’s an interesting development and the fact your arteries are clear sounds like a positive.
Keep us posted.
Yeh Cinnamon girl I've seen some of his videos and he seems like a great consultant to have. Not seen that though, makes fairly grim reading!
Jamj, cheers, hope you're coming along well with your recovery.
I'm getting referred for an MRI scan of heart now to assess heart muscle and rule out any structural disease now that could be causing arrhythmia. His ears must have been burning 😉
Maybe I shouldn't go too daft on the bike yet :/
Are you allowed to exercise again? If so then that seems like step forward (don't overdo it). Hopefully your MRI will shed some light on your problem or at least rule out more serious issues.
ERM...I've not been told I can... I sort of assumed as I didn't have CAD from the CT scans I could do some as I wasn't going to blow something up, but now I'm not so sure...
I am still getting ectopics though and feeling a weirdness/pressure in my neck when I get them.
Communication with my consultant isn't easy/great. I guess officially though I be told to embrace the sofa until this MRI has been done. And tbh it's probably the sensible thing 🙁
Hope everyone is chugging along well, there's been some tough stories on this thread.
Just had a letter this afternoom:
"This gentleman's CT angiogram shows a calcium score of 0 with a minimal degree of plaque in the LAD and the right coronary artery, but no obvious evidence of any coronary disease. There was evidence of atelectasis/consolidation at the right lung which had a bening appearance. Thus, his chest pain is non-cardiac and I have discharged him from the cardiology clinic."
It's lies from the start I tell thee, I'm no gentleman. 😉 Keep buggering on.
Yeah mine referred to this gentleman too, whoever he is.
Sounds a bit like me. Good news, but not quite great or an answer.
I'm hoping to get home (been away the week) and have an appointment for the MRI, but it could be months yet by past experience!
My CT wait wasn't too bad but I had to get a different date because of a clash, so a bit longer in the end. It's put my mind at ease quite a bit, after a bit of frantic googling of "atelectasis/consolidation" which I'll try not get too angsty about. Hope a prompt MRI gets to the bottom of it for you.
UPDATE
Just back from the cardiologist after my cardiac MRI in January and I've now been diagnosed with microvascular heart disease as the cause of the ectopics and chest and neck discomfort.
I've got to take the small asprin and low dose of atorvastatin and verapamil to hopefully dilate the capilaries and so control/reduce the ectopics and chest and neck discomfort.
Good news is I can exercise un-restricted as long as I don't feel dizzy or get palpitations when doing it.
Check up in 3 months to see how I'm tolerating the statins and calcium channel blockers and if they are easing the symptoms.
Better get training then!
Good news that it can be controlled, you must be relieved !
very good news mate. take up touring. nice routes, nice pubs, nice and easy
Cheers, yeh it's good to know what's what for sure. I need to embrace the glass half full attitude.
Hope was for the turra coo 300km audax this year in May, but that may be expecting a bit too much lol!
Certainly a touring
/ bikepacking trip or two