Join now

Already a member? Sign in

Welcome to Inspire!

What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.

Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.

How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!

corner corner corner

continued heartache

0 Recommendations

A quick rundown. Last year started feeling ill, very ill, local doctors chalked it up to flu and menopause. After weeks of trying to get competent medical help, I drove 2 hours to a caridologist for emegency surgery. My place of work folks thought I was just "nervous" almost lost my job. Through the past year, I have had a stent put in and double pass surgery last Sept.
After a few months started to feel pretty good with a few minor yet suprising angina attacks. Another angiogram said grafts looked to be 60% open and shouldn't be the problem, diagnosis then was probable heart spasms and a change of medication helped. Then I got double pneumonia, really set me back.
Two weeks ago I had a major attack and ended up in an ambulance again and an overnight stay at local hospital. Thankfully, no signs of heart attack. The local admitting doctor suggest it was an esophagus spasm and I should go seek counseling for stress. He gave me a scipt for Prilosec. Keep in mind a previous visit there he told me if I just had a small heart attack my angina symptoms would go away. My cardiologist was unamused by that. A follow up visit with my cardiologist (which the other dr. said was unnessesary because this was all in my head) said it was a probably angina or another heart spasm, common he said in some women after surgery like mine. He gave me time released nitro which seems to be helping except for the headaches.
I am under tremendous stress I do recognize, I am losing my home, I am in massive debt and my new job is on the line. I have had two major angina attacks in the woods (I work for the Forest Service) and will lose my field position if my supervisor finds out. I am going to counseling for stress and told her I am no longer inclined to call 911 due to my symptoms (again, local dr. said he wouldn't call unless I am pouring down sweat and can't breath, would be too late then considering I can work an hour away from any help) and she found that a "suicidal" attitude.
Question to my readers: since I am largely dismissed at local hospital with my very real pain, and symptoms of a possible heart attack do I continue to react with emergency care when it seems so bad or just ride it out and hope for the best? Despite insurance each run to the hospital costs me a great deal of money. It shouldn't be an issue but it is. My atherosclorosis is accelarated and advanced, I just turned 52 and my mother was 53 when she died of it. I am vegan, I follow the Ornich diet mostly and can't take statin drugs and still have very high cholestrol. What can I do different to continue living as long as I can? I have run out energy and ideas and literally I feel I am hanging from a thread. I'd appreciate any advice. Thank-you

Group leaders

You