Cindy’s Story
I have had a long history of coronary heart disease so it is not uncommon for me to experience angina on a regular basis. However, in November 2009 it became stronger than usual and my doctor ordered first a stress test, then a heart catheterization. The doctor preforming the cath found no real changes in the left side, so he decided to do a right sided cath and check the pulmonary artery pressure, which was elevated but not too high. He told me that I was begining to show signs of pulmonary hypertension.
I was not familiar with this and when I went to the follow up with my doctor he put me on a new medication which I assumed was for the PAH. It wasn’t, so in September 2010 I had to go to the ER due to severe angina again. Another heart cath was done including a right sided one to further assess the pulmonary pressure. It had gone from mild to severe in less than a year with a pressure of 80.
I discussed this with my doctor and asked why the new medication had not worked and I was then told that the medication he put me on was not for the pulmonary hypertension. I asked why he had not addressed the PH and he shrugged and left the room. It was at that time that I found a new cardiologist as well as a pulmonologist who put me on PH meds. I was on the lower dose for a year and a half and there were episodes of shortness of breath and I asked about possibly increasing the dosage, but the doctor did not want to do that. I had planned a trip out of the country for vacation and the doctor did a HAST test and said I was fine to fly without oxygen.
He was wrong. I thought I was going to die the enitre trip. I became very sick and really could not participate in my own vacation. By the time I got home I was even sicker. I went to the doctor to explain what had happened and he said it was not from the PH and that I should talk to my cardiologist. It was at that point that I looked for a PH specialist that my insurance accepted and found one in my general area. He is still in the process of adjusting my medications and has done two cardiac caths, one right side the other left side. I have still not been able to return to what I was able to do before the trip and the doctor isn’t sure if I will ever be able to.
When I was put on the PH meds, I had no idea how expensive the medication was and when they told me what my co-pay was I said, “Well they might as well shoot me because there is no way that I can afford that as I am on disability.” It was then that the speciality pharmacy referred me to Caring Voice. They made everything so easy and within only a couple of days had me approved for the balance of that year as well as the following year. I cannot thank them enough for making such a difficult time easier as I don’t have to fight to get my medication.
So that’s my story so far. I am still working on getting back to where I was before the trip and I am determined that I will do so. I will just have to take baby steps, but I know myself, and I will get there.
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There is a weak relationship between severity of pain and degree of oxygen deprivation in the heart muscle (i.e., there can be severe pain with little or no risk of a Myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack), and a heart attack can occur without pain). In some cases Angina can be extremely serious and has been known to cause death. People that suffer from average to severe cases of Angina have an increased percentage of death before the age of 55, usually around 60%.-.:’
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