Mary

A real patient story

First came the headaches – worse than migraines – then the shortness of breath and having to lay down after crossing the room.

Five months after my symptoms began, I was diagnosed with a 99% blockage in my LAD and 99% blockage in an artery branch off that.

I was stented and, in doing so, they jailed an artery. I was given Metoprolol and I got worse.

I underwent another Angiogram, and all was fine, so they changed my medication and I began to use my Nitro more.

I was told during the first Angiogram that I had pretty significant spasms. I continued to have spasms in my coronary arteries along with chronic Angina and was diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease and Coronary Artery Spasm aka Prinzmetal’s Angina.

One month later, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Doctors believe it goes hand in hand with my Coronary troubles.

Although I am almost 5 years in with this, I still find it a challenge. I use quite a lot of long-acting Nitro daily along with Nitro patches and Nitro SL, as needed.

My advice: tell your story until they hear you. You know yourself better than anyone. I am not normal to them. I was a woman, who passed the treadmill stress tests with normal vitals and only insignificant changes, yet was symptomatic, so they decided it must be my nerves.

Never give up; you are your best advocate.


Mary, aged 59

  United States of America

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