Elisha

Aldo, sharp as a tack you are .  Yes, tomorrow's the big day and I am SO nervous.  My last pacer lead repair was at the end of October at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.  I felt the whole thing no matter how much medication they keep giving to me.  It was terrible and painful as they had scarred in place already.  My cardiologist promises that he is going to sedate me and I wont "feel a thing", I guess well see.  Thank you for the good thoughts I will take them with me....

Good luck Els with your procedure, i'll keep you in my prayers. And YES!! i'm feeling better today. I'm still having a little problem but every day gets better. I've been up 5 hrs and i'm getting tired, but i wanted to wish you well. I beleive you will do fine. God, family and friends are here for you, and i hope you let us know how you are soon, we will worry until we hear from you. TRIPPLE - HUGS DELTA

els said...
My cardiologist didn't find anything "remarkable" with my angiogram yesterday except for my septal defect the VSD.  So he is saying that my chest pain and shortness of breath is caused by my MSA as these are possible with the disease.  I am rather disappointed as I kind of hoping he would find something and be able to fix it, now I know I have to just live with it and it is sort of a daunting thought for me.

Hey youngin :) I am so glad to hear all went well, but am sad to know that you will "just have to live with chest pain and SOB." This could change, you know. Medical miracles come along due to research, and you could very well get relief. I am so amazed at what they can now do to repair the heart and arteries.

I will have to read about your septal defect (VSD), and the MSA. You described it once but I know I couldn't find it. I received soo much of the amnesia drug, during the 2 caths I had in 5 days; my memory is shot, lol. It's funny that I totally remember the procedures but have forgot many things that occurred around that time, at home and all. I hope that it is only temporary.

I can really relate with you on eternal chest pain and maybe not so much SOB, but fatigue. I started having angina about a day and a half ago, even though I take timed released nitroglycerin every night. I don't know what is causing it. I have googled the entire net on possible causes, after the rotoblation and stent procedure. The acorn shaped, diamond tipped cutter/apparatus came apart and had to be retrieved while being in the beginning of my Lad. They tend to be aggressive in trying to retrieve any parts that break or become separated and lodge somewhere in the artery. The only other option is to do bypass surgery to retrieve the foreign object. Some are actually left inside! They cause trouble soon after the procedure....

I know that I may sound pessimistic, but whatever is happening to me, is troublesome. I am so tired of hospitals and coronary artery disease (CAD)! I know that I am not alone in feeling that way. I'll bet Delta feels this way too :)

I slept most all of yesterday and all night. I stopped the Vytorin. I didn't take it last night. I'm sure it is hurting me, and if I were to continue taking it, I would be in the hospital. I have been told by several doctors that the reason you stop any statin that causes "unexplained muscle pain", is that the muscle it affects can be the heart. I have never had angina from taking statins before. This is a new one for me to try, and it might be the source of my angina and bad flu like symptoms, or total fatigue. I surely hope so, because it will all go away.

I could have a blood clot. A tool could have been left inside of me. Something is causing my heart muscle to not receive enough blood. WHEW, I have been reading the net too much, haven't I?

I requested my medical records from UAB, through my home town cardiologist last week. They should be here by now. My doc only had a very short explanation of the procedure done at UAB. I also read that UAB has a very low rating, when compared to other hospitals, in the area of mortality after a stenting procedure. I hope it is because they are a teaching university.

What is your EF (ejection fraction)? This can tell you how badly the septal defect is affecting the overall performance of your heart, as a pump. I will read up on VSD :) Where is Erskine when you need him? Lol....

Sorry to be so long and drawn out. I hope you are feeling the very best you can and congrats on another successful cath and repair :)

If you get the time would you read the info at the below link? I think it would interest you....

Rj

http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan01/coverheart.html

Elisha, thanks for the kind words and compliment :) There are too many possibilities for me to wrap my mind around!!! I think that I warp my mind around it, lol. I just know when to throw in the towel and go for a cath :(, or up to this point, I have known when to. It has been a very simple decision to make. I entered the ER 2 times within 5 months and later received 2 stents, each time. I see myself as very fortunate. The unfortunate ones are the folks walking around with time bombs ticking in their chest. They do not recognize angina, and what this angina is warning them of. So, about 40% of people that have their first heart attack die. Many die during a second heart attack. I read that 60% of the people that die of heart attacks have one thing in common; it was their second. Bummer! (My percentages, I am sure, can be argued...The data may be old,)

Yes Youngin, your cath will have a left ventricular EF (LVEF) calculated in the cath report, by computer software and the cardio, unless they did a right side heart catheterization. Did they go through the femoral artery in your leg?

If catheters are introduced through the femoral or groin artery, the procedure is known as "left heart" catheterization, because the catheter goes from the femoral artery to the aorta, coronary arteries, and the Left Ventricle (LV). This accounts for the majority of procedures. Left heart cath can also be performed by using the artery in the arm.

If a catheter is also placed in the right femoral vein to measure pressures within the right side of the heart, the procedure is called "right heart" catheterization. This is used in patients with congenital heart disease, diseases of the heart valve, or certain conditions involving the pericardium, or sac, of the heart. This may also be used in certain diseases of the heart muscle, heart failure, shock, or when measurements of heart output or lung pressures are needed. Right and left heart catheterization is a combination of both. (Hey I looked this up, lol)

You also need to have an echocardiogram periodically don't you think? They also calculate your EF.

Wow, that would be a wonderful thesis paper theme or topic....I have seen the need for this integration or change in approaches, first hand :) Later....

Rj

 

Hope you're feeling better elisha :)

Elisha, Here are my signs/symptoms to be reported:

1)Chest pain

2) If you notice numbness or tingling in the involved leg; swelling, pain, bleeding, or drainage at the site.

3) Fever greater than 100.5 degrees

Good morning and I am glad to hear that you are feeling better :)

My first cath really caused my leg to hurt. This is not your first though, right? I don't know what caused it, but I went to the cardio and they done an ultrasound or echo on my leg, to check for a blood clot. Nuttin there, lol.

I have found that even while in the hospital, and after being told that I could walk, I did...as much as I could. The same when I got home. I also try to promote good blood flow in the affected leg. When you are upright your blood tends to pool in your feet and legs. Your heart has to overcome the force of gravity (breaking news here, eh?) to get blood to come back to the heart for replenishment of O2 through the lungs. If you are a tad old, he he he, or have heart disease, you need to elevate your legs a few times a day to allow all this pooling blood to get back to the heart easily (taking advantage of gravity again, lol).

You may should be careful though about where you put your legs! I really don't know how it would affect your heart. At least you can lay down...Don't travel for long periods in a car. If you do, move your legs around. Pull over and walk a bit. This will help prevent blood clots in your leg(s). Same for traveling on an airplane...

Keep the Tylenol handy and take aspirin when you can (alternate of course....I think. I can't take aspirin so I have forgotten). You should be taking an aspirin a day. It's anti-inflammatory and an anti-platelet.

If the pain gets worse, or if you notice a change in the color of your leg (red to pale to blue, or any combination of, lol) SEE you doctor immediately.

Now, GET WELL :)

Rj

Howdy again :)

Hey and I don't want to hear of a blood clot now.....I have heard that they are painful. Let's cross our fingers (hope and pray) that it is not a clot. Did you get a nasty shot of lovonox or heparin in your tummy, after the procedure? My blood still won't coagulate like it should. I cut myself shaving while ago and almost had to dial 911, lol.

New clothes and shopping is the best medicine for a lady, no doubt. Myself, I don't know what I need. Oh yeah, some ENERGY! Ha ha ha.

I have had 2 angio seals if I recall correctly. I can't remember how they felt though. I have never had a problem with pain at the site, until I got 2 caths in 4 days. It was a bit tender.

Take much care :)

Rj

Ha ha ha!!!! You can't convince me that you are sick, NOW :) That was great comedy!

I planned to tell you earlier that you need a big ole juicy, rare or medium rare sirloin steak!!!! You could eat beef liver.....Blah.....Also eat cheese and drink milk!

I will have a look see at prothrombin....I have heard of that before...

Well, still waiting on your test results. Oh yeah, is your pacemaker bringing your heart rate and blood pressure up?

Rj

Hey, great news on the ct scan :)

It doesn't sound just right for your docs to be wanting you to take salt and caffeine to increase your BP! But I hain't no doc, so I don't know. Maybe they are looking at some of your blood tests that show a low sodium chloride level. Salt or sodium chloride is a no-no for myself and many others. It causes me to retain water, which can increase some people's BP. When the concentration of salt begins to rise in our blood, the excess is absorbed into the cells of our tissue. The kidneys have already done their best to lower the salt, but can't for whatever reason. The cells in our tissue start to burn so they scream for water to stop the burning. Lo and behold, water is drawn from our blood and retained in those cells which causes edema. So, I know salt can be used in an emergency type situation to increase BP, but it seems a crude way to do it on a continuous basis. Shux, they could give you an amphetamine to increase your heart rate. Why use coffee?

Don't take my doctoring advice or science too seriously :)

Rj