Angioplasty surgery / stenting..

[realzed]

Anyone have any good stories to tell me about getting stents and how much (if any) they were either a waste of time or brought about improvement(s) in your life..
As if severe osteoarthritis problems wasn't enough to grow old dealing with - I'm guessing now from some latest tests done today that some of this 'black magic' is also on my horizon in the next couple of weeks..
I need some encouraging stories to help me pass the time until then! 
Thx.. Randy

[rusticretreater]

My dad had a cardiac event and managed to survive it.   We found him passed out in a chair.  If he had fallen to the floor, the doctor said it might have been over.  He had surgery and a stent inserted.  He went on to live another 15 years.

[Chuck White]

I had an angioplasty performed back in March 1995, but back then stents weren't an automatic thing, I was prescribed meds and went home!

In August 2005 during my school bus driver physical it was discovered that I have Atrial Fibrillation (AFIB), I went to the hospital for a couple of days as a safety measure and was prescribed more meds and went home.

Over the years, some of the meds have been changed, but I still live with the AFIB and take my daily meds!

[mike_belben]

An encouraging story i can offer is that after a month or two of making major dietary changes for the purpose of reducing inflammation, i looked down on the ground at a glinty sparkle beneath a truck id been working under.  At first i thought it was a keyring, and which kid was i gonna chew out for messing with my critical sacred key collectionthat is off limits unless i send them for one.

  I picked it up and it was my wedding band, which has always been snug enough to have never come close to clearing my knuckle to fall off.

Thats how much my fingers shrunk in just a month or so of getting off this poisonous industrial diet i spent my life on.  Ive had pain in nearly every joint since my early 30s, have spinal stenosis, a fusion, degenerative discs etc.  Most of it has improved save for elbows and wrists.  If i eat mayo or salad dressing my knees will swell back up and ache within hours from the excessive omega 6 fatty acid in vegetable oils. Every time.

My blood pressure and heart rate were always great.  My heartrate was typically 55 to 59.. Now its like 50 to 52 and pressure came down even more.  

There was an initial hurdle and week of misery. It took some time but i dont crave the old junk any more and do crave the good stuff i have switched to. My face looks younger and i feel a bit younger. I wasnt a fat guy so its not really a weight loss thing for me but my belt had to be tightened. I havent weighed myself.


My point is between arthritis and heart problems i already know your diet is a major problem. If you go on an anti-inflammatory diet you can eat as much as you want and still be getting better rapidly without being a slave to the side effects of bottled cures and follow up visits that pharma has devolved our system to for their quarterly earnings statements.  I pile it on and eat til im happy without paying the man for "anti-inflammatory" pills that DESTROY your mucosal gut lining and microbiome, which causes all this collateral damage.  

Long term NSAIDs to control the inflammation caused by seed oils is a double whammy.  Its causitive.  Quit one and you can quit both.  If i wanna pop a naproxen now i go eat a pile of high fiber fruit and glass of water.

[Magicman]

I have several friends who have had various stent procedures that were literally life saving.  Medical technology is saving lives every day.  My wife, PatD's, "TAVR" last year is a new aortic valve within a stent.

[realzed]

I never had heart issues (aside from my wife occasionally telling me during a bad day, she didn't consider, I had one  ) that I ever was told to be aware of, but over the last 10 months I have found my recently again operated and 'new to me' revised 'TKR knee'/leg has been constantly swollen badly to the point where I now have to wear compression stockings and prescribed diuretics.
Next, in the past few months I found I barely stroll a couple hundred yards without arm and shoulder pain and shortness of breath and feeling like 'someone is parked on my chest'.
After a couple of days of fairly severe chest heaviness and arm/shoulder pain, I a month back dropped by the local ER and they thought my symptoms were sufficiently serious to keep me there for 14 hours until I was sent home with a Rapid Access Pain Clinic app't in hand which just happened yesterday..  
That brought me a half day of nuclear imaging sessions and a non-treadmill medically-induced 'stress test' which I know from the feel as well as the expressions of the nurses and doctors at hand, that I failed quite decidedly.
I assume when you're told in an in-hospital cardio clinic after testing "if you don't feel well - you should consider going downstairs to the ER - and not drive home"..  as idiotic as it sounds - it isn't very good or encouraging news either.. I chose stupidly to drive anyway..
Regardless, I'm booked to see a cardio surgeon for factual results early next week, and not expectant of any good conversation or news.
Never as I said, had heart issues previously - always been told despite everything else seemingly going off the rails, that my heart muscle was strong and healthy even up until just recently - but now this..
Thinking now, that my leg swelling symptoms were a precursor / warning that my blood supply and/or flow was over the last year getting compromised and no one took note of that being a possibility or cause..
I'm pretty fed up (as is my wife understandably - I get a lot of eye rolls :) with all of the medical drama by now - but here we go again it seems. It's a treadmill I certainly wish I could get off of..
Thanks for some of the tales and suggestions so far!
I wish Mike, I didn't have so many natural food/fruit allergies - since many of the suggestions for diet alteration sound like they have a lot of validity, but I know I couldn't handle much of what you suggest without incurring other problems from doing so!
Thx - Randy

[NE Woodburner]

My FIL had stents put in over 20 years ago after a heart attack. He had a couple put in the worst blockages right after being taken to the hospital with a heart attack. Once he was stabilized they did a couple more that were not blocked as bad.
He is in his mid-80's now and although he has slowed down some and has some back and joint issues, he has not had heart issues since the stents went in.

[hacknchop]

First off I grew up in the Flour Mill but now live 3 hrs west of Sudbury but I ended up in the hospital in Sudbury 20 yrs ago and I have nothing but good to say about the care I received there and in particular a certain Dr Syan.

[realzed]

Interestingly enough Hack - he is exactly the guy I am scheduled to see on Wednesday!
Don't specifically know what he will be addressing with me then - but it is great to hear that you had good success under and with his treatment and I hope I can mimic that !
Thanks..

[hacknchop]

He is the real deal told me he would have me leading a fairly normal life within 5 yrs using nothing but medication if it didn't work he said he could do it surgically now I pass the tread mill stress test and last yr a different cardiologist in the SAULT made me have an angiogram claiming that he wanted to make sure I wasn't missing symptoms the angiogram revealed exactly what Dr Syan said would happen the arterial blockages are still present but my body has manage to increase the surrounding veins to somehow get bigger and handle the blood flow which is now in the high 90 percentages.You will do well to be a patient Patient in that it is not unusual to spend hours and hours waiting for him in the waiting room.

[mike_belben]

i understand randy.  dont give up hope, spend your time reading stories of what other people have done with your conditions and gotten better. theres always someone else with the same ailment, youre never the only one.  my wifes "incurable" autoimmune disease has her depressed and me saying no, were gonna get you better. if other people got better you can get better.  i spend the rainy days inside digging and sifting info to get my family healthy and it has turned up a whole lot of hope.  not losing hope is step 1. 

[realzed]

Mike - you certainly are her best advocate and are most certainly a very diligent one at that.. she is fortunate..

[realzed]

You will do well to be a patient Patient in that it is not unusual to spend hours and hours waiting for him in the waiting room.

Oh Boy - I can hardly wait for the possible waiting...  ;D  
Guess it would be a small price to pay if I get answers and good ones at that.. 
I automatically assumed that the only way out of what may be troubling me would be surgery - but I guess there is some alternatives.
Did he give you a choice - surgery verses medications?
I have heard and talked to people in the past (before this all came up in my own case) that said how much more energy they immediately recovered after undergoing surgery - and given a choice - if it cured some of my leg issues as a byproduct, that is why I would probably opt for that - but before I go off on a tangent, it certainly would be better to see what he and his 'team' found out from yesterday's visit with me..

[doc henderson]

lack of this technology and understanding of diabetes and hypertension is why people used to die in their 40s among other things.  If you are to the point of having a big blockage in a tiny coronary artery, and it clots off, a stent is lifesaving.  you can die suddenly from an arrhythmia, or slowly if the muscle is damaged from blood supply deficit. called and acute MI.  If it is nearly blocked and you have CP with exertion (supply and demand) then the stent gets rid of the CP and protects the heart muscle and that is called angina. coronary issues are from a lifetime of habits, and some genetic traits.  good habits help, but some people are screwed genetically.  If the muscle is damaged, you get congestive heart failure from the loss of muscle.  It can damage the electrical system, and you may get a-fib or need a pacemaker.  If a person has issues at age 90.  what other things like a machine, or article of clothing is good as new after that amount of time.  Older folks suffer when they have one big problem, but other systems are holding on by a thread, and it all falls apart like a house of cards.  If you need a stent, I recommend you get it.  I have participated in thousands over the years, and I expect it will make you feel better, and live longer.  good luck.

[doc henderson]

finding something on a non-invasive test, just pushes you to the next test.  the STEMI goes straight to cath.  if you are found to have coronary disease, many cardiologists can also put dye into the peripheral (arms, legs) arteries to check those arteries (if it fits the symptoms).  good luck.  I consider a heart cath. to be a procedure, not a surgery, but not important to you.    If it is really bad, or over a long length of the artery, that is when you would need an open-heart surgery like a bypass.  

[hacknchop]

The reason for not going with stents for me came down to 3 main reasons, 1) my blockages were around 40 percent and only caused angina when I exerted myself,
2) consisted of 3 blockages in 2 arteries and are iffy as far as having room for stint as opposed to perhaps having to take a chunk of artery out of my leg, 3) i was in my 40's and DR Syan explained that by controlling my blood sugars and eating less fatty foods (I love poutine) along with the meds he put me on, my body might respond favorably your case may be different. As Mike said keep doing your best to help your body and your chances of getting better go up.We will keep you in our thoughts and look forward to you getting better.

[realzed]

Hack - your (and everyone else's) comments and wishes are very much appreciated - as is some of the medical information.
I'm sort of looking forward to my Wed, visit - if for no other reason than to try and gather as much info as I can, as this is getting worse by the week now and something needs to get done before it gets to the point where it may be too late to easily (if that is possible) repair whatever issues are present right now..
Thanks again everyone!! 

[doctorb]

Realize that while angioplasty (stent) procedures are common and generally well tolerated, your cardiac angiogram dictates if you are a candidate for stenting, or a more aggressive open coronary bypass would be necessary.  Stenting has supplanted many bypass procedures, but, in some patients, the vessel disease is too extensive to stent.  Your leg swelling and chest symptoms are a sign something cardiac is stressed and needs help.  I wish you the best.  Keep us informed.

[firefighter ontheside]

My mom worked for 20 years in a cardiac cath lab.  I remember her telling about folks who would have died had they not had their cath and or stent.  She made friends of pts. and kept in touch with them.  My mom was just a tech, but they felt like everyone in that lab had saved their life.

[realzed]

  Your leg swelling and chest symptoms are a sign something cardiac is stressed and needs help.  I wish you the best.  Keep us informed.

I too feel and sense this is all related and my hope is that possibly one procedure will help set me off in a direction that results in a situation that may clear up a few issues in one shot.. at least that would be ideal!
Thanks..

[mike_belben]

One procedure that can improve everyones life, is eliminating sugar.  No one is allergic to water but everyone suffers something from sugar whether it gets a label or they just take it quietly to the grave of 'natural causes.'  

Drink more water and consume less sugar. Put the pepsi down. Skip the brownies and back off the vegetable oils and soy and high fructose corn oil.

Atherosclerosis is associated with chronic inflammation (like your knee) and excess glucose in the system which is all a package deal with obesity, hypertension, diabetes, insulin resistance and perhaps leptin resistance.

Tons of things can cause inflammation.  Omega 6 fatty acid is highly inflammatory and is in just about everything you didnt catch yourself. The immune system trying to rid the body of tissues built from proteins that were erroneously built from non-nutrative imposter amino acids like canavanine and azetidine 2 carboxylic acid will cause inflammation.  You said you had food allergies, well look close into those.  They are in legumes like soy and peanuts and sugar beets, the latter which are where cheap sucrose sweetners come from.  Soy and beet pulp are cattle feed so thats in your cheap drive thru burger.

These amino acids are toxins for defense of the plant, that our bodies mistake for other amino acids and build faulty proteins to create tissues out of.  Our immune system then finds that improper colon wall or joint or hair follicle built with an imposter protein and tries to eradicate it. Result is Inflammation and disease.  

We are all headed for one form or another thanks to all this soda and candy and corn syrup.  Gatorade and fruit loops are pretty much lethal.  

The information is at your fingertips and the choice to improve your chances is waiting patiently for you. Its never too late to make a change.

[sawmilllawyer]

Hey Realized,
In July of 2017 I went in for a Stent and during the procedure and after the Cardio Doc had inserted the Sleeve in my femoral artery to place the stent I was informed it would not work because I had four different blockages, they would not let me leave the hospital and scheduled open heart surgery the next morning, I met the surgen that afternoon, He performed a quadruple by pass the next day, I remained in the hospital from Thursday until the following Tuesday evening.  The first thing they had me do was walk with a walker so many steps each day. After a day or so and with the help of my wife  I walked at least twice as many steps. The whole open heart surgery, started with a cardiac event on a sunday evening. My advice is go and get medical attention they can save your life, literally.

[realzed]

 My mom was just a tech, but they felt like everyone in that lab had saved their life.

When I was leaving the clinic on Thursday and doing so well - at least I thought, I was stopped by a different nurse who hadn't been dealing with me who asked me to stop and sit down so she could take my BP a couple of times.
She said "I don't like the way you look right now and I don't feel you should be waking out of here like this - so sit down and let me take your BP and rest up a bit"..
So she parked me for a while and I realized then that I was still breathing shallowly and fast and very cold, yet sweating.. although dressed warmly already for -25F outside.
She mentioned she had followed me watching my gait and mannerisms and said she was "worried and concerned that I shouldn't be trying to  leaving on my own in that condition".
I headed home after talking with her for a while seated in the hallway - and was on a mission to get home (only 10 mins away) and into my warm bed and catch some sleep ASAP, which I did for 4 hours..
Nice to note some do actually care enough to take the time though..

[mike_belben]

That is a nice thing to hear in a world thats grown increasingly more concerned with the billing than the correct diagnosis. 11 years ive watched my wife billed and shuffled before anyone put the time in to get it right. What a difference that time could have made for us.

 I hope that nurse who stopped you has a long career.  She will make a lot of differences by caring. 

[kantuckid]

Lucky me.
I had 3 stents (I think mine are stainless steel, coated type) after a Christmas Eve heart attack in 2004. The stents date should give you enough info to know they work?
Mine were actually inserted the next year- after the doc returned from his holiday Caribbean trip. By then, I was long stabilized from "the heart attack event", having read several books and making friends with all the nurses on every shift the stents were a welcome thing. The stent insertion catheter removal was not so welcome, as it were, read below...
 Two nurses (one that I knew her Dad who was a MLB pitcher) came into my room saying they were there to remove my catheter as used for the stent insertion into my groin artery. Prior to beginning one says to the other- " have you done one this size before"? The other says, "no", the doctors always do the larger ones and this ones 10mm". But they had their orders, I guess. 
They proceed to remove that stent and my urinary catheter too. I'm then told I can now urinate on my own. Woo hoo! and I soon get out of bed for the 1st time in many days to take a leak, what with my IV stand along and off I go and do my duty. As I turn around to head back for the bed, my stent wound suddenly bleeds out, I hit the floor hard and am moved into my bed. 
At that point as I recover consciousness and I have a nurse straddling me, applying direct pressure to the wound and am being given given blood. Eventually it all gets under control.
Next day, a surgeon who specializes in what I recall to be "micro surgeries" comes in to sew my artery back together. ( I remember at the office appt for the artery wound to get checked out asking that doc if I'd ever gain back feeling in that area of my groin again? He said anytime we cut, chances are that nerves will be cut and no longer function does exist. FWIW, that area remains numb to this day-it's about the size of your hand on the inside of my rt thigh.
That 2nd "bleed out/pass out event" resulted in the hospital charging me zero for the entire process of being there, services rendered, etc..
Otherwise, I'm back to normal life since that artery healed. I had no heart muscle damage so yes, stents work and I am a lucky guy!
I recently switched heart docs from the one who did my stent job back in Jan 2005. I'll not get into all the reasons I fired the old guy, but suffice to say the new cardiologist is far more proactive in my care!- it was a good decision.
Like any caregiver/service provider situ, they are not all the same!
My understanding is that stents are often inserted differently now than the groin?