Interesting couple of days..

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stroked340

stroked340

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Went to hospital this past Tuesday my pirmary care doctor saw something in the EKG he gave me when i went in for my yearly physicle on the 16th,so i had and echo cardiogram turns out my heart is only pumping 25%-35% of what it should,so he admitted me and yesterday i had a heart catheterization they found one of my blood vessels was 80% blocked cleared it and put a stent in,my left side of the heart is damaged,but they say i should recover given the proper meds and diet now i'm on 4 different heart medications..man,thank God my primary took that EKG i'd might never had known til it was maybe too late,they said my recent bout with pneumonia made things worse...by the way happy newyear...........
 
Take care of yourself. Do what your doctor says. and Good luck.
 
Sounds like you had the perfect recipe for a "widow maker". Glad they caught it!
 
That is great news to start the new year. Thanks goodness the primary doc decided to do the test....
 
Damn, glad they found it before it was too late. Gotta keep your crabby *** around a bit longer! :cheers: LOL
 
Couple years ago at my annual physical I told my primary care guy that it was my opinion that I had to have some level of heart desease even though I was asymptomatic. We did a Stress EKG and I got a clean bill then but I believe most men over 55-60 have some level of arterial blockage. I make sure I am in there every birthday getting fasting blood panel and other things as mutually agreed on. We have developed a 15 year history of my numbers and can watch for changes.
Glad to hear it worked out for you! I have lost friends over that deal-------
Take care and best of luck!
DR:coffee2:
 
jeezus kriminy man - damn glad your Dr. caught this! I thought it seemed like you weren't around the last day or so.. just figured you were away doing the holidaze and not near a 'puter - you lay low and TAKE IT EASY (as if you need to be told THAT again right?) - Happy New Year 2U2 dood - lookin' forward to Lebanon Valley!!
 
Glad your doctor found that problem! Hope your feeling better soon:coffee2:

Dave,
 
"An interesting couple of days?!?!"

Yea I'd say so! Mike uncle also had a very similar surprise on a routine visit 2 weeks ago.

Take your mess and get better so you can stick around. I still have to poke you on the Tq vs. Holley issue! LMAO
 
Be thankful your doctor was in tune enough to keep checking things out.

I watched a video on Netflix or Amazon called The Widowmaker" and it had an interesting perspective on treatments and diagnostic approaches. The one main thing I got out of the documentary is the best non-invasive diagnostic tool to use for analysis of heart artery blockage is a Coronary Cardiac CT Scan. The scan results in a "cardiac calcium score" scoring atheroasclerotic plaque with a range of 0 to greater than 401.

0 - No identifiable plaque
1-10 - Minimal plaque burden
11-100 - Mild plaque burden
101 - 400 - Moderate plaque burden
Greater than 401 - Extensive plaque burden

Our local hospital had a screening for $99 and I had mine done in May 2015. It was easily done as you lay on a CT machine and hold your breath when directed so they can take the various scans. I understand they can inject a dye to give better contrast but I didn't have the injection. The score is broken down into the following:

Left Main
Left Anterior Descending (This is the Widowmaker Artery)
Circumflex
Right Coronary Artery

My scores for the above were 0, 121.83, 5.34 and 0. I am trying to manage my cholesterol even though some say there is no statistical correlation between high cholesterol and heart disease. The statin drugs do lower your numbers but there is no evidence they reduce first time heart attacks and some say they do more harm than good.

Has anyone else here had a coronary cardiac CT scan?
 
I had my visit with the cardiologist several years ago. I was experiencing shortness of breath. Went to my PCP and he made a referral to a cardiologist. In the meantime I went ahead with plans to attend Springfling.

While at Springfling I experienced the shortness of breath at a greater level. I was helping a former member setup his swap space when this was happening. I figured I was a little out of shape and played it off.

Several weeks later I made my appointment with a cardiologist. That afternoon I had a series of exams and tests. They sent me to the hospital cathlap where I ended up getting an angiogram.

They went through my wrist given that the recovery is a little easier. The doctor priced with the procedure and halfway through he stopped, went over to make a call while I laced there. He got off the phone, came over and proceeded to give me some options

I had one artery blocked at 90%, two at 70%. He gave me the option of bypass which they would do the next day or proceed with an angioplasy. I went with the later. Ended up staying overnight.

The next day my wife who's a nurse told me that while I was waiting to be regaled in to the procedure room I had two heart attacks. I didn't feel anything while laying there. Apparently blood was severely restricted. They figured that because I was laying down it prevented me from passing out. She also told me the artery that was 80% blocked was the widow maker. Someone had to be watching over me.

A year later symptoms reappeared. Again, I was at Springfling. Called the wife and we made a mad dash home. Went the ERnwhere my cardiologist had me admitted. The did another angioplasty the next day. The artery was on that was 70% a year earlier. The stent they put in is at a Juction of two arteries. Doctor told me I'll be on plavix the rest of my life. Also if the stent doesn't hold they have no choice but to go the bypass route.

So, my advice to those who are having symptoms, don't chance it like I did, get to an ER.
 
Dusterndart340 said:
Be thankful your doctor was in tune enough to keep checking things out.

I watched a video on Netflix or Amazon called The Widowmaker" and it had an interesting perspective on treatments and diagnostic approaches. The one main thing I got out of the documentary is the best non-invasive diagnostic tool to use for analysis of heart artery blockage is a Coronary Cardiac CT Scan. The scan results in a "cardiac calcium score" scoring atheroasclerotic plaque with a range of 0 to greater than 401.

0 - No identifiable plaque
1-10 - Minimal plaque burden
11-100 - Mild plaque burden
101 - 400 - Moderate plaque burden
Greater than 401 - Extensive plaque burden

Our local hospital had a screening for $99 and I had mine done in May 2015. It was easily done as you lay on a CT machine and hold your breath when directed so they can take the various scans. I understand they can inject a dye to give better contrast but I didn't have the injection. The score is broken down into the following:

Left Main
Left Anterior Descending (This is the Widowmaker Artery)
Circumflex
Right Coronary Artery

My scores for the above were 0, 121.83, 5.34 and 0. I am trying to manage my cholesterol even though some say there is no statistical correlation between high cholesterol and heart disease. The statin drugs do lower your numbers but there is no evidence they reduce first time heart attacks and some say they do more harm than good.

Has anyone else here had a coronary cardiac CT scan?
Click to expand...

yes with the dye of course a few days before thanksgiving. i was admited for chest pain observation. thought i was having a heart attack. i have no blockage at 99% or 0 blockage. probably measured different depending on state reg or hospital reg. had 3 stress tests and passes 100% on all of them. also had the little jelly thing looking for a blockage or artery something or other. im to exhausted at this moment to think of the names of them. lol

been having groin pains all day in the appendix area now. i can win i tell ya.

sure glad your doing better op and found this before it was over. take your diet serious and you will get better in time.
 
Glad they gottcha working better. I'm having weird symptoms for a couple different things. Docs are on it with testing....but it's a wait and see thing. I'll be seeing my cardiologist in a few days...again.
 
glad you guys are doing better! heart trouble is scary.

home remedy for cleaning out arteries... quickly drink a case of good beer. wait a minute... that only clears the kidneys!!!! never mind...
 
I know we have had our moments on here. I don't wish this on anyone. Glad they caught it. Hoping for a quick recovery.
 
Glad that they found it and got you treated.

Take care of yourself and get better...
 
dart4forte said:
I had my visit with the cardiologist several years ago. I was experiencing shortness of breath. Went to my PCP and he made a referral to a cardiologist. In the meantime I went ahead with plans to attend Springfling.

While at Springfling I experienced the shortness of breath at a greater level. I was helping a former member setup his swap space when this was happening. I figured I was a little out of shape and played it off.

Several weeks later I made my appointment with a cardiologist. That afternoon I had a series of exams and tests. They sent me to the hospital cathlap where I ended up getting an angiogram.

They went through my wrist given that the recovery is a little easier. The doctor priced with the procedure and halfway through he stopped, went over to make a call while I laced there. He got off the phone, came over and proceeded to give me some options

I had one artery blocked at 90%, two at 70%. He gave me the option of bypass which they would do the next day or proceed with an angioplasy. I went with the later. Ended up staying overnight.

The next day my wife who's a nurse told me that while I was waiting to be regaled in to the procedure room I had two heart attacks. I didn't feel anything while laying there. Apparently blood was severely restricted. They figured that because I was laying down it prevented me from passing out. She also told me the artery that was 80% blocked was the widow maker. Someone had to be watching over me.

A year later symptoms reappeared. Again, I was at Springfling. Called the wife and we made a mad dash home. Went the ERnwhere my cardiologist had me admitted. The did another angioplasty the next day. The artery was on that was 70% a year earlier. The stent they put in is at a Juction of two arteries. Doctor told me I'll be on plavix the rest of my life. Also if the stent doesn't hold they have no choice but to go the bypass route.

So, my advice to those who are having symptoms, don't chance it like I did, get to an ER.
Click to expand...

Oh my God....best of luck to you...
 
Get better Stroked340....your heart needs to be strong when the Pats lose:)....In all seriousness, I went through 3 Heart Attacks in 18 months about 25 years ago and know what you are going through....Follow the Dr's orders and all should be well.
 
Back in Time said:
Get better Stroked340....your heart needs to be strong when the Pats lose:)....In all seriousness, I went through 3 Heart Attacks in 18 months about 25 years ago and know what you are going through....Follow the Dr's orders and all should be well.
Click to expand...

Oh don't worry about that married to an R.N....
 
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