SS: Heart Trouble

[Jcranmer]

Welp, after putting my doc off for over a year, I finally decided to take her advice and take a cardilite (SP?) stress test. Basically it's getting injected with a radioactive tracer both at rest and after running on a treadmill for about 6 mins, and letting them take pics of the blood flow through the heart.

The test wasn't too bad, other then the panic attack I had AFTER they started the IV. (yes I am a wuss, and nearly passed out!)

I just got the results back today, and it looks like I have a blockage in a major artery, the next test they want to do is a heart cath. To put it mildly I am scared crapless about doing this. (yes I am a wuss, see above) I don't like the idea of someone running a cath. from my groin all the way to the inside of my heart. (While I am awake)

At the moment, I am considering taking my chances and just dealing with it, even though my doc seems to think I am going to have a heart attack if they don't get this fixed soon. (I have a family history)

I'm not looking for medical advice, I just needed to vent. I have so much wrong with me at this point, I am not sure I am even going to see next year. (I am only 33 going on 34 next month) :disa:

Life sucks (At least mine does)

James

[brainsmile]

How careful are you about diet and exercise?

[oblongmelon]

Welp, after putting my doc off for over a year, I finally decided to take her advice and take a cardilite (SP?) stress test. Basically it's getting injected with a radioactive tracer both at rest and after running on a treadmill for about 6 mins, and letting them take pics of the blood flow through the heart.

The test wasn't too bad, other then the panic attack I had AFTER they started the IV. (yes I am a wuss, and nearly passed out!)

I just got the results back today, and it looks like I have a blockage in a major artery, the next test they want to do is a heart cath. To put it mildly I am scared crapless about doing this. (yes I am a wuss, see above) I don't like the idea of someone running a cath. from my groin all the way to the inside of my heart. (While I am awake)

At the moment, I am considering taking my chances and just dealing with it, even though my doc seems to think I am going to have a heart attack if they don't get this fixed soon. (I have a family history)

I'm not looking for medical advice, I just needed to vent. I have so much wrong with me at this point, I am not sure I am even going to see next year. (I am only 33 going on 34 next month) :disa:

Life sucks (At least mine does)

James
Uh..did someone tell you you're actually going to be awake for the heart cath? I wouldn't want to have THAT doctor..always get a second opinion and really take a moment or two to check out which doctor in your area (or nearbye) is really the best cardiac specialist..and by all means-get the dang procedure done.

[Jcranmer]

How careful are you about diet and exercise? Not at all. :( Don't get me wrong I am well aware this is all my own fault, like I said I just needed to vent. I already have so much wrong that I just feel like I can't take much more.



Uh..did someone tell you you're actually going to be awake for the heart cath?
Actually no one told me that, but my Mom has went through 4 or 5 of them and she has always been awake. She has also had 3 heart attacks and a quad bypass in the last 10 years.

[nickel]

Jcranmer: do what your doctor says and then you gotta change your lifestyle. 34 y/o is waaaaaaaaay too young to throw in the towel.

the way you feel after a good work out is comparable to the feeling after sex! how is that for a motivator? ;)

[Emqtee]

Like Nickel said, listen to your doctor!!!! Get it taken care of right away. If you just blow it off and wait things could get even worse.

It is definately a scary situation for you. I know it is hard, but just think positively. Many people have this procedure done and live full and happy lives.

[Kim]

Get this taken care of! Please, don't mess around, life is too short, and you are way too young to give up.

[Jcranmer]

Jcranmer: do what your doctor says and then you gotta change your lifestyle. 34 y/o is waaaaaaaaay too young to throw in the towel.

the way you feel after a good work out is comparable to the feeling after sex! how is that for a motivator? ;) Nickel, I wish I actually felt that way, but you well know all of my issues, and it's just hard for me to even think about anything else. :(

Thanks to everyone else as well as Nickel, I am sure I will deal with it one of these days, I just don't know why I am such a chicken. You would think after being an insulin dependent diabetic for 20 + years I would be ok with this stuff, but I just can't get over the thought of it. I put off the stress test for over a year just because I was such a wuss about getting an IV started. :disa:

[ufcrusher]

Out of everyone here I can probably relate the most to your putting it off as I am a major needle phobe. My doctors generally prescribe valium before I have any injections/draws done and it helps a bit. Truthfully even with the valium I am still deathly afraid and it takes them a while to give me the damn shot, but as everyone has said, its your life and there is NOTHING more important than it. I would never put off a potentially life saving procedure just because of my phobia.

In fact, I can say that the only thing I have avoided like the plague have been draws and getting a genetic test done that needs to be done. I have even gone ahead and gotten stuck for dental work multiple times recently. Yes its horrible and all those people who claim its less painful than a bee sting are a bunch of liars. Most people are incapable of understanding what its like to have the level of anxiety/fear and pain that the needles create. Generally I pass out whenever I get a needle. My blood pressure goes straight through the roof and it takes a lot to even get me to sit/lay down when I know they are trying to stick me.

Just tell your MD how bad the phobia is, ask about sedation (barbitutes or valium) before they even come near you, and ask for the best filbotomist and see if they can use a peds needle. (Smaller so less painful)

[cheapie]

why are needles scary? just the potential pain, worried about the needle breaking, just don't like having something stuck in you?

[Kevster]

By all means, get this procedure done! I lost a friend and co-worker when he had a massive heart attack at age 40. He didn't take care of himself at all and was supposed to get a procedure done and he kept putting it off.

Like Obby said, get a second opinion on the procedure, but don't sit on this! The earlier you get this taken care of, the better your long-term prognosis will be - you don't need an early heart attack that may damage your heart muscle and set you up for later problems.

[nickel]

it's unanimous - go get the test done. be a man about the needles. WHO LIKES NEEDLES? i hate the suckas, too, but if it were me i'd bite the bullet and do what i needed to do.
let's put it this way....there are TONS of people who go through a lot more painful medical procedures than what you need to have, and they survive.
also, 9 out of 10 times things are not as bad as you think they are going to be. even if you wanna make that 5 out 10 times, the odds are still pretty good.

NOW DO IT!

[Jcranmer]

Out of everyone here I can probably relate the most to your putting it off as I am a major needle phobe. My doctors generally prescribe valium before I have any injections/draws done and it helps a bit. Truthfully even with the valium I am still deathly afraid and it takes them a while to give me the damn shot, but as everyone has said, its your life and there is NOTHING more important than it. I would never put off a potentially life saving procedure just because of my phobia.

In fact, I can say that the only thing I have avoided like the plague have been draws and getting a genetic test done that needs to be done. I have even gone ahead and gotten stuck for dental work multiple times recently. Yes its horrible and all those people who claim its less painful than a bee sting are a bunch of liars. Most people are incapable of understanding what its like to have the level of anxiety/fear and pain that the needles create. Generally I pass out whenever I get a needle. My blood pressure goes straight through the roof and it takes a lot to even get me to sit/lay down when I know they are trying to stick me.

Just tell your MD how bad the phobia is, ask about sedation (barbitutes or valium) before they even come near you, and ask for the best filbotomist and see if they can use a peds needle. (Smaller so less painful)
Yeah it sounds like we are a lot alike when it comes to needles. I had a CT scan last year and they had to give me valium for it, because I was so freaked out by the thought of an IV. I have tiny viens that tend to roll or collapse when stuck, so it look 5 different people like 10 trys to get that one started, NOT FUN, even with the drugs They didn't think it would be a good idea for the stress test though, since it would slow my heart rate below normal, and the fact that they didn't want me a little "loopy" while running on a treadmill. btw: When they do blood work for my A1Cs they either use a butterly needle with the smallest gauge in a vein in the top of my hand, or they don't do it. :)

Cheapie, I honestly don't know what it is, sometimes IV sticks do REALLY hurt, but most of the time it's just a queezy feeling when they hit a vien, I can't really explain it. These are the ones that bug me, I give me self at least two subq (just under the skin) insulin injections each day and they don't bother me anymore. (Of course I have been doing them for like 20 years)

After thinking about this for the last couple of days, I think I might get it done, I just have to think about it a little bit more. The one think I WILL NOT do though is open heart surgery, my Mom had a quad bypass about 10 years ago, and there is no way I would put myself though that kind of pain. So if they can't treat this with a stint or meds, I am just going to have to be on my own.

[ufcrusher]

Why wouldnt you get the surgery if need be? Surgery is a non-issue....once they get the IV in they knock you out. You wake up however long later and are all better. (Better in theory at least) When you come out of it they always take care of you to make sure that there is no pain, so why would you not want surgery?

[Markel]

By all means, get this procedure done! ... don't sit on this! The earlier you get this taken care of, the better your long-term prognosis will be - you don't need an early heart attack that may damage your heart muscle and set you up for later problems.
:stupid:

[Jcranmer]

Why wouldnt you get the surgery if need be? Surgery is a non-issue....once they get the IV in they knock you out. You wake up however long later and are all better. (Better in theory at least) When you come out of it they always take care of you to make sure that there is no pain, so why would you not want surgery?
Because there is a LOT of pain and rehab that has to be done afterwards, I am not sure if you know much about how they do heart surgery but it involves (at least 10 years ago it did) actually cracking your breast bone in two and wiring the halves back together when they are done. :gle:

[ufcrusher]

Because there is a LOT of pain and rehab that has to be done afterwards, I am not sure if you know much about how they do heart surgery but it involves (at least 10 years ago it did) actually cracking your breast bone in two and wiring the halves back together when they are done. :gle:

Yes, they may have to crack your sternum, but as I said, they have pain medicines that will be given to you to insure your comfort after the fact. Depending on the procedure, they might even be taking blood vessels from your legs to bypass the clogged parts of your heart so you will have injuries to more than one area of your body, but that is a small price to pay to regain your health. I think you are more afraid of the idea than the actual procedure. Medicine has taken great leaps and bounds in the last decade.

[cheapie]

either they crack your chest now or when they're doing an autopsy later. :shrug: the former is MUCH better

[Jcranmer]

either they crack your chest now or when they're doing an autopsy later. :shrug: the former is MUCH better
But I won't feel that pain. :)

[cheapie]

cat will tho'.

[blueindian]

cat will tho'.

:stupid:

[nickel]

:stupid: :stupid:

and your Mom, too.

sometimes you have to look around and see who else your indecision is going to effect besides yourself.

[Jcranmer]

Either my mind is slipping or some of you must use other usernames on other boards, cause I didn't think that many people here, knew who Kat was. :cool:

Anyway, we checked into the details a little more yesterday and I have to say it really makes the decision even harder to deal with. If I was going to do this, I really wanted them to do the cath and if it looked like it was needed and would work to go ahead and place the stint at the same time. (Why go through pretty much the same thing twice) I find out that not only will that not be the way they will do it, but the guy that wants to do the cath, doesn't even do stints or any other surgery, so then I would have to go see someone else to take care of whatever they find. Then if they want to do a stint they would want to do it at Jewish Hospital over in Louisville. Granted this is supposed to be one of the best hospitals for heart surgery, but it's also the worst hospital I have ever been in as far as wait times and just a very unfriendly staff and nurses. The hospital I like (if one can truly like a hospital) is closer to me and is actually across the street from the cardio docs office.

[Houdini]

Because there is a LOT of pain and rehab that has to be done afterwards, I am not sure if you know much about how they do heart surgery but it involves (at least 10 years ago it did) actually cracking your breast bone in two and wiring the halves back together when they are done. :gle:

Depending on the location (which affected vessel), there are other surgical options now that may not require cracking the chest. In many cases, leg veins aren't even harvested anymore for bypass operations, as an artery in the chest (IMA) is more accessible and may last longer. Definitely pursue all options. Cardiac surgery isn't fun, but it's a lifesaver. Look at Clinton or Letterman as examples of recent elective bypass patients. Please don't give up right now.

[nickel]

Either my mind is slipping or some of you must use other usernames on other boards, cause I didn't think that many people here, knew who Kat was. :cool:

yeh... interesting...

[Jcranmer]

Just an update. I go in tomorrow for a cath and maybe a stint. Wish me luck. :)

[nickel]

GOOD LUCK! glad you made that decision.

[Jenny]

Yes, good luck! You'll be fine but you'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

[ufcrusher]

Good Luck...although its not luck, but skill that you need. So may your doctors be experts and skilled masters of the procedure!

Just remember....whenever an attorney goes in for surgery, we write NO on the areas that arent being operated on. Trial and error has shown that "NOT THIS ONE" can sometimes become "This One" from an accidential wipe. This way, there is no accidential screwup's in the operating room.

[caribiner23]

All the best to you, J. :thumb:

[OC]

You call yourself a wuss? I get lightheaded just reading about things like this.

Best of luck!

[Jcranmer]

Well I survived. It wasn't that bad, not great mind you, but not bad. I suspect I will be pretty sore in the morning when the local wears off. Can't wait to wash the benidine off, but I have to wait 24 hours first.

It's good news and bad news. The good news is that I am fine as far as blockages go, turns out there were none at all. Not bad since I have 4 out of the 5 risk factors. Family History, High BP, High Cholestoral, Diabetic. At least I am not a smoker. :)

The bad news is the stress test was a false positive, and since I have no blockages, we still have to find the reason for the shortness of breath and fast pulse rate.

[nickel]

glad it wasn't as bad as you thought. :)

[Jeffbx]

...we still have to find the reason for the shortness of breath and fast pulse rate.

Too much pr0n? :P

Glad to hear everything's OK with the 'ol ticker.