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Current Postings (28)
• to JBD
in Texas, blood in the urine is always a sign of a bladder infection
(or worse) and is NOT related to the catheterization or closure devices. Please
call your MD ASAP.
T.L., New York, USA, May 18, 2009
• Had femoral cath 2 days ago w/AngioSeal. Still
limp from pain in groin but seems to be abating. Only just began walking
this evening (any distance) but will stay conservative based on some
of the comments here. Was thinking that I was being a big baby when the
pain
was causing me to limp - my GP was thinking I'd be running in a day or
so. Think I will wait!
Mary L., New York, USA, May 16, 2009
• To all -- if you have had a procedure done via
the groin/femoral artery and have a suspicion of internal bleeding post-angiogram/angioplasty,
call your cardiologist ASAP. In a small percentage of cases, the arterial
access site doesn't heal and close up. Sometimes this bleeding goes backward
into
the retroperitoneal cavity and is difficult to diagnose in the recovery
room. It may be nothing, but better to be sure than not.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, May 16, 2009
• I had a cerebral angiogram done Friday 13 March
2009. Difficulties following this angiogram were minimal.
Friday - three
days ago - 8 May 2009 - a second angiogram was done using the same right
groin artery. This time I suffered right away with swelling at the back
of my tongue and throat tightening, extreme shortness of breath and greatest
difficulties trying to breathe, pain in the groin site and artery that
continues down the leg to the top of the knee, extreme eye and brain pain
immediately continuing through today, and severe back and kidney pain that
is worsening today. I also experienced a raised temperature of three and
a half degrees while in the recovery area Friday and have been chilling
and cannot get warm since. Temperature Saturday was four degrees higher
than normal and last night it was still two degrees higher. The arteries
on both sides of my neck and into my chest and abdomen are visibly swollen
and very sore. The left artery
is "stiff" feeling and there is much pain and soreness at the base of my spine/head
on the left side and on the right side the soreness in the artery continues through
into the brain. My left eye orbit is very swollen and sore with much pain from
the very moment the dye was injected to present. I have what to me feels like
'wet' lungs and difficulties in a odd type of a cough at times and wheezing with
burning lungs.The only thing I had before the angiogram Friday was good health
and a c-c fistula left side.At the hospital ONE nurse recognized these symptoms
and tried to get someone to help with them above her, but she was unsuccessful
with all of those who could have helped saying it is "just anxiety"! WRONG! why
would I be anxious? I was fine they just did not want to acknowledge that I was
in difficulties and it is their problem!I had the friend that took me for the
angiogram stop by on the way back at the primary care doctor. He saw and knew
I was in severe difficulties but told me to take the support supplements and
try to rest and keep him informed. Fine. He is gone for the weekend by the next
half hour. I have suffered greatly all Friday Saturday Sunday and continues today.
I know there is something very wrong connected to the angiogram. It seems with
the rash, fever, diarrhea and chilling with sore arteries and back pain with
all of it together and shortness of breath difficulties with such things that
it may be some form of vasculitis or something. I just do not want to do as the
reports from the various medical sites say with these symptoms and die from a
stupid procedure. I would rather die from the actual health concerns.
Please
if anyone can help with what this is and what I can do I really appreciate it.
And if I must try to obtain the medical "professionals" assistance What is it
that they WILL hear and how do I tell them what is happening so they are alarmed
and actually take me seriously?
The discharge instructions say if there is shortness
of breath and so forth well that was going on at the time and ignored so was
the pain and other difficulties they refused to acknowledge.
Thanks.
VL, Provo, Utah, USA, May 11, 2009
• I had a catheterization on March 30, 2009. For
the past three days have been having pain in the groin/abdomen area. I
am now bleeding with urination.
I do have frequent bladder infections, but this seems to be a lot more blood.
Could the angio seal be leaking and bleeding into my bladder?
JDB, Texas, USA, May 8, 2009
• I had a DES in Sept. 08 and a very short time
after I had pains in my chest and was puffing well on exertion. In Feb
this year I had another Angio procedure and although the blood was flowing
through the stent it appears an Aneurysm was also found. I went to the
Munich Heart Centre and asked advice (and they were excellent) and they
said they saw a lot of these aneurysms and mine was very low risk but
it needed monitoring. It is apparently caused by a reaction to the DES
or
to the drug which the stent elutes or to Plavix..more probably a combination
of the lot!! Interestingly he said the 'Angina' pain I was feeling was
not from my heart but from my Bowels...and after I took the advice of
changing the time in the day I took Plavix and did some detox treatment
and took
more exercise the pain in my chest has now gone and my breathing on exertion
is slowly improving. I was also told that the pain I would expect to
feel if something was wrong with my heart was as if a band was being tightened
across my chest....then head for the nearest emergency hospital!!My aneurysm
is being checked every once in a while but I am assured that the procedure
used to treat this (should it be necessary..if it gets bigger) has been
very successful. Another stent is inserted inside the first stent and
the
aneurysm disappears. (an aneurysm is caused when the stent does not imbed
itself into the artery wall properly...the drug which the stent elutes
which works to stop restenosis actually works against you).Apparently
the other treatment involves blocking off the artery with something similar
to a stent but not actually a stent and this is very high risk and I
was
advised not to have this done ever!Other things I should mention is that
I have a known sensitivity to some drugs and have a blood clotting problem(probably
genetic)and have a high cholesterol family problem.(also genetic).which
was unknown to me and probably caused the restenosis in the first place!!
Apart from being last in the queue for good genes I am happy and feel
good. I am 67...So exercise, eat properly, watch those bowels, take as
few pills
as you can get away with (I take Plavix and huge doses of Lipitor and
an aspirin a day) then forget your
heart...Hope his helps somebody!!
Rosemary P., Sussex, United Kingdom, May 8, 2009
• DW --
very sorry for your loss. This might have been what is known as a retroperitoneal
bleed, where bleeding happens at
the femoral site (could be due to a number of things) but the bleeding
happens interiorly, back into the abdominal cavity, and sometimes it is
not obvious to the eye. It's a serious complication and in some rare cases,
like
your relative's,
can lead to death. Dr.
John Coppola, in his interview with Angioplasty.Org,
discusses how this
led him (and others) to learn the radial approach where the wrist artery
is used. But there might be other reasons for the bleeding in your mother-in-law's
case -- strong anticoagulation is usually used during interventional
procedures -- these can cause bleeding as well.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, April 18, 2009
• I had a heart catheterization test which came out negative but a month
later I am having pain above the site area like pulling or needles and when moving,
walking faster, I feel like I need to press and hold it from moving. I had a
CT Scan to see if vein, etc. problems but it came out normal. What could this
me?
JT, Tennessee, USA, April 14, 2009
• My mother in law died recently from massive internal
bleeding following her stent procedure. She had the stent procedure done
on Friday early morning and was discharged Friday evening. Following
the procedure she vomited and her blood pressure dropped. Supposedly she
was
cleared for discharge though as her blood pressure remained stable for
several hours. Upon returning home she started to feel very nauseous
and have extreme back pain. When the doctor was called he said she was
fine.
At 1:00 AM she was rushed to the hospital due to difficulty breathing
and remaining in excruciating pain. Although they believed by Saturday
AM that
her bleeding had stopped too much damage had been done - kidney failure,
etc. She died Sunday evening. Does any of this make sense? There was
no bruising at the site so we do not believe the bleeding was caused by
that.
She had a history
of internal bleeding - does anyone have any info?
DW, New Jersey, USA, April 14, 2009
• Glen -- the bruising is known as a hematoma (very
common to postings on this Forum topic). It is caused by blood under
the skin. If it grows in size, definitely have it seen by the cardiologist.
Has
anyone at Mayo mentioned the transradial approach from the wrist??
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, March 27, 2009
• My husband had an angiogram done on 3/17/09 at
the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. They were not able to unblock the 100%
blocked artery, but will try again in a couple weeks. However,that night
after they turned him, he had a blow out & after much pressure put on it & blood
pressure & heart rate dropped they were able to get everything back to
normal. We came home the next day, but now one week later there is a 3
inch long, skinny hardening along the site of the artery, near the injection
site. Also the bruising is approx. the size of a football, which is probably
normal. Should we be concerned & get
this long lump checked out?
Glen M., Minnesota, USA, March 25, 2009
• I had a femoral angiogram done on 03/17/09 in
edmonton, alberta. I am 50 yrs old and suffer from angina, my family history
has almost everyone dying
of heart attacks, after my procedure the nurses had problems stopping the bleeding,
after extended time used in applying pressure the bleeding stopped, twice while
on bed rest I started to bleed again. The bruising around my injection site
has increased in size and I still have a lot of pain, plus I still have
a large hard
lump at the site.
Stuart Affleck, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, March 20, 2009
• I had a heart catheterization in March 2008.
My genitofemoral nerve has been damaged - the pain has been excruciating
for one year. It has caused all sorts of other problems, but that was the
original problem. Instead of using a closure device as I had had other
times, they did compressions - but on the surgical table instead of a bead
after you lay flat for 6-10 hours. The steel table hurt my back as well.
Is it possible that that nerve could have been damaged
- "nicked" as they say - since it is right beside that femoral nerve that they
go in? Please Help me try to find a way to get my life back.
Peggy Patterson, Olathe, Kansas, USA, March 12, 2009
• I had an angiogram on July 13 2008. I was told
that in 2 hours I should get up to use the bathroom and in 4 hours I could
go home. 3 hours after the procedure I got a pain in my thigh that was
so bad it made me vomit violently. I never even got out of the parking
lot before I was rushed back into the ER. The first doctor told me straight
to my face he thought I wanted pain meds. and there was nothing wrong,
but the pain persisted. I was finally taken back and they did a sonogram
and told me I had a blood clot in my leg in the same place they did the
angiogram. For three days I was given blood thinners, shots in my stomach,
pills, and IV. the pain was so bad after three days I was sure I was dead.
At last a surgeon did a cat scan and found that I didn't have a blood clot
but a hematoma the size of my fist. At first I was so glad to rid of the
pain that is just indescribable that I thought it was over, of course I
was wrong. When the feeling in my leg started to come back 4 months later
I found I had another problem the nerves in my leg must be jumbled. I still
have severe pain and cramps in my leg and its caused me to loose my job
and ins. for my family. By the way I'm was only 30 and have 2 children
under 6, I also am out of money and options. was told there is NOTHING
I could do about it.
Gary F., Louisiana, USA, February 27, 2009
• 1 week ago I had an angiogram the entry was made
in my upper arm. I have now a bruise from my armpit to my wrist. The bruising
continued for 5 days. I just wondered if it was normal for the bruise to
extend so far below the entry site? It covers almost 1/2 of my forearm.
Seems to be subsiding now but still
is slightly swelled and sore.
Perry, Smoke-N-Guns, Cottonwood, Arizona, USA, February 26, 2009
• I had a heart cath done on Dec. 13, 2008 with
a stent in my main back artery (85% blocked). Everything was going
well with the procedure until they put in my Angio Seal and I felt
a horrible pain that brought tears to my eyes. As I laid in my bed for
4
hours
afterwards,
the nurses told me I was ok to move around. The next day they released
me still having this pain. On the 2nd day after surgery I began
feeling a pain in my groin, a burning sensation along with numbness in
my
right leg. I returned to my doctor 2 days later with a bruise from my
belly button, around my right side and down my inter thigh past my knee.
The
pain and
burning was so bad I couldn't walk. The nurse looked at it and
told
me to go home and put a heating pad on it and elevate my leg for 72
hours. On Jan 19, 2009 the doctor finally had an ultrasound done and told
me
that I had a very large hemorrhage and scheduled me for surgery the
next day.
When I arrived for my surgery the surgeon did another ultrasound
and said he didn't see it and refused to do the surgery. The surgeon
told
me that
the pain might go away in 2-3 days or 2-3 months. But gave me nothing
for the pain. And because of all this I have lost my job because
I am
unable to work a full week. I am out of money and don't know where
else to turn
for help. The doctors and nurses have made me feel almost as if
it is all
in my head.
Donna, Gladstone, Missouri, USA, February 7, 2009
• I had my initial catheterization in July of 2007
and received a stent for the discovered blockage. In June of 2008, I experienced
chest pains again,
and underwent another cath procedure. The good news was, I had no additional
blockage and the stent was clear. The bad news, when my doctor was removing
the catheter, I vaguely remember jerking my leg and him telling me to stay
still.
It was more sore at the entry site than I remember the original incision being,
which I kind of expected, given my movement, but now, in February 2009, my
groin still feels tender. It actually feels more like a pulled groin tendon.
It doesn't
impair my movement at all, it just hurt a little bit. Should I be worried about
this enough to go get it looked at? Will the minor pain go away in time? Thanks
in advance for your answers! BTW, I think my cardiologist rocks. It wasn't
his fault that I moved when I shouldn't have!
Jackie Hudson, Boulder, Colorado, USA, February 4, 2009
• Sounds like a hematoma. It's a bleeding complication
from the femoral puncture. It may be minor and go away. If the bruise gets
larger
or the pain continues, call your cardiologist.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, February 4, 2009
• I had an angiogram in the groin and about 6 hours
later upon rising, felt
a "pop" in the groin followed by intense pain. I went to the ER and had an ultrasound
to check for a pseudoaneurysm. Nothing was found. Six days later, I found black/purple
bruising around site and down 6 inches on the thigh. Now, my groin still hurts
and feels like I have packing in it and my entire leg gets discolored like I
have a circulation problem. What is going on?
Pam, Arizona, USA, February 4, 2009
• Kevin -- your mom had a serious bleeding complication
from the femoral puncture. Happens about 3% of the time. Maybe more. Any
further bleeding should be checked immediately.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, February 2, 2009
• my mom went in for her second stent and had problems
after the procedure. she bled a lot where the catheter was inserted. the
had to put a lot of pressure
on it for about 10 to 15 min. for the bleeding to stop. Her blood pressure
dropped fast and they had to put something in her i.v. to make her b.p.
go back up. she
stayed over night in the a.c.c. and blood pressure dropped again...75 over
15. they gave her a blood transfusion of two pints. she came home the following
day.
now, she has a hard egg shaped ball where the catheter was started. it has
grown some, and the doctor has not called her back. what could it be? and
should she
go to the emergency room? concerned son!
Kevin Snedecor, concerned son, Austin, Texas, USA, January 27, 2009
• Four months back my father suffered heart attack
and we did his coronary angiography. Since his angiography my father is
suffering from following problems - a) severe burning sensation in feet
(cannot put his shoes on due to pain) b) pains / severe pricking sensation
radiating from ankle to leg c) foot turning red at night d) pain invariably
worsens at night and he can't sleep. e) cannot walk due to pain f) Very
less sensation in feet
My father is diabetic patient and suffers from varicose
veins. Have done following diagnostics test - a) Nerve conduction test
(Electromyo graph) b) MRI scan c) Doppler test of right leg Doctors have
told following things - a) Diabetic neuropathy (peripheral) b) Lumbar stenosis
c) Peripheral arterial disease Taken following treatments - For Lumbar
stenosis: Traction for eight days, IFT, long wave and laser therapy. Result:
Pain that radiated from hip to leg reduced. For nerve pain: Since the foot
was looking red and looking swollen Dr put him on steroids for 4 days.
They said he might
have "Complex Regional Pain Syndrome" or "Raynauds Syndrome" and discharged.
Steroids stopped and gabapentin is started. PAD: Dr has advised another angiography
of leg. But we are wary to do this as this might trigger another pain. Dr advised
to wear stockings for his varicose veins Before angiography his walking was limited
due to pain in legs, but after some rest he was able to walk again. But this
angiography has broken down something and Dr is not able to diagnose the burning
pain in his right feet. He has very less sensation and cannot even wear his shoes
as it pains. Can some one please help? Thanks.
Sumeet, Pune, India, January 26, 2009
• Pauline -- when you lay on your back for an extended
time, especially afterwards while the femoral puncture site heals, you
anbd many others experience back pain --it's one reason we are advocating
greater use of the radial artery in the wrist -- patients can sit up and
walk almost immediately after the procedure.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, January 17, 2009
• i had a heart attack in sept and had an angiogram
done and a stent put in . now january i had another angiogram done no stent
put in my question is
has anyone suffered back pain from this procedure?
Pauline Lawless, a mum, Dublin, Ireland, January 14, 2009
• My husband had an angiogram (no stenting) some
two months ago and all has progressed well but he occasionally experiences
slight spasms in the chest (midline and to the right) which only last
a few moments but can be quite unnerving. These spasms can occur at any
time
and are not particularly painful. Has anyone
had similar experiences?
G.D., Ballarat, Australia, January 8, 2009
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