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Not Feeling Well After Stenting (2010 archive)
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Archived Postings from 2010 on This Page (98): • Hello, my brother and Father both had
heart attacks before xmas so I went for tests. I had been feeling under
par for a while and they found an 80% blockage in one coronary artery.
I had a stent put in and suffered a heart attack during the procedure
- very scary and painful. I am about three weeks in and just beginning
to feel better although energy is still pretty uneven. I urge anyone
to get tested as family history is the main factor. I have felt pretty
emotional and sort of "out" of the world...not sure if it's
the meds - any ideas? • Hi, 58yr.old male, after two stents on
12-6-10 in the vein graft of my double bypass of 10 yrs (previously
no problems) I started to have mild chest pains.......back to ER more
stress tests........just indigestion...never had this before.......taking
Malox....relief to know.......but felt like a heart attack starting......but
was after I ate usually and will go away....says heart burn will eventually
stop.... • I am a 74 yr old non smoker. Had a stent
in 1996 and two in 2003.I exercise at the gym 6 days a week and take
lipitor 40 mg and niacin 2000/day. Excellent exercise capacity with
no pain but my thallium test 3 weeks ago showed insufficient circulation
in the RCA area even tho I had no pain on the treadmill going fast.
I had a stent placed a week ago in RCA and I can function normally
without pain but occasionally, I get intermittent chest pain so I went
to the emergency room. After testing and cons with the cardiologist,
they decided everything was o.k.Now, when I walk fast on the treadmill,I
get a burning heavy feeling in my chest which stops when I get off.
In short, my exercise capacity is worse than before the stent. Is this
normal for one week post op? If so,how long post op before I can get
to where I was before the stent? • Hello everyone. I so appreciate your stories.
They have been helpful to me. I had a double by-pass in 2001. For all
those years I had no problems. This summer, I felt a little more tired
than usual. Recently, I did feel like something was not right. So I
had it checked out. I had 80% blockage in the vein graft of my by pass.
The Dr. put two bare metal stents in on the 6th. I am back in cardio-rehab
3 days a week. They have added Plavix to my meds. The first day I felt
great, then soon afterwards, I felt a heaviness, in my chest and I
seemingly got a little winded. Now I am tired this afternoon again.
I can say that I have a little chest pain, but not too much. In the
mornings, I feel very good all over. They all say it's part of the
process of stents and will resolve itself. It does make me concerned.
All and all I feel better, but overall tired. I am also bummed out
about having to revisit all this and reramp rehab work to get my strength
back. I guess anyone is naturally on edge after getting a stent. Maybe
this stress is part of the chest pain ? I will write back in time.
Thanks • I am a 59yr old female who had a stent
put in my LAD, which was 70-90% blocked, I also had a 30% blockage
in my right artery, which was untouched. Symptoms prior were chest
tightening and jaw pain upon exertion, otherwise felt great. Am now
on 75 mg Plavix, 325mg aspirin, 2.5mg Lisinopril, 40mg Pravastatin.
Unfortunately, I feel worse now, stomach pain, right side back pain,
anxiety, tiredness. Plus I have chest tightening and shortness of breath
upon exertion. • Hi, I am a 63 year old male who has been
fairly active tennis and bike riding. I was getting this fluttering
in the center of my chest at night went I laid down to sleep. Went
to the doc and explained what was going on. They suggested a Nuclear
stress test which I passed with no problems. About 3 weeks later while
riding my bike at a quick pace I get this pressure in my chest with
a dull pain going up my neck and in my jaw. I am thinking heart attack.
I stop riding and walk the rest of the way. Call the cardiologist and
I see him the next day. They say I need to have a left heart catheterization
because the stress test is not fool proof (why do it). bottom line
I had 80% blockage in 1 artery on the back side and two small angioplasties
because they were to small to stent. I have been back riding and playing
tennis but I get this pressure in my chest when I start exercising,
not as bad as the first time but it is there. It does seem to go away
but does come back. My stent has Effient on it and also taking Toprol,
aspirin, simvastatin, imdur and one other one. I had this done on Aug
16 10, have been going to the gym everyday but gaining some weight.
the fluttering is PVC (premature valve closing) • Brad from Phoenix -- how long after the
heart attack symptoms did you get the stents? You might also want to
read over our Forum posts on Heart
Attack and Stents. "Not feeling well" may be
due to a number of different things, physical and emotional -- and
the recovery period is for both. Discuss your rehab activities with
your cardiologist -- often, taking charge of changing lifestyle, etc.
can be a plus in both areas. • 51 yr old male, major heart attack 7/10,
defibrillated 20 times, 2 stents LAD, take aspirin, plavix, metoprolol,
lisinopril and lipitor. Early on and more so lately, feels like a shiver
in the chest very , very anxious. Took my first nitro last weekend
and seemed to help some, hoped it wouldn't. Still get tired but working
on stamina, after all, everything that happened, there's going to be
recovery time. They said 4-6 months, been 5 but physically don't feel
that much better. Doctor said last visit he heard an irregular heart
beat, probably more going on but does anyone have these same or like
feelings/sensations? Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, December 10, 2010 • Hi Had a stent put in on dec 4th I'm 47
in good health don't really feel good after stent, heavy chest and
some pain kinda scared to take the nitro, not sure what is pain or
fear. High bp, high cholesterol, smoker slowed way down on smoking
trying to quit really hard after 33 years. just not sure what to tell
Dr? Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, December 9, 2010 • Hi I am Ijaj. I am 38 had a massive attack
on september 21 got treated at asian heart institute India Mumbai by
sudhir vaishnav had been fitted with medical stent because there was
block at LAD. I am feeling much better now but i have some queries
which I want to solve my main query is how fit i am compare to a normal
person who didn't have these problems because before 21 september i
was also fit and fine as others. • I am a 57 year old male. I have 9 stents
placed in the last three years. Eight of which were placed in 2009
one in 2007 after a heart attack. I have had continuous problems with
heart burn and chest pains. I take 40mg pepcid daily and the only thing
that helps some is my nitro. I was in the hospital last month and my
cardiac enzymes were elevated and each lab test they increased by one
point heart rate went to 48. They kept me three days with no signs
of improvement so my doctor sent me home. I am generally totally fatigued,
headaches, chest pain as well as shoulder and left arm pain. I also
have PAD. • bdee from California -- stopping smoking
is the number one best thing you can do to reduce your risk factors.
It's not easy (esp. after 40 years). Good for you! As for the odd feelings
you are having, part of it is just the psychological recovery, getting
your mind around your discovery of coronary artery disease and the
absolutely normal natural reaction to that. This is normal -- the best
way to get around this is to take positive action, something you clearly
have already done. As for light-headedness and other specific issues,
give it a little while, but if these specific feelings continue, talk
to your cardiologist. You are probably on a number of new medications
and your body is dealing with these. Different patients tolerate drugs
in different way -- if symptoms continue, an adjustment to these prescriptions
may be warranted. But stay in communication with your cardio about
these issues. As we've said often, the reason for stenting is to help
you feel better, not worse! Good luck and stay in touch. • 59 YR old male. 40 year smoker, exercise induced
angina. ONLY PAIN WHEN EXERTED ! Cardiologist placed one stent on 11/30/10
and informed me of a possible hereditary issue with one of my larger
arteries not developing properly (very small). That...in conjunction
with a 90% blockage on my right coronary was causing my pain. Discharged
on 12/01/10 and have felt like I can "feel" the stent in my chest just
above my right breast...slight pain, a little nausea and breathing seems
well, different. I no longer smoke (thank GOD), have been on a heart
healthy diet for awhile, prior to stent and since and have ramped up
my exercise by about 50%. Also, a heavy workload gardener. I am trying
not to dwell on the odd feelings in my chest, thinking it's psychological,
but these physical issues have now manifested themselves in other ways.
(dizziness, lightheaded and wobbly occasionally. I'm afraid the chest
pain will reappear and I had an awful experience in hospital upon discharge
(Please..no return visit!) The nurse removed my IV needle...put pressure
on the hand for it to stop..it did..one last BP cuff..as I slid my sleeve
up blood shot out of my hand everywhere..I passed out. FEAR • 50 yo male. 2 stents in 2002, 1 stent in 2004.
Since first stents I've always had occasional chest pain, pain in jaw,
fatigue, indescribable "sick" pain in my chest. But sometimes I feel
fine. Really weird. I exercise, eat healthy but like to take a drink
if pain is present. Maybe not a good idea but it addresses anxiety which
often relieves some chest pain. Anxiety and depression are very common
after cardiac intervention. On Crestor, Plavix, Toprol, Zetia, Niaspan,
Lovaza, aspirin, Diovan. Also started the L-Arginine vitamin therapy
(Dr. Ignarro). Also, watch out for sleep apnea. It can make things worse
and make you think you're having a heart attack at night (loss of breath
and heart racing). Blessings to all of you and thanks for sharing. • Hi, I'm 57 years old male. I had 2 stents placed
in September 2010. A week later I was still having pain and went back
to the hospital for a 2nd cardiac cath which found nothing. I finally
realized the pain was heart burn caused by the new drugs I was taking
which I had never had before in my life. I started taking Pepcid AC and
the chest pain went away. If you have had stents placed and still have
chest pain, try some Pepcid AC the pain maybe just heart burn! • Thank you for the response. I guess I am concerned
because the shortness of breath seems to come when he walks and not if
he is just sitting. • Had a stent, non drug-eluting, placed in my
ramus in late July this year. 2 days after discharge I began fevers 3
- 4 point, and nite sweating like I never had in my 69-year life. After
a week of non-productive blood testing and cultures, I was admitted to
the hospital for 6 nites. (Fevers lasted for one week and had stopped
1 day before admission). All tests negative. Pushed for discharge and
went home. Feeling great now, but July-diagnosed cardiomyopathy with
ef of 10 in july (20 now) still in effect. • Elizabeth from New Hampshire -- As we've noted,
sometimes coronary artery disease (CAD) is not discovered in patients
until they have an angiogram and, in some cases, also have a stent placed.
If CAD had not been previously diagnosed, this also may be the first
time that certain medications are prescribed. Some of these medications
may have side-effects -- so the patient may think that the stent is causing
a problem (like shortness of breath or a rash or a cough) but in fact
the problem lies with a reaction to the new medication, and not the stent.
We strongly recommend that any patient who is not feeling better after
stenting consult with their interventional cardiologist about their symptoms.
The reason to place a stent is to improve the patient's condition. Patients
who feel worse after stenting need to discuss this with their physician. • My dad is 68. Just had 2 stents (may be overlapping)
put in a little over a week ago. He is having shortness of breath just
after a few steps. He seems so tired to me. Seemed to have more energy
before stents and shortness of breath was not a symptom before. Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, November 7, 2010 • I am 78. About 6 years back I had both my knees
replaced and 2 yrs later I had a CABG (left artery )This failed some
4 months back and I had an angioplasty done with 2 medicated Endeavor
stents in place in the new grafted artery. I was told that such incidents
are not rare. I have been prescribed Ecosprin 350 for the first 3 months,along
with Stiloz 100 mg, Metpure XL 12.5 mg,cloppilet 75 mg, NIKORON 5 MG,
Storvas 10 MG, Dilzem SR90 , Tab Pan MY next apt is after 6 months.(April
2011). After the first checkup 3 months after Angio - ecosprin has been
reduced to 150, PAN has been reduced to 1 , Clopilet by one pills a day.
I walk for 40 mts a day and I am active at home . Bit tired of the medicines
-am I fated to have this life long ?? What other precautions I may have
to follow. ? I am on low salt, low fat and low sugar diet. I am not diabetic.
The cholesterol levels are with in limits. ECHO is 55 (Refraction ) Any
information on level of activity ? Some relaxation on diet etc ? Oh yes
I forgot the 2 cataract surgeries. I am going thru "hospital fatigue " !!
Thanks Krishna • 46 year old woman. Had an angioplasty 2 1/2
weeks ago after heart attack; huge bruise has mostly resolved but I have
persistent pain on my inner thigh, especially on stairs and whenever
I have to bend/straighten the knee. It's an odd combination of sharp,
prickly, aching and pulling. Worse after lying or sitting for a while.
Sound normal and will it heal? • To diane5814 in Florida -- read Mike's
post below. There are concerns that proton pump inhibitors, such as Prilosec
(omeprazole) may reduce the effectiveness of Plavix. The FDA has issued
a warning regarding this. Discuss with your cardiologist. And Mike --
there are special contrast agents and specific protocols for patients
with kidney failure -- make sure your cath lab understands your status.
Again, it is thought that there are individuals who have hypersensitive
reactions to drug-eluting stents, but these are very small in percentage.
Many of the negative reactions posted here may be due to needed adjustments
in medical therapy, time for the body to adjust to the stent -- or possibly
problems with the stent placement itself. We urge those who have posted
here to also let everyone know any follow-up: are you feeling better?
what was the resolution? • Hi guys I'm a 58 year old male who had 2 uncoated
stents placed in 1999 lad and rca. 10 days ago i had a medicated stent
placed in the LAD. I feel terrible arm pain, chest burning. jaw pain
that i never had before. I spent 8hrs. in ER Sat. night. blood work and
ekg normal. gave me morphine and sent me home. Went to cardiologist Tues.
Found that taking omeprazole counteracts plavix they should have told
me. He took me off crestor and omeprazole wants to see me again in a
week. if not any better maybe another cath. This will be my 14th cath.
I'm in stage 3 kidney failure and the cath die is very hard on kidneys.
I feel worse now than before the stent. I did not know he was going to
use a medicated stent. I would have opted for uncoated. I don't know
what to do or what to think. Scared. • hi i had a stent put in due to a mild heart
attack its been since sept 22 2010 now recently as of yesterday i have
a slight pain in my left shoulder and slight pain in the side of my left
breast is this due to the stenting? I take simvastatin, baby aspirin,
and metoprazole, insulin, plavix, omeprazole. • I am a 67 yr young woman that had a ekg and
was found to have a 85% blockage in lad, in 8/29 2009 I received a drug
eluding [eluting] stent, I have never recovered, I am short of breath,
and tired all the time, since this placement I have had a complete pulmonary
work up 2 more caths and they can't find the cause, are all these dr's
brain dead? don't they see that we are having serious reactions to these
stents? I am now told that the stent cannot be removed, must I live my
life like a invalid? please some one help me get the answers to this
horrible situation !!! • Pedro from San Diego -- Stopped smoking? Good
for you! Best single thing you could possibly do. As we've noted elsewhere,
the body may take some time to adjust, not just to the stent, but to
the various medications that you suddenly find yourself on. If this continues,
you might want to discuss an adjustment to your meds, but you also may
find that your body will adapt -- also you are now being a bit more active,
so that may be tiring you out. Please keep in touch and let The Forum
know how you are faring. • I am 48 yr. I had 2 stents on my heart about
2 weeks ago, this was after finding out I had a minor heart attack. Another
stent was put in about a wk later. The EKG's did not record the heart
attack, the enzymes the heart give out is how the drs found out. I got
a second chance. I stopped smoking after 32 years. My problem is that
I feel a warmth/and a tiredness on my heart in the afternoons i have
started walking but boy i get tired easily. Taking a nap seems to help,
but this concerns me. Forum Editor is this normal? I am on Atenolol,
Prinzide, Zocor, Aspirin, Pepcid and Effient. • VB from North Carolina -- we can't engage in
giving medical advice, and certainly nothing on this web site should
be used as such. However, you report that the FFR measurement of your
artery was 0.72 -- however, we're not clear if this was before or after
the stent was placed, etc. The largest study of FFR as a tool for guiding
stenting is the FAME study (see "Better
Outcomes for Stents When Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) is Used")
in which any artery with 80% or less of normal blood flow was stented.
Your reading of 0.72 (or 72%) is in that group and in the FAME study
would have been stented. If this was the FFR reading post-stent, then
you should discuss this with your interventional cardiologist (the physician
who did the stenting). It's a complex issue and the best information
for your particular case is someone who is sitting with you and your
records. Let us know how you fare. • on 11-25-09 i had a bare metal stent put in
for chest pain, the went away for about 6 weeks. then my chest started
to hurt again. then on 1-21-10 i had a drug eluting stent put in & i
started to have chest pains worst than before & bad breathing problems.
i was admitted on 2-16-10. i had blood CTA of my chest & nothing showed
up as a culprit. this is notes from the dr.. he also wrote in his report
that he placed a JL4 guide & used a pressure wire after giving me 3,000
units of heparin. he did & adenosine infusion. he placed the transducer
distal to the distal edge of that stent. angiographically,the proximal
edge of the stent had the [worse] lesion. Then he pullback & fractional
flow reserve [FFR] distally was 0.72. & etc. These procedures were done
at [pitt county memorial hospital in greenville n.c.] i was admitted
on 9-2-10 & another procedure was done to see what was happen because
i was having same problems & my [ekg] was not looking good. i'm not going
to list all that was done, but i am having the same problems & each time
it's worst. • Wendy from Arizona -- patients on this and other
topics report that it sometimes takes a while for the body to adjust.
Let the Forum know if your pain/pressure persists. • Hi, I'm 66 female..i just had a stent put in
on Aug.16,2010..I'm still having pressure in my chest even though the
Dr. said everything is fine..It scares me though i don't want another
heart attack..After all these blog's it kind of makes me feel a little
better but a little scared also. Well thanks everyone for sharing your
stories.. • Eric from Indiana -- it's hard to say what the
cause of fatigue may be -- you are taking quite a few medications and
you might want to discuss with your cardiologist if any of them may be
the cause, or if any medication adjustments should be tried. We assume
your blood count is okay. • I need help. I had a mild heart attack in July
and had 3 stents placed: Main, LAD, Circumflex. Less than a month later
I experienced more chest pain, went to hospital and had two more stents
placed mid LAD. Two weeks later had chest pain again and had third cath.
Was told all looked well with arteries. My biggest problems are fatigue,
dizziness, and occasional chest pain/pressure. I used to be fine on six
hours of sleep per night. Now all I want to do is sleep. Cannot stand
up too quickly or get very dizzy. Can't look up quickly without feelings
of vertigo. I feel ten times worse physically then I did before the heart
attack. I am sure I am going to lose my job soon because I just can't
perform my duties on a regular basis. I am a type 2 diabetic that also
suffers migraine headaches frequently. My medications are Toprol XL,
Lisinopril, Effient, Simvastatin, Metformin, Glipizide, Topamax, Elavil
and Aspirin. I have tried to slowly work up strength with mild exercise
and it takes everything out of me. My doctor actually asked me the other
day "Why are you still having chest pains?" I am frustrated and I think
those around me are as well. • I am a 54 yr old male, had a heart attack in
July, 2008, 100% blockage rca. Stented, felt much better, no problems
with plavix, but severe fatigue attributed to lipitor. Oct, 09 70% blockage
stented rca. During procedure severe discomfort in chest wall area. Following
angioplasty had protrusion and pain in chest (diastasis recti) which
doctor said was just my artery recovering but appears to have been tearing
during ap. Same meds, except lipitor changed to crestor. Rapidly gained
20 pounds, very fatigued, meralgia parestica left leg, muscle fatigue
and cramping in legs, and hip pain. Told exercise was all I needed. 12
week cardiac wellness exercise, excruciating. Placed on long term disability,
returned to east coast. New GP told me to throw crestor in the trash
and have had substantial improvement. Leg strength is returning, as well
as energy. Looking into physio for the diastasis recti and cardiac workouts.
I hope my experience is the exception, rather than the rule. I approach
testing and appointments, now with a very skeptical attitude to the medical
profession. I could have, and still may have caused irreparable damage
on their advice. • Mark -- A stent would not be causing the back
pain, but after a procedure the patient must lie flat for several hours
for the groin site to heal -- and this physical immobility can be difficult
for some patients who have back problems. Just wondering if maybe your
father-in-law's back pain is related to this? Has he had an orthopedist
or neurologist see if maybe a nerve is being pinched, etc.? • My father in law had a stent put in 9 years
ago and has had sharp pain in the center of his back when he walks since
the procedure . He has tried every kind of dr but they can not figure
it out. his Dr does not think it is from the stent. The man can not walk
up a flight of stairs without stopping because of the pain .This is coming
from a man who does not take Novocain when he has a tooth drilled.If
anyone can think of a direction to go in to help him I would be Thankful. • August 2010: Am 63 years old, workout 6 days
a week, eat super healthy - in fact I am a pain to my family because
i eat so well, am 5'3", 120 lbs. ECG and Stress test was perfect, nuclear
test declared a problem LAD artery 99% blocked..Wow!! Had a drug eluding
stent. My arms feel tired, have severe upper back pain (near the neck).
Cardiologist not interest in back pain (??) Arms are tired - can't carry
my pocket book anymore...stressed, please comment/help!! • Hi, I'm a 22yr old male and i just a stent
placed in my aorta on the 26th august 2010 due to aortic coarctation
that i believe i have had since birth. i was very fit and healthy for
the two days at the hospital following the surgery but ever since returning
home, i have been having this really bad feeling in my chest (approximately
where the stent is). its not very painful or anything but its discomforting
as i have developed a cough 2 days ago. I am going to visit my GP tomorrow
but any extra advice would be very much appreciated. • In august of 2003 I had a angioplasty/4 stent
procedure, and developed a violent cough for 40 days. A number of medications
were taken, including lisinopril which did not agree with me, and was
advised to stop taking, But it got even worse, by about a month later,
I developed, a horrific itch, and burn on my front chest,and right back,
t5 t6 t7 area. stinging, burning now 7 years, and no relief in sight.
I was told 7 years ago, that its shingles, but, didn't have a single,
zit, or any form of that nature, just a discoloration of the skin. I
feel that possibly I'm allergic to the stents, or the procedure was botched,
or the medications had something to do with it, but I was a perfect healthy
person, until the stent procedure, so How can they have diagnosed me
with shingles, of no rash, or post herpetic neuralgia,of that nature.
May be my nerves are entrapped, and they need to be released, or a soft
tissue manipulation, could be the answer, but its been a total nightmare,
living with this burning, stinging pain now 7 years, and no relief in
sight. The wrong diagnosis was given to me, easy come easy go. • Melissa from Tennessee -- we are most sorry
for your loss. It's really not possible to comment on this situation
since there are many reasons why this may have occurred: did his heart
suffer significant damage during the heart attack, weakening it, did
he suffer an acute stent thrombosis -- rare but possible. That's the
reason patients are given Plavix and aspirin right away: to keep acute
closures from occurring. Have you discussed this with the team that treated
him? • Help please. My father had a heart attack 3
weeks ago. They put 4 stents in to remove blockage. One artery 100% blocked,
another 90%. He remained in the hospital for a week, but complained of
shortness of breath. The hospital only gave him breathing treatments
for his asthma. He was released, and died in his sleep 4 days later.
Till the day he died he still complained of shortness of breath. Why
did they not do anything? Is this a hospital issue, stent issue, or what?
He was FINE and they even released him. I heard they can re-clot, but
after FOUR DAYS? I just don't understand. • hi I'm a 51 yr old lady who had a stent put
in on 6/8/10 and have felt wonderful apart from breathlessness from time
to time. I do feel more tired but its only been 3 weeks since the angioplasty
and yesterday i walked up a steep hill with no chest pain. I thank the
surgeon with all my heart to have relieved me from the bad chest pain
i was having. i hope i make improvements on a daily basis. • SS in Connecticut -- Thanks for the additional
info. An echocardiogram would be the first test if your cardiologist
is concerned the fatigue is heart-related -- and yours was okay, ruling
out a valve problem, along with some other concerns. There are more invasive
tests, but they are probably not indicated, given your symptoms are of
fatigue, not angina. But maybe other readers out there have some insight
into extreme fatigue 5 months after stenting. • Additional info to my
post (SS in CT). Yes, I had a bare metal
stent placed in my circumflex artery in March of 2010. Dr. took me
off plavix at 2.5 months due to bruising. What type of tests would
be done to test functioning of stent? I've had echocardiogram (couple
of months ago), EKGs, etc. With respect to the Lyme testing- no, I
don't recall being bitten by tick, no rash. I think it is due to my
main symptom of fatigue that they are checking. • 50 year old male. Had double by-pass at age
42 (not due to heart attack). No problems until recently. July 1, 2010
- started having pain in upper abdomen with shortness of breath, light
headed, slight numbness in left arm. Went to ER. First diagnosed with
bad gall bladder, but this did not explain shortness of breath. Had to
rule out possible heart problem with past history. Did cath and found
a blockage that had clotted. Received a stent. Immediately felt better.
All symptoms gone. Symptoms came back one month later. Primarily upper
abdomen pain and shortness of breath. Had another cath to make sure stent
looked OK. Checked out fine. Nuclear stress test also checked out fine.
Doc took me off Simvastatin for awhile to see what happens. Feeling a
little better - less Ab pain, but still short on breath. Doc thinks it
may be gall bladder. After reading everyone else's input, it looks like
it may just take time to adjust to stent or reaction to Plavix. Any words
of advice. Meds - 325 mg aspirin, 27.5mg Avapro, 75 mg Plavix, 25 mg
Toprol, 40 mg Protonix, was on Simcor (1000mg/20mg)+additional 40 mg
Simvastatin. Went from 10 mg Simvastatin to 60 mg Simvastatin! Thanks. • SS in Connecticut -- you didn't mention if you
had gotten a stent and, if so, what kind. Has the cardiologist done tests
of any sort to see if the stent and arteries are functioning correctly?
6 months is sort of the first "hurdle" for any restenosis (reclosure).
Also, you mentioned Lyme Disease. Is there some reason to suspect it?
Had you gotten a tick bite? Be aware that the tests for this disease
are relatively inaccurate with a high number of false negatives. Since
you're in Connecticut, you might be able to find a "Lyme Literate
MD" (LLMD) to consult. • I'm a 44 yr-old woman;
ran 4 miles a day; had heart attack (? trauma-induced) in March 2010.
Recovered fine, back to running, etc., but 2 weeks ago developed onset
of extreme fatigue. Cardiologist does not believe it's heart-related.
Primary Care Physician has checked blood, vitamin and iron, levels, tested
for Lyme etc. - all negative. For 2 wks now I am plagued by same fatigue.
Generally okay in the am, but as the day progresses, I become increasingly
tired with no explanation. Please, can anyone offer any insight? • I had bypass surgery 2006 / 1 stent 2009 / 3
stents July 2010. I felt really good 2 weeks after the stents. I now
seem to get extreme fatigue and heart symptoms. The symptoms I am experiencing
now is shortness of breath / lightheaded / some fullness in chest. It
gets relieved by taking nitro. I have not gone back to any exercise,
because the cardio wants me to do rehab before a gym. I honestly do not
feel like exercising with these symptoms. I am taking nitro almost everyday
now to relieve symptoms. I have noticed some odd heart beats, but I don't
know if it means anything. It is discouraging at this point, because
I felt good after the bypass and the first stent. • Karvy in India -- has your father seen the interventional
cardiologist who placed the four stents? There are tests that can be
done to assess your father's condition more specifically. "Weakening
of heart muscles" means that his heart has been damaged by a heart
attack -- the interventional cardiologist would have done a "ventriculogram" during
the stenting to measure this. Or perhaps the valves he had need to be
redone (after 20 years, articial valves can become less than 100% --
it depends which type of valves he received). • my father had stenting done before 4 months,
drug coated and suddenly he has started feeling unwell, increase in heartbeat,
neck pain,weakness and all.....before that he had to two valve transplantations
20 years ago. The local doctor here also suggested weakening of heart
muscles. now whoever would go thru my matter...i would like to tell him
that my father has sacrificed his whole life for me and my brothers...he
will be of around 65 years old now...at least if you help me in resurrecting
him completely then i will dedicate my life, my prosperity to you all.
My request to you would be to take this matter with utmost seriousness
and help me do something for my father..if required and possible I am
prepared to do a heart exchange with my father...our blood groups are
same...the question is are you up to it. Regards • Pete -- angioplasty and stents can open up the
coronary artery, in order to deliver more blood (and therefore oxygen)
to the heart muscle. However, if the heart muscle becomes damaged, as
in a heart attack that is not treated in time, then that damage remains
-- that part of the heart muscle is dead and delivering more oxygen to
it won't do anything. However, making sure that the part of the heart
that is working gets sufficient oxygen is even more important
in cases like yours -- we assume that's why and where you got your stents.
There are medications that can help lessen the existing load on your
heart -- we assume you've been prescribed these and are taking them.
Obviously, losing weight, stopping smoking, etc. are all lifestyle changes
that need to happen as well -- anything to lower unnecessary stress on
the heart muscle. • I am a 56 year old male. I have 9 stents 2 in
my left leg area and the other seven on both sides of the heart. I have
never gained my full strength back. It takes me all day sometimes two
just to do my small yard. Before the heart problems was done in 20-30
minutes. I have almost constant chest pain cramping buttock going to
sleep as well as pain in the groin and pelvic area. Heart disease runs
in my family and of course I smoked. I have been hospitalized 16 times
in the last 17 months. But my doctor says my that I have severe heart
damage and really by-pass may not be an option for me. I had a severe
heart attack March 09 and my then cardio doctor basically did not do
much for me in fact he was terminated from the office and I see another
doctor there who told me he would not trust him with his worst enemy.
He then on two different occasions place 5 more stents but it has not
made me improve much. • Susan in Illinois -- obviously you're
keeping an eye on your symptoms. Posters have reported similar discomforts
which do go away in time as the body adjusts. After all, you had a
heart attack which only a couple decades ago would have caused significant
disability (see our Editor's blog, "Heart
Attack and Angioplasty: A Public Education Challenge").
But you're doing the right thing in consulting your cardiologist about
this -- especially if symptoms change or increase. Plavix and aspirin
can cause gastric-related problems -- but it's very important to keep
taking these very important medicines to lower the risk of blood clots
inside the stents -- this may be why your doctor prescribed heartburn
meds. You're also doing the right thing working out -- staying active,
eating right and enjoying it when people compliment you!! • I am a 53-year-old female who had a heart attack
on February 21, 2010, with no warning symptoms and no typical risk factors.
I underwent an immediate angioplasty and received two drug-eluting stents
in my LAD artery, followed three weeks later by another angioplasty to
insert a bare-metal stent in my RCA. I added Plavix and Coreg to the
aspirin I've taken daily for years. I felt very well for several weeks
but then started feeling mild chest pressure about 20-30% of the time,
sometimes (but not always) after exertion, sometimes (but not always)
after eating, sometimes just on waking, sometimes when I was simply sitting.
A stress test revealed no blockages. It's now been five months and the
episodes of chest pressure, and sometimes palpitations, continue on an
irregular basis. My cardiologist suggested heartburn meds, which I take,
but the discomfort just doesn't seem to be gastro-related. I'm a bit
frustrated about all this but not particularly depressed. At least now
I work out regularly, and people say I look good (compared with being
dead, I should hope so!). • Tish in South Africa -- thanks for your kind
words. Regarding your mother, was her BP normal BEFORE the stent?? Have
you consulted specifically with the interventional cardiologist who performed
the stent procedure?? This blood pressure reading of 184/104 is extremely
high and needs to be lowered ASAP. Does your mother have any kidney problems?
She had a reaction to the iodine in the contrast dye, too much of which
can affect the kidneys. Kidney disease and high blood pressure are related. • Hi All, Great site and valuable discussions.
But all I read here is problems and no solutions. I found this site in
pursuance of some answers as my Mom had a stent done. Since then her
blood pressure is 184/104 every evening. Why? she takes 3 different tablets
for BP but still this problem. PLUS she gets out of breath which never
happened before the stent? During the stent procedure she had a reaction
to the iodine. Thank God she survived that traumatic experience. Can't
we get a Professor to comment on some of our questions? Doctors and Cardiologist
are just milking us dry on every visit, but can't really help! • My son is only 34, had a 100% blockage. Described
pain as an elephant laying on chest) had 3 stents,(described still pain
as small animal on chest) 2 days after, had another attack, stent closed
caused it, so another cath/stent so that's four stents. He still has
a 70% blockage in back of heart, Dr. says possibly could be causing pain
or anxiety. Is on Effient, metoprolol, baby aspirin and anxiety small
dose. Is very apprehensive about the next cath procedure with stenting
but hoping it will rid him of pain. After reading all these forum letters,
I am scared for him to.Is there anything you can do to get rid of the
pain after the drug coated stents? • I was taking 2-3 nitros a day and my cardiologist
said that was too many. My back right artery was closed in a certain
area and he said that with my nitro usage/angina that he recommended
stent-I ended up with 4 stents and I now have more angina than before
the stents-I've been told something about artery stretching may be causing
more angina. Now he's put me on a long acting nitro pill and take lorazepam
as needed. Has anyone else had this problem? And how long did the angina
last-I had this done to get rid of angina and I feel worse. Just had
done 5/25/10. Kind of depressed, anxious and this angina is really bothering
me. • Suffered a heart attack three weeks ago. Two
weeks ago I had angioplasty and a stent put in on a 100% blockage. During
the heart attack, which I thought was indigestion, I had back pain which
radiated to my shoulders and lower jaw. I know there were a few questions
about jaw pain after the insertion of the stent. Yes, I did have very
minor jaw pain after the procedure. I couldn't really call it pain, rather
than just an annoying feeling that just let you know it was still there.
End of week two and the jaw feels normal again. What I did experience
was a burning pain in two locations on the leg where they inserted the
sheath into the femoral artery. It is a burning sensation when I walk,
on the inside thigh about half way up, and also on the inside of the
shin. There is a corresponding nerve that runs along that artery, that
I believe must have been compromised during the procedure. I experienced
some fatigue during the first few days after the procedure, then I started
feeling stronger. Today, exactly two weeks after the stent was put in,
I feel very, very tired. I'm not sure why, but I'm not in any pain, but
very weak. Has anyone else gone thru this? • My husband just had stent in one artery which
had 99% blockage. There is a second blockage which was not cleared. The
doctor explained that it was not a concern as it was a total blockage
and would not be considered to potentially cause a heart attack in the
future.Does this make sense? Has anyone heard this? • Mr. Hegde -- if a patient is not feeling well
post procedure, it's never a bad idea to consult with your cardiologist.
If there's nothing wrong, it sets your mind at ease and can relieve some
of the anxiety. If there is something wrong, medications can be adjusted,
or other measures taken to help -- the idea is that after angioplasty,
the patient is supposed to feel better, not worse. • I am 62 years old. I had angioplasty 4 weeks
ago and one stent has been put for a single block. I have been discharged
two weeks ago. Since discharge I have been experiencing mild pain in
the mid chest area and breathlessness all the time & my throat becomes
dry. Is this common ? or should I see my cardiologist? • almost 1 year ago I had two stents put in due
to blockage. They caught this when I was having a very hard time breathing
with chest pains. After the stents I felt good for about 1 month and
the chest pains came back. They went back in and every thing was good.
It took about 7 months until I felt good with out chest pains. The Doctors
think it was some small veins of the heart that were not 100% plugged
and could not have stents put in. For me I thought I would never feel
better but I do. so do not give up hopefully it will work out for you
as it has for me. • yes I would like to know what to do me mother
is 53 and just went in to have a stent put in how ever the dr told my
dad that their was nothing they could do for her because her arteries
would collapse if they did not to mention she has smoked all her life
I would like to know if their is still hope for my mom or is this it
and if so how long of a life expand dose she have with out being able
to get this done. • hello, i had a stent put in 1 month ago, for
this last week i have been getting all sorts of pain in my chest and
back, it's as though i have strained my back and when i move suddenly
i tense up, causing the pain. i have also got fresh bruising on both
sides of my chest, on the right side there is an underlying lump. and
generally feeling unwell. help! • Margie -- if you check out our topic on "Complications
from Catheterization, Angiogram or Angioplasty" you
will find many stories, unfortunately, like yours. It is a complication
with catheter-based procedures done from the femoral artery or
groin -- only 2% or so, but it's a 100% if it happens to be you.
It may be a traumatized nerve or other related problem. Have you
reported this to the interventional cardiologist who placed the
stent?? • I am a 51 year old female who had a medicated
stent put in on 3/26/10. It is now six weeks later and I am still walking
with a limp...the insertion area was fine, no lump, no redness, bleeding
stopped just fine. I wake up feeling good, then as I go about my business,
my leg starts to just wear down. By the end of the day, I feel as if
I am dragging a dead limb around with me. I also get a pulling sensation
around my groin that lasts for about 2 secs. The back of my calf bothers
me, not pain, just an uncomfortable feeling, the top of my thigh is tight...The
problem with my leg is what kept me out of work for six weeks....couldnt
go up and down stairs or walk for very long periods of time. Very frustrating
since my favorite activity of ALL time is walking. Has anyone else experienced
anything else like this? • I am a 62 year old male who had a heart attack
in November 2008. Had 2 stents inserted and felt weak and endured slight
pain, until I had a 5 graft by pass in March 2009. Once again suffered
bad chest pains and was hospitalised about a month ago. They found out
that 2 of the arteries that were grafted were totally blocked. They inserted
2 more stents. Its nearly a month since the insertion and I feel pinching
pain, sensations in the chest and squeezing pain. I try and walk 15 mins
twice a day with great difficulty. I will be seeing the Cardio next week.
Never felt so bad and my self esteem is quite low for an outdoing person
like myself. Anybody with similar problems? • I am a 52 year old male, good shape, non-smoker,
healthy eater who experienced shoulder, arm and chest pain while on a
golf vacation in Charleston, SC. Was admitted to Roper, had a cath and
stent put in Mid RCA due to a 99% blockage. This was 7 days ago and I
feel great. Starting to exercise a little with no immediate issues. The
last two nights, I woke up to a little should and arm pain. I am on Plavix,
Toprol XL, Vasotec, Aspirin and Omega-3 Fish Oil. Blood Pressure averages
100/60. I am thinking that while at rest sleeping, my Blood Pressure
lowers and thus causing the minor pain? Does anyone else have this or
thinking this way or am I on the wrong track. • Got 4 stents over a year ago - exercise induced
angina. My hunch is I only needed two stents. I had pain (that I never
had before the stents) immediately after and it has become less, but
never went away. Beware of over-stenting -- some of these doctors are
looking out for their pocket-books instead of the patient. Make sure
your doctor is using IVUS and/or FFR - I would opt for bare metal stents. • En -- actually 50% is the "tipping point" figure
as you call it. However, this can be misleading. We've written about
other technologies, called FFR and IVUS, which some cardiologists think
are better ways to judge if a blockage needs stenting. FFR actually measures
the blood pressure inside the artery, across the blockage. It may seem
counter-intuitive, but what may look like a significant blockage on an
X-ray angiogram (the "gold standard") may not actually be reducing
the blood flow to the heart. The
FAME study proved this and showed that stenting guided by
FFR had significantly better outcomes than stenting guided by angiography
alone. We see that you live in Washington. The cardiologists at the Washington
Hospital Center are big believers in IVUS and FFR (read our
interview with Dr. Waksman). The question of menopause is
not one we can comment on. Again the idea is to reduce risk factors as
much as possible. There's no reason to think that this disease, if kept
under control and treated, should result in a heart attack. • Followup to April
4 post -- The pain - those pinching sensations - have
gone away fortunately. Thank you for your support. The doctor didn't
seem to want to add another medication (anti-smoking) to my list.
I do feel lucky being alive but it's an adjustment trying to alter
life style and outlook. I have a couple of other questions: Why
do they put a stent only after a 70 percent blockage? Is that the
tipping point? Do you feel much worse after that - risk of heart
attack increases? One other question, I haven't hit menopause yet.
Is my heart disease going to get worse after that? They decreased
my aspirin from 365 to 81 mg because of all the (monthly) side
effects, which was a good thing. • I received a stent in Dec. 09. Currently my
pulse rate is low. Is that dangerous? My doctor put me on another blood
pressure pill and wants to hook me to a heart monitor. Should I look
for another doctor? • En -- After three months, much of the stent
will be healing, getting covered by endothelial cells. The body is very
smart and it sensed this foreign object immediately! That's precisely
why it's important to start taking Plavix and aspirin ASAP -- to keep
the blood from clotting around this unknown interloper: the stent. So
your body isn't "rejecting" the stent. However, and this will
be something you've heard before, you must stop smoking -- even two cigarettes
a day. It is the highest risk factor there is for coronary artery disease
-- no question about it. If you are looking to feel better, you need
to seek out help to stop (it is really hard to do this alone!) -- your
doctor should be able to at least prescribe something to aid you in this.
Consider yourself lucky that a technology exists that opened up an almost
totally closed LAD without surgery. You've gotten a second chance --
now do the best you can to reduce your risk factors. • Around three months
ago they put a stent in my heart - LAD. 99.9% blockage. There are other
blockages down the road but not up to 70%. I started feeling some pinching
now and then on the left side after they did an echo about a month ago.
If I exerted myself it got worse. It felt like the body is rejecting
or squeezing the stent to me. As if it's just detected it and is feeling
its way around it. I haven't been able to quit smoking (twice a day).
Not the athletic type, have had thyroid problems. Now after a couple
of weeks it seems to be subsiding. Causes please? • RS -- thanks for your experience. Your observation
that stress can play a large part is true. Especially since the surprise
discovery of a blockage is a big and stressful realization for someone
with no history or reason to believe they have coronary artery disease.
(It's those genes!!) One addition -- if you are experiencing heartburn,
there are drugs you can get to reduce this -- H2 blockers or PPIs. There
have been studies that PPIs may reduce the effectiveness of Plavix, but
nothing has been proven absolutely yet. • After being treated for reflux for a month,
stress test revealed a problem. Coronary catheterization revealed a 95%
blockage so stent put in. I'm 44, never smoked, pretty healthy and active,
good weight, normal cholestorol...even before...so why is anyone's guess.
3 weeks later and still get some "weird" chest feelings, odd sharp pain,
and shortness of breath at times. Trying to return to more activity but
it is slow. I believe I have a good idea what causes most of our symptoms.
First off, the aspirin is VERY hard on the stomach and can often cause
heartburn. Secondly, the blood thinners cause dizziness and shortness
of breath...also probably the "weird" feeling as the blood flow is very
different now and we must adjust. Finally...good old paranoia, stress
and anxiety. Prior to any heart issues most of us would probably not
even notice what we do now...and of course our fears cause an overreaction
from our minds and bodies. And no doubt the fact that these symptoms
almost always go away...after a week, a month or 6 months...means it
just takes time for adjustment. Obviously if so many of us have it, seems
pretty normal to me. Hell...Im alive. Not gonna stress this anymore.
Cheers! • contact me at any time re stenting or heart
attack questions tnk u • Rukhsana and others -- many in this topic, going
back 5 years even, report discomforts of sorts right after stenting.
This may come from a number of sources, but usually resolves after a
few weeks. Sometimes it's the addition of new medications. Most important
is if the symptom of angina returns -- you should definitely see your
cardiologist to rule out reblocking of the stent. • Hi, i'm 46 years old female. I had 3 stents
placed in LAD and RCA which were severely stenosed with 90% blocked.
I feel pain in my chest with radiating to my left shoulder and jaw. I
feel pain in my chest on going to the bathroom. I am really anxious. • Hi, I am a 69 year old female. I had a Taxus
Liberte stent placed in the right coronary artery on Sept. 10, 2009.
On Sept. 22 I went to the E.R. as my blood pressure went to 210 over
120. They worked all night to get it down. No Blood Clot. I am on Plavix
and 81 gr. aspirin. The next day I started with heat spells and high
blood pressure immediately after. I am allergic to M.S.G. and that is
the reaction I have to it. and Benadryl will stop the reaction ,so I
took Benadryl and it stopped it. After that every evening it would start
about 8pm . Then it went to part of the day and all night. I have had
this reaction for over three months. Taking up to 8 Benadryl a day. All
the heart Dr. said was it's in my head or try to give me more high blood
pressure med. My blood pressure is normal except when I am having a reaction.
I am allergic to a gold ring. I never had this problem until I got the
stent and I believe it is the stent. The medicine on the stent is supposed
to wear off in 1 month. The allergy Dr. I went to said it might still
be the med. on the stent. I do have irregular heart beats some since
also, and it feels like a butterfly sometimes. Has anyone else had these
symptoms? • I had pain after first stent and more after
the second stent which was inserted after restenosis. Hoping it will
go away tomorrow, it has been 24 hours. • anyone have jaw pain after stenting and heart
attack? Thank you for all the wonderful info. • Hi, i'm 54 years old. i had a bare metal stent
installed march of 2009. On feb10, 2010 I had a medicated stent installed
in the same spot to alleviate the scar tissue that formed. Now 7 days
later I feel numbness in my left arm and sometimes in my chest especially
after walking at 4 mph for 5 min. Is this normal or has the stent closed.
By the way I'm on plavix and aspirin325 with perfect blood pressure. • I had angina upon exertion and coded during
my treadmill exam. LAD 99% blocked, two stents later, beta blockers,
Plavix, etc. I feel well at resting heart rates but begin to feel the
burn whenever I exercise moderately, go out in the cold or after a heavy
meal. I take a nitro tab and that relieves the angina but I get the nitro
headache. I'm glad it's not my imagination as it seems I'm certainly
not alone. All the tests say I should be like new, I am very much improved
but not what I'd hoped for. It seems to be gradually improving or I'm
getting used to it, It's been three months. • I had angioplasty very recently (8th Feb) and
experience more or less the same as mentioned above. Very similar to
hypo. • bodyfortheages.com This may be the best site
to help us who have angina/severe chest pain post drug eluding stent.
See my earlier posts on this ptca.org forum. I have had severe terrible
chest pain since morning after large Cypher implanted. Tried 50 or more
types of prescriptions, all statins, all beta blockers, hundreds of types
of supplements, painkillers, EECP, stem cell surgery in Thailand (waste
of $30,000), chelation, Phosphytidlcholine IV therapy, 4 angioplasties,
Ornish diet, various aerobic exercises and on and on, all useless for
me. Creatine Pyruvate with light weight training (important combo) helps
me reduce chest pain better than anything now 2.5 months into it. Not
perfect, but reduces my pain very noticeable say 50% at times. Still
watching this to see if it continues. Studies show pyruvate could restore
endothelial function of coronary vessels. When I stop pyruvate, pain
very severe in 2 days. Back on, big pain reduction. Tested this over
and ove r. 2 other companies also make/sell creatine pyruvate, but only
this one seems effective on me. Best thing I tried by far. Will report
back in 3 months. Note: make sure it is creatine pyruvate, not calcium
pyruvate. • I had a stent placed on 1-19-10 for 75% blockage.
I am 62 yrs old. My main symptom was shortness of breath. That has been
mostly relieved. Since coming home, I have not felt very good with slight
chest pressure, lack of appetite and low energy. Is this just part of
the recovery period? • had 2 medicated stents placed on jan 7 2009.
95% blockage in descending lad. my symptoms were crushing pain in my
chest with minor exertion. since the stents i have had regular soreness
in the center of my chest, even when resting, almost every day. doc says
i am fine, several visits and an echo cardiogram all normal. the soreness
leads to serious anxiety. going for an exercise stress test tomorrow. • my husband has got a heart attack and underwent
angioplasty and one stenting. It is three weeks past. what precautions
has to be taken now. Can he start the regular activities like walking
etc. Yesterday i observed him taking a deep breath and now and then he
is belching and burping and gas release through anus. pl suggest us the
remedy. • My husband went into surgery for renal artery
Stent, came out with heart Stent. That was Oct. 09 and he has never recovered.
He is EXHAUSTED and sleeps all the time, he falls asleep as soon as he
sits down somewhere. He has had 2 bouts of Bronchitis since October and
is now having night fevers. He is 58 but I swear he seems older then
my 78 year old dad. Hubby is adopted so no family history. I feel like
I am losing him and his family doctor is pretty useless, just keeps ordering
more medications. He is currently taking, Procardia 30mg and 60 mg, Toprol
XL, water pill, Metformin, Insulin, Simvastatin,Plavix,Aspirin,Bystolic,
Clonidine, Lisinopril. • Year 2000 I had an Heart Attack and was given
a Stent in the right artery and following week, due to breathing problems
had a double bypass on the left side (No Plavix). In Dec 2009 had a rock
feeling in the middle of my chest, so all X-rays/blood test showed normal
but due to my CABG the hospital perform an catheterization which showed
the lower right artery blocked and the double bypass was also blocked,
so I had 3 Stents,Cordis, inserted. the following day was discharge and
started taking Plavix,the next day I developed sleeping problems and
a modest chest pain. I didn't have a follow up doctor appt until the
next month, so after 2 weeks of this I went back to ER and was told I
had Aerophagy. Well the med's for this didn't help so I went to another
hospital ER and their ER placed me as an inpatient and I was given an
Echo/Ct Scan and the following day another Catheterization, and to my
knowledge the doctor didn't give me a dye for looking at all the arteries,
but the doctor stated all 4 stents were Clear? Could you answer a question
Please, What's your Opinion about possible Breathing difficulties after
stent placement? • Ok folks here is my story. My name is Tom ,
53 year old male I though i was in reasonable health for a Diabetic.
I am not over weight 6'2 200lbs, Had chest pains, shortness of breath
and cold sweat on an afternoon in Nov of 2007. Blew that off till returned
a week later went to the emergency room and had a stress test. Nothing
showed up however I new something was wrong fired that doctor hired another
and had a cardiac cath 30 days later. The doc was great and inserted
nine drug-eluting stents 5 in left coronary artery and 4 in the circumflex
artery. A year later i had two more put in just for good measure. I was
depressed and scared all to hell to tell you the truth. Since then I
am doing great. I take plavix, aspirin, and a host of blood pressure,
diabetic, and Cholesterol medication. I exercise 3- 4 days a week and
feel good. To all that have had this done all I can say is you know your
body, fight for knowledge like i have. I fired the first doctor because
i knew something was wrong and the second did not think he would find
anything, SURPRISE SURPRISE. Keep the faith and good luck • 48 years old had one stent in 5/09 at U of Iowa.
Have felt bad ever since. Think twice before you go in, it might change
your life. Dr Johnson was Cardiologist haven't heard from her since.
Was told she will be calling to check with me. Don't hold your breath. • 65 yr WM. On 9/2/09 had two drug-eluting stents
installed, one in proximal LAD and one in right coronary artery. Already
on Lisinopril, post-stent, doc prescribed Clopidogrel, Simvastatin and
81mg aspirin. 20 days later broke out in hives with extreme pain and
itching in both hands. Took myself off Simvastatin, told doc what I'd
done, and within two weeks most of these reactions cleared up. Doc disagreed,
however, that reactions were triggered by Simvastatin. Since stenting,
have had first: intermittent"pangs," "twinges," minor "stabs" (seemingly
triggered with quick turning of the head when (say) looking over shoulder
to make a lane change), and other assorted minor--but disturbing--discomforts
behind and above my sternum. Have commented to wife that it feels like
the stents are "sticking out" in my chest. Doc thinks it's in my head.
More recently, mild "blooming" angina-like discomfort--nearing pain--is
often continuous and in same location. Doc talked me back into the Simvastatin
in early December and, so far, hives/pain/itching hasn't re-erupted.
So, I'm 4 1/2 months after stenting and still wondering what's really
going on in there. Sound familiar? |
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