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Current Postings on This Page (17):
• Dear editor, thanks for your reply I have to
have another stent put in in a week or so. It does seem strange that I
can do these things and hope that this is because there is not much or
any heart damage, I will ask the cardiologist what he can see whilst he
is doing the next stent which is not a complete blockage (like the last
one) but a restriction and carry on trying to lose two stone and be healthy,
hope It lasts? I am 46 so a bit young for this sort of stuff, rather a
fright to the wife.
W., United Kingdom, May 7, 2008
• W. -- your cardiologist is the best person to
discuss this with you. The figure you are looking for is called
the "ejection fraction" which is a % of how efficiently your
heart is working. Using
ultrasound or a catheterization, the cardiologist can also see how well
the heart muscle is moving and exactly where and how much damage has occurred.
So you're saying that you just had a heart attack last week, and a stent,
and since then you've mowed the lawn twice, hoed the garden and walked
two miles into town??!! Not to be facetious, but we'll
bet there are some readers who are breathless just thinking about that.
Best
of luck to you and please let the Forum know what you find out and how
you are progressing. Cheers.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, May 6, 2008
• I had angioplasty and a stent put in this last Saturday having had a heart
attack that I never felt until central chest indigestion type pains afterwards,
it was two days later having done some reasonably physical work that I went to
the doctor and they did a cardio graph and called an ambulance on viewing it.
After having a blockage stented I came home, no work for six weeks and no driving
for four weeks. Have mowed the lawn twice hoed the garden walked round the village
(2mls)felt pretty tired and slept a bit no pain but a bit breathless. I had an
enzyme reading of 7.0 on the blood test two days after the event which worried
the hospital. My question is how much damage to the heart have I done and is
it normally assessed after this sort of thing. thanks A (IS THE BREATHLESSNESS
RELATED CLOSLEY TO THE DAMAGE?)
W., United Kingdom, May 6, 2008
• Thank you for your fast reply! I feel better
today but have another problem - high temperature - I feel like I have
a flu
but I hope the high temperature is not connected to the angioplasty or
the meds. My cardiologist said that I should not have pulse more than
58-60 but my pulse is 85 when I am relaxed-the blood pressure is ok 70-130.
I've
heard that the high temperature increase the pulse. My cardiologist couldn't
explain why my pulse is so quick.
Bilyana Dimitrova, Bulgaria Gabrovo, April 1, 2008
• Bilyana -- almost 50% of patients report some
chest discomfort, sometimes a heaviness in the chest right after stenting
and there is an adjustment period as the body gets used to it. With a 99%
blockage
now
opened up,
the heart
is
suddenly getting more blood and oxygen. But if the pain is like the angina
you had
before stenting, report
it to
your
interventional
cardiologist, for peace of mind of nothing else. As for stent thrombosis,
it's a rare but acute event --
a blood clot doesn't just cause pain or discomfort, but blocks the artery,
similar to what happens in a heart attack. Again, it's rare -- so keep
taking for
aspirin
and Plavix or other prescribed meds.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, April 1, 2008
• I have been in the hospital last thursday for
coronarography. It was find out that I had 99% occlusion and the doctors
placed one stent - the coronary has been successful with optimum result.
But I worry because I still have some kind of heaviness in the chest,
this morning I had pain in the left side of the chest and had nitroglycerin.
I want to know is that normal, I am going to have control examination
after
two weeks, shall I wait till the examination or shall I go earlier because
of these symptoms. I get all the medications including Plavix. I would
like to know what are the symptoms of stent thrombosis - is that pain
in the chest means that there is a problem or is this adaptation period
of
the
body! Thank you all!
Bilyana Dimitrova, Bulgaria Gabrovo, March 31, 2008
• Guncha -- prognosis, etc. are things which your
husband's cardiologist can answer best. Much depends on how quickly his
angioplasty was done after his first symptoms, and what his heart function
now is post-MI -- i.e. was there much heart muscle damaged? His general
state
of health is also important.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, March 24, 2008
• Hi, My husband [56yrs] had to undergo angioplasty
of two of his arteries after he suffered a major heart attack. He was
in the hospital for four days. He is now back home and on a number of medications.
His treating doctor has given him four weeks of leave from work. It has
now been almost 8 days since his release from the hospital but he seems
to be recovering pretty slowly and has low level of energy. Can you please
tell me what should we expect with regards to his recovery rate? Thank
you.
Guncha, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 24, 2008
• hi, just to thank you for being here, tonight.
A friend had me boggled, when he was about his normal business, including
driving, less than a week after an angioplasty and insertion of stent.
He is one who usually, but not always, good about following recommendations,
and I was concerned that he was "trying
too hard", which he sometimes does. Your article and forum entries were very
helpful. I
have my CPR, but who wants to use it ? thanks again.
Elle Fagan, Artsite, Vernon Rockville, Connecticut, USA, October 10, 2007
• BJ -- we assume you mean "stents" not "splints".
See our comments below as to recovery time. Also you say you have a systemic
disease. Do you mean coronary artery disease? This is a chronic condition
and that is why, even with angioplasty and stents, medical therapy and
lifestyle change is very important in keeping the progression under control.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, August 24, 2007
• i am going in for a heart cath and possibly splints;
how long will i be in the hospital and how long will my recuperation be?
My calcification level is 331 and i have a systemic disease. Could that
have caused my high calcium
level?
Thanks.
BJ., Mississippi, USA, August 18, 2007
• Mohamed -- as we say to all patients, these are
questions that are very individualized for each person, depending on their
health, clinical status, and what is being done. Your interventional cardiologist,
who should be able to see your entire medical history, is the best person
to make this call. We would certainly think you'd want to wait a few days
to make sure your access artery has no complications, etc.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, May 14, 2007
• I will be undergoing Angioplasty very soon, but
not in the country where I am working right now. I am planning my angioplasty
in my home country. Can you please tell me how long I have to wait for
an air travel (about 4Hrs 30Min) after angioplasty?
Mohamed Raffik, India, May 10, 2007
• Hi Peter My cardiologist signed me off from work
for 10 days following the op. To be honest, I could probably have gone
back three or four days later but I took full advantage of the break to
rest and relax properly. In the UK you are not allowed to drive for a week
after the op. It is very important not to put any stress on the groin area
in any way for two or three days afterwards. I overdid it after my second
angioplasty and suffered quite bad bruising due to an internal bleed. Given
that you know that you have to have an angioplasty, it is also very important
that take it easy from now until the op too ! PS. If it's any reassurance,
I found the most uncomfortable part of the whole procedure was having to
lie still in the hospital bed for 6 hours after the op ! The actual op
itself is relatively painless.
jj, Lancs, UK, April 30, 2007
• Peter, You are fortunate to have advance notice,
please use the time to learn as much as you can and to work WITH your doctor,
don't just let him tell you. From my perspective, there is no such thing
as recovery period after angioplasty. Although I was home the next day
and at work the day after that, there was no "recovery". Recovery suggests
returning to the way things were, but things will never be the same. Look
forward to new experiences, many of them wonderful. It's like moving to
another part of the country - you bring the old furniture, but now you
have to figure out how to make it work in the new house .... and you will.
Tom S., Encinitas, California, USA, April 28, 2007
• Peter -- recovery varies with the individual,
their state of health, the amount of work being done and whether or not
there are any complications. Normally patients are kept in hospital overnight
and can go back to work within a couple days. There is really not much "recovery" needed
from the angioplasty/stent -- more from the catheter access site (groin
or wrist). If the procedure is being done from the femoral (groin) artery,
you definitely want to avoid lifting, and any exertion for a while. You
want the catheter access site to fully heal to avoid bleeding or arterial
complications. A long haul trip would involve lifting suitcases, etc. so
you may want to give yourself a few days. Discuss these concerns with your
cardiologist, for sure. Also you may be on some new drugs post-angioplasty,
so you want to give yourself time to make sure you're not going to have
any reactions to these when you're on the road away from your doctor. Any
other stories out there regarding recovery time??
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, April 28, 2007
• I will soon undergo angioplasty. Can anyone tell
me anything about the recovery period following this procedure? I'm scheduling
a long haul business trip and concerned.
Peter G., United Kingdom, April 27, 2007
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