I have a great cardiologist. It almost seems a curse!

[Gore1FL]

In 2016, on tax day, I found myself in a crowded "Sisters of Saint Mary" Hospital, DePaul, in St. Louis, MO with a ridiculous amount of angina. A few days later I had a cardiologist. I suddenly had many prescriptions. in 2016, 2019, an 2023 I have had coronary catheters ready to angioplasty and stent my cholesterol-absorbing arteries.

But, alas, he's too damn good.

I initially went to the ER and ultimately to him because I had all the signs--repeating sharp chest pain by the left ventricle, numbness in the left arm, along with a constant level of angina. It's not gotten worse. I mean my blockage %, my pain levels, generally, I've been stable...in my angina....

Ironically, I am too good to fix, but I am not exactly reversable. Stents would fix my pain, but stents aren't advisable at my current blockage.

So, pain?

(If you ever see me be an online dick, this is probably why. I get tense...)

[TigressDem]

1. Hmmm?

Why don't they advise the stents? Do they combine it with angioplasty to clear the blockage first?

I know my Dad had angioplasty, but I don't remember any mention of stents at the time. It was many years ago at the VA.

Maybe they only did the angioplasty at that time and stents is a more recent additional process.


https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/coronary-angioplasty/about/pac-20384761

[Gore1FL]

3. I seem to be right below the point where it is advisable.

Given the risks of the procedure and long-term requirements vs the short-term issues, I am just on the fringe where comfort takes a second place to the risks.

[TigressDem]

6. Well, hope things improve for you.

Sounds rough.

Hopefully Doc is good enough to get you through it and doing better soon.

[LittleGirl]

2. My brother had 7 stents in his heart

when he died suddenly in 2019. He had his first heart attack at age 29. Youngest man in CCU (cardiac care unit).
He went to Cleveland Clinic and they found that the stints they put in his heart back in the 80s formed scar tissue and wrapped tissue around the stint in his veins. They could not be removed to be replaced. So the later stints he had in were working much better but he continued to take more cholesterol meds and BP meds and still had angina. He drank like a fish and wouldn't stop. He quit smoking cigarettes in the 80s but smoked the 'better' stuff. He was 57 when he passed.

Live your life and take care. Enjoy the days you have and try to keep the anger at bay. Everybody is different so do what they tell you (if you can). Good luck. You're forgiven.

[Gore1FL]

4. "keep the anger at bay."

You know me in real life, don't you?

This is advice I wish I could follow. Sadly, I seem genetically predisposed. I can't say for sure my dad's anger ended him, but I do know two things. 1> He was really pissed off a couple weeks prior to his passing, and 2> I inherited and amplified every bit his lack of temper control.

I will try to take your advice withing my shortcomings! I appreciate the good thoughts!

[LittleGirl]

5. I have anger issues too

My dad died of heart failure in '75. He was 42 years old. I was a happy teen at the time and smiled all of the time. My nickname was smiley.

I have learned some breathing techniques that I do when my hubby drives badly or my siblings tick me off. It has helped me but I didn't learn it professionally, just by thinking about it and closing my eyes. Counting to 10 helps too.

Cyber hugs my friend. Do what you can to ease the anger.

[enough]

10. A genetic predisposition doesn't mean there's nothing you can do to help yourself.

[TigressDem]

7. My Dad used to get really mad at us girls...

But he was the kind of man who could justify whopping a Son but not a Daughter.

SO when we pissed him off, he'd tell us the bullet points of what he needed us to do and then took a walk to cool down.

When he came back, we'd done whatever needed doing and he gave us whatever lecture he had in store for us in a calmer manner.

Walking helped his heart and lower back. So he was always more relaxed afterward.

[Gore1FL]

8. I use walking, myself.

I often get 100,000 steps a week. Most of it is stress related.

[LittleGirl]

9. That's my stress relief most of the time

I seem to get charged up when I get angry. Like rocket fuel energy.
Walking in nature helps reset my focus and doesn’t give me that “I hate exercise” feeling.

I have to have tendon surgery in 9 days so I’ve taken a few walks in the woods.
It is helping me manage the stress of the surgery and accepting the loooong recovery time it requires. I’m not used to sitting around.