All the very best for a successful operation.
Workmate (much older than you) had a heart attack in France about 20 years ago, and luckily there was a doctor nearby (they were on a camp site) He got airlifted to hospital and had a triple bypass. Worked just fine - he lead a normal life afterwards. And I'm sure techniques will have improved since then.
OK thats not -quite- so bad then, seriously its not. Thats not heart disease as its usually known if you were doing all the above then I think your prognosis, that is if you don't fret! yourself to death first is very good. This sort of thing is Atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries and I'd lay odds that most contributors here over 40 odd have a degree of it!, it looks like yours has just started to get problematic I expect it may well have been a small blood clot or bit of plaque got struck in the wrong place.
I still expect that if he were -that- concerned he'd shift you up the scale or are you in "standby" in case they can do it sooner?.
OK perhaps carry on walking around a bit but check with consultant or doc first pref consultant. Don't as per your earlier post put the medic profession on such a pedestal there're only human despite what some consults may think;!, we have a few of them round this way "God" isn't the half of but I do know a couple who are very down to earth people and are very concerned about their patients.
Even people who have had surgery or are recovering from a heart attack are encouraged to get some exercise!..
Oddly enough someone I know had this very thing happen last week, he's
82 and has just had a couple of Hips replaced and happy as a pig in s**te but its not getting him down, he says its just another nuisance to cope with;!...All the best..
I had a heart attack after a while of humming and hawing, my heart was fine and my arteries that of a young man they decided that it was an irregular heart beat, so I was subscribed warfarin, I hated it. But I was not willing to gamble with my health, are you? I am still here, 4 years later, will you be if you ignore the advice of the experts?
Based on the experience of a relative, I think if I was told I needed some kind of heart surgery, I would be keen to get it done soon, while remaining polite and positive with the doctors. With some heart conditions (maybe not this one), there's a risk that other organs will be damaged by the deteriorating heart, and at some point the doctors will decide that intervention to fix the heart is no longer worthwhile.
I think it's important to remain positive when talking to doctors, to convince them that the risk and cost of the operation will be justified.
This also sounds like an oportunity to lose some weight under medical supervision, which will also demonstrate positivity.
tony sayer wrote on 04/08/2014 :
Thanks Tony, good points my friend
Which expert? The one who said a pacemaker WAS needed, or the one who said it WASN'T?
The presumption is that it was purely a financial decision. What it if it wasn't? What if the second cardiologist decided that the case was so borderline that the invasive surgery was more of a risk than the condition?
Well I'd ask him. It could be that he has or will prescribe some medicine to keep things ticking away and blood thin till then. The problem with any kind of infection of course is that it can weaken you, and also if he really wants some weight loss, then a gentle regime of less of the nasty stuff would be in order. I'd have expected him to give you a list of dos and don'ts as they did with my late father, which got him very fed up as nothing stressful like driving for example was allowed only gentle walks. Brian
putting
minute.
Antivirus protection is active.
When I was told I needed an angiogram and possibly a stent or bypass, I had to wait 6 months. It got so bad that I rang the consultant's Secretary and was scheduled for the next day. They are the people who hold the power.
I would contact the consultant and tell him you are panicking after being told it is critical and urgent tell him you are stressing over it and could he confirm/explain some details, I am sure they will be more than happy to do this, this way you are giving him a reason as to why you are concerned and not being confrontational if that makes you feel better. The one `ilness` the NHS wont fekc about with is heart issues as they know they will get their rear end sued big time so try and trust their judgement. I have had a heart attack (4 years ago) and the biggest issue is psychological, I was fortunate that I only required one stent but once they go in they may not be able to fit it and you go straight to open heart/bypass or whatever. But still it takes time to mentally accept it. I went to cardiac rehab after it and over a 6 month period my fitness improved dramatically. I lead a normal life and there is nothing I stop myself from doing. Bypass surgery will take longer than a stent but you will get there if you follow the advice. At the rehab there was all sorts.... stents, bypass etc. we all worked the weights and cycle thingies and also badminton if you wanted, you will be surpised what you can do.
I wish you well.
Agreed. I'd just try to find out what the hold-up is and whether you can be moved forward, perhaps by agreeing to go on a short notice list for cancellations, for example.
Yes but, my father was very fit in his youth and had a very low pulse rate through his life. Which perhaps enabled him to last longer given that he smoked like a chimney and drank like a fish.
You obviously don't know what a pacemaker does. There are various types, but the commonest is one that sits there doing nothing until the heart goes into AF, or stops completely, at which point it restores regular rhythm. Without it you would just suddenly drop dead; with it you would have a hell of a funny pain in your chest but would live. It's like having your own defibrillator permanently on duty.
In the case I mentioned the patient had suffered a sudden, inexplicable, cardiac arrest. The docs said, "We don't know why your heart stopped, so we don't think it will happen again." The patient's friend said, "Are you sure you want to take that risk?"
Bill
When asked, "What's the downside?" the answer was, effectively, "There isn't one."
What if the second cardiologist decided that the case was so
There's no significant risk. That wasn't an issue. This was discussed.
Bill
As I said, it's the polite but pushy who get the best out of the NHS. A very small example: this morning a friend of mine had to have a tooth out. Because of other medical problems this was a hospital job. Afterwards she had the presence of mind to ask for a prescription for all the aftercare stuff, mouthwash, pads, etc, because she doesn't pay for her prescriptions. If she hadn't asked she would have been buying the items over the counter.
Bill
Hi Steve (coming late to the party...)
Your experience seems quite close to that of my wife, who was presented with the necessity for a triple coronary bypass operation late last year, and underwent the operation almost exactly six months ago.
Interestingly the symptoms of heart problems are apparently different for men and women; for women there is much less of the 'pain in the chest & arms' sign, it's more amorphous. As a result women get reported less often than men.
There's a thread with some of Sam's experiences on a British Heart Foundation forum here:
I would *strongly* recommend that you (ahem) heartily engage with the rehab program, and work it for all it's worth.
HTH Jon N
Sorry I don't have any useful advice. But I wish you all the best. Surgeons are just people with all the same quirks as the rest of us. Very stressful job.
The thing is, even "financial decisions" are bounded by clinical considerations.
There was an amusing ding-dong on radio a while back, where a pumped up parent (mum) was fuming that the NHS were no longer giving TB vaccinations as routine. She wittered on about "money saving". When the expert got to speak, he explained that whilst not vaccinating everyone _would_ save money, the actual reason was clinical - the vaccine isn't
*that* effective, and there was a risk of x deaths in 100,000 which exceeded the risk of dying from TB. Basically it was safer not to vaccinate en masse.
My wife is in need of a fairly urgent operation but the waiting time was a little longer than we were happy with and her symptoms, unknown to the surgeon, were becoming worse.
A quiet, positive word with the surgeon's (excellent) secretary, with reasons for why it would be good to be treated soon, and the offer to accept a short notice admission, have worked wonders...
Good luck and remember, as has already been said, this is an unusual experience for you, but it's everyday for the surgeon.
Which is what the older froggie relatives do over in France, eat as much ham and other fatty meats, drink gallons of vin and smoke those disgusting Gauloises..
But if you shuffle of le mortal coil before your 90 odd thats considered premature.
How do they manage this?, Simples.
The have no concept of "needed yesterday" jobs or stress in that part of Frog-O-Land everything can wait till tomorrow.
When they do anything its done at Two speeds, Slow and Stop!.
Occasionally its three speeds. Slow, slower still and lets piss of home!.
Theres the subtle difference .. no stressors;!...
Well having been sucked into reading this thread I'll add my tuppence worth.
1) Good points about going to see your GP with your concerns and also about taking the opportunity to get some weight down. 2) Must be a very nerve racking time - but nonetheless and being practical (this is an appropriate site for practical things) get your Will sorted if it isn't already. 3) On the other hand the odd person I've known have a triple have come out fitter and leaner than they went in. Get a list of the things you will do when you've recovered. 4) See if you can get your op early in the week ie Mon or Tue. Weekend care is not so good in hospitals. 5) Despite all the headline horror stories the NHS delivers to millions. They have diagnosed your issues, identified concerns and acted upon them (infection risk) and taken suitable steps. Don't see that they've done much wrong so far.Good luck
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