Triple by passs and heart valve replacement on the radar. Any advice?

[Big Barn]

Here's a good visual aid I like.

 

[amorenojunior4107]

OK now, at 74, I've never considered my self old. However, the good GP doc recently suggested I see a cardiac specialist. Well fast forward several months and several diagnostics culminating in a heart Cath, the cardiac guy casually says, yup, minimum triple by pass and while we're in there we'll replace the left Heart valve too....
Holy crap! So, may be 10# on the portly side, retired, active, and no previous cardiac issues. Bottom line, no amount of 'Drano' can dissolve the blockages so the "big zipper" is on the schedule in the next several weeks.
Not exactly a tractor carberator question but anyone out there care to weigh in on having the procedure? I'm not terribly obsessed about the process as our local hospital has done several thousand since 2002 with a 98% success rate, but it's the forced inactivity afterwards that will drive me crazy. I don't do daytime TV.

B John

Well John I received my zipper 28 days ago. It's something I would not want anyone to go through.
Today's heart surgeons know what they are doing 98% to the good side.
The best advice I received was "when you wake up you will panick, just gather your self take a few seconds to remember the tubes in your throat are only temporary."
You must stay awake and be alert for thirty minutes before the tubes can come out.
It's amazing how much you used your peck muscles, but not any more for the next month. You have to take care that your sternum heals back together.
It's tough and you will need help. Walk as much as you can and do your breathing exercise as much as you can. Thoes two things will help you the most.
All I can say is its tough.
Oh people who don't go through re hab, normally don't make it past 5 years. That's a statistic.

 

[777777]

10 yrs ago I had a heart attach. They put in one stent and I was good to go with BP meds and statins. Was a smoker so immediately quit smoking and tried to take a bit better of myself health wise. Started getting chronic bronchitis and they decided I had COPD so medicated me for that. Now had a respirologist. Couple years later, I was complaining of shortness of breath. Angiogram showed no problems so was I was good to go still. Also had nuclear stress test and regular stress test with no issues. Under care of cardiologist with yearly visits. Couple of months ago, was sent for another angiogram as still suffering shortness of breath, etc. Went in for angiogram, they put in the IV needle and a few minutes later hooked up the IV bag. They came back and started the IV drip. Within a couple of minutes, told my wife I was feeling really odd. She told the nurse who said there was nothing in the bag to be allergic to. Minute later told her I felt like going to throw up. She brought a tray over for me to use in case was going to throw up. Then decided to reduce the drip and found the IV bag was empty. Told me and the wife that that was not good and went back to nurses station. Basically, whole bag emptied into me within 3-4 minutes.
While she was at the nurses station, the surgical resident came by and took me for the angiogram. Within minutes of starting the procedure, I started to complain about feeling like pressure on my chest. They fiddled for a few minutes, turned out they removed and started over. Chest discomfort got signifantly worse and after my complaining about it a few times, they gave me a couple of nitro and terminated the precedure. Sent me to recovery. After a bit they told me that the left main artery was 50% blocked and my previous stent 74% blocked. Wanted to give me a nuclear stress test to find out why I experienced significant chest pressure. Also, I had to stay overnite because of the problems in OR room. Told them NO to nuclear but they said I had to stay overnite anyways. Released next day after again refusing nuclear test, they slapped a nitro patch on me and sent me home.
In my own mind, I could not understand why IV bag emptied so fast, within minutes and if that was normal.
Turned out that the term for what probably happened to me was " speed shock ". All the symptoms were exactly how I felt. So, have a cardio appointment tomorrow and we are going to have a discussion bout the whole thing. So.... what will be next. I am far worse off physically after that episode with even markedly more shortness of breath and I really don't have a lot of faith in the system.

 

[Jim Nelson]

The cardiology business has gone plumb to Hades. I come from a family full of heart disease and have only 1 sister still alive out of 8 kids.I've had 2 heart surgeries involving 4 bypasses and a valve.2 stents, and a mitra clip procedure. The mitral valve should have been replaced when the aortic valve was done but the cardiologist said it would be fine after the stenotic aortic valve was replaced.Of course it continued to fail. After the first botched stent procedure I started downhill with congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension which instigated the mitral clip procedure. I finally found a cardiologist who had a clue and he told me the truth about the mitral valve condition and said the only thing left is a heart transplant, which has no appeal at all. Meanwhile the rest of the docs run around in circles treating symptoms with blood transfusions and iron infusions to make me feel better .Supposedly now the blood thinners I take cause tiny vessels to bleed internally leading to the need for more blood. I've been through every dog and pony show in this part of the country and when one guys ideas fail he sends me on to the next "specialist" to try his bag of tricks.
If I was going to give anyone any advice it would be to choose very carefully who you trust and don't hesitate to change if you lose confidence in one of them.Cardiologists are a dime a dozen and their skill levels vary greatly.

 

[Wakey]

Something everyone needs is an advocate. I was with my dad for a couple weeks twice when he had some major surgeries and I go to all of my mother's Dr. appointments. I can't tell you how many things I caught that might have been missed.

Someone younger and quick on their feet is very important. Many times physicians will give a tell that unless you pick up on it, it slides. Think about it.. If you are the patient it's tough to remove yourself from the situation and think clearly.

It was a real eye opener when I was with my dad. Many of the nurses and some doctors were just plain SLOW. Make no mistake, these people aren't dumb by any stretch, its just that some of them aren't what you might call quick.

 

[dmccarty]

If I was going to give anyone any advice it would be to choose very carefully who you trust and don't hesitate to change if you lose confidence in one of them.Cardiologists are a dime a dozen and their skill levels vary greatly.

AMEN! :thumbsup:

Unfortunately, my family has spent way too much time with illnesses and surgeries. We learned decades ago, that once we have reached the limit of a doctor's competence, then it is time to move on. QUICKLY in some cases. We have had one doctor perform an unneeded surgery, and one, through complete incompetence, almost killed a baby. We have found good doctors, and we hang onto them, but finding them can be difficult.

Later,
Dan

 

[Teachu2]

The good ones soon attract more patients than they can handle, and then they aren't so good anymore. I fired one a few months ago, and hired the youngest cardiologist in the same practice. He's FANTASTIC - great listener, very knowledgeable, extremely thorough, and will spend the time to make sure I truly understand.

 

[txdon]

The good ones soon attract more patients than they can handle, and then they aren't so good anymore. I fired one a few months ago, and hired the youngest cardiologist in the same practice. He's FANTASTIC - great listener, very knowledgeable, extremely thorough, and will spend the time to make sure I truly understand.

Does he know about the Century Study in Houston? Which diet does he prescribe?

 

[Teachu2]

My problem is electrical, so we're dealing with that first. I have to be at the hospital tomorrow at 5:30am. Hopefully, the clots are gone and we can do a cardioversion, and get me out of Afib. I'm tired of being tired. Once that's over, we will look at the next steps.