We're all getting older. Keep your doctor in the loop. Please.

[mike45]

If us baby boomers live through the stupid things we do our check engine light will eventually come on. Good luck all.

 

[johntheplinker]

Well, that is good news. At least you are not looking at surgery right off the bat. I know the doctor explained that Afib can lead to clots that may lead to stroke, pulmonary embolism, MI. Stay on your blood thinner (my guess is Eliquis).

Yes, does sound ok, at least. The Boss has been keeping a close eye on making sure I take my meds, says she wants to keep me around for a while.

 

[KG1]

Since I do have cardiopulmonary issues, my cardiologist has scheduled for me to have a heart/lung cath angiogram on the 11th of Sept. Hopefully that also will turn out well.

Update: Had the procedure done in the hospital cath lab yesterday and by all accounts it went well. The cardiologist physician that did the procedure said the findings didn't detect any major blockages and there was no indication of pulmonary hypertension so there was no need to do any percutaneous intervention while they were in there.

It's nice to get some positive news for a change. They went in through my wrist and neck with the catheters, so I have obvious restrictions during the recovery for a while.

Still dealing with a number of debilitating health issue though, some have yet to be resolved. Still saying a prayer for others here for a positive outcome with all their health-related issues. Stay on top of it, folks. God be with you.

 

[Leadeye]

Docs took me off the Elquis and Amidarone this week , said I'm much better and see us in 6 months. I had a LAA procedure done while I was in for the heart valve replacement which they tell me is good insurance against blood clots.

 

[Bassat]

Docs took me off the Elquis and Amidarone this week , said I'm much better and see us in 6 months. I had a LAA procedure done while I was in for the heart valve replacement which they tell me is good insurance against blood clots.

Sounds good! He (assuming male) took you off the Eliquis BECAUSE he closed off your left atrial appendage. That is the biggest source of clots related arrhythmias. My surgeon stapled my LAA closed while doing my mitral valve repairs. I have no idea what 'stapled' actually means. Pretty sure I don't want to know.

 

[Zexrain]

I absolutely hate the doctors I'v been to the doctors maybe 4 times since I have been 18. It's honestly a big money grab they try to find something wrong with you so they can medicate you, but by all means I understand people of certain ages do need to see the doctors and do need the meds. I go every few years for a routine check up, but that's about it.

 

[Route 45]

It's honestly a big money grab they try to find something wrong with you so they can medicate you

Think of all the money you'll save by ignoring symptoms until it's too late to do much about them. They're not going to trick you! Funerals are way cheaper than scams like treatment, surgeries and medications.

 

[Bassat]

Think of all the money you'll save by ignoring symptoms until it's too late to do much about them. They're not going to trick you! Funerals are way cheaper than scams like treatment, surgeries and medications.

Agreed. My FIL ignored difficulty swallowing, weight loss, unexplained vomiting, and other GI symptoms for about 18 months. Note he has also had 3 previous bouts of cancer: lung, skin, colon. Sure enough, after 18 months of losing weight, he finally goes to the doctor. Scope reveals esophageal and stomach cancer. CT add liver and lymph node cancer, and classifies it all as stage 4. Doctor told him, "It's cancer. It's too late. We can't help you." He is about 1/2 way through the 3 months they gave him. Think of the money he's saving on chemo, radiation, and surgery. That ought to pay for really nice funeral.

 

[Bassat]

I absolutely hate the doctors I'v been to the doctors maybe 4 times since I have been 18. It's honestly a big money grab they try to find something wrong with you so they can medicate you, but by all means I understand people of certain ages do need to see the doctors and do need the meds. I go every few years for a routine check up, but that's about it.

I'm just a tad curious about your age. Also, what do you do when one of those routine check-ups finds something you really need to address? It is quite OK to ignore advice to start taking statins, or blood pressure medications. Cholesterol build-up in our arteries and kidney failure takes 20+ years to kill you. Of course, there is always CABG (coronary artery bypass graft), and dialysis you can fall back on because you didn't want the medications.

Funny story. My SIL gets a calcium scan every year for heart disease, and a chest x-ray for lung disease. And she smokes 2 packs a day. Let that soak in.

 

[Basher]

Cholesterol build-up in our arteries and kidney failure takes 20+ years to kill you.

Yep. I’m 37, my calcium score is off the charts, and I have two stents. Sometimes things move at an abnormally fast rate because you got effed with bad genes lol. I spoke with another doc a few months ago who said we approach heart disease wrong in America. Nobody checks for anything until you’re in your 40s, when it’s too late to prevent things and you’re stuck trying to fix a serious problem and keep yourself alive. If we’d start checking for problems in the early 20s, we’d catch early signs of serious problems soon enough that with a few life style changes, people who live healthier, longer lives. I could disagree with him. I wish I’d known I was predisposed to calcium buildup back then, as I would have made some big changes that could have kept me from facing the nightmare I deal with now.

But I guess ignorance is bliss, until one day all your problems just melt away because you died unexpectedly…

 

[Bassat]

I got my 30-day post operative checkup last week. All is in good order, except my stamina and endurance. I started Cardiac Rehabilitation last week Monday. Now I can see just how much open heart surgery takes out of a person. I can walk 2 miles slowly (55 minutes), now, but it completely exhausts me. I need a nap afterward. Rehab started us on weight training Monday. I can, just about effortlessly, work with a 3-pound dumbell. I also got permission to get back on my elliptical trainer. I use NO resistance, and NO incline. I can go 1/3 of a mile in 5 minutes, but I have to push myself to finish that. All this to say, my surgery appears to have been a success. I am on the mend, however slowly, and progressing. I hope to go back to work next month, sometime. I am grateful to have gotten another chance to take care of myself. In a week or two, I'll get that CM9 back to Range USA for another session.

 

[Bassat]

Well, here is a bit of good news. I saw my cardiac surgeon, today. He was a tad reluctant, but did release me to go back to work on Monday, 10/2. My wife thinks that is a good thing. My wallet thinks it is a very good thing. I find myself thinking this is all very abrupt. I kinda got used to not working. I do, however, continue to be a big fan of living indoors and eating regularly.

 

[cavallo]

Well, here is a bit of good news. I saw my cardiac surgeon, today. He was a tad reluctant, but did release me to go back to work on Monday, 10/2. My wife thinks that is a good thing. My wallet thinks it is a very good thing. I find myself thinking this is all very abrupt. I kinda got used to not working. I do, however, continue to be a big fan of living indoors and eating regularly.

I'm glad to hear that, Basset. Congratulations on being headed the right way.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I'm glad to hear that, Basset. Congratulations on being headed the right way.

It's Bassat. "Basset" ain't nothin' but a hound dog.

 

[cavallo]

It's Bassat. "Basset" ain't nothin' but a hound dog.

Has anyone ever told him that he spelled his screen name wrong?

 

[Bassat]

Has anyone ever told him that he spelled his screen name wrong?

It has been mentioned. Bassat is actually a combination of my initials TAS and my wife's initials SAB. Putting her first, and both backwards, yields BASSAT. I use it on several forums.

 

[Basher]

Welp…

Been feeling more fatigued than normal for the past month or two, and normal activities like taking a flight of stairs or climbing up into the loading bay of our fuel tanks at work has left me feeling like I’ve exerted myself more than I have (overly-elevated heart rate, longer recovery times than normal for the amount of effort, etc.). My Apple Watch has also alerted me that my resting heart rate trend was up a decent bit, and my BP has risen despite being on meds.

So I saw the cardiologist’s NP (my cardiologist left, and the guy I want to see is super busy in the cath lab). She scheduled a stress echo, which I did last Wednesday.

It was abnormal…

Apparently several muscles in my heart are a little thicker than they ought to be, and they’re not moving as much as they should, all indicative of another blockage. So I’m on round two for catheterization on the 6th. We’re expecting restenosis (despite having drug eluting stents), so with any luck I’ll just get a few more stents. But with how my year has gone I wouldn’t have any luck if it weren’t for bad luck, so a big part of me is expecting a bypass just so I’m not as surprised if they tell me that’s what I need…

Restenosis is pretty common with older-style stents, something like a 30% occurrence. With drug eluting, it’s supposed to be less than 10%, so I’m losing the odds yet again.

But as per the thread title, we caught this only because I listened to what my body was telling me and I kept the doc in the loop. Hopefully I come out of the procedure without any complications and this will be the last time through, but only time can tell us that story.

Take care of yourselves, everybody. Love those close to you. Every day is a gift, so try not to waste ‘em!