Heart Bypass Surgery

I guess you could say that I've been lurking and reading just to gather information. In January of 04 my uncle had quadruple bypass it was only going to be a triple but then it became a quadruple. They doctors said that if they hadn't of caught it when they did he would have had a major coronary event and probably would have died. Since then he's had a defibrillator put in a couple more smaller heart attacks and his life style has not changed. He still smokes like a chimney he still eat the same of crap all of the time. And this scares me because he helped raise me and it scares me, with the way he's going why did he even bother having the bypass he's just clogging up his arteries again. It was also brought to my attention from other family members that he's addicted to Oxycotin so the responsible man he used to be is no longer. He lives with my great grandmother and he doesn't pay for a thing. I was also told that if something ever happened to my great grandmother my uncle would not have a home since the house is in her name and since he's not helping with bills and my cousins have started helping my great grandmother out (she'll be 93 September 18, I'm getting married September 17 of this year)if she's passes away he's without a home. Now this will start a war within my family. As if there isn't already one about what to do about my uncle I agree he probably has medical bills but he also has a job and good income he could help out some not leave it up to a 92 year old woman. Half of my family wants to blame him and put in the money to help her and half want to defend him and don't have the money to help her because they are irresponsible. I think he's depressed but he won't go see anyone and I'm worried. I don't know what to do and I'm caught in the middle I have both sides pulling me in both directions yet I can see both sides. Medical bills add up, I have plenty from having my laparascopy and then eight days later my tonsils taken out but you still have to pay your other bills also. He does have good health insurance. What do I do? LyricZada

My old EMS raido just went off. They used the same tone that I used to respond to. They are taking in a 45 year old woman in full cardiac arrest. If they can get her back we will have a new member. Every time I hear that tone it gets my heart raceing. I want to go and help. 45 is pretty young for a full arrest. It is all going to depend on how long she was down before they found her. Keep your fingers crossed.. Steve Y.

I take oral chemo medication at home for 5 days and then I stop for 5 days and then take it again for 5 days and so on for 20 days. I see the oncologist every 6 days, Originally since the tumour is so small I was to have only surgery but since the oncologist would prefer that I have the spinal surgery before the abdominal surgery ( whipple proceedure) they decided to start the chemo. I am fortunate in that there is no hair loss with the type of chemo I am on. Since medical care is free to every Canadian citizen and in our area there are not enough orthopedic surgeons I have to wait a while for the surgery. Gail

I hope all of you know by now that I am a clown, comedian and jokester. I think Howard Stern took lessions from me when I had my own radio station. My bark is worse than my bite. I just like to liven things up a bit. If I am going to far, just let me know and I will tone it down a bit. Connie and Debra you are both Hot chicks and if you ever watched Howerd Stern, listen to what he plays when a hot chick comes on his show. I think lapghter helps cure your ills at least that is how I deal with my problems. I have said enough for now. I am busting a gut to make more comments about Debra`s bibs but I better keep my mouth shut. I hope the OT people don`t get to mad at me. Steve Y.

Yesterday it was 45 degrees and the sun was shining. I went outside with NO coat or hat on. I had to clean up a months worth of dog dodo from 3 dogs. The sun was warm and it felt good to get out. Now today I feel like crap. I am all pluged up, my chest is tight, dizzy, runny nose and ache all over. Everytime I go outside and enjoy my self I have hell to pay the next day. It will keep doing this untill the temp outside reaches 75 degrees and stays there. Steve Y.

What is wrong with blue jeans. I was born in them and raised in them. I have worn them every day of my life. I go every where in them. I don`t even own a pair of dress pants. I had to buy a pair of dress pants to get married in. I wore them that one day and they are still hanging in the closit.(Dont fit anymore). I had to rent a TUX for my daughters wedding. Doing the type of work I do only blue jeans will hold up and I am working on something all the time. Most of them have greese and oil stains but i have 2 pair I use for going out. I guess I am the RED NECK here. Steve Y.

Happy....Happy...Birthday To Connie...and many more... hope you have a wonderful day Hugzz Rita

Gail that is what been going through my mind lately... Rita Rita, Your comment about passing on the baggage to the kids really hit home. That is what i feel so bad about - the kids have to worry about heart disease, strokes, cancer and diabetes. Sure hurts being a Mom knowing that you might be causing this in your kids Gail

Gail <whiskers7@... Ann You are right about love being the most important gift, Connie went to Grandma's growing up for love, me I didn't get any love growing up which is why I wanted a family so badly - just to love them and I am so Lucky - I get so much Love In return Gail Gail, You certainly deserve to bask in it now! ENJOY! Connie Connie Turner

Having a time settling in to beddy bye time tonight. Experiencing some anxiety, and when I do, I tend to ramble too much....as y'all have probably figured out by my posts, especially those recently! Have all kinds of things running through my mind, and I've taken a Xanax to help me settle down a little. While I wait for it to kick in so I can settle in to try and sleep, there was something that I thought of that I've been wondering about since my bypass, and keep failing to remember to ask y'all. This question may apply more to the women in the group. We are probably the more finicky about the appearance of our hands than you rough and tumble hardy he-men! And we probably spend more money on taking care of them because of that. Well, I always have. I mean not that I haven't worked hard with them. I operated an infant daycare for the 3 1/2 years leading up to my bypass surgery, so you can imagine how frequently my hands were in water because of baby care, and the necessity to keep everything clean and sanitary because these babies were all under 18 months of age, and were all over the floor...putting things in their mouths, etc. So, I was constantly cleaning and sanitizing household, equipment, toys, etc. And I am not a rubber glove user despite the necessity to use harsh cleaning products. I just can't stand to wear rubber gloves. I've always gone for manicures, etc. But despite doing that...in the last 5 years it seemed to me that my hands looked OLDER than the rest of my body. So actually, I guess the "aged" look began even before I ran the daycare. And it wasn't, just ME that noticed how aged my hands looked. Others did too. Probably MOST were too mannerly to mention it, but...not all: Hubby commented on my "old looking" hands, as did my sister's husband (brother-in-laws...gotta luv 'em!). And both did so on more than one occasion, and not really in a fashion to be mean or teasing. Just REDNECK truthful! Yep, these REDNECK men in my life can really open mouth, and insert both feet with boots on! So totally uncouth! But then again, in all fairness to REDNECK men, I would probably be the first one to sniff the air, and question either of them, "Is that YOUR feet I smell?"....that is, if I had reason to believe there was such an unpleasant waft about. But, since my bypass....my hands look much better. I noticed an almost immediate improvement. And I have to wonder if just having better circulation, oxygen levels or blood flow because of the bypasses had anything to do with that improvement? So, is it all in my mind...or have any of you other ladies experienced this with your hands? Hugs, Connie Connie Turner

Well gang, It`s saturday nite and it is time for my 4 Ss I will be back in a little bit. Steve Y.

I stopped in at the video store on the way home from my doctor checkup! [INLINE] no copies of TUFF TURF! I'll have to try again elsewhere... Connie Connie Turner

You know gang I still feel a little leftout. I set here and read all your posts and see the long list of meds you are on. I also see that all of you are going back in for checkups. As for me I am on NO meds, only 1 asprin. As for the checkups. I have been to the ER 2 times with chest pain. Both times I was told that it was the cold weather and the mammory artery and not to worry. My card told me to get out of his office, that my heart was fine and he did not want to see me again unless something happend. I cannot relate to all the meds that you all are on. Why are you guys having checkups when I was told not to come back. It makes me wounder if my surgery was realy nessary. Something is not rite here. I monitor my own EKG and BP and every thing is fine. My diabetes doctor gives me a copy of my blood tests every 3 months and my colostrol and tryglisrides are all normal. My A1C is a little high but that is normal with me. What the hell is going on here. I even went back to MCO where they did the surgery. They laffed at me and said ,you are fine and sent me home. I would hate to find out that my bypass was ennessary. Steve Y.

I've never been in a group like this so bear with me if I ask stupid questions or say dumb things. I'll learn. My 47 yr. old husband had emergency triple bypass surgery on Feb. 1. He has been home 5 days and is spending his entire day laying on the couch and sleeping. He had an episode at work which caused him to fall and crack his skull. They had to wait 6 days to do a heart cath because of the brain swelling and then came the bypass news. He really doesn't remember much of the hospital stay and didn't even realize it was a triple bypass until yesterday. He just doesn't seem to want to do much and I think I am becoming a nag. We don't know anyone who has had bypass and I don't know if what he is doing is normal. We go for an orientation to a Heartstrides program next week but he can't begin for a month after that. Any words of advice for a relatively young bypass patient and his stressed out wife? Thanks so much! Jean

Bill, I agree with you. We are all different and we do not know what each persons tolerance level is. If we were all the same, then this list or any other would not be needed. Every0ne would have the same experience and same results. We are here to support each other, it doesn't mean we have to feel the same about our decisions and choices. So Ann, we are here for you any time. Now, I am a #1 Cardinals fan but after the Rams made it to the Super Bowl and won, ( I do not like football but my husband and children do) then I believe the Cubs can win the World Series, too. lol I am ready for baseball, come on Spring ! Hugs, Barbee

I don't know much about drugs. I never even did the funs ones that a lot of people our age did back in the 60's. LOL! I'm not very chemistry minded, and do not even understand the function of most of the 10-12 drugs prescribed that I must take on a daily basis. It really blows my mind when I hear so many of you talking about the different drugs you take and y'all really seem to know so much about them! To me, they are like taxes and insurance, don't really care to read a lot about them, just do what I'm told, pay when I'm told, take the dosages I'm told. I never even think about them if I'm feeling good, and often forget to take the pills I really need to take when I do feel good! It's only when I'm in pain that I worry about drugs, and taking meds on schedule. But....can someone tell me why a drug that you take on a daily basis would not dissolve and absorb in your body? I'll try to word this delicately, 'cause it's a little bit of a gross subject....but, I take lasix, so I must take this huge potassium pill...it's big enough to choke a horse. I discovered this morning that yesterday's morning potassium pill just passed through without dissolving. That's never happened before. It does possibly explain why I had foot and leg cramps last night. I'm wondering if maybe that's why this morning I awoke with one of my thumbs and whole wrist completely "out" like a sprain. I had attributed this earlier to a cold front in the weather; it came in overnight here. Until I discovered the potassium pill passed through without even dissolving! All my life I've experience problems with joints that just "go out" for no reason....wrists, ankles, knees, hips. Usually when one goes out.... as the left wrist/thumb did today, the opposing joint will usually go too. I can expect the right one to go out at any time now. I keep wrists braces for these occasions and ankle wraps for the occasions when the ankles go. They will stay out for a period of time that I never have understood. Sometimes a day; sometimes for weeks, or months. And then, as suddenly as it came on, it will leave! Often, when it does leave, the pain moves to one of the other joint areas that I mentioned, and hits both of those. But I have not had this happen in a long time...in fact, not since my bypass. It used to happen on a very regular basis. But I wasn't taken potassium before the bypass either! The non-absorption of this potassium pill has me wondering if that's why I've always had problems with my joints. Like my body didn't get the level it needed for a 24 hour period. No doctor has ever offered an expaination to my questions about the joints before, although I know I have had low potassium levels in the past at times. I just never tied this to the joint problem...only to the leg/foot cramps. And don't you just love it when you ask a question, and the doctor just has a "duh" look, and starts double talking.....at the end of the visit, you realize that you never got an answer to your question. Anybody else take potassium or have knowledge about how/if it will effect the joints? Connie Connie Turner

Dear Support Group Freinds----good morning, another fine day, another challange, so here we go it is 5:05 am friday morning and I am thinking about the beautiful days in mid summer, lounging on the sand, in good old Hermosa Beach, enjoying life- maybe getting ready for a sunset over the ocean, watching the waves- feeling the slightly sunburned skin, and tasteing the salt from the water--- oh yeah! Well, I snap out of it and its february, and not so warm right now but its ok! Somebody sent this to me, A very dear Freind, so I made a wish- then sent it on---Couldn't hurt, we all have already been to the other side as it were, sometimes we need a little more help! Have a Great Day! Steve P. _________ Okay, I picked seven people who I thought would DO this. I hope I chose the right seven. Please send this back to me (You'll see why). In case anyone is interested, Saint Theresa is known as the Saint of the Little Ways. Steve! arcman52@...

Morning Barbee and Charlie I too have congestive heart failure and problems with retaining fluids. The last time I was in the hospital for fluid retention I also lost 20 pounds in a couple of days, and only after they increased my lasix to 120 mg per day. I can look at fluids and retain it. I have found that by weighing myself every morning that I can keep it under control. Any weigh gain over 2 to 3 pounds and its time for me to check with the doctors. Hi Mama June, Do you have to go back in the hospital each time you start to retain fluid? Barbee

Hi Barbee your post certainly didnt offend me Hi Tony, I am glad I did not offend you. You really seem to been through a major depression I can identify with everything you said I brought all this shit upon myself as I caused it to happen After 30 yrs of abusing drinking gambling and everything else that came my way It was like a complete breakdown Icouldnt or wouldnt get out of bed for 6 months Not getting out of bed for days and months is a sure sign of depression. My feeling was what the hell is wrong with me My attitude forever changed toward people with mental illness and people just in general I am glad to hear that. So many people with depression are judged as being nuts. It is really out of their control when it is the disease. So many people do not want to learn about depression,. Or those with it are ashamed and will not confide in others because of the fear of being rejected. To say the least it was a humbling experience Im glad It happend to me I used to be a wiseass punk but Im trying to change Im really happy you you talked so bluntly about depression I try to talk about my depression whenever I know others are dealing with it and can use a friendly ear to talk about it with. Someone who will not judge them. Like I said most people who get depressed DO NOT have the disease. They are just in a situation that causes so much stress, that it causes them to get depressed. Usually it does not last long and can be treated with low doses of anti-depressants. Until youve really been through it I dont think you can truly understand it I hope both you and Charlie the best Thank you Tony. By the way Im from new jersey and the governors wife spoke about post-partum depression She said she wanted to put her baby in a microwave It took alot of courage for her to say ! that but I think she wanted to show how serious depression can be Sometimes it takes someone in a famous position to come forward, to get others to understand certain illnesses. I remember when Marie Osmond came forward with her depression. So many people took note. It was like it turned a light bulb on for so many people. I mean, there Marie Osmond was , a famous celebrity and a Mormon. How could she have depression? But it did open the eyes for many. Then a radio host made some disparaging remarks about her and governor Codey went to the radio station and told the radio host he wanted to take him outside I thought that was pretty cool That is way too cool. If you ever want to drop a post on someone Im here Thank you Tony, You do the same. It is wonderful to know that there are people out there who care about others, even when they have never met face to face. Love & Hugs, Barbee LOVE TONY BURGERS

Picture a 92-year-old woman who is petite, well-poised and proud. She is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied. Even though she is legally blind and has to move into a nursing home today, she is smiling and patient as she waits. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making today's move necessary. After many hours of waiting in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiles sweetly when told her room is finally ready. As she maneuvers her walker to the elevator, the attendant provides a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet curtains that had been hanging on her window at her home. "I love it," she states with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "But, Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room yet," answered the attendant. "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replies. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account: you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing. Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Expect less

I just got a call from my son. He just bought a new dishwasher and was stuck in his doorway. My wife drove me up to his place and boy was he stuck. I had to pull it back out of the doorway. After we removed all of the box and packing I helped him carry it up to his apartment. A large flight of stairs. Now I can`t move my arms. My wife could feel my heart pounding when I got to the top of the stairs. At least I learned that I will not have another HA from heavy lifting.My heart beat is back to normal and my BP is fine. It is just my arms, they feel like they are floating in space. Just like they did at the hospital after my by pass. Steve Y.

I don't know what time the Montel show airs in your area, but it is on RIGHT NOW @ 2pm CST in my area. It is a show on abuse. You may be interested in tuning in. Connie Connie Turner

Bill, Rus, Patrick, and the rest of my friends who have expressed concern.... Bless you all for your concern about me. As for the meds, my primary care doctor knows that I go on and off them....and why. But I will check with him before I go back on them. And I do gradually wind them down when I do. With the exception of one new additional med for colon spasms, none of my medicines are any different since I last stopped them. But other than the free flowing tears, my sleep habits are getting messed up again, and that's another sign to me that I need to go back on them. Patrick don't let my posts get your blood pressure up! That won't do you any good, and it makes me feel guilty for causing it! He does have little blowups like a 2 year old, but I think that he suffers from depression as well, and I can't get him to understand that. He simmers down pretty quick, and is embarassed about it later; in his own clumsy way, he attempts to make up for it. He is not good at relationships; he is striving to improve. I know that the suggestions for getting him to read brochures or attend support groups regarding depression sound so easy. If only it were that easy. He's just not the type that would. And there are reasons why. He doesn't read a lot because he has problems. He has dyslexia to a severe degree that went undetected when he was in school; they just passed him to pass him....as they did back in those days. And because of that, and because he was never really shown love as a child.....and because he was involved with women in the past who didn't truly love him, but married him only to support their children. And then, they took him for everything he had....he's had to start over more than once because of it. So he has a hard time with trust; he's been used. No one ever truly loved him. He's painfully shy, and would never seek help. He's like Steve in that he can do anything he wants as far as electrical, plumbing, carpentry, mechanics, computer tech, gunsmithing.... He does auto cad for a living; in fact he is an engineering tech, and does most of the layout for the engineers. He just doesn't make the bucks that they do....because of the lack of degree. And it's not because he's a dummy. Next month he will have been with his company 25 years, but only in this job capacity for the last 4 years. Before that, he ran the different crews in facilities. Ordered materials, supervised different electrical, plumbing, carpentry contractors. Then, he was promoted into this tech position. It's frustrating to him because of his lack of advancement due to not having a degree. They want him to do engineering. But he doesn't have the degree. He really believes in education. He has enough college hours to earn a degree...but not enough are in the basic subjects like ENGLISH....anything to do with reading/writing. Anything he had to write/prepare term papers on! And it's because of his dyslexia. Heck, if he could read/spell/write...he could be president! Which is funny, because he looks like George Bush....only taller! ( I had been with him for 5 years and never noticed that until 2 nurses on different shifts pointed that out to me when he was in the hospital!....And then again, a man at one of our garage sales mentioned it!....And he DOES!) He is also very private. If he knew that I spoke of these things to anyone...he would be furious! He has come out of his shell alot since we've been together. But in order to understand depression, we've all had to read about it; that's something that he will never do because of his disability. I was in an abusive childhood, and then a 29 year marriage that was abusive.So I recognize that to a degree he is excercising a form of control and abuse. But, with him, it's easier to work through the problems. He has already changed so much. As he is with me longer, and develops more trust, I think it will get better. I think that I just need to go on my meds again, so that his actions don't add to my frustration as much. It will all be okay.....but I love y'all all to death for being concerned and supportative. This group is wonderful. P. S. there are several of you that I need to post responses and private emails to. And I've attempted to. I will get it all typed out, ready to send...and then, my computer freezes up and I lose EVERYTHING I just typed! So please understand I'm not ignoring you....just having a difficult computer day! Connie Turner

I walked to the beach on Saturday. I was restless and thought a walk in the sunshine would be better than watching WI lose a basketball game to MN. Once past the barrier it's about a mile from the parking lot to the river. There were a number of others who apparently felt the same. One lady said she wanted to see the sand. Her way of remembering past good times and looking forward to Spring. On the way back I left the trail and walked through the woods. Snow was about midway to my knee. I was a little tired when I got to my car but overall I felt wonderful. I've always liked the out-of-doors. I was a junior in forestry when I found out jobs were very hard to find and switched to chemistry. Tell your grandchildren to try chemistry. It's a great trade, there's always work. I'm getting a kayak. Pat

Thanks all for understanding. It seems that my opperation has brought back a lot of old memories that I thought I had put behind me. When I can`t sleep at nite all I think about is what she did to me. All the scars on my body had faded away over the years but after my opperation all my scars suddently reappeared. Weard huu. This is what is triggering the memories. I remember how I got each one and it makes me mad. Connie, I am not mad at you for wrighting Opra. I think she is going to retire soon. I have a lot of pain in my arms and sholders today from carrying that sweeper and am in a down mood. Give me a day or 2 and my humor will return. Thanks for letting me bend your ear. Steve Y. (PS) Mom broke my leg on the last day of school in the 4th grade. She told me to have a wounderful summer. She used a ball bat.

It is raining here today and realy gloomy. I went for a walk around the block and found a nice Hoover sweaper in the trash. I carried it home with my arm extended. I kept switching arms and now I can hardly move them. My chest is tight and it is hard to breath. My virus was almost gone and I felt pretty good. Now my cough is back and I feel like crap again. I took the sweeper apart and found that the fan blade is broken and I can fix it for 7$. Every time I find something that makes me feel good I have to pay a price. Three days of hell for one new sweeper. Steve Y.

What a good description of how the medication works for depression. I think I did a lot of acting around my family so they would think I was doing good and then falling apart when I got home. I had not had depression before the surgery but just from working with others who had the disease, I knew when I started feeling like I wanted to die that it was quite serious and I needed medicine not trying to talk myself out of it. Depression is a disease and there lots of medications out there to treat it. It is a scary thing to think you might get so down that you actually take your life. I did feel that way after this surgery and I was so very angry I just did not want to go on. Really hope everyone who is depressed gets the help they need. I can deal with the anxiety and panic episodes but not depression. That is very different. Ann

This board is really a life saver for me. It just means a lot to be able to communicate with others that have had the same experiences and then to realize how very different we are and yet alike in many ways. I do not have any pain in my incisions and haven't had since about 6 months after the surgery. I have chest pain above my left breast. That's where I had the pain before the bypass but this time its sore when I wake up and also feels numb which is new. I sometimes have pain in my left shoulder and back. When I read the symptoms for a heart attack, my pain fits but I know it is not a heart attack. Think I would have been dead long ago if that was the problem. I am angry that I was told so very little about what to expect before the bypass surgery and I still regret agreeing to have the surgery even though my family all believe I would not be here had I said no. So I just have to keep trying to convince myself that they are right and I did the right thing. So many of you have so much more to deal with than I do and I feel ashamed for even complaining sometimes. I admire your strength in being able to deal with all that life hands you. Just want everyone to live each day to its fullest and enjoy it as much as you can. Life really is short and there is so much more good than bad in this world it really is worth it to be here. That doesn't mean you cannot continue to voice your opinions and work for the causes that you feel are important. Living life does not mean accepting those things you believe or wrong. Everyone have a great day!! Ann

I think that the scars running up your leg is so a blind man can Fallow them to home plate. Steve Y.

Yes your jugular vein can plug up. That is why they put a stethescope to your neck. My neighbors pluged up and he had a stroke. They had to do a bypss on his jugular vein. The ass hole was on welfair and still managed to eat prime rib every day. I havent had one in 15 years and I don`t know what one looks like anymore. This family realy knows how to work the welfair systom. They have sued every doctor in town and wounder why no doctor will see him. Steve Y.

In my case, CABG X2, Dec03, they used the left internal mammary artery (LIMA, for those of us in the trade, lol) and a vein from my right upper leg rather than lower (studies found it to be the strongest vein). The vein was taken by endoscopy rather than opening the whole leg, so I have a pale 1-inch discoloration (hard to call it a scar) on the inner side of my knee and a smaller mark at the top of my inner thigh (no, you can't have a look! hahaha). I've been told the mammary artery may last 15 to 20 years, and the vein at least 10 to 15 years. I'm 63 now, so what am i going to get for the 20 years AFTER that?? Guess I'll worry about that then. "Life is a banquet! And most poor suckers are starving to death."

In 1998 I had my by-pass surgery and after about a year we decided to move closer to our kids. I thought it would be good idea to get my hospital medical records as I was in the hospital for over two weeks as I had total organ failure. I wanted to have the records to show my new doctors so they knew exactly what had happened. I called the hospital and was told it would cost $1.00 per page and I had so many pages that in the end it would have cost me over 350 dollars. At the time I was too upset and still recovering from surgery so I decided not to spend that much money. But the hospital did say for no fee they would send me a one page report giving facts regarding my surgery etc. I received it and after looking it over was amazed that there was no where on this report anything about any of the problems I had encountered and it just sounded like a normal heart by-pass description with nothing out of the ordinary. To this day I feel pretty sure the price was inflated for some reason as I know people who have gotten their records at the same hospital since then who didn't pay more than 25 cents a sheet............. In hindsight I wish I had gotten those records........................ Carol in Atlanta

Advertisement Business Week Online [INLINE] [Explore Business Week Online Barbee sent you a Business Week link and the following message: This heart drug also fights fat.

I talked with a guy at my execise facility who is going in for surgery to clear a 90% blockage in his carotid artery. I asked him what was going to be done and he wasn't sure. Mine is 50% blocked so I have a personal interest in this. I expect he will survive so I should have a first hand account in the next couple of weeks. That brings up the subject of specificty. I wonder if the juglar vein ever gets blocked. Wouldn't surprise me to find the it doesn't. Until recently science hasn't recognized the degree of specificity built into cells. A blood vessel cell is a blood vessel cell. A liver cell is a liver cell. BS. Look at function. If there is a difference in function there will be a difference in how a cell is constituted. And I mean at the molecular level. I've heard complaints from the investment community that the biotechnology revolution has fizzled. If I were a profane person I'd tell them where to shove their fizzle. These people think you go from a garage in the back yard to a commercial product in a year. That may be true in electronics but it is not true in biology. The revoulution in biology (treatment of disease) is on track. Let's hope we live long enough to take advantage of it. Pat

Has anyone had the new lazer treatment? They burn holes in your heart.The holes stay open to supply the heart with blood from inside the heart. The hole on the outside of the heart will seal shut and stop bleading. The hole on the inside will stay open. This creates a small tunnel so the blood in your heart can get to the heart mussel.I have seen this done on TV on the medical channel and was woundering how effective it is. Has anyone else seen this. All the rest of my viens are damaged from diabetes and this is probly what they will do with me if I make it that far. I still have this dam virus an am a little down. Steve Y.

I had to go to the courthouse in Fort Worth today, and it was the first time since my bypass that I had to go through a metal detector. The wires did not set off the alarm, and that was something I had wondered about! Must not be a lot of wire holding me together! My husband had to take off his belt because of the buckle! It was setting off the alarm. And we're talking an average sized, casual belt buckle here....not the big ol' RODEO cowboy kind. :0) Connie Connie Turner

I forgot to tell you that I have a right bundle blockage that shows up on my EKG. I am not allowed to work with electricity any more. If I get a shock it could stop my heart. I have always worked on elect. things with the power ON.It is easyer to find the problem. Steve Y.

As some of you know, I made a trip to the health center yesterday for a check up because I had been fighting off an illness for the last month. They got a bit excited to find my EKG was abnormal and they shipped my scrawny butt to the hospital via ambulance. Although the EKG was correct, it didn't show any major changes from the last one in 2003. All the blood work on the enzymes, white cells, red cells, purple and plaid cells, jail cells and what other kinds of cells they could check came out okay. However, I am to follow up with my cardiologists sometime soon. The cat scan didn't show any tumors (NO THEY DIDN'T USE A DOG) which was VERY GOOD NEWS to me. It did show heavy congestion which I already knew about and tried to explain to the docs before hand. But they had to confirm it by shoving a long needle up my right nostril. Believe me, your feet and legs will squirm a little but one thing for sure, you won't move your head until they remove that *&($%#* needle! DARN! I believe it was up far enough, that it made my eyes cross! Just a little warning here too should any of you go through the same process. ALWAYS go to the bathroom first!!!! I think I would have to rate the needle lady right up there very close to the catheter puller lady (from when I had my quadruple bypass in 1999) which I happen to learn very quickly why she has earned the title HEAD NURSE but that's another story. I'll sum it up very quickly. I believe she thought she was trying to start a chain saw as she hiked her leg upon my bed and gave a mighty (and I DO MEAN A TREMENDOUS MIGHTY!) YANK on the starter rope...I mean catheter! You know, she didn't feel any pain either as she laughed and I weeped. :) Guess you had to be there. Now every time I see a name tag with HEAD NURSE on it, I tend to protect myself especially if she has beady eyes. Anyway, I'm back home and will recover a couple more days before returning to the office. Have a wonderful weekend! Jackie

Steve P. I would think that if a person wanted their files it would be the easiest if they asked if they have a computer and just copied it to disk, then when we got it home, we could print what we want to print. I would even be willing to take my own disk and let them copy it and then I could do the same with the next doctor. Oh well, it sounds like a solution to me. Hum, wonder if I could start an at home business. rofl Barbee

AnnMarie, I have pain where you describe the prickley feeling and it wakes me up at night. It hurts in my left chest area, my shoulder and my back at the left shoulder blade. I rarely have it during the day just at night and it is off and on. A year ago I took pain medication for it but now I just take tylenol extra strength about once or twice a week. It does seem to be improving, not every night and less painful so I am crossing my fingers that it will finally go away. The cardiologist first thought it might be pericarditis but now he doesn't know and said it could be just nerve damage and then the arthritis in my joints complicate it. At least I can live with it and it does not restrict my activities. It is an aggravation. Ann

Thanks Tom, I do have to watch the fluid pills but for the opposite reason. Charlie went into Congestive Heart Failure last Monday. His oxygen intake was only 71 and I am sure you know they want it to be 95 or more. His body no longer releases enough fluid, so that is why he is on the ones he is on. He lost 20 pounds last week, all fluid. My poor husband, has been through the wringer since Dec 23. He looks so much better and feels so much better after getting all that fluid off him. I have to watch him real close, for swelling, wheezing, struggeling to breath and get him in to the ER right away. They say my husbands heart is worn out. The three H.A.'s he had during the week of Dec 23-30 damaged his heart very much. We go to the Heart Surgeon next week. I guess they must be thinking he is transplant material as we have a message on our machine to return the call of a transplant center. We want to talk with the surgeon before setting up an appointment. No one mentioned it before. So getting these records will be really nice to have. Barbee

In the last week, I've been getting all sorts of pop ups from people who's id's I do not recognize as being from this group. Most are instant messages that usually begin "Hi, Baby..."...what an original pick up line....! Just now.....a DOORBELL rang.....and some guy was wanting me to view him on his webcam! Is this happening to anybody else? Or am I the only luck one!?? LOL Or do people actually scour through lists of old people who have had bypass surgery and think we're so desperate, now that we are old and on our last leg (heart valve, I should say) that we'll carry on with just anyone on line!! LOL Connie Connie Turner

Margaret, do you know if the hospitals are allowed to charge you for the copies. My records were many pages like 60 to 100 or so they told me and I was going to have to pay quit a bit to get them copied. It would seem that if I could look at the records then I could decide which ones to have copied. Ann

Just for the heck of it....maybe we can compare and share (info that is)to see how alike we all are??????? Synthroid

I picked up my records from my surgeon yesterday and he used both of my mammary arteries in my bypass. I thought they used only one side. Is using both sides common? Surgeons records are pretty inclusive, more than I wanted to know. Rus

Just for the heck of it....maybe we can compare and share (info that is)to see how alike we all are??????? Synthroid

Ann, yes it's hard to try and figure out what some of the doctors are taling about, but this group has given me the energy to try and better understand just exactly is going on. I used to go and just let medical people do there thing- but after numerous jabbings by pheblotomist etc I realized I have got rights as a patient, I have stopped letting the untrained use me as a testing ground and I finally starting looking up those huge words that I do not completly understand. This support group has sort of given me a second wind of enthusiasm. Take Care and have a Great Day. Steve! arcman52@...

Hi Everyone. I took some photos of Charlie and will post them to the photo section. One of his chest, one of his leg and one of him dressed right after his hair cut today. Our next door neighbor who is a hair dresser, came over and cut it for him. Just tickled him to death and made him feel much better. He goes for a sleep apnea test tomorrow night. Have any of you had one since your diagnosis of heart disease or by-pass? The heart surgeon really insisted on it because sleep apea can cause heart attacks and the nurses all noticed the way he was sleeping in the hospitals. Now, I would like to bend your ears a little about depression. I am a person who is proud to have been diagnosed with depression. Yes, that is right. I am proud of it. Why you say ??? Well, I will tell you. The type depression I have is the disease. My brain does not produce seritonin. I started having problems with depression after I gave birth to our second child. After about 7 months of feeling worthless and being a real "beehive' to live with, I went to a doctor. This was in 1976. when not much was known about depression. The doctor I went to told me that, the way I was feeling is a way all women feel. I wanted to die. I just went home and remember praying that he was wrong. Dear Lord, please don't let all women feel this way. What is wrong with me, I thought? This is not normal. I just kept getting worse and worse. In 1989, I was at my lowest point. Then I lost my brother to cancer/HIV. Shortly after that I took care of my mother while she was dieing from pancreatic cancer. Five months later our son, who had just graduated 11 days earlier was in a devastating car accident. No one knows how he survived. He spent 6 months in and out of hospitals having surgeries. He even had to learn to walk, talk and use his hands all over again. Today, other than a limp, from having steel rods from his ankle to his hip, and shakey hands, due to nerve damage, he is fine. Yes, I had a terrible child hood, also. Both my parents were alcoholics. When my father left, my mothers drunk boyfriend lived with us. He was abusive to my mother and he molested me from the time I was 5 till I was 12, and I started sleeping with butcher knife under my pillow. When my mother found the knife she wanted to know what it was doing there. When I told her, she told me, we young girls today, are asking for that because of the way we dressed, wearing hip huggers and mini skirts. Well, all this time I am falling through the cracks,as a child and left to live with my older married sister and her family. Anyway, One day Charlie came home from work and I was sitting in the corner, on the floor of the kitchen, crying my eyes out. I wanted a divorce. I wanted to leave him and our children. I wanted my husband to have a good wife, one who was not a wreck. He deserved the best, I was the worst. I could not think. I could not smile, no matter what. I was a horrible wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend.... When Charlie found me sitting there, in my little corner, he sat there with me and let me cry till I could not cry any longer. The next day he stayed home from work and found me a new primary care doctor. To this day, I call him my angel. This doctor listened to me and didn't judge me. He let me talk for nearly an hour. You know what he told me? He said nearly 50% of the people, both men and women, who come through his doors these days, are there because of the stress in their lives, causing depression. He said, Barbara, I am going to help you. I have been on depression meds and off three different times since then. They must try you on them and then take you off after a couple years, to see how you do. Once you have done that three times then you never have to go off them again. They know for sure it is a chemical imbalance. My depression, would come back within a couple months after going off the meds. Thus, I have the disease, depression. Depression for me is just as real as your heart disease is to those of you who have heart disease. You know why I am proud to say I suffer with depression, because I am no longer depressed, I take my meds faithfully. I am a survivor. There are lots of bad news about anti-depressants. Like suicide. It has been proven that most of the bad instances are due to the fact they are taking the wrong meds OR they go on and off the meds, because people start to feel better.The brain does not know what to do. You tell the brain, Hey brain you need these meds, then you tell the brain, well I feel better so you don't need them for a few days. Well, this is asking for trouble. Even if you do not have the disease, like I have. You still can not mess with the drug. I have heard many of you say, that you quit taking the meds because you felt better. Please, do not do that, I beg you. Stay on them till your doctor takes you off, by tapering you off them. Next, if the meds you are taking do not work, Tell the doctor. There are many anti-depressants. Your doctor can help you find the one that is right for you. Remember, you did not get depressed over night so you can not exspect the meds to help you over night. It may take 7 - 10 days for you to notice a difference. Your body has been through a traumatic thing with having heart disease and by-pass. You have every right to be depressed. There is help for you, I Promise !! Doctors are given lots of samples too. So ask for samples. I am not saying that any of you have the disease of depression, so please do not think I am. However, I am saying if you are feeling depressed get help. There is help out there. Depression is REAL, it is not your imagination. Every time I hear someone say, oh depression is not real, I want to slap them into tomorrow. Those of you who go on and off your depression meds, please do not do that. People have committed suicide, homocide and harm to others by doing that. You deserve to feel the best you can feel, isn't that the reason you had by-pass? So don't stop there, if something is still broke, get it fixed. I want you to know, I am always here for anyone who would like to talk to me about depression. I am not a doctor; I am a proud survivor of depression. I hope I have not offended anyone. That is not my intention. I want to help, if I can. I care about you. Hugs, Barbee

I am not feeling myself 6 months after surgery. I feel my medication is out of whack. Have you ever taken Wellbutrin or have you taken anything else for anxiety? I am not sleeping well. Does anyone have a suggestion?

I had been previously diagnosed with valvular regurgatation 2 years ago and was instructed to take antibiotics prior to any dental procedure. After my quad I asked the Cardio Doc and he say it was not necessary anymore, but truth be told, why take a chance. Just my $.02 worth. Topics in this digest: 1. Re: Re: Connie - dental work From: connie Turner

I have been snacking on handfulls of crushed walnuts every day. I was woundering if this was good for my heart. I looked it up on WEB MD and found that it is good for your heart. It lowers the bad colostrol and reduces inflamation. It is good as fish. I get them free from our local church free food givaway. Gee I learned something new today. Steve Y.

I had my nuclear stress test and according to the techs they were pretty impressed. I'll have to wait to see what my Card says after looking at the results and mri images. But it took 15 minutes, on the treadmill, to get my heart rate to 140 which is where they want to get it for image purposes. As far as dental care my card. said the antibotics apply only to heart valve replacement patients. In regard to the liquid drano he said it is 5 to 10 years before being available to the general publice due to all the testing that will be required. He also said as it is now set up it's not going to be the miracle drug we hope it is. It will help some and not help others. It wouldn't elaborate there except to say that all meds are like that. Oh well a couple of more data points. Rus

Recently I went into the Hosp because I was feeling just run down (real lethargic, cold and clammy, sweaty and hot- they did routine stuff, nuclear stress test then angio later on--feel a lttle better now but it feels like I have been hit by a truck, again (8 days in the hosp.) I have been trying to keep up with the readings, there are some of us that are truly amazing- the way you survived your first 45 to fifty years is a miracle in itself. Steve P. Hospital Visit 1/21/05 53 y/o wm h/o HTN, cabg x 5 1/04 cath 9/04/, cath 1/05 showed 2/5 grafts occluded. 1 saphenous. 1^st diagonal, saphenous to marginal branch of circumflex). MI not ruled out, regional/to severe ^ ischemia. Diagnosis: 1. exertional angina, due to ischemia due to the occluded grafts (cutoff flow).We compared the severity of^ left coronary artery (LCA) stenosis,(abnormal constriction or narrowing of a passage) with transient anterior^ ischemic ST-T changes, exertional angina, but^ frequently may have more severe regional ischemia due to reduced^ collaterization of jeopardized myocardium. 2. subclinical hypothyroidism 3. subclinical =(adverb) suspected but not detected used to describe an early stage or mild form of medical condition, no symptoms of which are detectable. 4.Hypothyroidism = (noun) low thyroid hormone production a deficiency or the bodily condition resulting from a deficiency in the production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland, resulting in slowing of the metabolic rate. 5. Hypertriglceridemic Lemieux et al. (1) described the "hypertriglyceridemic waist" as a marker of the atherogenic metabolic triad (hyperinsulinemia, hyperapolipoprotein B, and small, dense LDL) in men. In 287 men, those with a waist circumference [greater than or equal to] 90 cm and with triglyceride levels [greater than or equal to] 2 mmol/l had an odds ratio of 3.6 (95% CI 1.17-10.913) for having angiographically diagnosed coronary artery disease compared with those with smaller waists and lower triglyceride concentrations. We recently reported (2) the predictive value of non-HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations for 10-year cardiovascular disease incidence in the Hoorn Study, a population-based cohort study of glucose tolerance. In people with abnormal glucose metabolism, high triglyceride concentration was associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly in people with high non-HDL cholesterol, but not in those with normal glucose metabolism (3). 10. Myocarditis Myocarditis is an uncommon disease that is characterized by inflammation of the heart. Subsequent myocardial destruction often leads to a dilated cardiomyopathy. The acute picture is nonspecific unless overt congestive heart failure develops. Although the causes of myocarditis are numerous, the most common association is an antecedent viral syndrome. Treated with a couple million units of antibiotics-(sounds like a lot but it isnt really for an IV drip, I looked like a christmas tree. Medicine Lovastatin 40 mg Isordil 40 mg x 3 times a day ASA 325 mg Zestril 2.5 mg Plavix 75 Mg Amiodorone Lopressor Steve! arcman52@...

Hello Group Iam new to the group and 71/2 months post CABG. For all this time I have been bothered by stabbing ripping pains along my suture line. The pains are especially bad after I sit for a period of time such as in a movie. When I stand up the pain is almost unbearable. Also my upper sternum did not heal and the two parts move and grind when I move my sholders. I want to know if anyone in the group has experienced anything simular. My doc says to deal with the pain and movement and possibly get injuctions for the pain. Comments are welcomed. Lee

I guess WE peed a lot of people peed off by talking off subject. I only got 4 posts today. Most days I get about 30. I like a little background on the people I am talking to. They are not strangers anymore. It takes my mind off my pain. Steve Y.

Gosh, I'm going crazy today. I'm so restless. Up/down...up/down. I don't know if it's the discomfort from the gall bladder surgery, or if the pain meds are making me that way. I didn't sleep well last night. Can't seem to get comfortable when I sit, can't seem to be satisfied with anything at all. It's like I want something, but don't know what it is I want. Or...like I'm hungry but don't know what will satisfy me. Can't seem to follow any television program, or read....or take it easy in any way. And this is such a dreary wet, cloudy, depressing day. I'm popping a xanax to see if I can at least "not care" that I feel like a worm in hot ashes! LOL Connie Connie Turner

I saw on a news program that eating 1oz of dark chocolate a day will clean out your arterys. Is this a BULL SHIT story or is this true. Does anyone have any info on this story. I still have a bad virus today and my mind is a total blank. I can`t think to look anything up. I hate this dam cold and flu season. I catch every thing that is going around. Steve Y.

Wife has been talking to several friends who partners have had heart problems, etc. Both of these people recommended taking both CoQ-10 and Omega3. Anyone here also taking any of these??? Tom in Tomball, TX

Boy, I have had pure hell with this. First, I was registered to receive email and not get on the message board. I use a cell phone to connect to the internet, very slow and often kicked off. Then after I got access to the message board and did edit my profile, all the information I added went into cyberspace so I had to start all over. I found photos so I put a couple of pictures on there but I don't have any pictures of my chest or leg. Don't know how I would do the chest anyway but the leg I guess I could photo and just see how it comes out. Finally I got back on and did edit my profile and then I was able to add a photo to that. So after a day of getting on and off this damn thing and repeating the process a number of times, I think I may have it right. Hope so anyway. Oh, I changed my name on the thing to AnnofTx42 as that was about the only thing that didn't give me the somebody already has that name message. Hope everyone has a great weekend. Ann

Boy am I sick today. It has been building for the last 2 days. I think I have a virus. My eyes burn and every thing looks fuzzy, my mouth and throat burns and it goes down into my lungs. I have a real bad cough. Everything I eat gives me heartburn.I had a salmon patty yesterday at noon and I am still burping it. UCK. My ears are ringing and I am dizzy as hell. I have been freezing for the past 3 days. I ache all over and getting muscle cramps.My hands are ice cold and it is hard to type so I am just going to sit back and read the posts today.My head is so dizzy I can`t think. Steve Y.

Well, Charlie and I are new to this BUT everything that we have gotten in the past month and a half says, Definately to tell the dentist and get on antibiotics first. Your mouth has so many germs and any work being done on it affects the heart. Barbee

I thought it was valve replacement patients who need prophylactic antibiotics before dental work not us bypassers. I have a dental cleaning coming up. Is this another instance of group wisdom saving my ignorant ass? Pat

I found a picture of myself and put it in my profile. I look like hell. I had been shovleing snow that day and was tired. I did not have my teeth in as it was almost bedtime. I will post a better one soon. Steve Y.

Connie My brother came and installed a wireless network for me and gave me his old laptop. Now no matter how I feel or where I'm at(recliner, bed, bathroom, or my garden) I can connect and surf. It does make things a lot easier. No more setting in that uncomfortable chair. I have even found that there are other places that I can go and connect too. One of them being University of Tennessee's campus. I've gotten where I carry it every where I go. You never know where it will work. I went to Walley World the other day and was going to sit in the food court while my wife shopped just to get out of the house and it worked there. I don't know if was Walley World's or someone else's. I know keep it on all the time hunting places it works. Hershell

Debbie: I love your sence of humor, you sound just like me. I will post a picture of me as soon as I can figure out how to do it. Can you post one too. I would love to see that Double D ranch in Texas. My picture will look like I am pregnant with my big gut. My wife thinks I am going to have a baby elephant because the trunk is alredy hanging out. Steve Y.

Received this from another group. Thought everyone might enjoy it. Hershell Source unknown TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !! First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We ate cupcakes, bread and butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms.......... WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live in us forever. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! And YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS! Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good

Good luck Connie hape you endure everything OK! I personally cannot even imagine what that feels like for a women -- I am sure you will be guided towards the right decision. I recently went thru another angiogram- and it felt like the Doc bruised my archway into the heart, because I felt tremendous burning and radiating pain down my shoulders during the procedure, this did not hapen before when they did the 5 way CABG-- this angio was 1 year post op the second one, and the they have two blockages of the of the saphenous vein grafts, and severe regional ischemia. the blockages are on the marginal branch of the circumflex and and diagonal..Didn't have an MI but it hurt real bad- am now taking higher dosages of vaso dialator, and keep the nitro handi. Good luck to everyone---I gulp air, have weird dreams, and seem to have an auto alarm clock built in at about 4:10 AM, thats when I had my first attack, maybe a coincidence, Glad I am not alone-Steve P. Steve! arcman52@...

To my many friends here, Gall bladder went well today. I don't remember it, but they tell me I had some sort of attack coming out of surgery, and the anesthialogist had to bag me for a while. But all in all went well, and the surgeon was able to find a clear path to do the minimal procedure. I got to come home several hours later, and am popping some hydrocodone to stay ahead of the discomfort. That's why my posts are little briefer than usual LOL....but not real heartily! Connie Connie Turner

I don`t now what to say to you. I feel so bad for you. I think you are a cool lady and I like the way you talk. If it has to come off, get it off. We don`t want to loose you.You brighten my day when you post. Your husband will still love you just the same. Remember, It is what that is behind the boobs that count. You know that they make some realy nice artifical ones and only you will know. When ever hubby wants to play with them just whip it out and give it to him.They feel just like the real thing and look like it to. That little voice I hear is telling me that you are going to do alwright. You are a strong girl. Steve Y.

Wheres every body at? Only 2 posts today. Most days I get 25 or 30. What do I have to do , get the aspratane thing going again. Steve Y.

Hope all is well with the brothers

I had my bypass a little over 4 months ago. I shovel snow, I haul wood, I even vacuum. I'm lucky my recovery has gone so well. I've always been the tough person in the family and that includes my 26 and 28 year old sons. They expected me to be fine and not need help. At times the casual attitude irritates me. Bullet proof dad. WI lost to IL last night. Good game, IL deserved to win. I dropped my wife at the Kohl Center and then did the walk from the parking lot along the railraod tracks. Pat

I went and saw my syke today. She will NOT give me any antidepresants.She says that my body chemestry is unusiual and my body can`t tollirate them. I am to stay on the Klonipin. She thinks that it is my blood sugar bouncing allover the place that is causing it. I guess I will have to live with it. If I could get medapause momma in the mood I might feel better.As the old saying goes,A quickey a day keeps the doctor away. Steve Y.

Hi Linda: Im taking both meds....The Cartia 240mg XT once per day and the toprol XL 50mg once per day. I take them in the morning. You bet I get tired. I asked the dr about it...Both are known to make you tired. I do get up early, put in a full days work at a middle school. Im 58 yrs old, raised 3 kids and 1 hubby thru some trama....Had my 4x bypass 6003. I Deserve to be tired. :):):):)......I do take a bunch of supplements which seem to help. Stannis

"Are we all taking the same meds perhaps? I'm on Monopril.....HCTZ....Atenolol and Norvasc with Zocor every other day........" Other than the Zocor, I don't recognize any of those names... even though some of mine may just be a different name brand/same drug. Not that up on medicine names. Here's what I take since bypass: Zocor 40 mg 1 x daily Metoprolol 50 mg 1/2 tab 2 x day Altace 10 mg 2 capsules in AM and 2 capsules in PM Klor-con 10meq 1 x day Furosemide 20 mg 1 x day I'm suppose to take a baby aspirin every night; it's discontinued until after surgery. In addition to the above that were prescribed since bypass, I also take Ayrtec, Sythroid, Estradiol, Ditropan XL and Nexium daily. I have scripts for Ambien and Alpraazolam, as well as Hydrocodone, which I take on an "as need basis"; 1 month supply usually lasts me 6 months or more. I also have a new drug I have to pick up to day. Don't yet know what it is, and don't plan to start it until after the gall bladder surgery.....but it is for colon spasms. They didn't want me to take it during all the gastro testing to avoid interference. Connie Connie Turner

Well, glad someone brought up the dreams at night.......I too have been having very vivid dreams since my surgery and that was 6 years ago!! My dreams are so real that I remember them in the morning to tell my husband about and I too can wake up......stay awake for awhile and then return to sleep and finish the same dream.....very bizarre........ My dreams also seem to run on a common thread of me being lost and trying to find my way home.........I"m either trying to find my way to high school or I'm out shopping and can't find my way home......whatever it is always that "lost" theme is in almost every dream. Are we all taking the same meds perhaps? I'm on Monopril.....HCTZ....Atenolol and Norvasc with Zocor every other day........ Linda......I attribute my extreme fatigue to the beta blocker (atenolol) that keeps my pulse running in the 50's most of the time. When I tell my dr. he tells me that a beta blocker is a known factor in fatigue but once the body gets used to it I should feel better..........have been waiting 6 years to get more energy......

If I needed the stress of having all this crap rehashed here, I have plenty of other places to go. Bye. -- Netpath User hrtworms

Is anyone taking Toprol or Catia? I am getting that I call it pass out tiredness Again. It 6 months since by 5 bypass, I thought I was getting better, but for the last couple of weeks I am worse. Like to hear your thoughts, is it the meds or is it a problem??? Linda Posnick

I just remembered this so thought I would ask. When I had my six weeks check up with the thorasic surgeon, he ask me I had a clicking in my chest. I didn't and didn't think to ask why. Reading all the other posts about your early experiences after this surgery reminded me of that question. He also told me that sometimes you can have a sharp stabbing like pain that runs across your chest and that is the nerves trying to mend. So far I guess mine haven't made it to that point. I still feel numb and no sharp pains. Ann

I was reading about "liquid drano" in this group and thought you'd like to know about synthetic HDL if you don't already. Just google the two words synthetic and hdl to find out about it. I'm looking forward to the day I can use it instead of Niacin.

I wish you would write that story. I woke up thinking I was dying at first. The next time I woke up I realized my hands were tied, I had a tube in my throat, my left leg felt like it wasn't there anymore and I used signs to try to get them to call my husband and when the nurse figured out what I meant, he told me it was not necessary as I was doing fine. It was truly the most frustrating time in my entire 60 years up to that point. I remember it all as a horrible nightmare. Really think many of us might relate to your story. Ann

Steve, chill out!! It doesn't matter about the damn aspertane. If you like it, use and if not don't. I have never liked diet drinks. I rarely drink coke but when I have a rum and coke it has to be the real thing not diet as I can't stand the sweet taste of diet drinks and really only like coke and then only if it has a little rum in it. I do use splenda in my coffee and I like it. Really don't think the diet drinks are good for you but that's just because I notice that most people who drink them are overweight and stay that way so the diet cola doesn't seem to help them any. Ann

No, clearly your woman's intuition was _wrong_ this time. I have never been kicked off this or any other list, despite some health-nut wackos trying their best. I don't know if Donna is lying or simply mistaken, but her comments seem to indicate the former. But now that you know, please don't feel the need to apologize or anything. :) The only 'victims' here are those very few of you _enabling_ the nonsense. When someone comes on and repeats a variation on a 10 year old hoax the lines are drawn I guess. Most of us snicker and ignore it, a few of us will actually check it and post the truth, and a few of you think you're doing the poor guy a favor by patting him on the back and telling him how bad *I* am. By all means, if you can't stand the truth then ignore me. At your peril, because the internet is full of nonsense and it only gets worse with enablers actively (or passively) supporting it.

Good afternoon all. I joined the group recently and want to share some of my story. Perhaps someone could relate and/or provide ideas for me going forward. Me, I turned 44 in December. I had a heart attack on October 12, 2004, one day after my 40 year old brother passed away. Triple By-pass was on the 18th of October and then to make the problems complete, I suffered a Pulmonary Emboli on November 1st. I not only suffer from this personal grief, but extended grief as well. My Dad passed away last February - Mom in June of 2001. My wife left me in September, 2001 and subsequently I lost our house, too. Weew...that's alot. Oh, I was laid off last April. Through all this, there is grace! God loves me. I know that. Can anyone relate to multiple grief issues and how best to separate out the pile of hurt and sadness? I am going through the typical signs of depression and have a loving family who supports my daily life. I try to get back to a social life and continue to get physically stronger each day. I'm actually surprised how well my body is doing, all things considered. I even sleep well. This depression, though, is so hard at times. I find that isolation is becoming my best friend - not sure if that is right, but that's the way it is. I'm not working, not only because I haven't found a position yet but don't quite feel ready to give emotionally to co-workers. Hopefully, by March I'll be ready and able to give back. I do go to school part time, working on my Master's in Theology. Thanks for listening. Hope all are well. Jim Snowy Western NY ===== 'There is sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.' - Washington Irving-

I don`t have anything I can add to this subject. However I can give you a free brest exam. Steve Y. (just jokeing)

I am probably one of the first, maybe THE first in the United States to use cinnamon instead of a statin to lower my cholesterol after quadruple bypass surgery. I'm still using it. The following is true and verbatim, except that I changed my real name to "Cinnaman": Cholesterol fix on spice rack Tuesday, April 20, 2004 THE SAGINAW NEWS Cinnaman may have found an easy-to-swallow cure for high cholesterol. The heart attack victim claims that a household spice, typically sprinkled over apples and oatmeal, has lowered his bad cholesterol 40 percent since July. Cinnaman, 52, links cinnamon to reversing a cholesterol problem that nearly cost him his life two years ago. His cardiologist calls it "spectacular." Cinnaman calls it "the Magic." "His numbers went from fair to spectacular," said Roger N. Kahn, a cardiologist at the Michigan Cardiovascular Institute. "Truly, the only change I can see is adding cinnamon to his diet." In medical records released to The Saginaw News, Cinnaman's blood tests showed a 40 percent drop in low-density cholesterol since July, falling to 72 milligrams per deciliter from 120. High-density cholesterol -- the good stuff -- remained consistent. His total cholesterol also dropped over the nine-month period to 138 milligrams per deciliter from 190, a 27 percent reduction. Cinnaman underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2002 after a New Year's Day heart attack. Doctors reported that his coronary arteries were 99 percent blocked. The Saginaw man survived and began a rigorous low-fat diet to keep a health condition that claimed his father's life from claiming his own. The diet didn't work. His mother-in-law mentioned cinnamon as a possible cure, an apparent wives-tale that ended up having some basis in scientific literature. A study of 60 diabetic patients in Peshawar, Pakistan, found that people taking 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon each day for 40 days reduced their low-density cholesterol between 7 percent and 27 percent. Their total cholesterol dropped 12 percent to 26 percent. "I figured, 'How is it going to hurt me?' " Cinnaman said. "It's just cinnamon." So Cinnaman began a home remedy to high cholesterol, spicing his apples or yogurt with 1.75 teaspoons of cinnamon. "It's one thing to have it in a pastry," he said. "It's another thing to have it every day. It gets to be ... well ... Yuck!" Although Kahn doubts the Pakistan study was large enough to make any far-reaching conclusions about the spice's curing capabilities, he said he can't justify Cinnaman's results any other way. During the nine-month gap between tests, Cinnaman also was using ZETIA, a cholesterol-lowering drug. Although it may have affected his cholesterol, Kahn said, it cannot explain the results. "He made progress using ZETIA," Kahn said, "but not to the degree that he needed." He said ZETIA may produce up to an 18 to 20 percent decrease in low-density cholesterol. A 40 percent drop is unrealistic, he said. While drugs such as Lipitor, Zocor and Mevacor could have achieved the same result, Kahn said his patient's use of cinnamon avoided any of the potential side effects, which may have included liver problems and muscle disorders. Cinnaman's cholesterol is now so low that it actually could reverse heart disease, Kahn said. The cardiologist doesn't recommend tossing traditional medications out the window. However, he said the results are significant enough that he would suggest cinnamon as a supplement to cholesterol-reducing drugs.

I think the gall bladder discussion just sort of opened up. I, for one, was not very happy about having another operation and missing more work and needing more time to recover. And now I have anesthetic brain again, to go with the pump head, to go with the colander memory. And, women have more problems with gall bladder and mammagrams. Michal ps I am having to use the spell checker twice on some documents (unless I get lazy and make the reader do the work).

thanks for taking the time to reply to my post, i appreciate it. In fact i feel a little foolish troubling you guys. I have some good neighbours that have said they would pop in and bring cooked meals. I do seem to have a problem asking for help, but i'll work on that. I've been looking into microwaveable meals but haven't found anything that is a healthy option yet. pre op is in 3 days so i should know more then. I will organise some low cupboard space (good idea), and need to do a couple of small jobs around the house In the uk i understand physiotherapy is a big part of the procedure, I was at the gym when i first got pains that identified angina. Thanks again everyone and I wish you all well, i will keep reading, and keep in touch. Terry

Hi Still haven't found out when or if they are planning to do bypass on my heart problems, but I ain't in no hurry either as long as I don't have some more problems. Anyway have been reading all the posts and gathering information which I hope might help me if they do the by pass. I never gave any thought to anyone have depression related to having heart problems. And thanks for that information as it gives me something to keep a check on. I've had my share of medical problems, but I never had time to get depressed was always to busy trying to live. For all of you that are having the gallbladder problems and are scheduled for surgery, once you have it done and get over it you will feel much better. I had this done almost 40 years ago (the old way) cut from my middle lower sterum to my right hip area. I was having gallbladder attacks 3 or more times a week, and them suckers hurt like heck. The gallbladder flared up when I was pregnant with my first child and it took them several months to find out what was wrong with me. It wasn't until I had the baby, and took the baby home that I wound up back in the hospital ER that same afternoon and this went on for almost 6 weeks. When they did find the problem I was given 2 choices. Have the surgery and live or die within a matter of months. I had the surgery done less than 2 days later. Went home 6 days later and basically took care of myself and the baby who was only 6 weeks old. Hurt like a banchee but I survived. Hoping that I will do as well for the bypass when it is done. I also had some major pain for about 18 months after this, but stupid me was because I was pregnant again from the incision pulling. But I never had the crippling searing pain I once had before the surgery. I hope all of you having the problems will be tip top shape in a short while. This new surgery for this is a breeze and you are up with in a short time and back doing your thing. For the record I had approximately 140 gallstones removed and I have often wondered if the formation of these could also be similar as to the blockages found within the heart. Was told they formed because of the contents of the drinking water in the area that I lived in at that time. Was also told that certain areas of the states had something like zones that had a marked increase in cases than in other areas. It sure makes me wonder if this is all related. Anyway thanks for the valuable information that I have been reading about. It helps me to know that others have had similar thoughts and worries to mine. Have a question, how many of you used a hospital bed when you got home or do you think one would help. I remember the time I had getting out of bed with the gallbladder surgery and it wasn't fun. Mama June -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.2 - Release Date: 1/21/05

We had a good snow that ended on Sat. This morning it was around +1F. I figured this was an opportunity, a test, a day I could set a benchmark. I shoveled with perodic rests holding on to my device. Not bad. I'm still here and looking forward to going to the WI vs IL basketball game. On a serious note. I'm obsessed with thoughts of going to the local beach. Warm sand, sun, the WI river. Pat

I think it is just me that he likes to jump on.He has challenged everything I have posted since I have been on here. Steve Y.

Hi. I am an LPN too, I worked on an orthopedic and peads ward. Where do you live? I live in B.C. Canada, but I took my training in Nova Scotia, where they are called CNA's. I had an emergency 5 bypass in March 2004. I am doing well. Hope you are successful in finding employment. Best Wishes and congratulations. Halle

The doctor we have at our county syke clinic is a real asshole. He will NOT pescribe anything that might be addective. He eather puts you in a canatonic state or he gives you meds that make you sleep 24/7. He likes to play it safe. He has been sued to many times. With diabetes I must remain aleart and active to control my blood sugar. I know go to a syke at MCO in Toledo. MCO doctors tell me that since my bypass there is a whole list of meds that I cannot take. They say that I need to be back on stimulints but that would kill me. If I take antidepressants I get MEAN, MAD and have a VIOLENT TEMPER, I will hurt someone. I am mad as hell at what the systom has don to me. When I first lost my job the insurance CO.`s pass there info around on me. I could not get hired anywhere. I had to go on welfair. Before welfair would help me I had to cash in my 401K and use that. Then I had to use all my savings. They then made me sell my truck and work van. Then they made me sell my NEW car and get an old junker. As soon as I did all of this they started helping me with food stamps and money for my kids. They then had me appaly for SS Disabality and I got it the first try. TO late, a loan CO. was selling my house out from under me and I only owed 1000$ on it. A lawyer told me to tie it up in another loan so I had a lot of work done on my home and now I owe 58,000$ on my home.The disabality payments are not keeping up with bills that are going up all the time. Disabality payments pay you a few dollars a month to much for you to get medacade. Now I am in the prosess of loseing every thing I have ever worked for and there is not a dam thing I can do about it. Now do you see why I am depressed and Mad as hell. Steve Y.

As promised in my introductory message: My most recent heart attack, December 1, 2003, came in the final week of a 10-month long LPN course. I had 2 more days of class, a day of exit interviews and partying, and then graduation day. Needless to say, I missed all of that. I insisted that the doctors get me well enough in 4 days to go to the graduation but they just smiled and said, "I don't think so." I had been elected Student Speaker by the other students and had my speech all prepared. (I have to admit, it was a gem, too.) The lead instructor told my wife to bring it in and she would have one of the other students read it for me at the ceremony. My wife went to the graduation with my daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. My son taped the whole thing on his camcorder for me, and I've enjoyed that several times since. Once I recovered, got throught cardio rehab, and got back to work as a home health aide, I took a couple of days to sit in with the next class to pick up the 2 topics i needed to complete the course. I did a lot of reviewing and studying, finally took my licensing exam just a few weeks ago. Roughest test I've ever sat through! After 4 days on pins and needles, I learned that I had passed, and I am now a Licensed Practical Nurse. Next step, already under way, is the job search, probably hospital work, hopefully in a cardio floor. If there is a moral to this story, or more than one moral: -heart surgery/heart disease is not the end of life as we know it -one CAN come back to be productive again -63 is NOT too late to start a new career LOL Love and encouragement to all..... bluestar / Tom

Hi I am 10 months post op 5cabg. I had my surgery in Victoria B.C. I was shipped there from our local hospital. I got excellent care, even though the nurses were very busy, and working 12 hour shifts, which are killers, I know I work them for 27 years, as an LPN on a ortho ward. The one thing that I regret is that we do not have cardio rehab available here, I really think that we should. I do moderate exercises, and I have friends in the Physo department, who give me helpful suggestions for exercise. I have difficulty walking for long distances as a result of three surgeries on my right knee including a knee replacement. I consider myself very fortunate in that I did not have any heart damage. I am on synthroid, have been hypothyroid since 1968, Zocor,metropol, altace,and ASA 82mg plus clacium and Vit D. daily. I enjoy reading the posts, and I find that I learn alot from them. Best wishes to all Halle

Hi, Iam here, I am 10 months post 5 Cabg. I am doing well, all though I find that on most daysI have to have a nap in the afternoon, usually only 45 mins to an hour. I usually wake up at 4 am. And as I am a morning person, I get most of my housework done before 6 am. I find that most tasks take me longer than they used to, could be age, but i don't think so. I am fortunate in that I have an excellent family physician. Best wishes to all of you Halle

I have a suggestion for you...... If the card is mad because you will not shovel his drive....Find a new Card. !! Barbee

I 'm still here. I don't post often. I'm almost 5 years post op-CABGx2-and doing quite well. I try to stick with my diet, and I still attend cardiac rehab three times a week! My rehab group is great-some members havw been there over 10 years. I think cardiac rehab is a major reason why I've done so well. The group keeps me motivated and gives me moral support when I need it. I've also started volunteering at a local hospital-I talk with patients and families about what to expect after heart surgery-from a patient's point of view. Do any of you volunteer? Pam S. in Michigan