Thanks Margaret
Thank you for the good information and nice email. Most of my blockage was on the right side as far as I can tell from the angiogram pictures. The left one had two places one 50% and another 70%. That was the two that were bypassed by the mammary artery. At least when the surgeon was explaining it to me it seemed that way. One piece of the leg vein was also used to bypass two blockages on the right side. They were 85% and 90% and looked like a real long blockage with a tiny space inbetween. Then the other two were bypassed with the rest of the leg vein. The numbness in my chest isn't painful just feels funny when you touch it. The leg on the other hand swells and aches, especially when it gets cold. Actually the bextra that I have been trying this past week seems to help that also. I am afraid the bextra may cause me problems down the road but it sure is nice not to have that arthritis pain all the time. As for stents, what I read seems to indicate they really don't help that much and they are not very safe so guess I will do some more research. Just opening the blockage might be a better option but think that is the old way of doing it. I did have that done in 1991 when I had a heart attack. I was lucky to have had only one closed artery and no heart damage then as I was very close to the ER when the pain started and actually had the heart attack in the ER. I was 49 and they thought I was having an anxiety attack. That was probably because I suffer from anxiety. Might have checked the gall bladder had it not been for the history of anxiety. The ER doc was surprised it was a heart attack. I am a very physically active person, not overweight but I did smoke until 1991 so that may be the reason for the first heart problem. The blockage I had before the 4x bypass seemed to have started between 1999 when I had a thallium stress test that showed everything was good and 2002 when it showed restricted blood flow to the lower part of my heart. An angiogram showed that I had 6 advanced blockages. So, now I wonder if the rest of the arteries that were not bypassed have not blocked and that's why the thallium stress test is the same as before (restricted blood flow to the lower part of my heart). The only way to know for sure is another angiogram. My cardiologist was going to do that but after I got upset (with anxiety you can probably imagine my reaction upset is a very mild term for what I felt). I was in the heart hospital in Lubbock when I had that test stress test and my blood pressure went to 195/110 in about two minutes. The nurse there was wonderful. She talked to me until my blood pressure went down to a safe level and then walked me to the car. She sent my distressed husband to get the car and told him not to hurry. He was very worried because after the last angiogram they told him I would not make it another month without the bypass surgery. Mine was very similar to President Clinton's it seems. At least the pictures of his angiogram they put on TV look almost like mine. So my husband had visions of that happening again and he really was pushing me to stay in the hospital and have the angiogram the next morning. The next day the cardiologist office called me and said the doctor wanted to see me in his office that afternoon. When he finally got to me, he said he had reviewed all my blood work, chest x-rays, sonogram, ekg's , etc. and they all looked very good, he said we did not need to do the angiogram right now unless I wanted to know and it was obvious to him that it was too upsetting to me so he thought we should just watch it for now and see what happens. He did give me nitro spray and said if I got the chest pains or pains in my jaw and shoulders to use that spray and see if that relieved it. If it does, he thinks I should get in to see him and let him do the angiogram right them. Several of his patients are doctors and he told me I was worse than those patients and they were a physicans nightmare usually. He is considered to be the best cardiologist in Lubbock but he has way too many patients and he is so patient it takes him until 8 p.m. to see all his appointments usually. His office staff stay on him about moving it along. I appreciate the time he takes with me and don't mind the wait as I know he is giving so much of himself to all of us. You are to be admired for having the strength to get your education and raise your children alone. I was a single parent for 12 years and my children (2) were pre-school when I went back to school to get an education so I could feed them and keep a roof over our heads. I know what a struggle that can be. I probably had depression on and off all those years but didn't have time to think about it until the bypass surgery. The depression I had after the surgery really scared me. A panic attack was easy by comparison. I took prozac for about a year but really think I got over it in about 6 months but just needed the security of the medication until the psychiatrist told me I could always go off it and then take it again if the depression returned. I didn't see him very often (every 4 - 6 months) so that's why I just kept taking it until I saw him again. It was comforting to know I could stop and then start again. Don't know why that didn't occur to me at the time. My insurance did not pay for counseling just assessment for medication so that's why I didn't see him much. My primary doctor can prescribe the medicine he just wanted me to get an opinion on what would be best for me to take since I already take xanax for anxiety. The psychiatrist was not happy with me taking xanax even though I only take .25 mg about 20 tablets a year just when I have anxiety or panic. He still advised against it so I just ignored that part. The xanax works and works fast and I just prefer to get over those attacks in a hurry. The heart hospital had no problem with giving it to me when I stressed out over the stress test. Only thing they gave me twice as much as I usually take so I was mellow when I left there. The nurse that was so kind and talked to me for so long was wonderful. Most are good but she was extra special. Thanks again for you good information. Keep walking. Ann