Don't ignore the warning signs

[Lid]

Hi folks

 

Unfortunately I have been unwell recently and have just come back from Harefield hospital where I had a Coronary Angioplasty to fix a blocked artery on my heart. My consultant and the whole team at the Harefield hospital were incredible and I was back home 24 hours after being 'repaired' by this amazing high tech procedure.

 

For at least 3 months, or even much longer, I have been suffering increasingly with Angina, but I did not realise it was this until I finally saw my GP last week. A quick referral to a Cardiologist revealed I was probably suffering from problems in my coronary arteries. In fact my ECG indicated I'd more than likely recently had a missed mild heart attack!

 

I was admitted to Harefield the next day where I had an angiogram which confirmed a major blockage in one of my coronary arteries. This has now been very successfully repaired by a procedure known as angioplasty. Before this procedure, I had been walking around for some weeks with an almost imminent risk of a major heart attack. However luckily my heart is undamaged and now that I am fixed, I am at much, much less risk. The rest of my Cardiovascular system is in very good nick!

 

I know that many of you will have friends, relatives, or even themselves suffering from major illnesses, so I hope you don't mind me sharing my little problem with you. In fact my message of the moment to everyone is please don't ignore your body - it knows best.

 

I am only 45 and have none of the obvious risk factors associated with cardiac disease, and ridiculously was trying to work off these annoying chest pains in the gym! Always remember you and you alone are responsible for your own health-care, and not our fantastic doctors. Please do not ignore any unusual symptoms and follow through all things health wise if you are uncertain or unconvinced. Never be afraid to keep asking. On my first GP visit I was only going to be given a routine cardiologist appointment on the NHS, which would have been in a few months. However I've been on BUPA with work for nearly 18 years, so I suggested going private. I then was given the names and phone numbers of the consultants and booked it all up myself.

 

On a related point, just remember it sometimes it pays not be macho. Look what a friend of mine just told me :

 

"My husband had the same pains..He ignored them for months..never told me about them..got it from his mates after he died..Aged 54..You are so lucky boy to have gone to the doctor.."

 

PS My consultant has given my a CD with the video footage from the procedure. It's not gory because everything is done internally with angioplasty. Ill make some stills of the before and after later and post them here.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Leighton

[Zigs]

glad you got it sorted in time lid.

[jimpy0]

Bin there done that 4 years ago at 41 blocked left hand y branch into the heart 13 stents later and the clot buster drug am still here

it was a wake up call

 

Good luck and best wishes

[Ken Davison South Wales]

Hi folks

 

Unfortunately I have been unwell recently and have just come back from Harefield hospital where I had a Coronary Angioplasty to fix a blocked artery on my heart. My consultant and the whole team at the Harefield hospital were incredible and I was back home 24 hours after being 'repaired' by this amazing high tech procedure.

 

For at least 3 months, or even much longer, I have been suffering increasingly with Angina, but I did not realise it was this until I finally saw my GP last week. A quick referral to a Cardiologist revealed I was probably suffering from problems in my coronary arteries. In fact my ECG indicated I'd more than likely recently had a missed mild heart attack!

 

I was admitted to Harefield the next day where I had an angiogram which confirmed a major blockage in one of my coronary arteries. This has now been very successfully repaired by a procedure known as angioplasty. Before this procedure, I had been walking around for some weeks with an almost imminent risk of a major heart attack. However luckily my heart is undamaged and now that I am fixed, I am at much, much less risk. The rest of my Cardiovascular system is in very good nick!

 

I know that many of you will have friends, relatives, or even themselves suffering from major illnesses, so I hope you don't mind me sharing my little problem with you. In fact my message of the moment to everyone is please don't ignore your body - it knows best.

 

I am only 45 and have none of the obvious risk factors associated with cardiac disease, and ridiculously was trying to work off these annoying chest pains in the gym! Always remember you and you alone are responsible for your own health-care, and not our fantastic doctors. Please do not ignore any unusual symptoms and follow through all things health wise if you are uncertain or unconvinced. Never be afraid to keep asking. On my first GP visit I was only going to be given a routine cardiologist appointment on the NHS, which would have been in a few months. However I've been on BUPA with work for nearly 18 years, so I suggested going private. I then was given the names and phone numbers of the consultants and booked it all up myself.

 

On a related point, just remember it sometimes it pays not be macho. Look what a friend of mine just told me :

PS My consultant has given my a CD with the video footage from the procedure. It's not gory because everything is done internally with angioplasty. Ill make some stills of the before and after later and post them here.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Leighton

 

Nice to see your fit Lid

[Clifftop]

you may have seen a recent post of mine just when this forum got hacked. a nieghbour had chest pains and his wife told him to see the doc,the pains eased a bit thro the day and so he didnt bother.next morning at around 6am he died of a heart attack in his wifes arms.

R.I.P Mario

[Dan]

Glad you are on the mend Lid, now cut down on those deep fried mars bars!! ;)

Edited September 24, 2006 by Dan

[zziplexboy]

Its happening to people a lot earlier than it used to it seems. I had a quad bypass at the age of 46 due as my consultant said to genetic factors as i am apparantly a natural cholestral builder. I asked him the night before the op how long it would last and he said. "I have no doubt we will be seeing you again in10-15 years." 10 years later almost to the hour, in Nov last year (how spooky is that) i had a heart attack whilst driving down the A2 near bexley. Turning off the road as it happened (I was driving a 44 tonn artic and considered it the best thing to do!!) I happened to find myself outside an A+E hospital and luckily was seen within 15 mins, lucky or what!

Like you I was so impressed with what happened next. Transfered to Guys and within a week discharged with a nice new shiny stent.

Its a sobering thought but i consider myself to be lucky as I know whats happening inside of me. Its like I've had a rebore. The consultant who dealt with me at Guys stated that millions of us are walking around with time bombs in our chests and will have no knowledge of it until the fateful day. The advice to listen to your body is golden advise. Angina can take many forms. Mine was in my chin and throat, not the classic pain in the chest and arm.

[Lid]

Bin there done that 4 years ago at 41 blocked left hand y branch into the heart 13 stents later and the clot buster drug am still here

it was a wake up call

 

Strewth jimpy0 - 13 stents. They put one 28mm drug eluting stent in me! There was some debate whether to add a second alongside, but due to my youthfulness, they decided my body should sort it out.

 

zziplexboy - I too had pain that started in the top of my gullet, although it made it's way down to my chest.

[jimpy0]

Strewth jimpy0 - 13 stents. They put one 28mm drug eluting stent in me! There was some debate whether to add a second alongside, but due to my youthfulness, they decided my body should sort it out.

 

zziplexboy - I too had pain that started in the top of my gullet, although it made it's way down to my chest.

 

 

Was 13 because of where it was they had to reinforce around the area. did you know them stents the drug ones are £1000.00 each, well they were when i had it done probably twice that amount now. Went in through the wrist they had to keep me a few days [now not to scare anyone] as they spilt a vein whilst in there and caused me to have another MI on the table but i was in the best place to get it sorted

[John E Ashford]

Well I'm also in on this one, 4 years ago I had 3 stents put in to my heart. But the downer when I had my heart attack I damged my heart. This is unrepairable and also 2 days after starting recovery, the Doc told me I was diabetic. Twice a day I have Insulin injections.

 

If your over weight or feel that bit different don't wait, get to the doctors.

 

Even if you think your on top of the world, book yourself regular checkups.

 

Don't leave it, it don't go away.