Heartmates: Interactive Connections 2001

Name:	karen welter
E-mail:	bunkymc@aol.com
Date:	2001-07-01 09:35:00-05
Comments:	About 2 years ago my husband had acute angina, had angioplasty and a stent > implanted in an artery that was over 90% blocked - but did not have a heart > attack. > Since that time he has had unresolved chest pain - normal follow up stress > test, was told it must muscular-skeletal pain. But he has felt tired and > continues to have nearly continual chest pain and also loss of libido - DR > said pain could not be from stent. My husband is really wondering if somehow > the stent or scar tissue by the stent is causing this pain. Am wondering if > anyone has had a similar experience.

Name:	Amy
E-mail:	alyorra@yahoo.com
Date:	2001-07-04 02:20:00-05
Comments:	Next week 7/10, it will be 2 years since my husband's heart attack. Things have been going along although he will never work again. There are times he loses it and explodes at me for nothing. It is so hard to keep my cool. I am so very grateful that he is still with me. Anyone understand how I feel?

Name:	Allen Hane
E-mail:	hitman491@email.com
Date:	2001-07-05 10:40:00-05
Comments:	yo I had a few MRI's and an EKG(I think it's called that, it's the one with horrid shocks and then the needles.)Urine tests where done ect. because for almost 2 years I was sufering from weakness, fatigue, breathlessnes,and trouble sleeping. I self diagnosed myself when in summer-school I had to stop a guy's heart in one of my stories so I looked through the heart disease section and saw pulmonary stenosis.The rest is history; my symtoms matched every one listed.I was born blue and even though I can bench 215 and weigh only 145 simple things like opening jars and typing this are almost imposible sometimes. My legs feel tingly and somewhat numb. I can parallel squat 275 but my legs sometimes can't take stairs because of poor circulation. The docter was set aback when he found my theory correct about the stenosis. I've learned to know my body and learned well to not always accept what Dr.'s tell me is wrong with it. I wrote to give support and let you know there is one more person out there for you. sincerely Allen T. Hane

Name:	John Dowden
E-mail:	johnjane@midcoast.com
Date:	2001-07-10 08:24:00-05
Home Page:	Yahoo
Comments:	July 10,2001 Age 70 male living on the coast of Maine long 18 year history of heart disease numerous heart operations and hospital admissions. Recently told I had Cronic Kidney Failure,, MRA/MRI showed kidneys not getting a sufficent supply of blood due to plaque blockages in the arteries. 50 % loss of kidney function. Another blockage in the heart has recently ddeveloped.LD distal artery. Generally what is the estimated time pereiod before a patient as described has to go on dialysis. Kidneys are old and badly scared. Thank you for your assistance. "John"

Name:	Pam
E-mail:	jnpland@pwrtc.com
Date:	2001-07-15 07:56:00-05
Comments:	My husband(56) had a MI in April, he had two stents placed in his right aorta and is doing fine. He also has a 50% narrowing in the left main trunk that may require by pass. He will have a stress test in October to decide. We walk at least 4x a weed about 45 minutes at 3 m per hour, sometimes a bit faster. He has leg pain when we try to walk faster. OK He is supposed to quit smoking, and has around me, but he is cheating a few smokes during the day. It hurts me deeply to know he is doing this. I tell him that it is just making it harder for him to really quit......... He comes from a family of smokers two of his siblings have had by passes in their legs and one has had several heart procedures, bypass and balloons etc. Both continue to smoke and tell him that their doctors tell them that their clogged arteries are hereditary and that smoking does not cause the problem. I read lots of magazines and health articles which seem to indicate that the number 1 cause of hardening of the arteries is smoking. Anyway, I believe that to be true. We try to eat right, and have done so and walked for about ten years. But, he would not quit smoking. I try so hard to cook things he will eat in a healthy way, and walk with him etc, I can not stand the fact that he continues to cheat. It really wounds me. I want him to be around for a long long time. It just drives me nuts that he can't seem to give up the cigarettes. He had smoked a pipe the past 24 years, but I hid all that stuff when he had the MI. Now I wonder if I should give it back to him since he goes and buys cigarettes to smoke now. He gets really low tar and nicotene ones and says he only has a couple a day. His clothes do not smell, so he must not be having very many. What can I do to help him. I had been praying for years for him to quit. His father quit when his legs started to hurt after he retired, but he died at 70 from lung and brain cancer, so it was too late for him. Anyway, I am very frustrated and sad that Jack continues to cheat. Also, if he quits and we keep walking and eat right most of the time is the problem reversable? In other words, will the leg pain when walking fast get less? Is there a chance the narrowing in the left aorta will improve? OK, gotta go meet Jack to walk. Thanks for listening, Pam

Name:	Rosemarie Patrone
E-mail:	rosepatrone@yahoo.com
Date:	2001-07-18 07:02:00-05
Comments:	After reading Karen Welter's comments dated 7/1/01, whose husband had angioplasty and a stent for 90% blockage, this sounds very familiar. My husband just underwent the same treatment, angioplasty and a tent in "window's alley" and has the same pain. We just got back from the doctor and they said the same - probably skelatal pain. I would like to hear from others with these symptoms and if they were resolved or unresolved, and how the patient is dealing with this. Also, does physical exertion or stress seem to make the pain worse.

Name:	Janet Allen
E-mail:	pallen@rivernet.net
Date:	2001-07-20 08:49:00-05
Comments:	Hello Everyone, This is a wonderful site. I found it a little while ago and read all the letters. I wish I could see the answers to some of them! I would like to say to Pam though that If her husband won't give up smoking, there is not much she can do about it. I have a friend in exactly the same position. I am a 'reformed' smoker, quit a couple of days before I had my first heart attack at 59 last October, was in Hospital again in late December and finally had quintuple by-pass on Jan. 11th. So it has been 6½ months and although I am doing pretty good I am still having problems with keloids on my incission. Some days they are a lot more tender than others. Has anybody had this problem and could you tell me how long they last, please. I also have a problem with 'persistant plura ifussion' (fluid around the heart) The doctors don't seem able to explain what causes that. My doctor says that is the million dollar question! Has anybody else reading this had that problem? Thanks so much for your help. Janet Allen

Name:	Trudy
E-mail:	jatoodee@securenet.net
Date:	2001-07-26 08:43:00-05
Home Page:	none
Comments:	My brother just had an angioplasti procedure done. He has described it to me but is there any site where I can see a graphic description of this procedure? Thanks

Name:	Lee
E-mail:	themessenger@mindspring.com
Date:	2001-07-31 11:00:00-05
Comments:	While looking for information on pulmonary Stenosis I found your web site. My daugnter was born on May 11 2001 and was discovered to have Pulmonary Stenosis at 3 weeks. I had never heard of this "affliction" (for lack of knowing what it is)until then. All I could think of is why my daughter. We have been to the Hospital twice more but I still don't feel that I truly understand what is going to happen with my daughter. I am told that she is going to need to have surgery where they will put in some sort of patch. I would really like to know more about what is going to happen. If Any one can help me become educated on the problem and the correction I would be most gratefull. One Worried Father

Name:	Bev
E-mail:	BBarnes525@aol.com
Date:	2001-08-03 12:24:00-05
Comments:	My dad is 70. He was very active and had only a few worrisome symptoms. Had a heart cath and was told he had 90% blockages and should have CABG or he would have a massive heart attack. He had 4 vessel bypass and did very good for 1 day and then developed lung problems. It is now 8 weeks after surgery. His oxygen saturation gets down to the low 80% and he won't wear oxygen. He also needs to do self catheterization because he can't urinate. I would like to hear from someone who had complications after open heart surgery but then turned out "okay". Please tell me what helped.

Name:	Kathleen
E-mail:	k.fischer@sk.sympatico.ca
Date:	2001-08-18 11:33:00-05
Comments:	Hi. I am 43 and my husband is 45. On the 13th of August he underwent a 5 graft bypass. He remains in the hospital as he is having uncontrolled atrial fibrillation. We were warned this could be a temporary complication. Despite numerous med changes and the threat of cardioversion, he remains in this rhythm. This whole experience came as such as shock to both of us. He is a fit and "healthy" 45 year old. He did not suffer a heart attack but one case of unstable angina. The angiogram showed that bypass surgery was his only option. As he had one vessel with a critical lesion of 98% blockage, he was placed on the emergency list. So we went from diagnosis to surgery in less than a week. Right now my biggest struggle is dealing with his negativity and "depression". I am aware that this is all considered a "normal" response", but I find it hard to even visit him. He is convinced that he is never going to leave the hospital, and that the operation was just a "waste of time". How do I handle this?

Name:	Jenny Labiak
E-mail:	jlabiak@hotmail.com
Date:	2001-08-23 02:15:00-05
Comments:	Hello all. I am the daughter of a heart patient, and I live three hours away from my parents. Unfortunately I am unable to accompany them to the doctors appointments and I have a hard time understand what they tell me about his condition. He had a heart attack on January 2, and he was airlifted to a nearby hospital for immediate surgery. Apparently, a hole had formed in his heart, so they patched it with bovine skin. He has heart failure, and has had to quit working. Everything is so confusing and there is no resource that can explain all of the questions I have. Actually, I don't even know what questions to ask. If anyone has had any experience with this, please contact me. I am interested in learning as much as I can, as my father's doctors are not very helpful. Thank you very much for your time. Jenny

Name:	julie smith
E-mail:	andrew.smith63@btinternet.com
Date:	2001-08-26 06:13:00-05
Comments:	my mum was admitted initially with A/F and shortness of breath, this was investigated with ECG and Echocardiogram which showed Moderate Mitral Stenosis. Her symptoms were too severe too substantiate this and after pushing a 24 hour echocardiogram doctors decided on an angiogram which revealed very severe coronary artery disease, and have now decided she needs urgent triple heart bypass and open valveotomy. I would appreciate any information about this op or any bodys story who has had this operation recently. I am not afraid of any medical terms as I am a Practice Manager at a GP Surgery.

Name:	Edward Dunagin
E-mail:	edunagin@core.com
Date:	2001-09-01 09:09:00-05
Comments:	hello jason..saw your note on heartmates.. i started smoking when i was 11 years old and stopped 10 years ago. (i'm now 68) i was a three pack a day smoker and had "quit" many a time, but never could stop. my 3 daughters and my wife thought i never would be able to quit. i went to a VA stop smoking session and never looked back. stopped cold turkey. i was taught, and later taught others, that, depending upon how much you smoked, the urge to smoke only lasts about 30 seconds...and if you can get thru that 30 seconds, then the urge will leave you for about 10 to 15 mins( again depending upon how often you desire a cig). so my key was, to get my mind off of smoking and onto something else for that 30 seconds. i used deep breathing and focusing on something other than smoking. that helped me and i finally can say after 10 years i am smoke free..(i still would like to have a cig though??!!) i hope this might be of help to you.... Peace.....................ed columbus, ohio

Name:	peppermint
E-mail:	peppermint_77@hotmail.com
Date:	2001-09-05 01:39:00-05
Comments:	Hi. My dad has just had an angeogram. And by the way I have spelled it, I am sure it is clear how little I know about his health problems. I know that I need to be strong for my family and especially for my Dad, but the hardest part is not knowing or understanding what is happening. My dad would never 'burden' my by telling me the extent of his heart problem, but the nurse tells me he will need a double bypass and to have his main heart valve replaced as soon as possible. I would greatly appreciate any information, or stories, maybe references, or anything that may help me to relax a little.

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1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 Jan - Jun | 2000 July - Dec
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