Will a sent enable me to exercise without getting short of breath

[Partreetricia]

Am a keen golfer on lots of meds for stable angina. stenosis 65% one artery. Feeling like I can't continue golfing as so sob on hills. Last Angiogram over 2 years ago.

[Partreetricia]

I mean stent, sorry.

[jimmyq]

It possibly would but you can't just go and have one fitted. You should discuss it with your doctor.

[Chappychap]

Atherosclerosis, the disease that caused your original stenosis, never stops. You can slow it down or even, if you're very lucky, arrest it completely with lifestyle changes and medication. But basically it's always there, waiting for your vigilance to drop.

So it's entirely possible that your angina has become worse. You need to see your GP and be referred to a heart specialist at a local hospital. They'll conduct the appropriate tests and recommend a course of treatment.

I doubt you'll have to give up golf. My father in law had two heart attacks, stents, and a triple heart bypass. After all this he took up golf for the first time in his late 50's in order to get some exercise. The sport completely took over his life, he retired and travelled the world playing different courses. And he kept playing right until he died in his early 80"s.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

As said you need to see your GP and get a referral to a cardiologist. Angiograms are only valid for a year and so it may be sensible for it to be repeated. Usually stenting will relieve angina and breathlessness although it may take a week or two post stents. However, issues like position and calcification may mean that stenting is not possible and a bypass may be appropriate. Until you start the process by going to your GP you will not know. It could even be that your medication needs some fine tuning. Good luck.

[Partreetricia in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks Michael, I am seeing the cardiologist this week and she has given me more meds. She suggested if they don't help she will arrange an Angiogram with a possibility of stenting. I am living in Cyprus and she has not seen the previous Angiograms. They are very thorough here and unlike The UK see heart patients on a regular basis.. Sounds silly but I was disappointed when at my last Angiogram 2 years they decided (after a wire test) that medication would be suitable. I think I was expecting a miracle cure. I am 70 years old and love my golf but am finding it a struggle mainly due to the very steep course. Unfortunately there isn't an alternative course. Thanks for your reply.

[souledout]

Hi, I presume you mean a "Stent" and if so I would like to share my experience with you. After a Heart Attack in 2006 I had a Stent fitted and after a few months off work I was back doing things as normally as possible although being sensible. I placed no restrictions on what I did and only eased back when my body told me to do and this was usually when I experienced what was a "mild discomfort" in my chest. I retired in 2011 and and maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet with plenty of exercise. I go my local Gym about three times a week and every day I walk between four and seven miles a day around my local lanes. I am not overweight, do not smoke although I have a regular but within recommended limits intake of alcohol. I suspect that if you tick all the right boxes then having a Stent fitted should only improve your ability to exercise without getting short of breath. If however you have other "conditions" then a Stent is not going to be a "magic bullet". Hope this helps.

[Rob6868 in reply to souledout]

Sadly we are not all as fortunate as your good self

[Partreetricia]

Thanks for your reply, just don't want to be written off because of my age. Am very active a bit overweight, do enjoy a drink but try to be sensible over it. Love my golf, swimming and walking. Just don't want a sedentary life style.

[Partreetricia in reply to Partreetricia]

Hi I'm back my cardiologist put me on more meds including ranexa 375m twice a day.can't believe how expensive it is. Didn't make any difference had angiogram yesterday here in Cyprus the Dr backed up what the Dr in England said, a stent won't help my breathlessness they both did a wire test. The Dr, today said I also had mvd. Has increased the ranexa to 500m twice a day, has stopped the nicorel and the monocoral. So I am how on ranexa, aspirin, amlodopine, simvastin and losarton. Oh well back to golf next week hiffing and puffing my way around the course .Have also lost 7lb in the last 4 weeks

[Ianc2]

lose the weight, lose the sugar, get your waist down to half your height, every 2 llbs overweight = I bag of sugar or 4 packets of lard. Work out your bmi and weigh up your excess. Beg, borrow or acquire a backpack, put the excess weight in it and go for a walk, it may help you to reflect on how long you wan't to live.

[Ianc2]

Go and see you Member of Parliament and take your notes with you.. He/she has just had a generous pay rise so go and help him earn it.

[Ianc2]

Sorry - reply to a different post that somehow got misdirected!