First post so sorry for the length. Type 1 diabetic/previous double heart bypass.

[Padalak6]

Hi, Im 47 and have type 1 diabetes, approx 5 years ago I went to my gp as I was having chest pain, he sent me for a treadmill test, I only lasted 4 mins. I was then sent for an angiogram which showed 2 of my arteries were narrowing, I was put on tablets and given gtn,despite this I was still having pains, at my cardiology appts I kept getti g told to keep on with the tablets. Two years later I saw the cardiology consultant that asked if I wanted another angiogram of which I said yes.It showed my arteries had got worse and I was booked in for a double bypass which I had a midcab in March 2017. Within a year after having this done I was still getting chest pain so went to my GP who transferred me back to my local hospital , the cardiologists there sent me for an MRI scan of which that showed I had some scarring but they couldn't say whether that was from my bypass or if I had it before. I was then due to have an appointment April 2019 but that got cancelled my pains have been getting worse so I went to my GP 3 weeks ago who sent me 2 ambulatory care at my local hospital of which I got admitted that day I had blood tests,treadmill test ,ECG and everything came back normal but when the doctors came round they said due to my history they would give me an angiogram just to check things out . The angiogram showed that one of my arteries that I had the previous bypass on had stopped pumping blood.I was/am very upset and annoyed with the result. I have had some of my medication increased and have been put on isosorbide mononitrate which is making me quite breathless. I have got an appt on Wednesday to discuss whether I will need stents or a mini bypass, I was told the decision might be mine. I really don't know which to choose if that is the case, has anyone got any advise. X

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum! I have been Type I for over 50 years and had a quadruple bypass last summer. One of my biggest fears us some form of complication in that area. It is trick to advise at this stage. Do post again after Wednesday's appointment. You shouldn't have to make an instantaneous decision in the day but the cardiologist may have recommendations. Good luck!

[Chappychap]

You have my sincere sympathies. Before a bypass we're all informed of the risk during the operation itself. But we aren't told much about the risk of the operation failing, in part or in total, within just a year or two.

I've heard that some cardiologists are reluctant to conduct further bypass operations when one has failed because of the risk of subsequent failure, you might want to explore this with your cardioligist, why did it fail and would a "mini" bypass be any more likely to succeed?

[jimmyq]

You have 2 blocking arteries. I have had 5.

The ideal BP is 120/80. Mine has been as high as 240/140 but went down to 190/100 with treatment in 2016. I still had a mini-stroke in 2017 though. I started a Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB) lifestyle in March 2018. My BP is now 120/80.

The ideal cholesterol is below 5. Mine was 6.5 for years, nothing budged it until this diet. It is now 3.7.

My weight was 14.5st and is now 12.5st, the same as when I was in my twenties.

I recommend that you watch the film "Forks Over Knives". It will show you that you can clear out your arteries. It is on a website of the same name, Netflix, YouTube. It is about medical dietary research, including a massive study of 800,000 Chinese people. You might find it helpful, I did.