Follow up to overwhelmed

[Vonnie233]

Thankyou all for your reply, yesterday I had the angiogram and two stents put in it is still overwhelming,when I think I have been a non smoker non drinker vegetarian all my life to be told I have diseased arteries..but trying to do one day at a time..

[Maisie2014]

Bonjour Vonnie233. Yes it is overwhelming to think you’ve done everything right and you still end up having stents. I was the same but ended up having a heart attack so at least they’ve been able to give you stents to avoid a heart attack. You’ll get used to it and the support on her is good. C’est la vie mon ami.

[Maisie2014]

Here not her😂

[Gail1967]

That is the worst part for me too- all the risk factors they talk about- smoking, drinking, regular exercise, diet and stress- I would have given them all A* for me- yet here I am 10 weeks post a quadruple bypass due to damaged arteries. Now grateful it’s fixed and can live life relieved.

[Dolphin14 in reply to Gail1967]

Family history?

[Gail1967 in reply to Dolphin14]

My brother had a heart attack at 35 but we always put this down to him smoking. No heart issues with either parent, but grandmother died at 48 - again put down to smoking. So now being referred to genetic team to discover if family issue. Do you have experience of familial link?

[Hidden]

Makes you wonder doesn't it? Like you say take each day as it comes. Best Wishes

[Hidden]

Do you happen to consume food groups that contain a lot of sugar of any types (artificial or naturally occurring sugars)? That include organic soya ice cream, vegan cookies/baked goods, fruits and all the "goodies" with "healthy" labels. . . .

Activity levels. Do you consider yourself leading a "sedentary" lifestyle in front of TV? These honest questions might lead to some home truths. I had to face it.

Some innocent looking foods could be spiking your insulin. . .

[Ianc2]

Is it still correct that there are no quick and easy ways of testing insulin levels?

[Hidden]

I often think *REGULAR NHS* testing isn't sensitive enough.

It has to be administered to the large population, hence it's just a set of standard ones.

I had a chance to see a specialist *private* consultant to get things checked out thoroughly. That was a few years ago.

There must be "advanced" testing methods they use.

When I had a comprehensive private testing package done, it flagged up the problem. I kept asking my GPs to check again and all was "normal".

This type of things happen too often on NHS. Only you get to read the same pattern repeating itself on different hubs, time and time again, with angry patients who were let down by the system.

I agree that if you're "bordeline" or even low/within range on the tests, it's still causing the damage, "normal" doesn't mean "all is well".

It may mean, your free NHS testing only shows problems when "all is very bad, indeed, your vessels are done deal, dear". The private one flagged the problems up and I was suggested to take statin, and it was soon forgotten on the NHS when THEIR NHS results came back "fine".

But my Cardio gave me statin and NHS followed up.

That's how diseases progress in some/*many* patients, who assumed all was fine because NHS testing came back "ALL GOOD". They still think "oh I didn't know why my/my patients heart/coronary vessels were so wrecked".

Abroad, they check you out with their advanced testing methods. Patients still die from HA/any other heart diseases. That's only because some of them CHOOSE to ignore the abnormal findings for years.

BHF needs to campaign for "early prevention" like cancer.

NHS needs to change, too and they KNOW it! They do some good work, I do admit that, but I have seen the gradual decline in service quality. It also consistently fail those who are "atypical" cases. Many of us are not the usual, "obese patients" bursting his/her vessels at any second".

[helixhelix]

Hope you can get over the fear, and move forward positively and put this behind you. Onwards....