Angioplasty recovery

[Sassanach]

I had a CA last year and was given emergency treatment including two stents. When the cardiologist explained my treatment he said there was also a blocked RH artery which they didnt do but may need doing in the future. After a year I still had breathlessness under exertion and they said having this done may help so I was in last week having it done. He pre-warned me that it wasn't a straighforward Angioplasty and the blockage needed to be approached from both sides and the procedure may take up to 2 hours. In reality it took 4 hours and required 2 stents and without wanting to put people off the procedure I had a few uncomfortable moments!

I imagined once the blockage was successfully opened I would feel an immediate improvement but quite the reverse happened. I left hospital and was a little sore but walking was no worse than previous, but then two days later i was walking and had to stop after about 100yards, it felt as bad as my initial recovery from the previous year

My question is has anyone had an extended Angioplasty?, my thinking is if there has been significant "poking around" in the arteries maybe the bruising/swelling takes a day or two to come up and that would cause the delayed issue?

I have contacted my cardiac nurses but even they couldn't give much help as my extended angioplasty was something they hadn't experience of, I do have a GP appointment tomorrow to discuss but I was wondering if anyone on here has had anything similar?

Apologies for the length of the saga !

[Maisie2014]

Mine was extended but not solely because of the position the stent. The electricity went off and the whole system had to be re-booted twice. Was the most unpleasant experience of my life but I’m here to tell the tale.

[Sillyfroggy]

Hi Sassanach,

I recently had an extended angio, 3 more stents added. Also on the table 4 hours.

Yes, I did initially feel pretty battered, about the same as after my HA. Weirdly, emotionally I actually felt worse, for a good few days. I’m 2 weeks in now and apart from the occasional little stent tweak of pain I’m pretty good.

My cardiologist gave me 4 weeks off work and was very stern in telling me to ask for more if I wasn’t 100%. The heart doesn’t like being touched and 4 hours of fiddling must really upset it!

Good luck with your recovery, be gentle on yourself but try to keep moving.

[Sassanach in reply to Sillyfroggy]

Many thanks Sillyfroggy, I feel better already after reading your reply because it basically describes exactly what I'm feeling right now. I think my expectations were for an immediate improvement and it came as a shock for two days later to feel worse than I did after my HA & CA. As you say, after 4 hours of having various size tubes stuck into it the heart must have some rection and take a while to recover

[Song19]

I had 2 stents in April but it took 2 months to recover, am pain free now and much better. I was also led to believe I would be soon running around!!! Did you get offered cardio rehabilitation, it was my saviour!