need some reassurance please

[Babyelephant-]

Hi, this is my first post. I just need a bit of reassurance.

My husband had a quadruple bypass in July this year after 3 months of waiting in hospital. He’s 52 and had been having chest pains for a few months before being admitted because of his ecg results. After the bypass he recovered really well and was discharged from the cardiac team.

3 weeks ago he woke with chest tightness and to cut a long story short ended up back in hospital. They don’t think he had a heart attack and his heart is working really well. He’s been kept in hospital waiting for an angiogram which was done on Friday. All looked good except they couldn’t find one of the grafts! Maybe because it’s blocked so today he’s having a ct scan.

We’re so confused, how can a new graft be blocked with cholesterol already? Has this happened to anyone else? He’s in hospital over an hour away from home and I can’t always be there to ask questions. I’m scared of what’s happening to us and don’t know what to think. They want him to come home tonight after the scan but is that safe? Will they be able to treat him? I know you can’t give medical advice but any words of wisdom or experience would be greatly appreciated 🧡

[Hidden]

Hello

None of us are Doctors and so just going on thoughts or what we have come across over time but from what you have said and I am so sorry you and your Husband are having to have all this worry maybe the angiogram could not get a clear picture as sometimes this can happen and the CT scan can show things up a lot better and until he gets those results and I know it is not easy try not to worry

People have sometimes gone down for a quadruple Bypass op and come back and they could only do 3 but the 3 they did has been enough to give the person still a good quality of life so your heart can function on 3 if that was the case the one that would not be working the others would compensate or that is my understanding

They would not let him back out the Hospital if he were not safe to come out so keep hold of that thought to

If you have time let us know how he gets on and others hopefully will come along that will be able to give you some better advice x

[Babyelephant- in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for replying. He went into the op for a triple and came out having had a quadruple bypass! It sounds like an emergency was on the way while my husbands angiogram was being done and it came to an abrupt halt. He said the first time he had an angiogram he was shown everything on the screen but non of that this time. I know I overthink everything and I’m probably doing it now!

[Hidden in reply to Babyelephant-]

Hello

Sorry I misread the triple and came back with a quadruple which again can be quite common

It does seem like the angiogram was a little rushed maybe why the feedback you are getting is not so clear as it could be

We all overthink that is human nature

Your concerns as only the Consultants will be able to give a clear answer if you cannot be there could you phone your Husband and ask him to jot down what you would like him to ask when they come round and see him later ?

Hopefully this CT scan will give a clearer picture and they may just find that forth one

I remember I had 3 and one of mine was right around the back it was very hard to pick up on the angiogram and even the surgeon said she struggled to get to it but she managed to by taking her time

See what they say later , I really hope it is positive news x

[Hidden]

If you need a professional opinion about your husband's circumstances I suggest you talk to the BHF Heart Helpline nurse. They are available here

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Babyelephant- in reply to Hidden]

That’s great, thank you very much.

[Prada47]

Hello What we can offer on here is just accounts of what we have been through ( sometimes known as experience ) I was going to have a triple bypass, but the Surgeon said afterwards " Nothing could be done with your Right Coronary Artery so I left it alone " that was in 2015.

In 2018 problems started again so Angiogram and a couple of Stents put into my LAD still nothing to be done with my RCA, but it can be opened just quite risky to attempt it, and it won't do any good as the area it supplies is beyond help lol

2022 Cardiologist not happy with the way things are progressing so after an MRI decided Angiogram required during the Angiogram a discussion took place between two cardiologists, and they asked me would I be OK with my already bypassed Original/Native LAD being opened up to help the Blood Flow, to that area of my Heart supplied by the LAD.

Help yourself was my reply or words to that effect.

I have been told I do have a Complex Cardiac Anatomy and I am at the end of the road for any further surgery interventions !

I am really quite comfortable with my current position knowing that everything that can be done has been done. I have written this to show you that they don't give up, it's quite amazing how much a Heart can withstand, and I am sure that they would not even consider releasing your husband without evaluating the risk to his health.

I know it's easy for us/me to say try to relax everything will be fine, but if you don't you may increase your anxiety and make yourself ill, which will not help you or your Husband

Best Regards

[Babyelephant- in reply to Prada47]

thank you for taking the time to reply to me. You really have had a lot of experience with your heart! I think I’m a bit scared the doctors are just writing him off but I know they won’t do that really. He’s fit and healthy otherwise so I’m sure we’ll be ok. I really find other peoples experiences very reassuring so thank you again.

[joygard1]

Hi... Please don't worry, what you describe has I am sure happened numerous times.Over a period of 10 years I have had 2 x triple by pass surgery, and on 2 occasions when follow up angiograms with blocked grafts, the Cardiologist could not find one of the grafts, I had the foresight to ask the Surgeon after the 2nd CABG By Pass where the Grafts where approx so was able to tell the Cardiologist one was up near my left collarbone, which is not uncommon.I would have thought it very unlikely that a new graft is blocked already, but I am not a Doctor.Sure all will be fine