Angiogram results

[Jako999]

Well yesterday was my test day. I posted about it was going to be an angioplasty but I didn’t really want stents if there was a problem I wanted another bypass as it’s so close to my Quad CABG being done last year then I’d rather get it fixed then repaired. I had a long chat with the cardiologist and we agreed we would talk about it during my angiogram to decide what was best, he was a really great guy and totally understands where I was coming from.

I was in theatre for an hour and a quarter and he was great explaining everything he knows Im medical, he did every test going and showed me everything on the screen.

The outcome was what we expected, I had a quad bypass last June and my two harvested arteries are working really well, the image of the flow looked great but as for the vein’s nothing, he couldn’t find them they have totally collapsed. He said that the arteries are making up for the veins however he wants me to have a CT then we can make some decisions, he has said we may be able to manage it with meds and see how it all goes.

I would still rather just get the two faulty veins replaced because I haven’t recovered from both the physical or mental side of things yet so it seems a much better answer to me, even more drugs will just mask the problem and I’ll still have lots of problems with chest pains and shortness of breath and so on.

I’m just going to have to wait for the CT then we can sit down and have a good chat about it all. I think the big problem for me and like so many others is I went from super fit with no problems to being like I am now “ broken” and can’t do half what I use to do but at the same time I’m so happy to be alive.

Thanks all.

[MummaSoap]

I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had this result today but it sounds like you were prepared to potentially receive this outcome today and also that there are positive options available to you.

I sympathise with the feeling “broken”; I feel like I can’t be the mum that I hoped I would be for my children in many ways and this also frustrates me especially on days when I have lots of symptoms and my children are more “challenging” for me. It just makes me feel like a failure.

It’s useful to remember our strengths and look back on how far we have come too. In your case it sounds like you had really positive results about your harvested arteries which is great.

I hope that you can find a route forward with your cardiologist that you’re happy with and then things continue to improve for you.

Keep us posted with how you get on.

Best wishes

Soap

[Eagle69]

Hi Jako I’m not going to say I understand all the medical bits in your post but I understand the feeling of being broken.

You’re a similar age to me and fit and, without warning, boom! Like a steam train. Why? How? Etc. I’m the same. Was at the velodrome every Tuesday, 30/40 miles on Sunday, ride to work, swimming etc.

Seems unfair but life is unfair sometimes and we have to do the best we can. Doesn’t stop me feeling down sometimes as I miss all the things I used to do. But I’m bloody determined to try and get back on the bike in 2023 and will definitely be back in the pool!

Good luck 💪

[devonian186]

Hi Jako

As I have written before, we both had our quad by pass at much the same time.

Although I had angina I would say that now my good days are not quite as good as my good days prior to the operation, but my bad days are substantially better than my bad days previously and the point was coming when I had more bad days than good ones so overall i am better.

The various meds can get me down and as others say its generally best to get out and about and the lethargy tends to dissipate. The recovery from the operation was not easy physically or mentally. To learn that 2 veins are not working must be a bitter blow. To live with that after expecting to be mostly fixed must be damaging mentally as well as physically.

At your age would I want to rely on second best-the meds-if a new operation would likely restore you to the position you had hoped for?

I think the answer would be yes, an operation, if it were feasible and the new operation wouldn't result in a much greater risk and taking 2 more veins wouldn't impact too much on you. Let us know how you get on