As I’m sure some of you have read two of my quad bypasses have failed 😩 within months of having them. I’ve had an angiogram and a CTC and they have completely collapsed, there’s nothing left. I’m seeing my surgeon tomorrow and I feel he’s going to say the two arterial grafts left are very good and he will give me more meds and say let see how things go.
It’s not what I want, if I needed four then I still need four, I’m getting lots of left jaw, shoulder and chest pains not to mention shortness of breath up hills. I used to love a good hike and I was getting back to it but not now.
I Just want to be back to normal or at least almost, because it was only last June I’m not physically or anywhere near mentally recovered. The heart attacks and the quad bypass were such a massive shock I’ve now got PTSD. Because of all that to me the answer is definitely to go back in and redo the failed two, plus I can’t live my life with such limits and as I’m only 55 the younger the better for the operation. Yes its going to set me back but I’d rather do it now then later two out of four are not going to last so the sooner the better to get them done.
I only hope they listen to what I want. Please, please, please.
Thanks all
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Jako999
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I will be thinking of you tomorrow, sending you so much luck 🍀
If you write your points down and take it with you, it might help you to stay on track but in all honesty if you make your case anywhere near as eloquently as you’ve written it on this post then I would say you’ll have done yourself proud!
Remember, if your surgeon says no then you do have the option to respectfully request a second opinion if you feel that you’re not being listened to.
I really hope you get the answers you’re looking for tomorrow - keep us posted with how it goes!
Hi Jako999, as has already been said, write down and prepare your case, you put it extremely eloquently on here. I will be thinking of you and wishing you get the outcome you want. 🙏
I guess you've got to ask yourself why the grafts failed. How dreadful it would be if you were to go through all that again and the same thing happened. Have they given you any reason? Do you know you have two more good enough veins/arteries to use? In my case my harvest arteries were simply rubbish quality. I've now had 4 stents and so far so good You've got to trust in their experience, expertise and knowledge on this one.
Just wanted to wish you luck today - you can show this post if you feel you can't get the words out.
What I'll add is that if they refuse the operation, ask them for the clinical justification and ensure it is written up on your notes. This would be useful for a second opinion, bit it also means they need to justify it and possibly defend it.
I hope you get clarity about your situation in full…why you've had the experience you have, what can be done about it in the short/medium and long term and the next steps now. If you have questions that aren't answered then the BHF nurses are always a good port of call for suggestions.
As you may have read I had the same surgery as you but a month earlier. So its coming up to a year. Still get a tight chest, presumably as bones have knitted together and some days are better than others but as you say there are other factors including anxiety and mental stress.
As others say, write down your questions in advance and take a small notebook in with you so you can jot down notes during the conversation. Amongst them of course is why it went wrong, in view of that is the repeat operation possible, its likely risks and outcomes.
At 55 and previously active you dont want to accept a life of reducing capabilities. Sincere good luck.
all the very best Jako. Sounds like a very tough and stressful time you’ve had. Hopefully you can get the answers and the treatment you need. 55, just a youngster!
I am sorry non of us can demand the Surgeon/ Cardiologist and Theatre team can just be available because you feel another major operation is required. I do agree you have every right to understand what has happened, but they may not know the reason why !! Personally I have had a double bypass my RCA is 100% blocked and beyond fixing, the 24% of my Heart it supplied has died, ( Medical Jargon Non Viable ) so that remains un operatable. My LAD has been bypassed using my Mammary Artery but that has had 2 stents to try to increase blood flow which didn't really work !! So my cardiologist has opened my Native LAD using quite a long stent this has fixed my Angina which showed it's self as severe Left Arm Pain on exercise. so that's approx 7 years since this journey started.
Because you have had a bypass doesn't mean the journey is over, it is in some cases just the beginning. Leave it to the Cardiologist and Surgeon they work together. After the Cardiologist said I needed a triple bypass the next appointment was the Surgeon who told me then I don't think I can do anything with your RCA but I will look at it. when he came round to see me he just said sorry I have done all I can. So I have Moderate/Severe Heart Failure we just can't all be fixed lol.
Final point in 2015 a Stent could not fix my Native LAD in 2022 Cardiologist opened it up during Angiogram shows how things move so so quickly
ps Almost 76 and still reasonably well , OK we all have bad days but better than the alternative. Let us know how you go on/.
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