Angioplasty stents

[Mark-G]

Just wanted so say hello to everyone🥰 and to share my story and post procedure symptoms.

I am a 52 year old male from Devon.

I have just had two stents fitted on the 15th of march. Stents were fitted to two 99% blockages in the LAD.

My Symptoms before the pci was shortness on breath and mild angina treated with gtn spray.

I cant say i feel any différance with shortness of breath but i have not had an angina attack since.

Post Procedure i am getting-

Low oxygen levels and BPM. (GP thinks it could be by meds and need time to let them settle)

Chronic indigestion. (Maybe med related)

Feeling light-headed dizzy. (Again maybe med related)

dry skin (eye lids and arms)

Has anyone else had these symptoms please?

Meds i am on are -atorvastatin, bisoprolol, citalopram, co-codamol, isosorbide mononitrate, lansoprazole, clopidogrel, asprin, Ramipril.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

Many thanks Mark 🤗

[Stentsandrun]

Hi Mark

I am presuming you didn't have a Heart Attack, just the stents fitted? A lot of your symptoms could well be the meds, but could I ask, are you actually still short of breath, or do you just have a tight feeling in your chest but not actually short of breath. In other words have the stents relieved your Angina and other symptoms? Did they say that the procedure was successful and or are there still reasons for being short of breath? What sort of level of fitness etc did you have leading up to having them?

Reason I am asking is that the Atorvastatin gives me a feeling of tightness in my chest, but I am not actually short of breath, quite the contrary in fact.

[Mark-G in reply to Stentsandrun]

hi thanks for your reply. No HA but was told only a matter of time if that makes sense. I still get short of breath to be honest. Before procedure I would get out of breath walking up stairs pulling on my socks etc and now after the procedure I’m still having this trouble. I do however feel less lethargic in the mornings. I do suffer with depression and anxiety so my mood changes quite a bit.

[DWizza]

Hi Mark, I’ve had dizziness, fatigue , feeling vacant , cognitive impairment … seems it was my 80mg artovastatin. I was told to stop taking it for a trial period , ended up being a month during which I achieved 5 & 10k running goals and felt great . Started Pravastatin at 40mg and within a week or two had similar symptoms, told by pharmacist to stop taking it and felt fine again not had an afternoon slump or zombie episode as I call them since . I had a review with GP last Monday and having a fasting blood test cholesterol etc to see what levels are without statin , however I’m not advocating to stop taking statins as there is also a benefit for protection against plaque breaking away and causing cots. I’m only 8 months post Nstemi and quadruple surgery , I just want to feel better and not keep losing half a day 🤦🏼. I thought it might be my low dose Bisoprolol(1.25mg) and Rampiril (half a 1.25 tablet). GP thinks it could be the interaction or I m just not tolerating the last two statins. Rosuvastatin is next on the list after reviewing blood test, starting at 10mg and to testing up.

During the zombie period I tracked my blood pressure mornings and afternoons. BP started off perfectly at around 115/75 then dropped around early afternoon to 101/61. I just had to crash out , felt awful. I struggled to get home during my 4k dog walks, out of breath and like walking on my shin bones feeling totally spaced out.

I’m also on clopidogrel, aspirin, pantaprazole. Good luck on your quest , try you Pharmacist for advice if you can’t get hold of your GP..👍🏻

[Stentsandrun in reply to DWizza]

I was put on the usual "package" of medication on discharge from hospital, and began my own exercise routine following stage 3/4 rehab, mostly running. I started to feel awful, just as you describe. On consultation with my GP I came off the Beta Blocker (1.25mg also) and blood pressure medication (never had high blood pressure anyway), and felt fantastic within a few days. If you are running 5 and 10 K's then I would discuss with your GP whether or not you actually need to be on these drugs? I have also been on every Statin going, all with side effects, have now settled on 40mg Atorvastatin which still gives me a tight chest feeling but I have just learnt to live with it for the sake of the benefits.

[DWizza in reply to Stentsandrun]

I dint understand why I wasn’t put on 40mg artovastatin instead of changing to 40 mg Pravastatin, maybe efficacy not the same . I also thought the beta blocker could be the issue . I’m hoping to get a decent discussion with my cardiac consultant in April . Hopefully find a suitable pathway. Thank you for sharing 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[Mark-G in reply to DWizza]

Hi thanks for your reply. Sounds like you have had a rough time and I hope now you are on your way to feeling better😀. I do believe it’s the meds that are doing me in but I think it would worry me more by not taking them if that makes sense. I have not yet had any rehab do you think they might sort me out or is that more about lifestyle changes. Thanks Mark

[devonian186]

Are you otherwise fit and within the recommended weight limits and not carrying excess fat around the stomach? The meds might be having an effect but these other aspects might be a big factor. (sorry to be personal)

Did you go into Derriford?

[Mark-G in reply to devonian186]

Hi thank you for replying. You are not being personal as I have asked for help. I am carrying to much weight and it is the stomach area. I struggle with motivation and always feel lethargic so my exercise has been non existent to be honest. From my early teens until I was 35 I was a very active with football being a big part of my life (playing that is) I had a bad leg break when I was 35 and never played again. I would class myself as an introvert nowadays and not a big socialiser. Have never smoked or been a big drinker. I do have two dogs but it is always a mental battle for me to take them out for walks and stuff.i just want to stay indoors and only leave for work and again that is a mental battle in itself.

I had my procedure done in Exeter.

Many thanks Mark

[DWizza in reply to Mark-G]

Motivation can come and go. Discipline can be more constant /habit forming. I’m sure you’ve got a nice “chimp voice “ that tells you , “nah, can’t be arsed, don’t want to take the dogs out “ etc , that voice that can justify doing it or not doing anything . I found out years ago not to listen to it , I just took action, shut that chimp voice up. It was trying to protect me but I’m truth it was holding me back.

Some people will be amazed that some cardiac patients lack the motivation to get off their ar$es to rehab and don’t find it a big enough reason to get their health stats in order by making changes. I’m sure you will be on course Mark , rehab program will be a great start . They should cover some nutrition aspects or you could ask for a referral to a nutritionist. Regarding meds , I’d take that up with GP / pharmacist.

I’m doing brilliantly really , just a couple of blips , it’s a long journey but I didn’t think I’d be si fit 8 months post surgery , the Nstemi was motivation to make some little lifestyle changes and to be all over the physical stuff as l rehab . I found it a real motivation . Keep us posted on your journey 👍🏻👊🏻

[devonian186 in reply to Mark-G]

I felt very smug that I could fit into medium waist trousers then read the proper way to take a waist measurement-just above the navel.

Apparently is it desirable to have a waist measurement half that of your height-in inches. I certainly blew it on that criteria and an trying to get my belly fat down. Easier said than done. Still, I hear that if you close your eyes when eating Chocolate eggs they don't count.

If your waist is much beyond what it ideally should be-although these things are only broad guidelines-then they could be a source of breathlessness. Medications can also have that effect as stated on the leaflets and some will interact.

You are taking a lot of medications and if they are mostly related to your recent stents then it does take time for them to settle down and your procedure anyway was only 2 weeks ago

[Hidden]

I would follow a Keto diet and start to build up excercise. Walking is one of the best forms of excercise to minimise blood sugar spikes.

Invest in a CGM for a couple of weeks and see what foods cause rapid rises on blood sugar.

I have lost 6 stones and kept it off following a Keto diet. I would also get your fasting I sulin taken which will tell you if you are insulin resistant.

I had a cabg x2, today I am in Lanzarote and walked 27000 steps with no adverse health conditions.

I do avoid bread, pasta, sweets, chocolate and alcohol. It can be done if you really want to make the change.

I have had a CT scan and my grafts are completely clear following my July surgery.

Today my average blood sugar reading for 24hrs is 5.0 Mmol/l and my last H1bac was 33. In December 2020 it was 98.

[Stentsandrun in reply to Hidden]

I think you will find the Keto diet is not recommended for people with heart disease.

[Hidden in reply to Stentsandrun]

Yeah by the idiots in big food and big pharma. Keep on eating highly processed foods and you will get sicker.

My triglycerides are 0.5, so please tell me why I have a metabolic age of a 43 year old while real age is 57 and now don't have heart disease.

My cardiologist told me I should write a book.

Standard NHS dietary advice on low fat is flawed.

[DWizza in reply to Hidden]

Agree about the processed foods , not convinced on that Keto is the way forward for everyone. Dave it’s obviously suiting you 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻.

Amazing triglyceride numbers. mine was 0.9 at last test

Calculated LDL 0.7

Serum HDL cholesterol 1.3

Se non HDL 1.1

Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 1.8

Let’s keep pushing on 👍🏻

[Hidden in reply to DWizza]

Your numbers are pretty amazing numbers as well.I have had a full lipid panel so they checked my LDL particle size and they couldn't detect small dense ldl. SD LDL is the cause of plaque build up in the arteries. So my LDL numbers have large buyont LDL and not the the small dense.

I spent over 1k on blood tests and that included an insulin tolerance test.

The reason was so my cardiologist couldn't say that a high fat diet is not recommended.

I only stay away from plant oils.

Tuesday I have the results of my Cardiac CT

[DWizza in reply to Hidden]

That’s top work Dave, I love it 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻. It can be real battle as we are provided with cookie cutter medication , one size fits all , it’s not tailored to the individual without a lot of persistence from the patient. O live you’re pursuit of the facts 👍🏻. I hope the cardiac results are fab too. Keep us posted please .

[topbook]

I am like you on Ramipril. Atorvastatin, lansoprazole and asprin. I'm 2 months post HA and 3 stents today. I've been pretty good other than feeling off and lightheaded I discovered I was getting irregular heatbeats. I've been on a mission trying to establish what med has been doing this. I thought it might have been the lansoprazole but the chemist had run out so I didn't take it one day, made no difference so wasn't that. I then thought the Ramipril and with docs blessing been told I could leave it off for a week. Couple of days in no difference. Now stopped the atorvastatin this is the third night and today I felt good, took my bp regular (bought a new monitor which flags up irregular heartbeats) and been good all day. All being well I've found the culprit.

[Heyjude31]

Hi Mark, I am now over two and a half years post CABG x 4. I experienced many side effects from meds, there was a lot of going back and forth to try to sort out my meds. I suffered terribly for a long time with constant nausea for which eventually I ended up being readmitted to hospital due to not eating and severe weight loss.

In summary, please do keep persevering with the med changes if needed, as well as check ups if you need. We can tend to be left alone after our surgery and just get on with it. I had to keep banging my own drum, it was the only way to get someone to listen. My surgeon is my hero, but I couldn’t keep going back to him!! It is very early days for you, it takes time to adjust. Be kind to yourself, and if you can get rehab to I would grab it! It was the best thing I did and it helped my both physically and mentally. I still go to the same rehab, which also has a gym attached. Take care, Judi