on Wednesday I had a very complicated procedure resulting in a stent and three balloons being inserted into an artery it took 4.5 hours during the procedure I arrested three times and had to be shocked. This all followed a 3 x CABG in May 23 which failed almost immediately. This has been the most traumatic experience and has completely freaked me out in so many ways. I walked up the drive last night carrying a bin bag and immediately got the angina pain I had previously. I am trying to be positive I thought maybe it is just everything settling down. However given the chances of arresting in a procedure are 2-3% and a CABG failing immediately is 5% I’m find it it difficult to see the the half full glass. Any advice or similar experiences?
complex angioplasty : on Wednesday I... - British Heart Fou...
complex angioplasty
I am really sorry you have gone through such a challenging experience.
Have you spoken to your GP or Cardiac Rehab Team about how you are feeling at the moment?
Some Cardiac rehab teams include a Clinical Psychologist who are skilled, in helping those of us, who have had difficult and traumatic experiences to reframe our thoughts and feelings.
Maybe ask if this service is offered by your cardiac rehab team?
looks it’s no wonder you’re feeling the way you are - try to keep positive and hope the medics are staying closely in touch with you to see what next steps are - wishing you all the best in getting through this period and onto an improved state
thank you I will try.
The most positive thing is you are alive and at home!!! You will be better soon, but please take religiously all the meds, including those for stomach protection like landoprazole. If any pains - ring 999 explain about the procedure you just had, and go with the ambulance to A&E. Better be safe, than sorry! GPs have no idea generally. The paramedics will do ECG in the ambulance, the hospital must check this against your previous archival ones while the angioplasty to see. They will check troponin levels as well for a piece of mind.
Please photocopy your both hospital medical records, give them to paramedics and bring another copies with you if you’ll go to A&E checkup with the ambulance. Don’t be shy, just do it. The medics were very understanding with my husband’s problems and have suggested to transport him to A&E immediately. (Keep the originals at home - very useful documents to have, especially the records can be lost in the hospitals)
P. S. My husband had angioplasty while his STEMI LAD heart attack, with stents fitted, and it took much longer than anticipated because of his hard, almost totally blocked arteries with hard calcium deposits. Then two another stays in the hospital, and he is ok now thanks to 999 and fantastic cardiologists who discovered LV thrombus as a complication from massive HA. Warfarin & Clopidogrel etc for 4 months dissolved the blood clot thankfully. He had an anxiety for a long time….totally normal…now plays golf ⛳️ fingers crossed.
Best of health to you and wishing you a speedy recovery!
Photocopying your records is a great idea. I had to go to A&E post-op due to transient loss of sight in one eye. They kept me in for 6 days running a whole battery of tests, and still wouldn't have had my heart surgery records (from another hospital) had my wife not photocopied them and brought them in.