Anybody ever have an angioplasty? (1 Viewer)

[Frederick]

I'm 33. I don't drink or smoke, and despite the fact that I could lose about 20 lbs, I'm in decent shape. So I wasn't worried too much when I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I didn't get it often, it was completely random and wasn't associated with anything that I was doing or I was eating. I was at the doctor about something else and I mentioned it to him. Despite me having no other symptoms of anything, he felt it would be a good idea if I took a quick EKG. And that's when it all started.

From the EKG, he saw that I had "unusual R-wave progression". So he set me up for an ultrasound. That was fun, sitting there as the technician poked me with the scanner. The very next day my doctor called and told me to get an appointment to see a cardiologist. We talked for a while, and after a bunch of questions and another EKG, he set me up for a stress test. Nothing like running on a treadmill until you're about to pass out. About 2 weeks after that, I was back at the cardiologists and he told me that one of the muscles of my heart wasn't getting as much blood as it should, and there may be a blockage in one of my arteries. That surprised me. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't have a history of heart disease in my family, and yet somehow my heart isn't doing what it's suppose to do. That's when he told me about the angioplasty.

I'm scheduled to have the procedure done in January. Until then, they put me on an aspirin regimen, one a day every day. He went into detail about the procedure and the risks. I'm not worried about complications since I'm pretty young and relatively healthy. I just wanted to know if anyone else has gone through this to give me an idea of the what happens after. Any pain? Discomfort? I'm not too keen about having a tube stuck in my groin. That doesn't sound very pleasant.



Freddy C.

 

[James_Kiang]

While I have not had angioplasty, my brother-in-law has. Unfortunately, that came after having a pretty severe heart attack and "dying"(no offense intended by the quotes, just know some people don't think you've died unless you're, well, dead) about four times overnight before they could stabilize him enough to transport him to a hospital that could perform the procedure. He was a smoker (has managed to stop since this) but other than that in pretty good health. He wasn't feeling too good after the operation but then again, his situation is way different from yours. Be glad that they caught it now, and not after you've fallen over while taking out the trash.

 

[alan halvorson]

I had an angiogram, which could have led to angioplasty but, fortunately, didn't. I had taken a series of tests, including a stress test, which led my doctor to believe that I had two blockages. My local hospital didn't do angiograms, so I went to the Mayo Clinic (only about 50 miles from where I live). The results were negative - what appeared to be blockages on x-rays were actually something else that fooled my doctor into thinking they were. Better to be safe though. Had blockages been discovered, they would have done the angioplasty.

The angiogram was a snap. No pain - the doctors just inserted a tube into a vein (artery? - I can't keep them straight) in my groin (deadened, of course) and injected some liquid into my heart that would show absolutely whether I had blockages or not. I had none. They'll warn you that you may feel warmth in your chest - I did in spades. Afterwards, my groin was sore but this went away after a few days. My angiogram was done on an outpatient basis. In and out in less than a day. I had to have someone else drive home though.

I don't know how much worse it would have been had I required an angiogram. I know I would have stayed in the hospital another day.

This was done about three years ago. I don't smoke or drink, but I definitely am more than 20 lbs. overweight. What prompted the procedure was chest pains that caused a visit to the emergency room. Doctors there interpreted my pains as heart problems, and led to the series of tests, but the actual problem was, in fact, blockage in my gall bladder. This was correctly diagnosed six months later, and removed.

So, I don't think you have much to fear.

 

[Luis Esp]

I've been getting the same pain in my chest every so often as well and my doctor has sent to get an EKG soon.

I as well don't drink or smoke and I would like to gain 20lbs of muscle, but I have a hard time weighing over 155 lbs.

Keep us informed.

 

[Frederick]

The doctor told me that if they didn't find anything I'd be going home the same day. I'm hoping that's the case, although if it is that means there's something else wrong. I don't know whether to hope they find something and that's the reason for the abnormal tests or hope they don't find anything so they won't have to blow a balloon up in my artery and place a stint in it. I'm scheduled to go in the second week in January. I'll let everyone know the results.



Freddy C.

 

[Scott Strang]

I've never had one and never had heart trouble or high cholesterol.


But if I don't lose some lard off my ass, I bet I'll be getting one.