I guess I joined the Stent Club

Kitty · 10-28-2006, 04:25 PM

Hi All;
It has been a week now since I joined the dubious club of those who have had stents placed in their heart arteries. I was wasn't feeling well for a few weeks and having had angioplasty before feared that things had gotten worse. After consulting a local Dr I was immediately sent to the ER for tests!

A week later I had another ER visit and the end result was that two sents were placed in my heart to take care of two blocks one at 80% and the other at 70%. Not what I wanted to hear. The procedure went well, as you can see I am able to communicate so I didn't have complications (yet).

I am pleased this remedy is available and unsettled that it happened. I guess I was in denial about my health, a common problem many people have. Denying that you have a health problem doesn't make it go away.

I have made some serious changes in my diet and look forward to losing as much weight as I can safely.

How many of you have joined this club? What are your experiences and what have you done about controling heart disease? Since I have had this procedure done I have met or talked to many people who have had it done to them and not always in their heart! Is there something going on that so many people would need this done?

Kitty

TromboneAl · 10-28-2006, 04:54 PM

Wow, Kitty -- I'm glad it went well. You sure look healthy in your photos; I'm sure that your new healthy lifestyle will prevent further problems.

What do the Amish make stents with?

Kitty · 10-28-2006, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl

Wow, Kitty -- I'm glad it went well. You sure look healthy in your photos; I'm sure that your new healthy lifestyle will prevent further problems.

What do the Amish make stents with?

Gee, I don't know

I guess I will have to ask them,

Yes, I have always been very active and think nothing of working hard physicaly. I guess I will again provided I don't have any problems

Kitty

Dawg54 · 10-28-2006, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitty

Gee, I don't know

I guess I will have to ask them,

Yes, I have always been very active and think nothing of working hard physicaly. I guess I will again provided I don't have any problems

Kitty

Glad you are doing well. I'm drinking some red wine right now in an attempt to have a healthier heart.

cube_rat · 10-28-2006, 08:12 PM

Kitty - Sorry to hear about your stents. I hope you're feeling better.

**Martha** · 10-28-2006, 08:52 PM

Several years ago my younger brother had a stent put in. He was only 38 at the time. And he was thin and walked and rode his bike all the time. But his diet wasn't so great, he really loved his meat and cheese, and he smoked too. Still does, but he seems to be doing OK.

Fortunately I have not had the same problems. But with heart disease in my family, I take statins, try to get my exercise, and I am losing some excess weight.

Take care. I am sure you will be running around before you know it. Eat those fruits, nuts, and veggies!

astromeria · 10-28-2006, 09:58 PM

Best wishes, Kitty! I hope you like oatmeal as much as I do

Rich_in_Tampa · 10-28-2006, 10:28 PM

Glad it went well, Kitty, and glad you are taking good care of yourself.

Not too ? · 10-28-2006, 10:31 PM

Kitty - it is important to keep the cholesteral and triglycerides down. For me that means medications. The new drug eluding stents are much more effective than the older bare metal versions. Diet, activity, medications and stress reduction all play a role in staying healthy. Good luck.

Not too ?

scrinch · 10-28-2006, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Diet, activity, medications and stress reduction all play a role in staying healthy.

FIRE can get you three of the four above. Really get into your new lifestyle...I'll bet it will make you feel great!

BTW, my wife just went to work for the one of the large maker of stents, Medtronic. Business for them is great (I'm sorry to say).

Kitty · 10-29-2006, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrinch

FIRE can get you three of the four above. Really get into your new lifestyle...I'll bet it will make you feel great!

BTW, my wife just went to work for the one of the large maker of stents, Medtronic. Business for them is great (I'm sorry to say).

I was astounded to find that so many stents are now implanted on a frequent basis not only in the heart but other arteries like the neck and groin.

What has happened to us? When did we begin needing this kind of intervention and why are these conditions so common?

Kitty

Rich_in_Tampa · 10-29-2006, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitty

I was astounded to find that so many stents are now implanted on a frequent basis not only in the heart but other arteries like the neck and groin.

What has happened to us? When did we begin needing this kind of intervention and why are these conditions so common?

Genes, lifestyle, diet, fitness, stress, longer life spans. Probably also artifact due to folks talking about it more frequently. Perhaps too many being done with marginal benefit in some cases. Too many questionable tests being done yielding false positive results (or detection of mild disease which might never have become problematic).

I have lived through many fancy trends in medicine, and many claims of causation which have fallen by the wayside. This is why I chose to make evidence-based medicine my career focus; it generates a cautious approach to accepting new evidence, while at the same time providing cautious "Bayesian" confidence in the "good evidence" -- makes you believe in the probabilties, not guaranteed results for any individual.

Just glad you got what you needed in a timely manner. Now get back to work

.

Kitty · 10-29-2006, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

Genes, lifestyle, diet, fitness, stress, longer life spans. Probably also artifact due to folks talking about it more frequently. Perhaps too many being done with marginal benefit in some cases. Too many questionable tests being done yielding false positive results (or detection of mild disease which might never have become problematic).

I have lived through many fancy trends in medicine, and many claims of causation which have fallen by the wayside. This is why I chose to make evidence-based medicine my career focus; it generates a cautious approach to accepting new evidence, while at the same time providing cautious "Bayesian" confidence in the "good evidence" -- makes you believe in the probabilties, not guaranteed results for any individual.

Just glad you got what you needed in a timely manner. Now get back to work

.

I think you are right. Also there are lots $$$ in them thar metal thingies each one costs about $2500 wow .... that's a lot for a fancy spring

I will be back to normal activity as soon as I get the okay from my DR.
And I am looking forward to getting some things done around here, can't coast for ever

Kitty

Patrick · 10-29-2006, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitty

Also there are lots $$$ in them thar metal thingies each one costs about $2500 wow .... that's a lot for a fancy spring

The manufacturers have to pad their coffers for the inevitable personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits that they will have to defend.

lsbcal · 10-29-2006, 06:39 PM

Kitty, glad to hear you are doing well. I have your Oak Spring Farm on my favorites list.

I'm not in the Stent Club but I do a lot of exercise. Would really encourage you to *gradually* start an exercise program that involves some aerobic conditioning. The key is to not ramp up too fast. We have an Airdyne (stationary) bike which I've used in the winter although here in California I prefer running. The nice thing about the Airdyne is that it gets its resistence from the fan on the wheel which means the air circulation is a good constant for the calibration. Downside in cold climates is it creates a draft for the exerciser but it's great when you are getting hot which should be the case for a good workout. Another downside is that exercise bikes are boring although playing music can help.

My wife does a lot of dog walking, probably 3-4 miles a day. I know this might be hard out in the country and especially in snowy winter conditions.

Wish you well!

Les

Kitty · 10-29-2006, 06:59 PM

Thanks everybody, this bump in the road was scary, I think I will do fine. I had good (real good) neighbors who took care of me and my farm while I was in the hospital. Everyone I came in contact with was kind, concerned for my wealfare and helpful. My neighbors took me to the ER and took care of my farm animals, The ER Dr emailed my sister and filled her in on what was happening, the EMTs were proffesional, and caring, the Nurses and Drs were doing their best to keep me comfortable, informed, and calm. I really felt taken care of and that is the best you can hope for.

I will be making some changes in my diet and my exercise program lots of walks at first. Got to lose weight, already lost twelve pounds, I guess it got scared off of me

Now to make the changes stick.

Kitty

Poundkey · 10-29-2006, 07:21 PM

Glad to hear you are doing well Kitty. Your Oak Spring Farm site is wonderful. I sent it to both my children.
Best wishes.

Poundkey

Outtahere · 10-29-2006, 07:43 PM

Glad to hear things went well for you and that you have wonderful people around you that are caring.

audreyh1 · 10-30-2006, 07:57 AM

Wow Kitty - consider yourself lucky that these blockages were found when you were only 70% and 80% blocked. Most people I hear of are more in the 95%+ range.

Hope you are healing fast and able to return to an active life quickly.

Audrey

P.S. and $2500 for a spring doesn't seem so bad when I consider my MILs $17,000 retail chemo bill for one (day) session!

10-28-2006, 04:25 PM	#1
Kitty Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dunnville Posts: 190	I guess I joined the Stent Club Hi All; It has been a week now since I joined the dubious club of those who have had stents placed in their heart arteries. I was wasn't feeling well for a few weeks and having had angioplasty before feared that things had gotten worse. After consulting a local Dr I was immediately sent to the ER for tests! A week later I had another ER visit and the end result was that two sents were placed in my heart to take care of two blocks one at 80% and the other at 70%. Not what I wanted to hear. The procedure went well, as you can see I am able to communicate so I didn't have complications (yet). I am pleased this remedy is available and unsettled that it happened. I guess I was in denial about my health, a common problem many people have. Denying that you have a health problem doesn't make it go away. I have made some serious changes in my diet and look forward to losing as much weight as I can safely. How many of you have joined this club? What are your experiences and what have you done about controling heart disease? Since I have had this procedure done I have met or talked to many people who have had it done to them and not always in their heart! Is there something going on that so many people would need this done? Kitty __________________ >My blogs http://oakspringfarm.blogspot.com

10-28-2006, 04:54 PM	#2
TromboneAl Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 4,323	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Wow, Kitty -- I'm glad it went well. You sure look healthy in your photos; I'm sure that your new healthy lifestyle will prevent further problems. What do the Amish make stents with? __________________ - Al -- Always serious, never joking. No, wait. Never serious... Always... I forget.

10-28-2006, 08:12 PM	#5
cube_rat Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,466	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Kitty - Sorry to hear about your stents. I hope you're feeling better. __________________ fuzzy? cute?

10-28-2006, 08:52 PM	#6
Martha Administrator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: minnesota Posts: 10,065	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Several years ago my younger brother had a stent put in. He was only 38 at the time. And he was thin and walked and rode his bike all the time. But his diet wasn't so great, he really loved his meat and cheese, and he smoked too. Still does, but he seems to be doing OK. Fortunately I have not had the same problems. But with heart disease in my family, I take statins, try to get my exercise, and I am losing some excess weight. Take care. I am sure you will be running around before you know it. Eat those fruits, nuts, and veggies! __________________ . Do not rely on the information provided--my posts are not to be taken as legal advice. Needless to say you must consult with your legal representative. I am not responsible for errors. If I offended you with cya I apologize. If I did not, I tried.

10-28-2006, 09:58 PM	#7
astromeria Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,375	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Best wishes, Kitty! I hope you like oatmeal as much as I do __________________ You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need.

10-28-2006, 10:28 PM	#8
Rich_in_Tampa Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Tampa Posts: 6,007	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Glad it went well, Kitty, and glad you are taking good care of yourself. __________________ Rich Tampa, FL (10% retired) As if you didn't know..If the above message happens to contain medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any medical purpose whatsoever. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.

10-28-2006, 10:31 PM	#9
Not too ? Confused about dryer sheets Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Kitty - it is important to keep the cholesteral and triglycerides down. For me that means medications. The new drug eluding stents are much more effective than the older bare metal versions. Diet, activity, medications and stress reduction all play a role in staying healthy. Good luck. Not too ?

10-29-2006, 06:39 PM	#15
lsbcal Full time employment: Posting here. Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 525	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Kitty, glad to hear you are doing well. I have your Oak Spring Farm on my favorites list. I'm not in the Stent Club but I do a lot of exercise. Would really encourage you to gradually start an exercise program that involves some aerobic conditioning. The key is to not ramp up too fast. We have an Airdyne (stationary) bike which I've used in the winter although here in California I prefer running. The nice thing about the Airdyne is that it gets its resistence from the fan on the wheel which means the air circulation is a good constant for the calibration. Downside in cold climates is it creates a draft for the exerciser but it's great when you are getting hot which should be the case for a good workout. Another downside is that exercise bikes are boring although playing music can help. My wife does a lot of dog walking, probably 3-4 miles a day. I know this might be hard out in the country and especially in snowy winter conditions. Wish you well! Les

10-29-2006, 06:59 PM	#16
Kitty Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dunnville Posts: 190	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Thanks everybody, this bump in the road was scary, I think I will do fine. I had good (real good) neighbors who took care of me and my farm while I was in the hospital. Everyone I came in contact with was kind, concerned for my wealfare and helpful. My neighbors took me to the ER and took care of my farm animals, The ER Dr emailed my sister and filled her in on what was happening, the EMTs were proffesional, and caring, the Nurses and Drs were doing their best to keep me comfortable, informed, and calm. I really felt taken care of and that is the best you can hope for. I will be making some changes in my diet and my exercise program lots of walks at first. Got to lose weight, already lost twelve pounds, I guess it got scared off of me Now to make the changes stick. Kitty __________________ >My blogs http://oakspringfarm.blogspot.com

10-29-2006, 07:21 PM	#17
Poundkey Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hardscrabble Texas Posts: 205	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Glad to hear you are doing well Kitty. Your Oak Spring Farm site is wonderful. I sent it to both my children. Best wishes. Poundkey __________________ .....#.....

10-29-2006, 07:43 PM	#18
Outtahere Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,677	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Glad to hear things went well for you and that you have wonderful people around you that are caring. __________________ Dogs aren't our whole lives, but they make our lives whole. - Roger Caras

10-30-2006, 07:57 AM	#19
audreyh1 Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,222	Re: I guess I joined the Stent Club Wow Kitty - consider yourself lucky that these blockages were found when you were only 70% and 80% blocked. Most people I hear of are more in the 95%+ range. Hope you are healing fast and able to return to an active life quickly. Audrey P.S. and $2500 for a spring doesn't seem so bad when I consider my MILs $17,000 retail chemo bill for one (day) session!

10-30-2006, 12:44 PM	#20
Kitty Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dunnville</