Just had a carotid artery sonogram.... Ask me anything

[Dookus]

seems like my noggin's getting its full dose of blood, despite what some here may think :)

[Rick Myers]

1. That's good news!

But you forgot the "ask me anything" part!!!

:thumbsup:

[Dookus]

2. there...

fixed.

What WAS I thinking?

[Rick Myers]

4. LOL!!!

:thumbsup:

We've gotta be consistant!!!

[nuxvomica]

3. So were you having symptoms of arterial blockage?

Or is this part of a regular checkup now?

[Dookus]

5. No...

not really. But last november I underwent an emergency angioplasty due to a 90% blockage in one small stretch of a coronary artery. All the other arteries were totally clear, and my BP and cholesterol are pretty good (plus I was only 41 at the time). The cardiologist said it was probably genetic - all four of my grandparents dropped dead of heart attacks, the oldest at 62. The rest in their 40's and 50's.

Anyway, I have two stents now and everything's been fine, but they just wanted to do the test as a precaution. So now it seems like all my arteries are hunky-dory - just had a flaw in one small part of a rather important one ;)

[nuxvomica]

7. Then this is sort of a diploma: Congratulations!

It must be a great relief. :thumbsup:

[Booberdawg]

6. Did they check for air in your head too?

I've been meaning to ask you about that.:D

[Dookus]

8. yes...

they checked my head and found nothing.

:P

[Booberdawg]

9. I was just sure they's find a lot of air!!

:D

[Booberdawg]

10. BTW, I'm glad you came out with a clean bill of health too.

:thumbsup:

[EFF BrandyWine]

20. That's what they told me when I had an MRI of the brain...

do not believe them. They lie!

[Darth_Kitten]

11. So everything is okay?

:hi:

[Dookus]

12. yup!

I was very lucky. I had symptoms of the heart problem, which doesn't always occur.

I was on my way out the door to go to a Rolling Stones concert when the doc called me and said he'd read my holter monitor readings and that I needed to get to a hospital ASAP.

I told him I was going to the concert. He said the next symptom I would probably experience would be sudden death.

It would've been WAY too embarassing to die before Keith Richards, so I skipped the show and went the hospital. A few days later I was good as new.

Thanks for asking.

[Kat 333]

13. Am glad you're ok !!!

Just be sure to keep a close check on it. In younger guys it can be so tricky. My boyfriend, in spite of a stress test, ekg's, kept having terrible chest pains at night. This went on for months. Finally one night we just went into the hospital. They had to do an emergency triple bypass surgery. That was in Nov of 2000. He has since had to have three stints to open other blockages. He is just 45 and they said it is definitely a hereditary situation. Not that that makes us feel any better.

[Kat 333]

14. btw

It's great your cholesterol is good. That is what has caused him so much trouble. In spite of diet, medications (which he couldn't tolerate) it is still off the charts high. Same w/tyglicirides(sp?) However on this time released zinc he is taking now it seems to finally be improving.

[Dookus]

15. at the risk of incurring the wrath of some of the folks here...

has he looked into the Atkins diet? I did it for a few months after my angioplasty and my triglycerides went from >700 to under 240. I need to get back on it....

[Kat 333]

16. Thanks for the info ...

His triglycerides were over 3000 and are now 2400 so has a ways to go and is trying alternatives to meds (side effects were intolerable). Appreciate suggestions that have been proved helpful to others.
We will look into the Atkins diet.

[REP]

17. Has He Tried Lopid?

It's not a statin, like Lipitor, but a much safer drug. I have advanced kidney disease (nephrotic syndrome) and my tris were over 3,000 (common in kidney disease). Since taking Lopid, it's down to 250. It's available as a generic, and in the three years I've been taking it, I'ver had no side-effects at all.

[Kat 333]

18. No ...

Damn - I wish they would have told us about it. The heart doctor is so obsessed with statin drugs he probably can't see any further than them. They are horrible - has tried three different ones (Lipitor included) and even asked if there was any other medication that wasn't that sort of drug that might work. His MD is great about trying Anything that might help - will definitely ask her to let him give it a try. Thanks Sooooo much ...

[REP]

19. Generic Name - Gemfibrozil