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I have stents which are rejected by my body. I have had a mammory artery bypass which is giving me problems. Doe anyone know what happends after that if the by pass dont work?.....It was a single bypass for the left ventrical.
Surgery Angina Pain Heart attack Shunting Bypass surgery Stent Stress
I had 4 bypasses using the mammary artery and leg veins 2 years ago. Nine months prior that the surgery, I had suffered a heart attack and had angioplasty and a stent. Restenosis closed the stented artery 99%, which indicated the need for surgery. About 2 months after the surgery I started having pretty constant chest pains. The doctor seemed to think that the angina just happened sometimes, but when I returned complaining, he scheduled me for a nuclear stress test. It showed that all 4 bypasses were non-functioning, and the one where the mammary artery was used was once again 99% closed. Apparently, my heart had formed collateral circulation to help the other blocked arteries. I had angioplastey, but no stent, on the blocked artery a year and a half ago and am doing fine.
I really don't understand why my surgery did not work. I am really thankful for feeling good now, but I have a feeling that I am not finished with my problems yet. All of my "numbers" are good, but they have always been. I am active (hiked some last week in the Rocky Mountains) and a normal weight. I certainly think about my mortality more that I ever have. I want my teenage daughter to hurry up and get mature so that she can better cope on her own when I am not there for supprt. Do some of you share these feelings? I'm not depressed---just realistic.
dianen
Hi Yazz
What Did happen? everything I take it went OK.
I had the very same operation back in April 1997 not long before my 50th Birthday it took six weeks for all the big pains to go and and a lot longer for the smaller ones, but was back in work by Mid June. Although a man my left breast felt numb for ages. 12 years on and and I'm still going strong Look after this bypass and will last for ever.
Good Luck
Everyone does recover at there own pace. After my triple bypass I returned to my job as a ED nurse in 6 weeks. I felt great. Then about 8 months later the bottom fell out. I was in constant chest pain with vomiting. I was vomiting into garbage cans as I was taking care of my patients. To make a long story short, I went to Shands in Jacksonville and they cannot understand why I have all the chest pain, but they did tell me that the LIMA bypass had collasped, but I had had two other bypass arteries that were shunting the blood and I was fine. My next stop was the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, the bascially told me the same thing. So where do you go from here. I don't know. I was forced to quit my job after 22 years, and here I sit. I am not sure what the next act of my life involves, but I can tell you it has been quite a ride. At the age of 50, I had bypass at 46 years old, I can honestly say I have no idea what the plan is. So I climb out of bed everyday and plaster a smile on my face, kiss my sweet little 14 year old girl and try to figure out what the heck happened. I know there will be brighter days for all of us. But I have to wonder can all our broken hearts be mended?
Dear Joules:
It took me about six months to recover physically, but almost two years to return to my old self if that really does exist anymore. I prefer to call it the new me. One thing that I have learned is that everyone seems to have a different recovery. There are so many variables that come into play, like age and overall physical condition before surgery. One other thing. Doctors can say some of the dumbest things. Hang in there and let me know if I can be of help.
RC
Hi Jules, The first thing is to calm down and try not to worry as this makes things worse.....Easier said than done it know....I am having some surgery pains mainly like shoting pains in the left breast because of the mammory artery....It is also still very sore in the and still numb....The are pains which are just in the centre of my chest and i think this is muscle pain....Done to much or picked something up a little too heavy....I cant pick a full kettle up yet without it hurting my chest. There is another pain which starts in the middle of my chest, comes up or radiates to my shoulders and hurts under my arm pits .....It hurts a lot and feels like i cant breath....sometime i feel sick.....This is the pain which i am truely worried about still. I went out for my first long stroll this week along the river bank...It was lovely and i felt fantastic...I had to stop now and again and have a couple of rests but i loved it.....When i arrived back home i fell to sleep for 3hours....Lol....I am 6 weeks in tomorrow (sat). I have an appointment on Monday morning with my consultant about the pain.....I am also very unstable and dizzy on my feet....This can be very low blood pressure from the medication.....Just take it steady.....Remember EVERYONE recovers at thier own pace and there is realy NO time span for this.......I had 1 bypass and the artery was from my mammory artery behind the breast.......I had a few attemps to have stents ( i call them bling ) but my body dint like them so the only option was a bypass....
The MOST important thing is stay POSSITIVE.....you are NOT alone........Not here.....You are among people who understand you, how you feel and who can support you as much as possible.....You all take it easy now....No racing yet!...x
Richard
How long do you think it took you to fully recover
joules
Hi Yazz
I had a double bypass in march and i get all sorts of pains in my chest and i am terrified the bypass has not worked,despite the surgeon at 6 weeks post op telling me you are cured go live your life.easier said than done.
I had a bypass to my left main stem where was your blockage?
when you get angina what does it feel like?
How did you first come to know you had a problem with your heart when you needed stenting.
joules x
Hi there i hope all goes well for you....Please let me know how it goes.....I can't believe how mauch an operation can change a person and thier views on life....It's knocked me sideways...always thought i was indistructable...Lol....i was very confident....not so much these days but in the future it will all return.....Yes i get some pains from the surgery especialy in the left breast where they took the mammory artery some are stabbing pains some are grasping pains or pulling pains....I just stay positive knowing the body is telling me to still chillout and let it carry on with the work of recovery...Lol.
Take care ok....Lorraine x
Good for you for staying on top of your symptoms. After 30 days, I still get left arm pain every now and then.That's the disconcerting part of recovery.I see my surgeon tomorrow, and plan a list of questions for him tomorrow. I have figured out the chest pain I have is due to the mammary graft and muscle pain from surgery. Seems like your doc is responding to your concerns, so stay positive and ask a lot of questions. Best wishes.
I am glad to see you are staying positive. Be sure to let us know how the stress test goes.
You are in my prayers.
I went to the docs today because of this pain in my chest....Which is veryyyyyyyyyyyyyy silimer to the angina one prior to the op.....Anyway i had a ECG.....something was slightly not right?....The doc has contacted the hospital to bring the appointment forward within the next week or so and for a stress eco....BUT....She thinks it is nothing too serious so i stay positive.....I also have my spray now IF i need it ........So chilling out now with a cuppa and a massive salad roll.....Yum yum........See i was soooooooooooooooo scared this morning.....all this heardt surgery, pain etc.....certainly has made me very panicky and jumpy......Take care all x
Hi and thank you for your replay......I have been getting the same pain as i did before the by pass....Pain in the chest, squeezing, radiating up to the shoulders....So i guess it's angina again?....I get other pains but i can reconise them now and they are to do with the surgery....and scar....I had stents fitted twice but they did not work and i was in so much pain and needed a bypass...Just 1 for the left ventrical.....But i am going to the docs later...In turn i should imagine i will go to the hospital so i will let you all know what happend then....I seem so negative about my op...However i would say this is just ttething problems and at 5 weeks after the op it is very early days.....I put learn to be patient ...... But it is hard to go from such a active life to one where you need to rest rest rest more rest and a slow walk every day.....
Take care all .... Have a nce day x
First of all, welcome, and I am glad that you posted. It might take a while to hear from many people because of the 4th, but be patient. I am not sure that any of us are really qualified to answer your question, but I will give it a try. From what I have read and heard from cardiologists, stents can and do fail. I know several people who had stents first and then later had bypass. I also know that doctors can do a second bypass, although at this point that is probably the last thing you want to hear. I am wondering what kind of problems you are having with your bypass. Many of us have had all kinds of problems after surgery, but often the problems would eventually resolve themselves. After having a number of serious surgeries I still feel like there is nothing quiet like bypass surgery. I am over four years post op and I feel great, but it took a while to get there. I would love to help in any way.
Richard
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