To Sisters with new stints.

I'm just going to put this out there for you, because over and over, I am encountering women with stints, who are not given basic information about what to expect.

Stints are amazing, I've held them in my hand and seen how they are put into the body. It's all amazing. And most importantly they work.

But, many of us are not really in a position to retain information at our release and many of us have trouble reading and understanding for a while. So it's possible this info is in your paperwork somewhere, but even more possibly it's not, so I will tell you what they forgot to tell you.

Stints are going to ache and even burn at times for a while. It's usually up to about six months and then many never feel anything from them again.

Logically, these stints are a foreign object taking up space in the body and the body is reacting. In time, everything in the area adjust to this object and the odd feelings go away.

I have talked to many cardiologist and they tell me the rule is, "if the feeling comes and goes, don't give it much thought, if it comes and stays, it's something to pay attention to. But pay attention and ask yourself if you are having any other symptoms as well, not just this bit of aching and burning?"

BUT IF YOU FEEL YOU ARE IN CRISIS DON'T HESITATE TO GET HELP!

Two more quick things that can make you ache;

Weather - cold weather, a change in the barometric pressure, wind can be a biggy. You may ache from these conditions, but it can also make you feel heavy, tired and symptomatic. If this happens rest, because barometric pressure does affect our bodies.

Airplane travel- pressurization of an airplane cabin can make you ache, or in my case feel breathless for a minute. And naturally drastic altitude changes all factor in.

So never wait to get help if you need it. But, maybe this can help you understand some of what you may be experiencing.

Love to the Sisters,
Stacey

By TyTy
Reply 3391908
September 20, 2012 at 2:23 pm
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Hi there. I might have to disagree that if the pain (aching and burning) goes away its nothing to worry about. If anyone has any doubts, they should get it checked out. Many of us have pain come go and actually DO have a problem. Also, I see this mistake frequently, but they're actually called "stents", not "stints" which may help people to know when searching here or the Internet in general.

By Sarcasma40
Reply 3392016
September 20, 2012 at 2:56 pm
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TyTy,
You are exactly right! Every person is different and if there is a question, seek help immediately!
(And thank you for the spelling correction.)

Also, keeping track of these feelings, when they occur and how long they last, can help your doc. I do recommend a decent quality blood-pressure cuff. If you are having feelings that concern you, take your BP and pulse too. Your doc should tell you where they want those numbers to be and when to be concerned.

But, we get so hyper-sensative and I am just trying to share some basic info that may be helpful. There are other issues with stents, such as scare tissue forming, etc. and most Doctors explain this possibility and what to watch for. But so often they leave out the most basic day to day information, that would help us cope so much better and even be better patients

After my surgery, I drove my cardiac nurse crazy with questions that I think they should have told me before my release, or put in my release info.

This web-site is not about diagnosing eachother or ourselves, we can only share what we feel is pertient and hope it helps.
Love to the Sisters.
Stacey

By wrkradvct
Reply 3392271
September 20, 2012 at 4:33 pm
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Hi Stacey,

I find your post helpful and interesting. I agree that we are not in much condition to absorb information right after the cath lab. However my sense is/was that doctor's don't want to tell us much what to expect especially if there are any possible negative things to expect. While I see Ty's point that something can be coming and going and be serious, I still think if anyone had explained it to me that way you did, it would have saved me some panicky nights. I remember the time I called the hospital in the middle of the night about symptoms, I woke a sleeping cardiology resident and he wasn't much more coherent than I was then.

And I would say maybe it was me not remembering any info that was given after my stents, and that I wasn't in much condition for research after my stents. But I've had other surgical procedures since then and I swear they always leave out or ignore important information about what to expect, especially the negatives.

And noone ever told me it was common for stents to close up after six months, until after my stent closed up after 6 months.

Thanks for the thoughts.

wrk

By wrkradvct
Reply 3392505 · In reply to 3392271 by wrkradvct
September 20, 2012 at 6:16 pm
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Not trying to scare anyone, Threesacharm. I got bare metal since this was over 13 years ago. I say 15 to 25 percent is common enough that I would like to have been told. I don't think common is an exact term, so I don't think you are correcting me. Maybe you are disagreeing with my which would also sound less rude.

By rudownwithjc
Reply 3395055
September 21, 2012 at 3:09 pm
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I just wanted to say that my drs. never told me that the spasms from the stents would ever cease. I was under the impression the people whose body reacts to the stents are not expected to get used to them, just like with transplants your body will always fight that foreign object that is identified as a foreign object which is why they will always have to take medicines to keep the body from rejecting it. And it has been documented on ultrasound/screen/picture that my heart spasms because it hates the stents and they think that is why my angina started because my angina happened after my first stent, in fact my angina didn't show up until I had been out of the hospital/without all the hospital meds the first night and then just got increasingly worse. So not sure that everyone will ever get use to thier stents and I am over 2 years out from my first stent and have since had a Triple Heart Bypass and then another stent and I still have angina quite frequently besides all the aches and pains from having the Bypass.

Best wishes,

Cindy

By Huskiefan
Reply 3395096
September 21, 2012 at 3:21 pm
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I experienced many odd/strange feelings in my chest for a couple 2 or 3 months after my stents were placed. It made me a nervous wreck and I almost went to the ER one night because of it. Thankfully, the nurses in cardiac rehab told us that there can be odd sensations, the stents can actually move a tiny bit, etc. They were much more helpful than my cardiologist.

Not sure about the description of "if something comes & goes" it's probably ok. I had "weird feelings" in my chest that came & went over the course of 3 days until it got so strong and really became chest pain so I finally went to the ER. That was my 99% blockage in my LAD that led to my 2 stents. I guess all of us are different. In the beginning, it was not pain at all. It just felt strange for a minute then would go away. This happened several times a day for 3 days. On day 4 it was happening more often and for longer...but would still go away.

Thanks for posting this subject. You are right...they don't tell us nearly enough right after our stents are put in. Thank goodness for those wonderful cardiac nurses and the help from this site! :-)

By TyTy
Reply 3395263
September 21, 2012 at 4:25 pm
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I'm sorry. Just wanted to clarify that I don't ave stents. I've had bypass surgery. I was more referring to the fact that doctors sometimes try to calm we hysterical women down while minimizing our symptoms so just because they tell us not to worry about intermittent pain (from anything) doesn't mean it's true.

By newlife47
Reply 3395752
September 21, 2012 at 8:23 pm
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Well, I have thirteen stents, first one 6 months after my CABG. That was bare metal and restenosised in a month. Then Kaiser started using drug eluding stents, which also restenosised. So there are two places in my heart that have three or four stents sandwiched inside each other. I haven't experienced the discomfort due to stent placement that some other women are plagued with. One of the surgeons early on in this cycle told me that my body made scar tissue quickly inside the coronary arteries. He had a name for it that I can't remember (darn). Anyway plavix and asperin for the rest of my life I've been told. Ranexa has made a world of difference for me re. ongoing chest pain and chest spasms.
I guess I'm posting because I would assume I'm not the only woman with this scenario. Would like to hear from you if you relate.

By yarnkitty
Reply 3396659
September 22, 2012 at 9:29 am
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My current cardiologist tells me that he has had some patients that spasm around their stents that get better in 2 to 3 years. I'm not holding my breath but it would be nice if that happened.

By goingstrong
Reply 3396920
September 22, 2012 at 11:11 am
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The thing I just found out about after a friend rec'd her stent: you are eligible for cardiac rehab after surgery OR stent placement!

I had CABG in 2004, stents in 2006 and 2008. Never once was I offered rehab!

I requested it this summer after a period of beta blocker overmedication that wore me out and caused me to quit exercising. This really caused lots of weakness etc. Shortness of breath quite bad.

The rehab had made me feel 20 years younger, given me energy. And makes me feel like a real person again.

Don't neglect to ASK for it!

Lynn

By wrkradvct
Reply 3397435 · In reply to 3396920 by goingstrong
September 22, 2012 at 2:43 pm
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I agree, Lynn (Goingstrong). I was not offered rehab after I got my stents in 1999. My sister-in-law suggested I ask for it (she's a physical therapist,) and I've told the story on here before how the GP who was then managing me sd "well, it's not necessary but maybe if you do well in a 'mileu' environment, you could,"! I did and it made a big difference in my stress and anxiety and probably willingness to exercise.

After my restenosis and addition of overlapping stent in late 99, I went again since I'd had a procedure they didn't try to deny me as far as I can recall. This past year, 2011, when I was having shortness of breath and got diagnosed with diastolic heart failure, a newer, younger cardiologist who diagnosed me recommended CR and I said sure. However the day I got there to get started, I was told my insurance would not cover it because I had not had an event or a proceure. I had to get on the phone with them right there and they said I had to get a letter from the doctor saying it was medically necessary. I had to call him and so on and so on.

So it's said but true we apparently still have to not only sometimes ask but sometimes fight for CR after all these years.

Wrk

By Sherman1943
Reply 3397693
September 22, 2012 at 5:04 pm
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Thank you all for discussing this. It has helped me a great deal!
In 2001 I started having fatigue but doctor wouldn't give me the time of day about it ... I was 59 - no heart problem at that age! Even though my father, mother, and brother had died very early from heart attacks - my brother after being given med for bronchitis for 5 months when he had congestive heart failure (age 34), and finally had a massive heart attack.

I took myself to a cardio in 2002 - looking great. After 3 weeks finally got in with him and was 99% blockage high up in LAD.
I was not offered cardiac rehab either ... but my personal physician took the reigns sent me (I had to wait for insurance, too).
In my ignorance, I though I was repaired and life would be well forever more!

Nope. In 2007 had 3 more stents, in 2011 a restenosis - and this one I had considerable discomfort for about 6 months. I found a new cardiologist after 3 visits to the then-cardio, and his saying it was all "my anxieties". He was very rude, both in the hospital and through those 3 visits.

I don't know anyone with heart problems, so until I found Inspire a few months back, I just worried because knew we can have more blockage appear is soon as 2 months after stenting.

It is encouraging to hear that chest pains can continue. I am on Effient (allergic to Plavix) and 9 months later, do well, but do get pains when I overdo.

And 69 seems so Young! ... I trust it will be a good 5 more years ... just think of how medical science will have improved. My new cardio is young and so much more knowledge than the other one.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences ... and for any new stent-receivers, be optimistic and believe that all will be well -- because it will.

Sharon

By Sherman1943
Reply 3397698
September 22, 2012 at 5:05 pm
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OH! forgot to say ... I was given NO information prior to or after my stents - which makes this discussion so helpful.

Thanks again,
Sharon

By Hart305
Reply 3398123
September 22, 2012 at 9:06 pm
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Regarding weather, the heat plays a huge role too. I have 3 stents and if I am outside during the really hot and humid days, which is every day, I soon start to feel chest pressure and shortness of breath. My body heat increases and so does my heart rate. I spend most of my time indoors in AC. When I get in the car and it is hot, I also start to feel weird, again SOB and heart racing. I do not know which is worse, cold or heat.

By yarnkitty
Reply 3398758
September 23, 2012 at 8:02 am
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On the not being given info after stents comment. I'm laughing because I did get info in the hospital. I got a pamphlet published by Medtronic about living with my stents. It actually was full of good info, but it made me both amused and sad that the picture on the front was of this quite elderly lady with a younger woman next to her. I knew the stent recipient was supposed to be the old lady, not her granddaughter who appeared to be about my age. Inside was Edna's story. She was 102 years old and ten years before she started having shortness of breath on her 2 mile daily walk. She got checked out, got a stent, and was still going strong 10 years later. I so did not relate to that story, though I was happy for Edna.

By Siduri
Reply 3398900
September 23, 2012 at 9:18 am
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After my HA and subsequent two drug eluding stents I was given a lovely pill cocktail to take and sent home, no further information, nothing on my stents. I did get a folder with information on healthy living and diet and care instructions, the standard sort of discharge stuff. My mind was in a very foggy place for several months after my HA so I don't recall much of anything that was said to me. Verbal directions or discussions are important, however, with brain fog like mine, written down instructions, information, directions, etc are important and sure would be a valuable consideration, at least I think so. That way I could have gone back and read the information as I needed to and when I awoke from my brain fog I would have processed it better. My cardiologist did refer me to cardio rehab which was extremely beneficial in my recovery, although short since my insurance changed their mind and didn't cover it.

A few months later I found you all here on Inspire which has really helped me in my journey!

Regarding the weather......I took a heck of a beating in the heat in the south. I longed to return to the cooler northern climate I lived in but career choices meant living in the south until at least age 65. Dream on! Yet as my unknown and undiagnosed heart disease grew within I was experiencing increasing difficulty with the heat and humidity. I couldn't go outside from June until September without feeling ill in the heat so I stayed indoors. This in turn caused me to be less active, gain weight, and the vicious cycle began that led to my crash/HA. I cannot tolerate heat over 85 degrees or I start to swell......my legs swell badly and I feel miserable. I'll take my chances with the cold over heat anyday and so we returned to the cooler northern climate earlier this year.

Thanks for the info on airline travel because I am flying for the first time post HA this November.......I need to talk to my dr about what to expect, etc.

By LucieCoyote
Reply 3399891
September 23, 2012 at 4:08 pm
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I had a stent implanted in Feb and I have not noticed any adverse side effects at all. If I didn't know it was there, I wouldn't know it was there.

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