After two years on the Whole Food Plant Based Diet, I figured my cardiac arteries were clean as a whistle, but six coronary artery by passes proved otherwise. The doc did suggest that even after eating like a hog for the last 70 years, the diet might have bought me some time.
With all new pipes, will I go back to the bacon, sausage, BBQ and everything fried and served with gravy diet? Probably not. It’s doubtful there are any spare veins left in my legs.
The whole event was mostly painless; only had a little tightness in my chest. However, those anxiety attacks when trying to breath while walking the first few days were terrifying. The meter that showed the oxygen saturation of my blood to be 99% did NOT help calm me down. All those exhortations to breath in through my nose and out through my mouth didn’t help either. The best I could do was pant like a frightened rabbit. There were also some bouts of jiggling like jello on speed that wasn’t much fun either. I don’t recall anyone ever mentioning those two activities, but thank goodness that crazy stuff has stopped.
I’m home now and able to slowly get where I need to go.
BTW it only takes a few seconds to get your priorities straight.

Congratulations on a new lease on life.

Glad you are better and up moving. Keep moving! I barely dodged the bullet when I was 50 with a 95% blockage to my LAD.

Luckily the doc was able to use a rotorblater to widen the opening and snake through an angioplasty device.

72 now and still alive thanks to statins I guess. Still trying to exercise regularly.

Stay well!

Glad you're on the mend.

We members of the forum need to stop with the joining this "new club" trend and go back to our boring lives...

Live long, and prosper!

Glad you are okay.
I can relate.

In March, I had a mild heart attack, it was none of the usual symptoms doctors mention. I thought I was having one of my extreme hypertension episodes, with the exception, my left arm at the shoulder felt like Hulk Hogan was twisting it.

Should have gone to the ER, but just did not figure it was a heart attack...no headaches,nasuea, dizziness or chest pain.

Just HBP and shoulder pain.

I went to the ER the next day, they confirmed I had a mild heart attack. Put me in the hospital, for observation and tests, after the tests, I found out I was lucky, they did not see any heart damage.

I have Two stents in my arteries at my heart, and congestive heart failure. Learned my lesson , go to the ER ASAP when ever something is abnormal.

Do take care.

Glad you made it, buddy.

Glad that you are on the mend

Silent

Glad you’re hanging tough. As I read your post, I immediately flashed to the not being able to breathe. I gasped like a fish out of water.

It was work to bring my lungs back after being ‘flattened out’. In the pre-op orientation no one mentioned & I wasn’t smart enough to realize my lungs would be a hurdle after the by pass.

Get healthy, treat yourself to some bacon. Hell, you could step off a curb and get hit.

quote:

Originally posted by Sportshooter:
...it only takes a few seconds to get your priorities straight.

It sure does!

I'm glad you are on the mend.

Spent some time in oblivion myself, only to wake up in the NSICU days later.

Glad you made it and are on the mend......

Way to get it checked out and taken care of. I had a widowmaker about 6 years ago and had zero symptoms other than a little tired. If you think you might have an issue, PLEASE get it checked out.

I am pleased you survived it well.

I am glad you're okay, Sportshooter!

In addition to my normal physical, I just had a calcium score test done. I highly recommend it because normal EKGs don't always tell the story, especially if you are otherwise in good shape and physically active.

Glad to have you back, and doing well. I underwent a quadruple bypass some years back.

flashguy

Glad you’re back and doing well. I keep working toward a better diet. The more if these threads I read, the more it pushes me to make a salad over having a steak.

I wonder with modern medicine how many of us are living with low Ejection Fractions.

Congratulations on winning. Glad to have you back.

Modern medicine is truly amazing!!!!!

Glad you faired well. Getting older is tough.

Hang in there. At least you are still above ground!