heart disease

[tagoo]

I had heart attack 8 years ago-complete blockage in right coronary artery. Stent placement successful. No follow with cardiologist. Recently referred to cardiologist by family doctor mainly because of abnormal ekg. After battery of test including nuclear stress, dr said heart ok but some irregularities. Told me I needed angiogram but this seemed to be more based on the old records of heart attack which he said showed a 50% blocked left artery which he said may be 90% now but could not say for sure. I have hardly any angina symptoms but am overweight and out of shape- 6ft, 230 lbs. I take blood pressure, thyroid, chlosterol meds. It will cost me several thousand dollars for this test which I really cannot afford. Do you think this is necessary when I have hardly any symptoms. Thanks, tagoo1

[skydnsr]

I don't even know for sure if you are American, but if you are, please, please, please look into your options under the Affordable Care Act.  Open enrollment is now.  You cannot be denied for a pre-existing condition.  If you enroll now, any care that you receive after January 1, 2014 will be covered. You need one of the better plans that they offer, the ones with the higher premiums and more coverage.  Even a plan with a higher premium will be much less expensive in the long run than paying (or trying to pay) for CAD care yourself.  If your income is lower than 4x the federal poverty level, you will be eligible for help in paying your premium.  If your income is very low -- like, under about $20,000 -- then you better pray that your state accepted the Medicaid expansion part of the Affordable Care Act.  If your are not eligible for anything under ACA, then post back, because there might be one or two other things to try, as far as the funding part of it.  Also, be sure listen carefully to ed34 about the medical aspects of your situation.  It sounds like your doctors are on the right track.

[ed34]

If you are out of shape, and overweight then I am guessing you don't exercise much (logical conclusion). With lack of exercise, you are not going to notice the limitations much, but now that you are being affected with low exertion then I would concur with the Cardiologist that there must be a significant blockage. If thee is anyway that you can get the Angiogram then I would have it done because it can become 100% quite quickly. Once 100%, then stenting becomes much harder and a bypass solution is usually offered instead.

[Circa49]

One option that might or might not be available to you is getting better coverage through ObamaCare in January.

Not sure what your coverage is now.

BTW,  with your self description of being overweight, out of shape,  on blood pressure meds,  cholesterol meds,  and such.
Don't you think you might make some very large lifestyle changes to make your chances better?

I mean, you had a heart attack and now it appears your arteries are clogging up again.   If that won't make you change,  what will?

Or don't you have any idea of what steps to take?