Restenosis of triple bypass-Please hurry!

[miniemoo812]

I had three stents placed for severe blockage in Aug-09 & six weeks later-restenosis of all stents. Had a triple bypass in Oct-09 and everything was great till April-10 with an episode of what I thought was a heart attack. The ER said anxiety and sent me home but f/u with Cardiology Doc with an Echo and had mild MVR & TCR. Fast forward to now and the last three weeks episodes of HTN-SOB-tired-weakness-rt.neck pain- and Card Doc wants to do another Heart Cath as he thinks it is restenosis of my bypass. What are my options if this is the case?

[miniemoo812]

Well yesterday I had a cath done and they found 80% stenosis in the one bypass and 30% in the other and the third one is clear so the put drug induced stent in the one and I am on Plavix and several other meds. My B//P is still high but I was released today and sent home. I was told I would be on Plavix for a year. BTW on my first three stents they were drug stents to prevent restenosis but did not work for me. I was taken off Plavix after my bypass as they felt I would do o.k. without it. They have me back on it as well as two b/p meds and lipitor on a very low dose in the hope I can tolerate it. Thank you for the reply.

[ed34]

You don't mention plavix (clopidogrel) as part of your medication regime? so I assume you had bare metal stents inserted? These are notorious for restenosis, hence the large amount of research and development that went into producing the drug eluting stent, which inhibit scar tissue growth in the stent far more significantly. What options do you have? well, there are just three as far as I can see. First is to try and give a better flow through the bypass conduits by stenting them. Second is to do another bypass procedure. Third is to find a very good cardiologist who can revascularise your native arteries, i.e. open the blocked stents and treat accordingly. Laser can be used to remove excess scar tissue, and a radioactive substance on the end of the catheter can be used to stop further scar tissue forming. There is also a possibility that they could put a drug eluting stent inside the existing, which should stop scar tissue forming. I had a bypass in 09 also, mine only lasted 3 months and some people are just not good candidates for such procedures, I'm one of them. Drug eluting stents seem to be my best and only option. I had one in feb 07, which is still fully open. I had 5 more in 09 to reopen my left artery, it was blocked before 07 but it took me that long to find someone with enough experience to do it. These are still wide open. I would enquire if your stents are bare metal.

[miniemoo812]

I very rarely eat red meats anymore. We live in the country and only go to town one time a week. So I cook lots of soups and such. No fried foods for years. Love veggys and fruits. I take care of 13 horses on my own and I mean cleaning stalls  and such I have flower beds and lots of outdoor exercise to keep my heart pumping good. I am 5'6" and 158 and 57 yrs old. Have always maintained this weight except when I had the Graves. I have had Graves disease in the past which was resolved with meds and DMII which cropped up a year after the Graves was resolved in 1997. I have trouble with the statin drugs very high intolerance to them. I take 1000 mg Glucophage-baby ASA-metoprolol ER 25mg My B/P has been going from170/98 down to 118/74 back and forth and I am under less stress then before the bypass.

[ed34]

Even family history traits can be broken if the cause is not genetic and you can find the cause. For example are you the type of person who gets stressed very easily? Is your cholesterol under control? Is your blood pressure low/normal? Are you eating healthily, lots of fruit and veg. Are you regularly exercising.
What medication are you currently taking?

[miniemoo812]

quit smoking in 1996-no drinking.Family Hx of CAD with death in their 50's also my brother is 18 mths older and had a triple six months before I had mine he is 58 and I am 57

[ed34]

Just as a matter of interest, what lifestyle changes did you make when you discovered you had CAD? Do you smoke?