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Triple bypass
Scheduled for triple heart bypass surgery in July. I have 100% blockage to my RCA, 50% to LAD and 80% to Ramus and my FFR is 0.73. Also I have 2 collateral vessels bypassing the blockage to my RCA. My question is after the surgery do I loos the collateral vessel?
In my experience there are different things for different people BUT keep in mind NOTHING will remove your disease. All you can do is stop it in its tracks. I have tried those diets and they didn't work for me. What I have had to do is stop consuming processed sugar and stop stressing. My recent echo was discussed with my cardiologist yesterday (yearly checkup) and there are zero changes. My choices seem to be working because it has been about 3 years now since my last stent, the longest period. One thing which has happened is my legs are giving a lot of pain when I walk. When I climb stairs, they are agonizing. My cardiologist is booking me for a scan, to see if I have blockages affecting my legs.
Thank you very much looking over the test. I am going to see the cardiovascular Doctor first week in July for pre op. Surgery is scheduled for 15 of July. I will discuss with him further. I just got a books I am reading how to reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. Ormish. Based plant diet. Also I am reading the China Study. What do you think Ed shoul I try the diet or proceed with the surgery.
OK I got them :) Well the reports do seem to be conclusive on the side of your Doctors but I am still confused. They keep emphasising that your RCA artery is totally blocked halfway down, but they also say it is being fed below the blockage by the left side of your heart by collaterals. In surgical terms this usually means "leave me alone nature has taken care of me". I think any problems you are getting are from the left side, and the right side can be left alone. If your RCA is getting feeds through collaterals, then the left side must be kept clear and this to me is a better approach. I would have the LAD and Ramus stented and leave the RCA alone. This would give a much needed extra supply of blood on your left side to feed the collaterals and the left ventricle. I had a triple bypass which failed before I had healed, and thanks to all the people I saw in hospital, I realised that bypass surgery isn't all it's cracked up to be.
ed34 I have uploaded photos with letters and test results from doctors. are you able to see them if you go to my profile. I did send you PM
You are 59? and so we can apply your doctors logic to your case. Your Disease started when you was 9, giving it 50 years to reach 50%. Does this sound logical to you? because it certainly doesn't to me. You could tell your Doctor I had a blockage go from zero to 99% in just a few months, nobody can say how long they will take. Your Ramus is at 80% and anything above 70% is usually seen as dangerous. If you feel you know what is causing your disease and can make lifestyle changes, then you could leave it but finding the cause is the most time consuming and difficult part. Some blame it on cholesterol levels, but research is proving this wrong. Some blame it on smoking, some on stress, some on consumption of processed sugars, some on high blood pressure and some say it's a mixture. There is also a slim chance it may be genetic. With regards to your RCA, I fail to see why they would bypass that vessel unless there is more disease further down. Your Doctor has only given you a slim possibility out of many without explaining the facts. The chances are you could just leave it and wait. You will wait until you feel symptoms such as shortness of breath, throat discomfort on exertion, chest pains on exertion etc and then you know it is time for surgery. However, with just 2 major blockages listed, is it worth bypass? why not stents which is far less invasive? I can't see why they are even mentioning a bypass with that level of disease unless there are other blockages?
Ed34. Can I ask you question. If I have collateral vessel bypassing the 100% blockage to RCA why would the surgeon by pass this artery. Also LAD is only 50 % I was told by my GP that it should last for at least 50 years.
that figure means nothing on its own. To establish if it is good or bad, we need to know the base reading taken at the top of the artery, and then the reading below the disease. Which is this?
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