New stent - need information

[marilyn]

I had a valve replaced and bypass close to 3 years ago. I was having symptoms for about a year that continued to get worse. I was sent to Mayo in MN and had a 90% blocked artery. Two others have gotten somewhat worse but not needing a stent. I am now taking Plavix with 2 baby aspirins.
I would like to know if anyone has had problems with Plavix with aspirin and also Coreg combined.
On my report it says acute coronary syndrome. Can someone explain it to me. I still have a lot of blockage, but they said the blood is flowing. The doctor said he does not put stents in if he blood is flowing, which I am glad. My grafts had filled up to around 50%, and I thought one of them would be the problem. It was not. I asked if it was unusual to happen so soon after surgery. I was basically told it is unusual, but it does happen. He told me not to exercise the way I did before, and that we need to do what it takes to stop symptoms and the increase of blockage.
I would appreciate any information.

 

[Debster]

Hi Marilyn! My mom takes Plavix, baby aspirin and Coreg too. She has had no problems on these meds together. She also has three stents in too. I am sorry I am not much help. my mom had a triple bypass along with her valve job too. Best wishes to you, and hope your symptoms have let up too!!! Deb

 

[Jkm7]

Sorry this is happening to you. I notice you are not on a statin so does that mean you do not have a cholesterol problem contributing to your forming blockages? Has no doctor mentioned you trying a cholestertol lowering medication?

 

[briansmom]

My son is in the exact same boat as you. He goes for a left heart cath tomorrow to verify the 90% blockage in one of his bypasses. He takes coumadin, aspirin, plavix and coreg. Please let me know if you get any answers on why you are getting blockages. My son's renal arteries also got blocked and they were able to put a stent in one to save the kidney. My son's blockages are not related to cholesterol.

He hasn't been having any problems with the medication.

 

[marilyn]

Dear Briansmom,
I am so sorry that your son is having problems. I am a mom, so I know that is ones biggest worry. My bypasses did not get the stent. It was an artery that I thought was alright. My bypasses have filled up about 50%, so I am not sure where that will go. I have been told that my genes probably are my problem, but they do not really know why I have so much blockage. I had good cholesterol, and good blood pressure. I worked out all the time, and I am thin. I have very small arteries, so that is a problem. That is why I was sent to MN. I thought about going on Dean Ornishes heart diet. It is really hard to do, but he has had success with people on it. Your son is so young. Is there anyway you could take him to Mayo Clinic? It seems like you really need doctors that are at a major hospital like Mayo Clinic. The doctor they sent me to was described as amazing. I will let you know what my cardiologist tells me about why I am getting so much blockage.

 

[marilyn]

Dear JKM7,
Yes, I was put on Zocor after they discovered blockages. This was before surgery. My total cholesterol was 170 and the HDL was 98 before cholesterol medicine. As you can tell, it would not appear to have been a problem. I always thought I was really healthy. Because I build so much blockage, they want it down. It does not seem to be working for me. Of course now, they want me to take more, but I am a little uncomfortable doing it. I am also on Coreg which they want to up. I am not sure what all he will want me to do, because I have not been home that long from MN. I am still wearing a nitro patch, because of symptoms. He is having me start out very slow to find out when I get symptoms. I am hoping that I do not have problems, but he told me that I will most likely still have angina. I have had it for quite sometime, but it really started getting bad. That is how I ended up in MN. They already knew about the very small arteries. I sort of worry about the stent filling up. I wonder what % fills up. Maybe I will ask that question.

 

[briansmom]

Brian's arteries are also very small. I am going to put up a new post about what happened today with the angiogram that he didn't have. We are sending Brian's records to the Cleveland Clinic to be reviewed. I will let you know also if I get any answers.

 

[Jkm7]

Thanks, Marilyn. I appreciate the response. It helps all of us learn. Sending you the very best wishes they come up with some good answers/treatment to help you halt these blockages. I can't imagine how worrisome and frustrating it is for you.


Also sending Brian good wishes Cleveland Clinic has some help/answers for him.

 

[marilyn]

Dear Briansmom,
I know they have come up with smaller stents since 2007. I am not sure exactly the date. I am not sure what size they put in me, but if you want me to read my records, I will be glad to do it. I had a cath 2007 and was told I was too small. I did not have this particle artery problem at the time, but he was talking about ones filling up. Did you ever read anything by Dean Ornish? He has a diet that is suppose to stop artery blocking. Let us hear about Brian.