Anyone with Heart Stents?Just had 1st Stent Put in!

Calif_Girl67

Hello,

So I started having shortness of breath, Left arm pain, and tightness in my chest which I thought was caused by my new blood pressure meds (Beta Blockers) Well Coreg was the 1st Beta Blocker I was put on and then changed to Bystolic 5 mg which I now take.

My Dr decided to do some tests so i had a CT Scan with Dye and the results came back showing I had 50-75% blockage in my Main Front Heart Artery (LAD) so he then ordered a Heart Cath test last Thursday Oct 25th. Well after having that completed the results where not good and it showed I had a 99% blockage so they had no other but to put a Stent in, the Dr's told my mom and hubby that I could of died so this is very scary.

I am only 44/F and come from a family with a bad history of heart Disease and i am the youngest of 5 and the 1st to have had anything like this done. I wanted to meet other people from MFP that may have Stents and see there experience with them and how it has affected your weight loss/exercise routine. I am now planning on trying to get my Cholesterol down and in check so i don't have this problem again.

Can anyone with Stents give me some advise on how to proceed from this point forward ? Exercise/Diet tips ? I am also on Plavix now and have 3 Herniated disc's in my Neck and 3 Ruptured Disc's in my low spine so i am limited as to the exercise i can do now and am being told that because of being put on Plavix i have to wait at least a year before having any major surgeries which sucks.

Anyway, thanks for the info, most appreciated.

StyxxandStones

I have a "train" of stents in my right vertebral artery. That is in your neck and leads to your brain, so a bit different. You'll want to try to keep your cholesterol as low as possible. I believe the goal is under 75/day. The nature of the stents is such that even small chunks of plaque build-up will get stuck and it could cause another blockage. I'd say start there, for your diet. Keeping cholesterol low will make a huge difference for you.

Calif_Girl67

I have a "train" of stents in my right vertebral artery. That is in your neck and leads to your brain, so a bit different. You'll want to try to keep your cholesterol as low as possible. I believe the goal is under 75/day. The nature of the stents is such that even small chunks of plaque build-up will get stuck and it could cause another blockage. I'd say start there, for your diet. Keeping cholesterol low will make a huge difference for you.

I did some research on a Cardiac Diet last night and it stated that Cholesterol should be kept under 300, the lower the better.

LoraF83

No stents here, but a big part of my motivation comes from watching my father-in-law get a stent put in earlier this year. He has blockage all over his heart and was advised to make serious changes to his diet and lifestyle. Unfortunately, he hasn't. But it helped keep me on track and kicked my husband into gear because we don't want to end up in that situation.

His doctors advised him to go low-fat, low-sodium. He is also supposed to watch his carb intake because he has a thyroid condition. He is on a lot of meds, and I've noticed that when he goes too low on the sodium, he tends to bottom out pretty quickly - he gets dizzy and tired and has to eat something salty to feel better again.

Has your doctor set you up with a nutritionist? If not, maybe you can ask for a referral.

StyxxandStones

I have a "train" of stents in my right vertebral artery. That is in your neck and leads to your brain, so a bit different. You'll want to try to keep your cholesterol as low as possible. I believe the goal is under 75/day. The nature of the stents is such that even small chunks of plaque build-up will get stuck and it could cause another blockage. I'd say start there, for your diet. Keeping cholesterol low will make a huge difference for you.

I did some research on a Cardiac Diet last night and it stated that Cholesterol should be kept under 300, the lower the better.

300 is the "recommended daily allowance" for a normal healthy adult. It should always be under 300. But, for someone with a stent, it is recommended to stay well under that.

Calif_Girl67

I have a "train" of stents in my right vertebral artery. That is in your neck and leads to your brain, so a bit different. You'll want to try to keep your cholesterol as low as possible. I believe the goal is under 75/day. The nature of the stents is such that even small chunks of plaque build-up will get stuck and it could cause another blockage. I'd say start there, for your diet. Keeping cholesterol low will make a huge difference for you.

I did some research on a Cardiac Diet last night and it stated that Cholesterol should be kept under 300, the lower the better.

300 is the "recommended daily allowance" for a normal healthy adult. It should always be under 300. But, for someone with a stent, it is recommended to stay well under that.

Thanks for the info, I have it set to 300 on MFP but will try to stay way under that, maybe shoot for 150 or something. I am going to try and stay away from food that contain any Cholesterol but i know that will be impossible some days. I don't want to deprive myself of everything.

Calif_Girl67

No stents here, but a big part of my motivation comes from watching my father-in-law get a stent put in earlier this year. He has blockage all over his heart and was advised to make serious changes to his diet and lifestyle. Unfortunately, he hasn't. But it helped keep me on track and kicked my husband into gear because we don't want to end up in that situation.

His doctors advised him to go low-fat, low-sodium. He is also supposed to watch his carb intake because he has a thyroid condition. He is on a lot of meds, and I've noticed that when he goes too low on the sodium, he tends to bottom out pretty quickly - he gets dizzy and tired and has to eat something salty to feel better again.

Has your doctor set you up with a nutritionist? If not, maybe you can ask for a referral.

No my Dr has not set me up with a Nutritionist, I go back to see the Dr on Nov 16th for the 1st time

joe_d

Got my stent late in July, also in the LAD following an attack (actually literally 20 minutes after the attack happened). So get your doc to get you a nutrition consultant. The doc will probably give you targets for fat and sodium, etc., but the nutritionist can give you practical advice on how to meet those targets. MFP is a great tool to help you with weight loss planning and tracking calories, but for the heart patient it's also great for watching your fat intake (my target is less than 60 grams a day, with as little of that being saturated and trans fat as possible) and sodium (try to limit to 2000 mg/day).

On cholesterol--I wasn't given any dietary targets (probably "as low as you can go"), but since cholesterol is manufactured by the body as well as absorbed from foods, the bottom line really is what's circulating around in your blood. And as a person with coronary artery disease they gave me the target of LDL level ("bad" cholesterol) below 70 and HDL ("good" cholesterol) above 45. Between my diet changes, exercise, and statins I was able to do that within 30 days after my attack.

On exercise, did they recommend you go through cardiac rehab? If you can, I highly recommend it. They'll be able to work with you to customize an exercise routine that you can do and that will keep your heart healthy.

Hang in there and best of luck. I know it can be a shock--at least it was for me. But it can get better from here. And the good news is there are folks out there who can help you.

Calif_Girl67

Got my stent late in July, also in the LAD following an attack (actually literally 20 minutes after the attack happened). So get your doc to get you a nutrition consultant. The doc will probably give you targets for fat and sodium, etc., but the nutritionist can give you practical advice on how to meet those targets. MFP is a great tool to help you with weight loss planning and tracking calories, but for the heart patient it's also great for watching your fat intake (my target is less than 60 grams a day, with as little of that being saturated and trans fat as possible) and sodium (try to limit to 2000 mg/day).

On cholesterol--I wasn't given any dietary targets (probably "as low as you can go"), but since cholesterol is manufactured by the body as well as absorbed from foods, the bottom line really is what's circulating around in your blood. And as a person with coronary artery disease they gave me the target of LDL level ("bad" cholesterol) below 70 and HDL ("good" cholesterol) above 45. Between my diet changes, exercise, and statins I was able to do that within 30 days after my attack.

On exercise, did they recommend you go through cardiac rehab? If you can, I highly recommend it. They'll be able to work with you to customize an exercise routine that will work for you and keep your heart healthy.

I don't go back to see my Heart Dr until Nov 16th for the 1st time since getting the Stent. I will ask about the Cardiac Rehab as well. I didn't sustain a Heart Attack or anything like it thank goodness but the Dr said i still could of died had they of waited on testing etc so I am very lucky.

How are you doing after your Stent ? I hope they last along time, My sister in law and father in law both have Stents so I have talked to them. Did you experience any strange pains in the chest area after having your Stent put in ? I am still feeling some small minor pains and hope its just my body adjusting to the Stent.

joe_d

Got my stent late in July, also in the LAD following an attack (actually literally 20 minutes after the attack happened). So get your doc to get you a nutrition consultant. The doc will probably give you targets for fat and sodium, etc., but the nutritionist can give you practical advice on how to meet those targets. MFP is a great tool to help you with weight loss planning and tracking calories, but for the heart patient it's also great for watching your fat intake (my target is less than 60 grams a day, with as little of that being saturated and trans fat as possible) and sodium (try to limit to 2000 mg/day).

On cholesterol--I wasn't given any dietary targets (probably "as low as you can go"), but since cholesterol is manufactured by the body as well as absorbed from foods, the bottom line really is what's circulating around in your blood. And as a person with coronary artery disease they gave me the target of LDL level ("bad" cholesterol) below 70 and HDL ("good" cholesterol) above 45. Between my diet changes, exercise, and statins I was able to do that within 30 days after my attack.

On exercise, did they recommend you go through cardiac rehab? If you can, I highly recommend it. They'll be able to work with you to customize an exercise routine that will work for you and keep your heart healthy.

I don't go back to see my Heart Dr until Nov 16th for the 1st time since getting the Stent. I will ask about the Cardiac Rehab as well. I didn't sustain a Heart Attack or anything like it thank goodness but the Dr said i still could of died had they of waited on testing etc so I am very lucky.

How are you doing after your Stent ? I hope they last along time, My sister in law and father in law both have Stents so I have talked to them. Did you experience any strange pains in the chest area after having your Stent put in ? I am still feeling some small minor pains and hope its just my body adjusting to the Stent.

From what I've heard from the docs, the biggest worry with the stent is that it'll get clogged up and the biggest risk of that is in the first year. But the Plavix they put us on prevents that; if you got a drug-coated stent that helps as well. The feeling I got is if we take our Plavix religiously and get out of the first year without the stent being clogged up, the stent should be OK for a long, long time.

You know, I did have some minor little pains for the first couple of weeks afterwards. They weren't like angina/heart attack pain, but rather more localized and more like prickly stabs. They'd come and go pretty quickly and were never associated with exercise or anything in particular. But I haven't had those since after the first month or so. I wondered the same thing--is this just my heart reacting to the stent?

Now, 3 months and a lot of exercise later, I can honestly say I feel the best physically I've felt since I was in my 20's (I'm 56 now). With the combination of exercise and the help of MFP for my diet, I've lost about 1.4 lbs per week since my attack (I'm targeting a calorie deficit of 1 lb/week, but I don't eat back my exercise calories so it's going faster). I'm about a third of the way towards my weight goal, but I guess the diet changes given a heart attack are a lifetime deal. :-)

Calif_Girl67

Got my stent late in July, also in the LAD following an attack (actually literally 20 minutes after the attack happened). So get your doc to get you a nutrition consultant. The doc will probably give you targets for fat and sodium, etc., but the nutritionist can give you practical advice on how to meet those targets. MFP is a great tool to help you with weight loss planning and tracking calories, but for the heart patient it's also great for watching your fat intake (my target is less than 60 grams a day, with as little of that being saturated and trans fat as possible) and sodium (try to limit to 2000 mg/day).

On cholesterol--I wasn't given any dietary targets (probably "as low as you can go"), but since cholesterol is manufactured by the body as well as absorbed from foods, the bottom line really is what's circulating around in your blood. And as a person with coronary artery disease they gave me the target of LDL level ("bad" cholesterol) below 70 and HDL ("good" cholesterol) above 45. Between my diet changes, exercise, and statins I was able to do that within 30 days after my attack.

On exercise, did they recommend you go through cardiac rehab? If you can, I highly recommend it. They'll be able to work with you to customize an exercise routine that will work for you and keep your heart healthy.

I don't go back to see my Heart Dr until Nov 16th for the 1st time since getting the Stent. I will ask about the Cardiac Rehab as well. I didn't sustain a Heart Attack or anything like it thank goodness but the Dr said i still could of died had they of waited on testing etc so I am very lucky.

How are you doing after your Stent ? I hope they last along time, My sister in law and father in law both have Stents so I have talked to them. Did you experience any strange pains in the chest area after having your Stent put in ? I am still feeling some small minor pains and hope its just my body adjusting to the Stent.

From what I've heard from the docs, the biggest worry with the stent is that it'll get clogged up and the biggest risk of that is in the first year. But the Plavix they put us on prevents that; if you got a drug-coated stent that helps as well. The feeling I got is if we take our Plavix religiously and get out of the first year without the stent being clogged up, the stent should be OK for a long, long time.

You know, I did have some minor little pains for the first couple of weeks afterwards. They weren't like angina/heart attack pain, but rather more localized and more like prickly stabs. They'd come and go pretty quickly and were never associated with exercise or anything in particular. But I haven't had those since after the first month or so. I wondered the same thing--is this just my heart reacting to the stent?

Now, 3 months and a lot of exercise later, I can honestly say I feel the best physically I've felt since I was in my 20's (I'm 56 now). With the combination of exercise and the help of MFP for my diet, I've lost about 1.4 lbs per week since my attack (I'm targeting a calorie deficit of 1 lb/week, but I don't eat back my exercise calories so it's going faster). I'm about a third of the way towards my weight goal, but I guess the diet changes given a heart attack are a lifetime deal. :-)

Thanks Joe appreciate your replies. Its so scary to only be 44 and have a Stent and because of my neck and back issues I am not suppose to do much in the way of exercise until I have surgery to repair the damage. I guess i'll just have to walk when I am cleared to start again and take it from there. I have been feeling some little pains in my chest and thats why i asked you about it. I sure hope our Stents last a long time and we make it over the 1 year just fine. Do you mind if I add you as a friend ? Would like to have a friend on MFP that has been through the Stent process as i have.

joe_d

Tizzz, yes, by all means friend me. And I think walking is a great thing to be doing if that's OK for you to manage right now. On days where I'm not doing rehab or some other more heavy exercise, walking is what I do. But if you can get to some cardiac rehab, they might have other things that can work for you given your neck and back problems.

Of course, on your pains, you might want to call in to your cardiologist and make sure they're aware and OK with what you're experiencing. You know your body best, and if you're concerned don't hesitate to get it checked out.

Calif_Girl67

Bump

Cant0na

Hi Tizz,
My wife had two stents at 46 so know how you feel, it is very young.
She continued to have the odd chest twinge over the next two years and we even ended up back in the EU unit a couple of times where she was monitored for a couple days.
These have settled down now.
The best advice if you are having twinges is to go back to the hospital and get them to check you out, it may be nothing but it is always best to get them to check it out.
The doctor should have you on a cholesterol reducing medication if you are unable to control your cholesterol with diet or excercise.
My wife had bad reactions with standard statins so is now on a cholesterol reducing med called Crestor.

All the best

Calif_Girl67

Hi Tizz,
My wife had two stents at 46 so know how you feel, it is very young.
She continued to have the odd chest twinge over the next two years and we even ended up back in the EU unit a couple of times where she was monitored for a couple days.
These have settled down now.
The best advice if you are having twinges is to go back to the hospital and get them to check you out, it may be nothing but it is always best to get them to check it out.
The doctor should have you on a cholesterol reducing medication if you are unable to control your cholesterol with diet or excercise.
My wife had bad reactions with standard statins so is now on a cholesterol reducing med called Crestor.

All the best

I too am now on Crestor as I had probs taking Simvistatin as I also had probs with Blood pressure med allergic reactions. I seem to be doing ok with the Crestor and I am now on Plavix as well. So has your wife had any issues with her 2 Stents thus far ?

dianefisher47

Hi , I have had 3 strokes and in 2007 had a stent placed in artery, I first of all quit smoking and later I lost 30 pounds still have 30 to go. Make sure to check with your doctor to see about exercise and food intake. I make sure also to do my exercise that keeps the blood circulating. I take Coumadin blood thinner simular to Plavix and I take that very seriously. To be honest with you I feel so so much better since I watch my food intake and do the exercise and have lost the weight. I had my first stroke at 48 they had me on Coumadin for a month , two years after had another and again only gave Coumadin for 3 months, when I had the last one my Cardiologist said I must take for life , I was seeing him every year for full check up for my arteries but a year ago seeing I was doing so great they say to see them every 2 years instead...Don't worry just get healthier see I said I had my first stroke at 48 I am now 65 and have not had any other since I have the stent and my Coumadin..I have no cholesterol.....so put it this way if you start to take care of yourself life will be good..take care Ok:flowerforyou:

Calif_Girl67

Hi , I have had 3 strokes and in 2007 had a stent placed in artery, I first of all quit smoking and later I lost 30 pounds still have 30 to go. Make sure to check with your doctor to see about exercise and food intake. I make sure also to do my exercise that keeps the blood circulating. I take Coumadin blood thinner simular to Plavix and I take that very seriously. To be honest with you I feel so so much better since I watch my food intake and do the exercise and have lost the weight. I had my first stroke at 48 they had me on Coumadin for a month , two years after had another and again only gave Coumadin for 3 months, when I had the last one my Cardiologist said I must take for life , I was seeing him every year for full check up for my arteries but a year ago seeing I was doing so great they say to see them every 2 years instead...Don't worry just get healthier see I said I had my first stroke at 48 I am now 65 and have not had any other since I have the stent and my Coumadin..I have no cholesterol.....so put it this way if you start to take care of yourself life will be good..take care Ok:flowerforyou:

Thanks appreciate it

Can someone tell me how long they had leg and groin pain after having there Stent put in ? I had to go get an Ultrasound done today to make sure there was no blood clot since my groin and leg in inner thigh is really sore. I am assuming its from the Cath.

joe_d

Hi , I have had 3 strokes and in 2007 had a stent placed in artery, I first of all quit smoking and later I lost 30 pounds still have 30 to go. Make sure to check with your doctor to see about exercise and food intake. I make sure also to do my exercise that keeps the blood circulating. I take Coumadin blood thinner simular to Plavix and I take that very seriously. To be honest with you I feel so so much better since I watch my food intake and do the exercise and have lost the weight. I had my first stroke at 48 they had me on Coumadin for a month , two years after had another and again only gave Coumadin for 3 months, when I had the last one my Cardiologist said I must take for life , I was seeing him every year for full check up for my arteries but a year ago seeing I was doing so great they say to see them every 2 years instead...Don't worry just get healthier see I said I had my first stroke at 48 I am now 65 and have not had any other since I have the stent and my Coumadin..I have no cholesterol.....so put it this way if you start to take care of yourself life will be good..take care Ok:flowerforyou:

Thanks appreciate it

Can someone tell me how long they had leg and groin pain after having there Stent put in ? I had to go get an Ultrasound done today to make sure there was no blood clot since my groin and leg in inner thigh is really sore. I am assuming its from the Cath.

Tizz, yes, my cath incision hurt for a while--seemed like at least a couple of weeks. I think it was more from what happened hours after the stent went in. They used a lot of pressure for about 30 minutes to make sure the leg artery sealed up when they pulled out the sheath the cath goes into. Maybe you're experiencing a bit of that?