Just survived heart attack at age 38, follow up to Phil's post

[Needmassquick]

Glad to see you're able to get some exercise in man, definitely at least as important mentally as it is physically

 

[maldorf]

My left forearm where they put in the IV has been sore since the day of surgery. I went to the hospital today and had them do a doppler on it and sure enough I have a blood clot in my cephalic vein. Luckily its a superficial vein, so they will just leave it alone and my body will slowly dissolve that over a month or so. Nothing to be done. It hurts if I put pressure on it, but other than that it is ok. Seems having an IV in for awhile can cause clots like this is just about anybody. So now I have to deal with that. Seems like everything goes wrong. Im also still trying to get my INR level high enough to be therapeutic. Still having to take lovenox shots in my abdomen.

Did 35 minutes of cardio on the treadmill today and felt better than before. So thats positive. A part of me is now scared that part of the clot will break out and travel to my lungs. They reassured me that wont happen, and me being on anticoagulants is more insurance that it wont.

 

[way2tense]

Damn sorry to hear it Maldorf...
Sounds like it’s gonna be ok tho..
Hang in there man.

 

[UsmcOldSchoolMuscle]

My left forearm where they put in the IV has been sore since the day of surgery. I went to the hospital today and had them do a doppler on it and sure enough I have a blood clot in my cephalic vein. Luckily its a superficial vein, so they will just leave it alone and my body will slowly dissolve that over a month or so. Nothing to be done. It hurts if I put pressure on it, but other than that it is ok. Seems having an IV in for awhile can cause clots like this is just about anybody. So now I have to deal with that. Seems like everything goes wrong. Im also still trying to get my INR level high enough to be therapeutic. Still having to take lovenox shots in my abdomen.

Did 35 minutes of cardio on the treadmill today and felt better than before. So thats positive. A part of me is now scared that part of the clot will break out and travel to my lungs. They reassured me that wont happen, and me being on anticoagulants is more insurance that it wont.

Sounds like another set back in your road to a greater comeback. I'm sorry to hear of another ailment but were here in support every step of the way.

Just a day or two after I heard the good news of your successful operation I suffered a terrible slipped disc in my lower lumbar again. The pain was excruciating. Fortunately the Poly Trauma Network of Dr.'s and my physical therapist likely found which specific ligaments are tugging on the vertebrae causing the protrusion! Treatment seems to be going well. The example that you have set and the steps that you've shared with us has helped my mental frame of mind and spirit tremendously. I thank you for this.

 

[maldorf]

Sounds like another set back in your road to a greater comeback. I'm sorry to hear of another ailment but were here in support every step of the way.

Just a day or two after I heard the good news of your successful operation I suffered a terrible slipped disc in my lower lumbar again. The pain was excruciating. Fortunately the Poly Trauma Network of Dr.'s and my physical therapist likely found which specific ligaments are tugging on the vertebrae causing the protrusion! Treatment seems to be going well. The example that you have set and the steps that you've shared with us has helped my mental frame of mind and spirit tremendously. I thank you for this.

Thats why I spend so much time on here, with the hope that I might help others. With my health I have learned to just take one thing at a time and not allow myself to become overwhelmed. Right now I am concentrating on doing my cardiac rehab on my treadmill in the basement. Slowly increasing duration and intensity. So far so good. Just have to take things one step at a time. I think it helps people to know that they arent alone in the problems they are dealing with. Im glad your doctors have figured out what is causing your pain and treatment is helping you.

Another thing that always helps me is to remember that no matter how bad things seem for me, it could always be a lot worse.

 

[kastro]

Thats why I spend so much time on here, with the hope that I might help others. With my health I have learned to just take one thing at a time and not allow myself to become overwhelmed. Right now I am concentrating on doing my cardiac rehab on my treadmill in the basement. Slowly increasing duration and intensity. So far so good. Just have to take things one step at a time. I think it helps people to know that they arent alone in the problems they are dealing with. Im glad your doctors have figured out what is causing your pain and treatment is helping you.

Another thing that always helps me is to remember that no matter how bad things seem for me, it could always be a lot worse.

Maldorf you are a true warrior.Beleive it or not reading your posts have given me inspiration with my ordeals.Much respect sir.

 

[Pissbrainiac259]

The future for severe heart failure patients. My surgeon told me that there will be pumps implanted that are about the size of my defibrillator. Amazing.

They are called Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD). Dick Cheney has had an LVAD since at least 2010. Now I believe he has a Dual Ventricular Assist Device. It's amazing what we can do in medicine these days compared to 40 years ago.

 

[maldorf]

They are called Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD). Dick Cheney has had an LVAD since at least 2010. Now I believe he has a Dual Ventricular Assist Device. It's amazing what we can do in medicine these days compared to 40 years ago.

Yeah, the devices have come a long way. Cheney used that until he was able to get a transplant. I think he used it for almost 1 year while he was on the waiting list.

The old ones were big pumps that they put in your abdomen. I'm thinking the batteries are still external.

 

[m314]

If anyone else is curious about finding a HR monitor to work with a pacemaker, looks like most wont work. I will have to use either a fingertip or ear clip device. I may look into the earclip.

Pacemaker Club: Pacemaker/Heart rate monitor interference

www.pacemakerclub.com

What about a watch? My Galaxy Watch Active 2 monitors my heartrate 24/7 except when I'm charging it. It has an ECG feature too.

 

[maldorf]

What about a watch? My Galaxy Watch Active 2 monitors my heartrate 24/7 except when I'm charging it. It has an ECG feature too.

Both the chest straps and watch work by the same method, unless the watch works by using a light sensor on the skin. The electrical current produced in my chest now is abnormal because of the pacemaker putting out a spike with each beat.

Looks like an ear or finger sensor that uses light will work ok.

That galaxy device looks great for a normal heart.

 

[m314]

Both the chest straps and watch work by the same method, unless the watch works by using a light sensor on the skin. The electrical current produced in my chest now is abnormal because of the pacemaker putting out a spike with each beat.

Looks like an ear or finger sensor that uses light will work ok.

That galaxy device looks great for a normal heart.

The Galaxy Watch Active line uses a green laser to monitor heartrate. I had the original one for a couple years before getting the Active 2. The old one was advertised as being able to monitor blood pressure optically, but they never got that feature working. Now they say it will be available in the Active 3 coming out this year.

The last one used to think I was exercising and give me notifications like "Good Job!" while I was fucking my wife. Lol.

 

[maldorf]

The Galaxy Watch Active line uses a green laser to monitor heartrate. I had the original one for a couple years before getting the Active 2. The old one was advertised as being able to monitor blood pressure optically, but they never got that feature working. Now they say it will be available in the Active 3 coming out this year.

The last one used to think I was exercising and give me notifications like "Good Job!" while I was fucking my wife. Lol.

Ok, sounds like it will probably work. I figured it worked like most by sensing the electrical current like in an ekg. I will look into that.

 

[Pissbrainiac259]

My left forearm where they put in the IV has been sore since the day of surgery. I went to the hospital today and had them do a doppler on it and sure enough I have a blood clot in my cephalic vein. Luckily its a superficial vein, so they will just leave it alone and my body will slowly dissolve that over a month or so. Nothing to be done. It hurts if I put pressure on it, but other than that it is ok. Seems having an IV in for awhile can cause clots like this is just about anybody. So now I have to deal with that. Seems like everything goes wrong. Im also still trying to get my INR level high enough to be therapeutic. Still having to take lovenox shots in my abdomen.

Did 35 minutes of cardio on the treadmill today and felt better than before. So thats positive. A part of me is now scared that part of the clot will break out and travel to my lungs. They reassured me that wont happen, and me being on anticoagulants is more insurance that it wont.

An Upper Extremity DVT is sometimes called Paget-Schroetter Syndrome but there's bickering within the medical community about the name of it. Doctors are often whiny, petty, and arrogant bitches behind closed doors. It's like being an extra on a live soap opera except it's for real and happening right in front of you. They should be trying to bridge your Warfarin with Lovenox so you don't run the risk of developing Warfarin-induced skin necrosis which ain't pretty. At least Lovenox can be administered Sub-Q once every Q24hrs. On the bright side, UE DVTs are tx'ed similar to other more common LE DVTs using anticoagulation for ~4 wks. The crappy side is going in frequently so they can draw blood to make sure your INR level is between 2-3.

Do you video imaging and/or images of the EP studies? I would love to see them. Also, 7 hours for an RFCA procedure is a long time. Things that make me go hmmmm. All things considered, we're glad you're still with us and adhere to the foods/supplements/Rx meds that interact with Warfarin's effectiveness b/c there are dozens if not hundreds of items to watch out for.

 

[maldorf]

An Upper Extremity DVT is sometimes called Paget-Schroetter Syndrome but there's bickering within the medical community about the name of it. Doctors are often whiny, petty, and arrogant bitches behind closed doors. It's like being an extra on a live soap opera except it's for real and happening right in front of you. They should be trying to bridge your Warfarin with Lovenox so you don't run the risk of developing Warfarin-induced skin necrosis which ain't pretty. At least Lovenox can be administered Sub-Q once every Q24hrs. On the bright side, UE DVTs are tx'ed similar to other more common LE DVTs using anticoagulation for ~4 wks. The crappy side is going in frequently so they can draw blood to make sure your INR level is between 2-3.

Do you video imaging and/or images of the EP studies? I would love to see them. Also, 7 hours for an RFCA procedure is a long time. Things that make me go hmmmm. All things considered, we're glad you're still with us and adhere to the foods/supplements/Rx meds that interact with Warfarin's effectiveness b/c there are dozens if not hundreds of items to watch out for.

Thanks for the advice. The surgeon said that he routinely does VT ablation surgery that lasts up to 7 hours. The last one I had was about 5 and a half hours.

The clot I have is luckily just a SVT. She did a doppler, like an echocardiogram, but I never get any images from any of those. She checked from my neck down to my hand on each upper limb. Just have to wait now for lysis to break it down. It is feeling a bit less painful now and hasn't spread up or down.

Getting my INR done again today. Last one was 1.7, but this should be higher because I've been taking higher doses than my normal maintenance dose. Been on 6mg/day now for about 12 years. Going to be lifelong. I will be glad to stop doing 2x per day injections and my abdomen will be glad to thank me. I'm full of bruises. Just need to get my INR stabilized like it usually is. I'm usually very steady on it, but going off for surgery really throws my body for a loop.

 

[J.Jameson]

Thanks for the advice. The surgeon said that he routinely does VT ablation surgery that lasts up to 7 hours. The last one I had was about 5 and a half hours.

The clot I have is luckily just a SVT. She did a doppler, like an echocardiogram, but I never get any images from any of those. She checked from my neck down to my hand on each upper limb. Just have to wait now for lysis to break it down. It is feeling a bit less painful now and hasn't spread up or down.

Getting my INR done again today. Last one was 1.7, but this should be higher because I've been taking higher doses than my normal maintenance dose. Been on 6mg/day now for about 12 years. Going to be lifelong. I will be glad to stop doing 2x per day injections and my abdomen will be glad to thank me. I'm full of bruises. Just need to get my INR stabilized like it usually is. I'm usually very steady on it, but going off for surgery really throws my body for a loop.

One of my friends had to have an RFCA at the age of 18. Yikes. I wish you get well very quickly.

 

[Ironman 580]

Good luck man - i really hope you get well soon

 

[maldorf]

Well, my INR is up to 2.6 today, so I can stop the shots in my abdomen. Coumadin adjustment should be done. My arm pain from the clot does not feel any worse today.

 

[Pissbrainiac259]

Well, my INR is up to 2.6 today, so I can stop the shots in my abdomen. Coumadin adjustment should be done. My arm pain from the clot does not feel any worse today.

You ever been on Warfarin before?

 

[maldorf]

You ever been on Warfarin before?

Oh yes. 12 years now and will be for life. Since my heart attack.

 

[Pissbrainiac259]

Oh yes. 12 years now and will be for life. Since my heart attack.

Damn, only now do I realize what a stupid ass question I asked. Doh! So you are well-versed in the ways of Warfarin which is good. Since you are already a pro when it comes to Warfarin, maybe we can learn something about it anyways. You game?