Hit Rock Bottom!

[Diesel]

Update!

Update!

Well i know this has been a week since i wrote.. But i just wanted to let you guys know that I am leaving EARLY in the morning to go see my Pacemaker Doctor and then off to the Cardio"S" then to the hospital..

I still don't know what they are going to do once i'm there. You know how doctors love to make you "waite an see". Unfortunatley im waiting to see if i have a blood clott or not.. And if NOT, then WHAT do i have, and WHAT is actually wrong with me..

So i'll write again, once i can, and once i know more. I almost feel like the night before "surgery" That crazy feeling that we all go through. I guess there actually is the chance though, that they might have to replace my NEW mechanical valve. But for now.. im in the dark and i just dont know anything.

Best of health to all of you..
Diesel

 

[LLJ]

Hey Diesel,did anyone check your leg for a DVT (clot). Did you tell them it was swollen and charlie horsed and you couldn't bear weight on it for 4 days? You're on coumadin so it really unlikely it was a DVT,but just checking to make sure you told them.
Good luck,what an awful lot to go through. You deserve a rest and some TLC
Laura

 

[dmoses1]

... (oh guess what, my cardio called me at my house today to see how i was doing. He said that he knew i had been upset and cried alot over the last few days over frustration. And that he wanted me to know that he was doing everything that he thought was right for me and not to give up. . .

Diesel

WOW!!!! I wish I had a doctor like that!

 

[Guest]

Wow, Diesel ... I was speechless when you first posted this ... and still am speechless, but wanted to let you know that you are not alone....

Thoughts/prayers continue coming your way....


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/quilt.html
"How much longer will they be around?" ... Don Williams ... 'Old Coyote Town'

 

[gijanet]

Wow, Diesel!

Wow, Diesel!

Just had to send you (((hugs))) and you will definitely be in our prayers. I hate playing the waiting game, by the way. We will be looking for your update. Many more hugs. Janet

 

[PJmomrunner]

This new cardio sounds like a keeper. Have a great weekend!

 

[Karlynn]

Still thing of and praying for you Diesel and hoping that you get some concrete answers today. Hang in there - we're here for you!

 

[Diesel]

Update

Update

well here is another short update...

Im in the hosptial recieving Bridge THerapy. They have taken me off from coumadin and now on a Heprin IV. They have infiltrated my arm twice and i am black and blue! But they have an iv in for now that seems to work.

Tuesday is the day of my cath. They think the valve sounds good so my problem might be that my heart isnt pumping as hard as it use to.. Why we dont know. SO basically i am still up in the air until tuesday. They have started me back on Lasix and Digioxin.

So for now its just waiting around. *I treid to convince my mom and dad to goback home until tuesday, cause there is no reason they need to sit in an aweful hosptial room with me. But i dont think its gonna work, gosh luv em! I just think that they could beniffit from being home and relaxing but they say that they aren't gonna leave. POSSIBLY go home sunday but come back monday cause they do have to make arrangements for the dog and stuff.!!

But thanks for listening and for all the prayers everyone. The waiting game is still on.........
Diesel

 

[Karlynn]

Oh, God bless your Mom and Dad. I would be the same way if it was my child in your spot. No matter how old you get, you are still your parents' child.

I hope all goes well and they get some definitive, easily-fixable answers for you.

 

[Mary]

I'm glad you were able to post so we know what's going on (well, at least know as much as you know)
Maybe you'll get your answers on Tuesday.
As a mom, I imagine that it is probably easier on your folks to stay with you than to be sitting at home wondering what's going on. Karlynn hit it right on the head when she said you'll always be your parents' child. And they will always be your mommy and daddy.

 

[Diesel]

update

update

Well i had my cath yesterday. Those are definately NOT FUN! but too the piont.. They thought monday night that there was a really good chance that i was going to need a heart transplant.. BUT I DONT!!!!! i am soo happy. THey are PRETTY sure that i can be treated by meds.

My heart has decided that it doesnt want to pump as hard as it should. ANd therefor my left ventricle is changing shape. THen blood isnt getting up through my mechanical valve like its suppose to either.

I dont have a blood clott. They think my body just disolved it on its own! SO that was great to hear.

So this new Pill (i will have to tell you later cause i dont know the spelling of it) is going to make my heart pump harder. Its an Ace Inhibitor.

They had me pretty scared for a bit. But i really hope thhat the meds work! Now i just have to get my INR up and i can head home.

We do have a concern though... my resting heart rate is 106-120 by just laying in bed watching tv... and at night it gets up to 130 easily... the lowest it has droped is 80

They said they dont have an answer for that. IT has myself and my family slightly worried. I have noticed that i have "heart races" and that it seems to come and go.. ALl i get from the head nurse is.. yeah about 20 minutes ago, your heart monitor showed that it was racing.. but it stopped..

SO my brother (emt, paramedic) Thinks i should find a university hosptial and have them check me out.. He doenst think i should go back to work with such a high resting heart rate.. So i just dont know what to do...
ANy Thoughts???
Diesel

 

[geebee]

I am glad that a few things turned out good for you.
Did they say what was causing the racing? Is it a-flutter or something else? I would like for them to get this under control because it will tire you out and work might be a struggle.
Try to find out a little more information on why the racing.
I will pray that the meds work for you as well.

 

[PJmomrunner]

Well, for what it's worth, your case seems pretty complicated to me and big university medical centers are well equipped to handle complicated cases, so your brother probably has a point. I haven't lived in Maine for a long time (since college--UMO), but I don't know if there are any big university medical centers in Maine, are there? Is Boston your closest option? There certainly are some fine medical centers there...

 

[Phyllis]

Glad things are looking up Diesel!
I would insist on some answers from the doctors on the heart rate and if they are not forthcoming, I would agree with your brother re: getting another opinion. I highly recommend Brigham or Mass General in Boston.
Best wishes to you- I hope everything progresses well from here on out.

 

[Glenda]

Diesel, hugs and prayers are coming your way. I hope the doctor's will get to the bottom of this. Just remember we are here for you anytime you want to vent.

 

[savysmommy]

I've been waiting for your post! Glad to hear things are looking a little better. If you can wait to get checked out by another hospital before returning to work, then you should. No need to rush back into things if you dont have to.

Are they going to put you on any meds to lower your heart rate?

Take care of yourself,
Shannon

 

[Mary]

Diesel,
I'm glad things are beginning to look up, but I agree that you should look into finding help in a bigger teaching/population center.

I'll keep you in my prayers and hope you find some answers to your high heart rate.

 

[Diesel]

Pill Question

Pill Question

Hi everyone! i have a few questions for you.
I am still in the hospital waiting for my coumadin level to come up. But in the mean time i have started two new pills.

Does anyone take either Carvedilol or Enalapril?

I dont know much about em, im gonna try and do some research. All i know at this point is i dont need the heart transplant!! YES!!!!!!!! But they are concerned that my heart isnt pumping as strong as it should. AND that my resting heart rate is at a good 120-130... The lowest is 80 while i am sleeping. We talked with a few doctors today.. which was kinda confusing. But in the end they said they would like me to try the Carvedilol. So i said sure.

But i would love to know if anyone has had problems with these pills to watch out for.. and weight gain?? YIKERS..... Tiredness or anything to look for.. Im dreading the information when i find out how much these are gonna cost me too..

Oh an will these affect my INR levels??

WEll i am going to go rest for a little bit, but ill be back to see if anyone has tried these pills..

BEst of health to you all
Diesel

 

[PaulW]

I take Carvedolol

I take Carvedolol

I take Carvedolol or Coreg as it is also called because my ejection fraction is quite low. I initially had some problems, so my cardiologist started me on a tiny tiny dose and worked up slowly. Now I'm doing great with it and feel great. It makes me a little tired and sleepy when I take it morning and evening but this passes. And it seems to make me more relaxed which is a good thing, because I tend to be hyper. It does make my nose stuffy when I first take it also. It's supposed to be very good for improving heart function.

 

[Cris N]

I'm on 2.5 mg daily of Enalapril. No side effects that I've noticed.

Enalapril is an ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitor. ACE is an enzyme in the body which is important for the formation of angiotensin II. Angiotensin II causes constriction of arteries in the body, thereby elevating blood pressure. ACE inhibitors, such as enalapril, lower blood pressure by inhibiting the formation of angiotensin II, thus relaxing the arteries. Relaxing the arteries not only lowers blood pressure, but also improves the pumping efficiency of a failing heart and improves cardiac output in patients with heart failure.

Glad to hear you're not facing transplant. Hope the meds help.

Cris