Update

[KimC]

Hi,

Today I saw Dr. Carl Pepine, a cardio in Gainesville, FL who specializes in female ischemia syndromes. He concurrs w/ the CCF that my symptoms are not due to aortic valve disease but atherosclerosis, specifically microvascular angina, not Syndrome X or CAD.

He put me on an ACE-inhibitor in addition to Cardizem, Pravachol and nitrates. He also requested another cath in 30-days after the chest pain has been stabilized.

I'm numb. The cost of another cath is heavy on my mind but of course, it's worth it. I simply do not like being on burden on my family, physically or financially. Of course I understand that I would be a much bigger burder NOT being here at all ... well, I'm sure many of you know the mixed feelings you have when dealing with this kind of thing.

It can be overwhelming.

Best,

 

[Phyllis]

Dear Kim,
I'm glad that you have some answers and I hope that the medications resolve the problem- from what I've read about microvascular angina, the treatments work and there are few long term problems- I hope this is the case with you and wish you the best. We women are so use to being the care-givers that we feel guilty when we need care ourselves. Please don't do that and take care of yourself!

 

[KimC]

Whoops, I saw my diagnosis today from Pepine and it's actually angina decubitis, not microvascular angina. I'm confused. I brought my Mom to the appt. w/ Dr. Pepine and felt rushed ... she was asking him questions about herself(!) Turns out she's having chest discomfort after climbing stairs. Her BP was high when they took it. Dr. Pepine joked that she should be the patient ... ugh. My Mom has aortic valve disease on her side of the family -- lots of it. I'm scheduling an appt. for her this week.

Lesson learned? Don't bring your elderly mother to your cardio's appt.!!! OR MAYBE IT WAS A GOOD THING! I can't believe what she has been experiencing without sharing it with anyone.

Thanks for listening.

Best,

 

[Abbanabba]

Hi Kim, well I hope you dx means your docs can now treat what they need to and have you feeling better again. I guess that has to be worth the expense, although it really is one of the last things you want to have to worry about when you're unwell.

Meanwhile I hope there is nothing too serious with your mum.

Best wishes
Anna : )

 

[Karlynn]

Hi Kim,
Thank you so much for the update. You continue to remain close in thought and prayer.

Did you get to ask Dr. Pepine the questions you had???

 

[KimC]

Karlynn,

Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words.

No, I did not get to ask Dr. Pepine the questions I had. It turned out to be very difficult to have my mother w/ me. My appt. was rushed, in part I think because my mom kept talking about herself! I know she didn't mean to interfere but she did. I think she was very nervous to be in a cardio's office for the first time. She blurted out all kinds of silly things.

I have another appt. w/ Dr. Pepine in 30 days, so my questions can wait.

Blessings,

 

[inlaguna]

Kim

Don't know if your doctor has an e-mail address you can get, but it might ease your mind to ask him some questions that way. The docs I have dealt with recently have been good about answering my concerns by e-mail.


Dan

 

[tobagotwo]

This sounds more reasonable than some of the things that others had come up with for you. It certainly makes a difference when a doctor has some confidence (as opposed to arrogance) in his diagnosis.

Make sure you get your questions asked. Write them down, so you don't get rushed into forgetting them.

I hope you're finally getting some closure on this issue.

And you're not off the hook, by the way, just because it show up nonvalvular. Like Hennsylee, you are a part of this site. And like Marley, you'll just have to drag it (and us) with you wherever you go, so you might as well keep on posting...

Best wishes,

 

[Harpoon]

Two personal experiences to share that you might appreciate. =)


First off, I think it's quite normal to feel like you're a "burden" to your family members and/or friends because of the condition your in. I know i felt like that for a LONG time before (and after actually) my surgery and it was really rough, a very dark time in my life... I still have bouts of it, still wonder if they'd be 'better off" but then I start to think about myself some. I've got a LOT to accomplish, a lot of thigns I want to do, stuff I've promised for myself. I also think about all the effort my family put forward in helping me, the sacrifices they've made for me. Then everything my surgeon and all my other doctors and nurses and everyone else.

I really do owe them my life in every sense of the word. How dare I think of myself as a burden, I should be a testament to their abilities, their caring.


Usually that works, not always. If it doesn't work, we break out the Ben&Jerry's.


When I got to see my cardiologist I usually have the "entourage" with me. I don't care for it much. My son's four and I don't mind having him along too much as long as I don't have to keep after him to behave and not get into everything. Usually he's pretty good with that in my cardiologist's office though. My wife however... I swear I would have been better off letting her see my doctor while I sit and read some 4 month old magazine out in the waiting room. She's always asking all kinds of questions about my condition and answering just about every question my doctors ask of me!


You KNOW how annoying that can be I'm sure.

She means well I know, but she seems to think I won't say anything if I'm being bothered by soomething because I won't want to upset anyone or something... I know part of that is because while I was "asleep" (I was sometimes conscious while on the vent, a five week stint, but I don't have any memory of it) after my valve replacement there were a few times when I was in real distress and didn't tell the nurses about it.

The other side of that is that while she's asking something, I'm getting distracted from my train of thought and I can't ask what I NEED to know. It's frustrating but I put up with it because I know the reason she's there is because she really cares about me.


Glad she doesn't have any heart trouble.... Ouch.


You might ask a nurse the next time you go to see your doctor to intervine. I know many practices have a policy in place that, at least for adult patients, when they go to a room to meet with the doctor, they're not allowed to bring company.

My primary physician is like that. It's a group practice and they usually don't allow family members to accompany adult patients into the exam rooms unless it's a child and there's no one else to watch over him/her. It might be worth talking to someone about, they can be real discreet and hard for your mother to argue with. =)

 

[KimC]

Bob, thank you for your kind words. You won't get rid of me! I've grown to love VR.com and all the great, intellligent people here.

Harpoon, I just told my spouse that we'll have to get ready for the cost of another cath. He's cool with it, although it will impact us financially. Even dotcommers have limited budgets.

All the best,