Bilhar and all – I got my results today for the coratid artery test -    -They found not a trace of build up.  I am good to go in that area  for now anyway – Thanks for the heads up bilhar your the greatest.    YIKES!  I have bruises all over me.  I had my elbow on my leg last  night reading the computer and when I woke up this morning I had a  bruise like you would not believe. I know what this is from but how  weird.    Oh by the way the little pains you might feel in your chest from  time to time is the artery healing up for us stent folks.  The rehab  nurse told me that when they went in there to place the stent of  course it caused some damage to the artery and it is natural to  experience some pain as that artery heals.    The doc told me today that if a person can get thier good  cholesterol 50 or above and the bad 70 or below that scientist have  proved that your body actually starts getting rid of some of the  plaque that is already formed in your arteries – How cool.  I have a  long way to go on that Cholesterol but at least I know now that  there is some hope.    Also for those of you, like me that are stupid enough to still be  smoking, the rehab nurses say that it is vital to take a Multi  Vitamin everyday they say that smoking takes alot out of you and you  should try to help in any little way you can to put some of that  back and the vitamins do help in that area.  So guess what I am  doing     I hope all is well with everyone.

I experience a slight chest tightness from time to time and am  wondering if this is necessarily cardiac related?  Last year I reported  this to my dr and she had me do a stress test and the nuclear test,  both of which didn’t show any problems.    Still intermitently by days I experience slight pressure from time to  time on the left side of my chest near the bottom of the left pectorial  muscle.  This discomfort/pressure usually occurs after I have a  stressfull moment or have gas.    I notice it more when I am sitting still which makes me suspect gas.    I am wondering if anyone else experieces this and hoping that it  doesn’t always indicate a cardio event.    Thank you for your time

Well, I am glad to see the up tick in email in the forum.    I use the information and others experiences to do help me through the day.  Sometimes they are very sad and I thank god that he has spared me those issues.  There are times I read a post and want to respond but can’t find the correct  words that will brighten that persons day. I am sure that we all just wish we  could put a smile on their faces.    I just felt that maybe if I would write something to everyone it might help.    Hang in there! Fight the good fight! Chin up chest out and smile we have a  full day in front of us.    Anything other than that is not an option!!!!!!!    God bless you all,    Dennis

Most frequently, occurs in smaller vessels than the larger ones. Women in particular  are prone to have occlussions of the smaller vessels. Women may  manifest symptoms of angina and never have the problem diagnosed for  that reason. Most smaller vessels can not be stented but those that  are tend to occlude faster. Stats that I have read seem to indicate  that blockerage has been reduced to around 17% of patients receiving  medicate compared to the 33-45% with bare metal stents. Usually the  occlusion is caused by scar tissue as the vessel immediately starts  trying to heal itself which is the benefit of medicated stents. They  tend to prevent that from occuring.    Many things complicate the picture of stenosis besides diet. I am  primarily a vegetarian. I do take fish oil capsules and occassionally  eat cheese. My total cholestrol is 115, my HDL is 45, my LDL is 57,  and my triglycerides are 135. Go figure that. Both of my parents had  CAD and one had CHF. Grand parents, aunts, uncles and brothers also  had or have it. Could it not be hereditary as they have stated many  times? People with normal or low cholestrol also have heart attacks.  My cardiologists are at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One is  head of cardiology and one is a research cardiologists. My internists  is head of internal medicine there. All have told me they do not know  what causes restenosis though there are theories on why it happens and  they are still researching it. I figure if they do not know, no one  else does either.    Certainly a doctor will stent if possible…but with the old bare  metal stents, restenosis was a frequent problem which returned them to  the cath lab for restenting. They are less traumatic to the body, but  also less expensive. Numerous articles have been publish on insurance  companies preferring stents if possible because of the expense  involved in by pass surgery. Robotic by pass is fast opening another  options as the pts. down time is considerably less, it is less  traumatic to the body, the patients heart is not stopped,  complications are few, and the expense is not as great. Two small  incisions are made in the side of the chest cavity though which the  robotic instruments are fed. A section of the mammilary artery is  taken and graphed in place of the diseased artery to the heart.

I worked with dying people too, and people with emotional problems and  people with drug problems, and people who have lost loved ones, AND,  yes you listen to them and you tell them it is ok to cry and you  empathize with them…….but being a nurse, I would think you already  knew that. What is not ok is fixating on stents to the point they are  consuming your life. Thinking of them every “2 minutes” every day is  being consumed. That is what we were talking about…….about fear.  Have you talked to your doctor about your obsession with them?  Incidentally, an optimist will always lead others to higher grounds. A  pessimist will take you to their dark depths if you stay around them.  I think you know that though.    Regardless Jen, I hope you do get some help for your fixation over  this. Life can not be to good lived that way and it is not physically  healthy for you. There is help available if you will take the steps to  get it. It does not mean your fear will go away, but it does offer you  the possibilty of leading some kind of normal life before your entire  life is consumed with it. But as a nurse, you also know that fixated  patients are usually referred to counseling to help them learn to cope.    Good luck, what ever you choose to do.

I understand all  that you say.  When I first joined the forum I thought I was with  people who felt the sane way I do, people who were scared and  feeling really worried.  Now I can see that everyone on here is  doing alot better and doesn’t need to vent.  Maybe I should find a  forum for heart stent placement beginners.  lol    I don’t really know how to explain how I feel.  I understand that I  should be thankful to be alive – AND I AM – I understand that none  of us live forever – I REALLY DO – I understand that cancer or a  desease which only gives you a short time frame for living would be  really bad – I REALLY UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT.    What I don’t understand and the thing that drives me out of my mind  is this.  I have pains (I will call them) in my chest, in my jaw, in my back -  Now these are not pains that I could rate on a scale from 1-10 They  are just uncomfortable – Like just enough to remind me that – “OH  WAIT A MINUTE I HAVE A HEART DESEASE, I MIGHT DROP DEAD”  Before you  say it I also understand that anyone could drop dead at anytime.  I guess what I want to know is this.  If I have tightening on my jaw, pains in my back, weird sharp pains  in my chest and so on and I tell the doc about it the first thing  they want you to do is have another cath  That scrares the hell out  of me.  I don’t want another cath.  I don’t want to think that  everytime I think there might be a problem that I will have to have  another cath to find out.  I know what I want and what they have to  do is two different things.  I just guess I don’t know when to go  and when not to go.  Of course if I really thought I were in trouble  I would head out. but how does one know unless your having really  BAD problems?    I guess I will stop bothering you all and remove myself from your  forum as I know there is not much more you can say.   I appreciate  all that you all have done for me and I wish you all the best.  Maybe you all should rename this forum to “People who have suffered  heart attacks, bypass and stents and haven’t a worry in the world”  Sub Title ” We have it all togehter”  I am not talking to all of the  members as I know and have talked to people who are terrified just  like I am and who are sitting in the background reading these posts  and thinking I know where she is coming from.    Maybe it takes time to sort all this out – Maybe someday I will be  able to come on here and tell people to get it together, everybody  is going to die sometime, no one lives forever and take it one day  at a time and be thankful for it.  I hope that I can someday.  But I  know that I will never forget the fear that I have had and god only  knows how long I will have it and that is what I will still try to  talk to those new people about.  I will let them know that Suffering  from a heart problem is one of the most terrible things that can  happen to you mentally and some times physically and that I do not  take it lightly.  I will talk with them about the real fears and  help to calm them until I know I have done everything I can to help  this person fall asleep at night.  I will do everything I can to  help them to maybe be able to stay at home by themselves again and  go to a store alone again.    I will never say “Hey get it together I don’t understand why you are  so upset – You got a second Chance (MAYBE)  You don’t need to  understand why it happened just get back to your living and don’t  worry about dieing, Hey if it happens it happens Because It happens  to everyone”.    Oh and just for the record.  I wanted to let you know Miss Prissy,  Your remark about most people who have reached 40 have a handle on  thier mortality issues.  I have to differ with you there.  I have  talked to many men on this forum who are well into thier 50′s who  cry themselves to sleep at night.  Guess why?  Because they are  scared as hell. They are all thankful to be alive but they are  scared to death and some can’t even sleep at all.    You all have a great night and thanks for your time

When Your Hut’s on Fire….    The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island.    He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him.    Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.    Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to  protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions.    One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in  flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky.  He felt the worst had happened,  and everything was lost.    He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger.  He cried out, “God! How  could you do this to me?”    Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the  island!    It had come to rescue him!  “How did you know I was here?” asked the weary  man of his rescuers.  “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.    The Moral of This Story: It’s easy to get discouraged when things are going  bad, but we shouldn’t lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in  the midst of our pain and suffering.    Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the  ground.  It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.    P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who  feels as if their hut is on fire today.

Must be everyone is catching up on their Sleep,   glad the problem is  over,  ha ha    just kidding,   whats everyone doing.  Been pretty  quiet lately-    Don’t recall if I told you, but I signed up with Humana Gold,  healthcare plan-  Medicare pays them to handle all my medical needs.    It includes the new Prescription Drug plan,  no Medi Gap is needed,  and it cost Zero per month-   Drugs have a Co pay of $5.00  Doc visit  a co pay of $15-   First 5 days in Hospital $180 per day, no fee after  that.   Plus I get a Free Membership at the Y Center Healthclub, and  90 day supply of Vitamins and minerals -  love that one.    Not a bad deal if your in Medicare  -   Next thing guess I should go  see a Doctor,   for a check up.    Been 3 years.

Many people consume too much salt, but new research may have uncovered one reason people crave it — it might lead to a better mood.

Researchers found that when rats are deficient in sodium chloride (common table salt), they shy away from activities they normally enjoy. A loss of pleasure in normally pleasing activities is one of the most important features of psychological depression.

If salt is a natural mood-elevating substance, it could help explain why so many are tempted to over-ingest it, even though it’s known to contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease and other health problems.