A different way to spend the day

[Westmarcher]

Good news, indeed, Pierre. 

Let's hope Jim's will turn out just as good.*

* they don't seem to be in a tearing hurry, Jim, so hopefully that's a good sign.

[jimduncanuk]

Let's hope Jim's will turn out just as good.*

* they don't seem to be in a tearing hurry, Jim, so hopefully that's a good sign.

Saw GP this morning.

CT scan showed no further cancer signs.

However I seem to have a partially blocked left coronal artery.

Just waiting on someone in Cardiology to waken up and tell me what my options are.

Jim

[Ithoriel]

Fingers crossed you don't need anything drastic Jim.

[Westmarcher]

Jim, if you don't end up taking more drugs, don't be surprised if they book you in for coronary angioplasty (fitting a stent). Don't worry if they do. I got a stent (actually two together) fitted nearly 11 years ago after suffering a series of 'unstable'* angina attacks that knocked me down to the floor on my knees. My young GP couldn't figure out what it was** and every time I suffered an attack I kept thinking, "this can't be good for my heart!"    I eventually got to see the the most experienced GP in the practice (I wanted an experienced GP from the word 'go' but was arrogantly informed they were all 'experienced') and, more or less at the same time, as I was telling him I wanted to see a heart specialist, he was telling me, "I think we better refer you to a heart specialist."

They will warn you that, like any surgical procedure it can go wrong (in which case you might get whisked away for heart by-pass surgery) but the stats are well in favour of a successful outcome. So, for the vast majority (myself included) it is a very straightforward procedure done under local anaesthetic (you can even watch your op on the telly) and they might even kick you out the hospital the same day. I've never had a problem since.

* "Unstable" angina (aka acute coronary syndrome) attacks happen at random and, unlike 'stable' angina are not necessarily related to stress or physical exercise or work. 
** to be fair to him, I had been to A&E and they said they could find nothing wrong with my heart so that set him off on another direction. It turned out that A&E's tests can detect if you have had a heart attack but not if you have had an unstable angina attack and by the time I got to A&E, I had completely recovered from the attack and it was as if nothing had happened. 

[Techno]

Fingers crossed you don't need anything drastic Jim.

Ditto, Jim. (Great news on the 'no further signs', though'.)

Sounds like Davy's on the right track, from what I've heard from friends and acquaintances.

Cheers - Phil

[jimduncanuk]

Jim, if you don't end up taking more drugs, don't be surprised if they book you in for coronary angioplasty (fitting a stent). Don't worry if they do. I got a stent (actually two together) fitted nearly 11 years ago after suffering a series of 'unstable'* angina attacks that knocked me down to the floor on my knees. My young GP couldn't figure out what it was** and every time I suffered an attack I kept thinking, "this can't be good for my heart!"    I eventually got to see the the most experienced GP in the practice (I wanted an experienced GP from the word 'go' but was arrogantly informed they were all 'experienced') and, more or less at the same time, as I was telling him I wanted to see a heart specialist, he was telling me, "I think we better refer you to a heart specialist."

They will warn you that, like any surgical procedure it can go wrong (in which case you might get whisked away for heart by-pass surgery) but the stats are well in favour of a successful outcome. So, for the vast majority (myself included) it is a very straightforward procedure done under local anaesthetic (you can even watch your op on the telly) and they might even kick you out the hospital the same day. I've never had a problem since.

Thanks Westie

I had googled around a bit and I could see all these options, none of which were a surprise anyway.

After three trips in an ambulance in recent years, once with blues and twos going I don't think I am going to panic.

I'll probably just get annoyed if something disrupts my figure painting.

Jim

[d_Guy]

Very good news, Peter!

Hope also that things continue to get positively sorted for you too, Jim.

[paulr]

Fingers crossed you don't need anything drastic Jim.

Thirded

[Smoking gun]

Pierre,
I had a small stroke nearly 11 years ago, with a similar scan result to yours. I've suffered no after effects and have returned to a "normal" life but I have to take blood pressure, statin and asprin tablets daily.

I hope your experience matches mine and you're back to normal life soon. Being able to drive is a great step forward.

Martin