Hello all...I have been posting here for a long time trying to figure out if I was suffering from angina or GERD. For 7 years I have fought with 3 cardiologist, 2 MD's, and 1 Gastrologist about my chest pain. I finally had a cath done lst week and had a blockage that was stented.

I am so anxious and depressed and really need to here some good survival stories. I am so afraid. I am 38 year old female with a 7 year old daughter to raise.

I have no family history, but I do have HBP, smoked, and was over weight.

I have stopped smoking even before this, eating a very low fat diet, exercising, and taking all meds.

Can I get some good sucess stories from some posters. I really need a boost to help me get out of the depression.

Thanks all,
Letreze

Hi Jaguar,
Cutting smoking was the necesssary first step - well done. :cool: Another plus for you is your age - you are young and your body is able to heal and repair itself better than the usual angina sufferers, which are often in their 60s and 70s.
Research has shown that angina, or plaque buildup, responds much better to positive lifestyle changes in younger people. Even children can have plaque in their arteries and they have found that diet and exercise alone can reverse that plaque buildup relatively easily. This is partly because the young arteries, in particular the muscular artery walls, flex much more easily during exercise.
So in addition to ceasing smoking you need to keep up with your exercise.
I would suggest strong exercise where you puff and pant, however because you have a stent and some level of disease, you need to develop your program gradually, and perhaps in consultation with your doctor.
Statistics can be your worst enemy here. Remember they include many people where the disease develops in an undiagnosed state (and then strikes), and many others who CHOOSE to do nothing about the necessary lifestyle changes (either smoking, diet or medication).
Medication is something you must adhere to now as well.
Keep your blood pressure under control (top priority)- exercise will help with that - keep your cholesterol down with medication and diet, and you should live to a fine old age.

Beefstake....Thanks for the inspiration. I'm only 1 week out of the hospital, and I am really having a hard time dealing with this. I guess even though I was concerned and thought it was my heart for these 7 years, I was kinda convienced different by the Dr. a little. I still have some chest discomfort, but I'm so anxious I can't tell if it is heart related or anxiety. I'm assuming its anxiety..but with everything going on I can't help but wonder still about my heart. Once again thanks for the nice post and giving me hope!

Letreze

i can understand you being scared. especially when you have a child. we had a friend who had stents put in at 38 and he had anxiety attacks after the event and ended up having therapy to help deal with the anxiety. you might want to consider that as an option because it is a major thing - heart surgery and the psychological affects are bound to be significant. i am a 38 year old female too, with 3 children, and your story scares me. I DO have family history, but no HBP and i gave up smoking 10 years ago. if you don't mind me asking what sort of chest pain did you get and when?

by the way our friend had his stents put in 8 years ago, he's very fit and has been fine since. :)

Letreze,

I'm doing fine 2.5 years after my stent for a completely closed right coronary artery. My exercise level is better than it has been in decades, my weight is pretty near where I want it, and my outlook is good for an old duffer.
The only think I might have done differently with the benefit of hindsight is to insist on an angioplasty WITHOUT a stent. If I need another, I think that's where I will go.
But my lipids are controlled to very low levels so I am reasonably certain that I won't/can't be laying down any more plaques and thus I won't have to make that decision.
If I DO develop angina again I will opt for drug intervention rather than a catheter unless it is debilitating.

Does your angioplasty/stent cause relief of all your symptoms?

Look at your stent procedure as both a warning and a CURE and take it from here. Keep your weight down and what is flowing through your arrteries low fat, get regular cardiac exercise, control your BP and look at it as a positive experience.

It DOES make us face our mortality though, doesn't it?