long term type 1 diabetes and bypass surgery
Dear group members,
I have type 1 diabetes, have had it fourty years and have had one heart
attack and two heart catherations. I am now having the pain in both arms
and chest again, and have been told that if these symptoms occured
again, then I will have to face a double bypass , as they found another
blockage behind my heart. I already have a stent put in, but my body
produces scar tissue. That was the reason for the heart attack this past
January. I’m very frustrated about all of this, as well as scared. Is
there anyone in this group that has had this procedure done? If so,
could you email me thru this group? I won’t be able to see the
cardiologist until the 24 of this month. I just feel as if I can’t go on
like this for much longer. Thanks. Kathy Buchecker.
March 6th, 2006 at 12:46 am
Kathy,
I don’t know how to help you, but it is important for us DMers to keep our
potassium at the normal levels. If we have any kidney dysfunction, the
potassium doesn’t get peed out and the excess causes heart attacks. This is a
simple blood test. I do have a potassium list of foods if anyone is
interested. E-mail me offlist and I’ll post it to you.
March 8th, 2006 at 7:15 am
Hi Kathy,
—– Original Message —–
I had five bypass heart surgery in Aug. 1999. My father and my younger
sister also have had the surgery. Guess we all have the same genes. I was
having pretty bad chest pain and I knew I was headed for a heart attack like
my father. He had it at age 44. I was 39 at the time of my surgery. I was
popping nitro like crazy and also on long acting nitro (can’t think of the
name just now). I found that the pain lessened if I kept my blood sugars
normal and really watched the salt and red meat to keep my blood pressure
down. I finally went to the doctor and they did the angiogram and said I
was over 90 percent blocked in several branches so they did the quintuple
bypass surgery right away. I was scared and relieved at the same time. I
also was happy to finally stop having the chest pains. They can be scary
with a feeling of impending doom. I healed pretty fast–the doctors were
surprised. It was tough at times, but I just had to remember along the way,
that I felt better than having the chest pains. I’d be happy to answer any
questions.. Love, Jeana in Alaska Ü (Type 1 since 1968–age
March 8th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
I would very much like to hear about potassium causing heart attacks. Please
tell me more.
Kathy,
I don’t know how to help you, but it is important for us DMers to keep our
potassium at the normal levels. If we have any kidney dysfunction, the
potassium doesn’t get peed out and the excess causes heart attacks. This is a
simple blood test. I do have a potassium list of foods if anyone is
interested. E-mail me offlist and I’ll post it to you.
March 9th, 2006 at 1:55 am
> I would very much like to hear about potassium causing heart attacks.
Please tell me more.
>
> Catie
Catie,
I posted you privately with the list of foods containing Potassium and their
amounts. I don’t know anything other than excess P causes heart attacks. I
also know that not enough causes severe pains. My mother went to the ER twice
and the dx was lack of P. She was admitted and had to have it IV - 3 days. She
had been Rx’d 6 P pills a day. She felt better so didn’t take them.
(WRONGGGG!!) Isn’t it strange that would happen to her and I have too much?
The key is to keep in the acceptable range which I believe is about 4.3 - 5.2.
A simple blood test is used for the test. Maybe Joan (Otherouts) has some
input on this.
March 9th, 2006 at 5:32 pm
Thanks for the info. I would have a LOT of trouble giving up Kelp (seaweed)
’cause I love shushi. Have it about once a week. <sigh> I will ask about this
blood test when I go in next.
March 12th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
Jeana,
I admire you going through it so bravely and matter of factly. I have
always said only severe pain would cause me to have by pass surgery. But
who knows.
Gail
March 13th, 2006 at 12:23 am
I am not Joan, but I will put my two cents in. Potassium is called an
electrolyte. There are several the body uses. These electolytes keep the
heart beating correcting and working. If there is a shortage of any of
these electrolytes or too much, either can cause heart arrythmias or crazy
beatings. If there is enough of a depletion or over amount in the blood it
can be fatal.
This happens offen when someone has been vomiting or diarrhea for some
time, that is why a bag of potassium IV is started immediately in ER and
sometimes other electrolytes are added. With children it does not take much
vomiting or diarrhea to cause this. The other with having too much is
usually caused because out kidneys are not filtering out like they should.
They can give you nasty medicine to get rid of the extra potassium. It can
cause diarrhea up to 20 x a day. My Mother was on it for two years before
she died.
Gail
March 15th, 2006 at 9:56 am
Gail,
Severe chest was what finally got me to have it too. They had me in the
hospital for the angiogram and on a nitro drip and I was still having pain.
Surgery was such a relief to me. I guess it helped that I had a father who
battled heart disease for 22+ years. It was pretty common to see my dad
taking nitro. I knew if the surgery he had in 1974 let him live until 1996,
then my surgery would do the same. Maybe I’ll live even longer since the
method has improved so much. My docs didn’t do the long cut down the leg to
take the vein. They just did about four 2 inch horizontal cuts evenly
spaced along the leg. The worst of the healing was the leg. With my
sister’s surgery, that she had last year, they took her veins from her arm
and didn’t even touch the leg. She’s doing great. The techniques are
always improving.. I’d much rather have the surgery than deal with the
chest pain. –Jeana Ü
—– Original Message —–
I have always said only severe pain would cause me to have by pass surgery.
But who knows.
> Gail
March 15th, 2006 at 7:51 pm
Gail,
Thanks for the information, that is just what I wanted to hear. I have now
something else in my bag of questions to ask when it is time for my blood work.
March 17th, 2006 at 3:04 am
Yes Kathy I had CABX3 14 years ago and I’m still alive and kicking.
fp
March 29th, 2006 at 1:29 am
<<
Catie,
I posted you privately with the list of foods containing Potassium and their
amounts. I don’t know anything other than excess P causes heart attacks. I
also know that not enough causes severe pains. My mother went to the ER twice
and the dx was lack of P. She was admitted and had to have it IV - 3 days.
She
had been Rx’d 6 P pills a day. She felt better so didn’t take them.
(WRONGGGG!!) Isn’t it strange that would happen to her and I have too much?
The key is to keep in the acceptable range which I believe is about 4.3 -
5.2.
A simple blood test is used for the test. Maybe Joan (Otherouts) has some
input on this. >>
Hi Gang: I’ll keep this short……Potassium is one of the primary
electorlytes that helps to keep our heart muscle regulared and running
correctly….not enough….definitely a problem, muscle activity will slow
down or stop……too much, muscle will stop, period. Good place to go is
my favorite place….www.diabeteswell.com
also go to National Institutes of Health….nih.gov
go to niddk - national institute of diabetes, digestive and kidney
diseases…..excellent site for researching and finding user friendly
info….Joan :-)))