Emerging EECP (Enhanced External Counterpulsation) Patient!



D

Dan

Guest
I was told in April of 2003 that I was not a good candidate for
evasive surgery because I had several operations in the past , 1985
double by-pass, several angioplasties, and also caths, and finally a
stent in 2000. I was told in April that I had 3 totally blocked
arteries and the only blood supply to my heart was the left mammary
graft that was done in 1985.

Yesterday I went for my quarterly-exam and when I was in the waiting
room I heard this methodical sound over and over, eventually when my
Cardiologist came in he explained EECP to me and said they had been
doing it for about 2 months and said that I would be a good candidate
for it.

I was so excited to hear about it, I am amazed that such a thing is
being kept secret by other cardiologists, I was told by another
cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon in April 2003 my only options were
drugs and diet and exercise. I am the first to admit I never heard of
it till just yesterday (red in face) !

I would be eager to hear from anyone who has had the treatment or
presently is undergoing it, I would especially like to know:

1.) I will be driving 60 miles round trip per day for the treatment,
is this a problem?

2.) Should I see about taking 2 hours per day instead of one hour, and
cut the treatment in half?

Thanks to all in adavnce and God Bless,
Danny in Carrabelle,Florida
 
Dan wrote:

> I was told in April of 2003 that I was not a good candidate for
> evasive surgery because I had several operations in the past , 1985
> double by-pass, several angioplasties, and also caths, and finally a
> stent in 2000. I was told in April that I had 3 totally blocked
> arteries and the only blood supply to my heart was the left mammary
> graft that was done in 1985.
>
> Yesterday I went for my quarterly-exam and when I was in the waiting
> room I heard this methodical sound over and over, eventually when my
> Cardiologist came in he explained EECP to me and said they had been
> doing it for about 2 months and said that I would be a good candidate
> for it.
>
> I was so excited to hear about it, I am amazed that such a thing is
> being kept secret by other cardiologists, I was told by another
> cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon in April 2003 my only options were
> drugs and diet and exercise. I am the first to admit I never heard of
> it till just yesterday (red in face) !
>
> I would be eager to hear from anyone who has had the treatment or
> presently is undergoing it, I would especially like to know:
>
> 1.) I will be driving 60 miles round trip per day for the treatment,
> is this a problem?
>

Inconvenient but not a problem.

>
> 2.) Should I see about taking 2 hours per day instead of one hour, and
> cut the treatment in half?
>

No.

--
Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD
Board-Certified Cardiologist
http://www.heartmdphd.com/
 
Thank you, Dr Chung for your kind reply.
Danny



"Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Dan wrote:
>
> > I was told in April of 2003 that I was not a good candidate for
> > evasive surgery because I had several operations in the past , 1985
> > double by-pass, several angioplasties, and also caths, and finally a
> > stent in 2000. I was told in April that I had 3 totally blocked
> > arteries and the only blood supply to my heart was the left mammary
> > graft that was done in 1985.
> >
> > Yesterday I went for my quarterly-exam and when I was in the waiting
> > room I heard this methodical sound over and over, eventually when my
> > Cardiologist came in he explained EECP to me and said they had been
> > doing it for about 2 months and said that I would be a good candidate
> > for it.
> >
> > I was so excited to hear about it, I am amazed that such a thing is
> > being kept secret by other cardiologists, I was told by another
> > cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon in April 2003 my only options were
> > drugs and diet and exercise. I am the first to admit I never heard of
> > it till just yesterday (red in face) !
> >
> > I would be eager to hear from anyone who has had the treatment or
> > presently is undergoing it, I would especially like to know:
> >
> > 1.) I will be driving 60 miles round trip per day for the treatment,
> > is this a problem?
> >
>
> Inconvenient but not a problem.
>
> >
> > 2.) Should I see about taking 2 hours per day instead of one hour, and
> > cut the treatment in half?
> >
>
> No.
 
On 14 Oct 2003 17:23:55 -0700, [email protected] (Dan) wrote:

>Thank you, Dr Chung for your kind reply.

Wait till you get the bill.

lol

Lift well, Eat less, Walk fast, Live long.
 
I started EECP last week. I take 2 medications that cause bruising
(Coumadin, Plavix) and yesterday I could hardly walk because of the
bruising on my thighs. Today there was a sudden increase in my heart
rate and I have become short of breath when I move about. I am guessing
that the increased heart rate and shortness of breath may be related to
the severe bruising on my thighs. I have taken 6 sessions (today's
session was cut short), but I think I will postpone more until I get to
see my cardiologist. My heart rate during previous sessions stayed
fairly constant in the low 70s but today it hit 105. At rest my heart
rate today is about 85-90, which is about 15 points higher than my
normal reading.

I have had 5 angioplasties and have 5 or 6 stents. I also have a
mechanical aortic valve.
--

Herb
Boulder, CO



"Dan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I was told in April of 2003 that I was not a good candidate for
> evasive surgery because I had several operations in the past , 1985
> double by-pass, several angioplasties, and also caths, and finally a
> stent in 2000. I was told in April that I had 3 totally blocked
> arteries and the only blood supply to my heart was the left mammary
> graft that was done in 1985.
>
> Yesterday I went for my quarterly-exam and when I was in the waiting
> room I heard this methodical sound over and over, eventually when my
> Cardiologist came in he explained EECP to me and said they had been
> doing it for about 2 months and said that I would be a good candidate
> for it.
>
> I was so excited to hear about it, I am amazed that such a thing is
> being kept secret by other cardiologists, I was told by another
> cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon in April 2003 my only options were
> drugs and diet and exercise. I am the first to admit I never heard of
> it till just yesterday (red in face) !
>
> I would be eager to hear from anyone who has had the treatment or
> presently is undergoing it, I would especially like to know:
>
> 1.) I will be driving 60 miles round trip per day for the treatment,
> is this a problem?
>
> 2.) Should I see about taking 2 hours per day instead of one hour, and
> cut the treatment in half?
>
> Thanks to all in adavnce and God Bless,
> Danny in Carrabelle,Florida
 
Herb, Thank you for the information and I hope that it works out for
you. I just wonder could it be that the heartrate increased because
the EECP opened someting up? Just a thought...
God Bless You,
Danny

"Herb" <herbiem@ phony.com> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I started EECP last week. I take 2 medications that cause bruising
> (Coumadin, Plavix) and yesterday I could hardly walk because of the
> bruising on my thighs. Today there was a sudden increase in my heart
> rate and I have become short of breath when I move about. I am guessing
> that the increased heart rate and shortness of breath may be related to
> the severe bruising on my thighs. I have taken 6 sessions (today's
> session was cut short), but I think I will postpone more until I get to
> see my cardiologist. My heart rate during previous sessions stayed
> fairly constant in the low 70s but today it hit 105. At rest my heart
> rate today is about 85-90, which is about 15 points higher than my
> normal reading.
>
> I have had 5 angioplasties and have 5 or 6 stents. I also have a
> mechanical aortic valve.
> --
>
> Herb
> Boulder, CO
>
>
>
> "Dan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I was told in April of 2003 that I was not a good candidate for
> > evasive surgery because I had several operations in the past , 1985
> > double by-pass, several angioplasties, and also caths, and finally a
> > stent in 2000. I was told in April that I had 3 totally blocked
> > arteries and the only blood supply to my heart was the left mammary
> > graft that was done in 1985.
> >
> > Yesterday I went for my quarterly-exam and when I was in the waiting
> > room I heard this methodical sound over and over, eventually when my
> > Cardiologist came in he explained EECP to me and said they had been
> > doing it for about 2 months and said that I would be a good candidate
> > for it.
> >
> > I was so excited to hear about it, I am amazed that such a thing is
> > being kept secret by other cardiologists, I was told by another
> > cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon in April 2003 my only options were
> > drugs and diet and exercise. I am the first to admit I never heard of
> > it till just yesterday (red in face) !
> >
> > I would be eager to hear from anyone who has had the treatment or
> > presently is undergoing it, I would especially like to know:
> >
> > 1.) I will be driving 60 miles round trip per day for the treatment,
> > is this a problem?
> >
> > 2.) Should I see about taking 2 hours per day instead of one hour, and
> > cut the treatment in half?
> >
> > Thanks to all in adavnce and God Bless,
> > Danny in Carrabelle,Florida
 
I had to stop the EECP because the symptoms I reported were an
indication of bleeding which caused a low blood count. I was admitted
to the hospital for two night sand given blood and stopped my blood
pressure lowering medications, Coumadin and Plax were stopped for a few
days.

The doctor should never have prescribed EECP for me knowing that I was
taking coumadin and Plavix.My blood counts have now gone back up but
still lower than my normal level. The bruising is still painful but the
high heart rate has mostly been corrected and the shortness of breath is
much less severe.

--

Herb
Boulder, CO



"Dan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Herb, Thank you for the information and I hope that it works out for
> you. I just wonder could it be that the heartrate increased because
> the EECP opened someting up? Just a thought...
> God Bless You,
> Danny
>
> "Herb" <herbiem@ phony.com> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I started EECP last week. I take 2 medications that cause bruising
> > (Coumadin, Plavix) and yesterday I could hardly walk because of the
> > bruising on my thighs. Today there was a sudden increase in my
heart
> > rate and I have become short of breath when I move about. I am
guessing
> > that the increased heart rate and shortness of breath may be related
to
> > the severe bruising on my thighs. I have taken 6 sessions (today's
> > session was cut short), but I think I will postpone more until I get
to
> > see my cardiologist. My heart rate during previous sessions stayed
> > fairly constant in the low 70s but today it hit 105. At rest my
heart
> > rate today is about 85-90, which is about 15 points higher than my
> > normal reading.
> >
> > I have had 5 angioplasties and have 5 or 6 stents. I also have a
> > mechanical aortic valve.
> > --
> >
> > Herb
> > Boulder, CO
> >
> >
> >
> > "Dan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > I was told in April of 2003 that I was not a good candidate for
> > > evasive surgery because I had several operations in the past ,
1985
> > > double by-pass, several angioplasties, and also caths, and finally
a
> > > stent in 2000. I was told in April that I had 3 totally blocked
> > > arteries and the only blood supply to my heart was the left
mammary
> > > graft that was done in 1985.
> > >
> > > Yesterday I went for my quarterly-exam and when I was in the
waiting
> > > room I heard this methodical sound over and over, eventually when
my
> > > Cardiologist came in he explained EECP to me and said they had
been
> > > doing it for about 2 months and said that I would be a good
candidate
> > > for it.
> > >
> > > I was so excited to hear about it, I am amazed that such a thing
is
> > > being kept secret by other cardiologists, I was told by another
> > > cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon in April 2003 my only options
were
> > > drugs and diet and exercise. I am the first to admit I never heard
of
> > > it till just yesterday (red in face) !
> > >
> > > I would be eager to hear from anyone who has had the treatment or
> > > presently is undergoing it, I would especially like to know:
> > >
> > > 1.) I will be driving 60 miles round trip per day for the
treatment,
> > > is this a problem?
> > >
> > > 2.) Should I see about taking 2 hours per day instead of one hour,
and
> > > cut the treatment in half?
> > >
> > > Thanks to all in adavnce and God Bless,
> > > Danny in Carrabelle,Florida
 
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