I had been having a lot more pain and breathlessness over the past 2 months. I told you before that the cardiologist would not increase my Ranexa because the GPs are having trouble getting funding. I went to my GP last week because an interaction has been found with 2 of my drugs (plavix and omeprazole). I have been changed to Zantac. I mentioned that I was having a lot more angina and she showed me a letter about my cardiology visit. It said to increase my ranexa to 750mg twice a day from 500mg twice a day if still unwell. This was the first I new of this.
Anyway I am like a new man. I upped the dose last Wednesday and by Sunday I was able to go for a long walk including some hills. No pain or discomfort. I am not as tired and my legs feel a lot stronger. This is the first new angina drug for years and it has made a big difference to me.
Friday 21 May 2010
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Over a year has passed
Here I am again after a year and 1 month.
I have had a year of ups and downs but the good news is I have only had the 1 trip to the hospital with chest pain as opposed to 4 or 5 in the previous years. This was put down to a chest infection and or stress in March last year. My angina has definitely improved.
In March my wife Cathy was diagnosed with breast cancer and has had a year of surgery chemo and radiotherapy. She has been brilliant and has been back at work since January on phased return. She has built up to a 4 day week. I was able to help her in her days after a 7 hour operation and can only put my strength down to EECP.
I still have some bad days but these do not last as long as before. I had a bad spell in August but this was helped by a new angina drug Ranexa. I take 500mg twice a day. I was having some bad pain last week and asked could the dose be increased but was told there is a problem with funding for this drug.
My blood pressure has been giving some concern to the doctors but I think if I can get back to some light exercise this will help. It is a bit of a catch 22 situation as although this will help my heart blood pressure and Diabetes it also can bring on a spell of angina.
Although it has been a terrible and trying year for Cathy and myself I can report good things for anybody wanting EECP.
I have had a year of ups and downs but the good news is I have only had the 1 trip to the hospital with chest pain as opposed to 4 or 5 in the previous years. This was put down to a chest infection and or stress in March last year. My angina has definitely improved.
In March my wife Cathy was diagnosed with breast cancer and has had a year of surgery chemo and radiotherapy. She has been brilliant and has been back at work since January on phased return. She has built up to a 4 day week. I was able to help her in her days after a 7 hour operation and can only put my strength down to EECP.
I still have some bad days but these do not last as long as before. I had a bad spell in August but this was helped by a new angina drug Ranexa. I take 500mg twice a day. I was having some bad pain last week and asked could the dose be increased but was told there is a problem with funding for this drug.
My blood pressure has been giving some concern to the doctors but I think if I can get back to some light exercise this will help. It is a bit of a catch 22 situation as although this will help my heart blood pressure and Diabetes it also can bring on a spell of angina.
Although it has been a terrible and trying year for Cathy and myself I can report good things for anybody wanting EECP.
Saturday 28 February 2009
Home for a month
It has been a great month at home and I am doing very well.
Yesterday I made one of my goals which was to walk to the bus stop at the end of our road and I made it got the bus and went for lunch with friends and the got the bus back and walked home.
The gym work is going well although yesterday after the walk I did not do as much as my heart rate went up quite high.
Before EECP I could not even attempted this and back when I could I would have suffered a lot of pain and discomfort the next day. I think the Microvascular Angina gave me a lot of delayed reaction angina and would like to know if anyone else has experienced this.
I had a few bad days last week but nothing like before and this week I have felt very well and have taken very little GTN spray. In fact this has been cut drastically and I am a lot more active.
My breathlessness has really improved as well.
The treatment has been nothing short of a miracle and the work I am doing seems to be keeping it going.
I also am starting a cardio rehab course on the 18th march because of my stent in October. This has had to be postponed twice. Once because when the nurse called to see me in November I was very breathless just walking to the door to let her in and then the next time I was in Bradford for EECP. I am looking forward to this and hear it is very good.
John
Yesterday I made one of my goals which was to walk to the bus stop at the end of our road and I made it got the bus and went for lunch with friends and the got the bus back and walked home.
The gym work is going well although yesterday after the walk I did not do as much as my heart rate went up quite high.
Before EECP I could not even attempted this and back when I could I would have suffered a lot of pain and discomfort the next day. I think the Microvascular Angina gave me a lot of delayed reaction angina and would like to know if anyone else has experienced this.
I had a few bad days last week but nothing like before and this week I have felt very well and have taken very little GTN spray. In fact this has been cut drastically and I am a lot more active.
My breathlessness has really improved as well.
The treatment has been nothing short of a miracle and the work I am doing seems to be keeping it going.
I also am starting a cardio rehab course on the 18th march because of my stent in October. This has had to be postponed twice. Once because when the nurse called to see me in November I was very breathless just walking to the door to let her in and then the next time I was in Bradford for EECP. I am looking forward to this and hear it is very good.
John
Friday 6 February 2009
Videos of Treatment
Here are 2 videos of the EECP treatment. They are also up on youtube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWKtqs2Lh60 and part 2 at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6HkUhffG0k This one is the preparation before the treatment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWKtqs2Lh60 and part 2 at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6HkUhffG0k This one is the preparation before the treatment.
Sunday 1 February 2009
Back home
Arrived back home on Friday at 19:00 and I am so glad to be back. Everybody sees a big difference in me and although I do not weigh much less maybe a kilo or so they all notice my face a lot thinner. I must have been a bit puffed up with fluid I guess.
Dr Morley has told me that I need to keep up an exercise routine and yesterday Cathy and I went to look at some local gyms. Gyms seem to have a lot of stairs and I know they must have lifts but of course I was in gym mode and thought I could walk. I felt very tired when I got home and had some pain which was relieved with 2 double puffs of GTN. After 1/2 hour rest I was fine and went out to a charity film show feeling great. Anyway we found a great gym and I am starting on Tuesday with a personal trainer who is going to start me on gentle exercise and says I should come every day. He is going to look at all my meds and history and is going to work on my diet and therefore diabetes as well. I have to get a letter from my GP to say I can start. I am very exited about this as I know I need to keep on exercising and change my lifestyle to keep improving now I have been given this new lease of life.
I have to give my heart felt thanks to my good friend Mike Slavin whose Blog I should have mentioned a long time ago. You will find it at http://eecpeurope.blogspot.com/ This is a fantastic account of Mike's journey with EECP from July 2006 and it is how I learned all about the treatment. I contacted Mike when I was thinking of going to India for EECP and he has written a whole section of advice for anyone traveling for their treatment. Mike has left a great comment in the "last week of treatment" post.
The effects of the treatment goes on well after the sessions are finished and with proper exercise this should be extended.
John
Dr Morley has told me that I need to keep up an exercise routine and yesterday Cathy and I went to look at some local gyms. Gyms seem to have a lot of stairs and I know they must have lifts but of course I was in gym mode and thought I could walk. I felt very tired when I got home and had some pain which was relieved with 2 double puffs of GTN. After 1/2 hour rest I was fine and went out to a charity film show feeling great. Anyway we found a great gym and I am starting on Tuesday with a personal trainer who is going to start me on gentle exercise and says I should come every day. He is going to look at all my meds and history and is going to work on my diet and therefore diabetes as well. I have to get a letter from my GP to say I can start. I am very exited about this as I know I need to keep on exercising and change my lifestyle to keep improving now I have been given this new lease of life.
I have to give my heart felt thanks to my good friend Mike Slavin whose Blog I should have mentioned a long time ago. You will find it at http://eecpeurope.blogspot.com/ This is a fantastic account of Mike's journey with EECP from July 2006 and it is how I learned all about the treatment. I contacted Mike when I was thinking of going to India for EECP and he has written a whole section of advice for anyone traveling for their treatment. Mike has left a great comment in the "last week of treatment" post.
The effects of the treatment goes on well after the sessions are finished and with proper exercise this should be extended.
John
Tuesday 27 January 2009
Last week of treatment
Into the last week now and looking forward to getting home. I had a great weekend at home and coped with the journey fine and managed to walk quite a distance round a shopping centre on Saturday. The fact that I even wanted to attempt this was amazing.
I had some pain this morning but it was relieved with gtn spray. I was very tired and a bit breathless making my way to the Hospital but the great news is by lunch time I felt fine. Before EECP I would have felt bad for days and would have been back in bed very quickly. This was the first pain I have had in about a week and a 1/2 so I am not to worried.
Please feel free to comment on the blog.
John
I had some pain this morning but it was relieved with gtn spray. I was very tired and a bit breathless making my way to the Hospital but the great news is by lunch time I felt fine. Before EECP I would have felt bad for days and would have been back in bed very quickly. This was the first pain I have had in about a week and a 1/2 so I am not to worried.
Please feel free to comment on the blog.
John
Wednesday 21 January 2009
19 hours completed
I have now had 19 hours out of 35 hours treatments and I am feeling very good this week. I can't wait to get home and find that I am feeling like doing more things each day. The trip to the hospital is a lot easier this week.
Hello to all the girls in Surestart. Thanks for all your good wishes. Hope you are enjoying having the Boss back. Lol.
Please check out the comments and think positive thoughts for Lynne who is waiting for news on funding for eecp.
My sister Kathleen and Brother in law Bill are meeting me at the hospital this morning after their trip from Lisburn. We are going for dinner with my stepson Richard and stepdaughter Jenny to the restaurant that Richard's girlfriend Ella works. It will be great to get out of the Hotel for an evening.
John
Hello to all the girls in Surestart. Thanks for all your good wishes. Hope you are enjoying having the Boss back. Lol.
Please check out the comments and think positive thoughts for Lynne who is waiting for news on funding for eecp.
My sister Kathleen and Brother in law Bill are meeting me at the hospital this morning after their trip from Lisburn. We are going for dinner with my stepson Richard and stepdaughter Jenny to the restaurant that Richard's girlfriend Ella works. It will be great to get out of the Hotel for an evening.
John
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