Today I am recouperating from a scheduled implant of two cardic stents that was performed on Friday, 22 April. I am feeling as well as can be expected, this is a total of 5 stents there. I have no complaints about having the proceedure, but it is the recommended additional proceedures following the implants that has me quite frustrated.
As a smoker of over 50 years and having had none of my 6 daily cups of coffee per day, and having been prescribed an additional blood pressure medication a week before the scheduled proceedure: Is it any wonder that my pulse rate dropped to thirty something during the proceedure. After the proceedure it is protocol to lay flat and not move the affected leg of the artery that was used for six hours,and not to raise the head for 3 hours. Again, Is it any wonder that the pulse rate would drop again?
However, the first drop of pulse brought forth an immediate reaction from the attending physician...quote is "You are setting on a time bomb" "You need to have a pacemaker" "Don't take anymore of that last pill that I prescribed" and the final "come to my office next week and we will put a Holter Monitor on you for 24 hours. I did not see or hear from my cardiologist after the proceedure was performed, but the person who came to my room to "get me out of there" was the physicians assistant for another cardiologist who would be implanting a pacemaker.
After getting home I checked the new pill against the ones I had been on for adverse reactions. I found that the one I was already on is a calcium blocker, the additional new one was a betablocker. The search showed that although sometimes the two are used at the same time, it is not recommended. And that another med that I have been on for a long time can also have a cross reaction.
I discontinued both blood pressure pills that day, and began checking my bp & pulse several times yesterday and today. My highest bp was 131/63 and pulse was 60-63 a normal range is 60-80.
It is my feeling that additional testing and proceeding with a pacemaker is not justified and will not follow these recommendations. Not to mention the thousands of dollars that would be spent by medicare and my insurance company. How many other test, proceedures and medications would follow? How many children, pregnant mothers and other acute patients could be treated with the thousands of dollars the above recommendations would have incurred.
Just a thought.....Maybe the informaton being put forth in the media about taking charge of your own health care isn't such a bad idea.
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