There is nothing else the docs can do for me except medication
2006-06-23 18:04:40 · 11 answers · asked by gbell 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
Come on no one can answer that question. The better you continue to live your lifestyle, low fats in your diet, low cholesterol, low salt, you know all the stuff you used to and still like, you need to cut down on. Anything in moderation is still okay though. You know, when the grandkids come to visit with the son/daughter, it's just fine to go out and enjoy a great meal at "Out Back Steak House" or "Ponderosa" or the like. But in the meantime, you really need to watch your diet, as you know, or you're not going to live as long. And that was just a period I left back there (after the word "long"). In the meantime get your act together paperwork wise. Get your living will, and your last will together, and stuff like that. You can get a check-list for that sort of thing from the source below for $1.00 and a S.A.S.E. Or check out other sources.
2006-06-23 18:30:27 · answer #1 · answered by jcorcor 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
There is no specific time. Because people adopt different lifestyles and have different genetics, you can not realistically ask others how they did and make it applicable to you. There are some people who see the light after having had their chest cracked, heart stopped, new vessels attached, and all put back together - with the heart re-started, that do amazingly well for decades. Others continue to smoke, eat fatty foods, refuse cholesterol medication, and do not get physically active...as you might imagine those folks do less well. And of course you have those that defy the odds and do things right with a bad outcome and those who do things badly and live forever.
Our data only goes back to the 70's and technique has improved since then...some people are still around from some of the original by-passes done back in the 70's. As far as we know there is no upper limit. One thing though a cardiothoracic surgeon would tell you is that veins (taken from your leg for the purposes of your by-pass) have a projected useful life working in place of an artery, of about 7 years....as I mentioned some are still going at 30 plus years. Arteries (like the one from your chest wall) used for these purposes have unlimited life.
If you are starting to have symptoms again, make an appointment to see your cardiologist. Any amount of angina should be discussed - it is not desirable from a cardiac health position.
Depending on your symptoms he/she might manage it with medication, do a stress test, or might schedule you for an angiogram (in through the groin, sqirt dye through to evaluate the vessels). Angioplasty (balloon then stent to keep things open) is an option for your by-pass vessels if they are significantly blocked. Technique has improved with this procedure too - so they are fixing what was "unfixable" a decade ago. In particularly bad cases sometimes a second bypass surgery is done, but it is rare, and a risky procedure, and is an option of last resort. (i.e. Angioplasty did not work and medication is not managing the symptoms.)
Good luck.
2006-06-24 04:14:28 · answer #2 · answered by c_schumacker 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I work with open heart surgeries. The results truly vary and depend on several factors including compliance with heart healthy foods and exercise, smoking cessation, genetics, etc. Generally, redo surgeries are done between 10-20 years. Like I said, it really varies. We have seen people come back in less than 5 years. Good luck and take care.
2006-06-25 04:48:58 · answer #3 · answered by daweeney 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just do like my dad did and enjoy life eat what you want and drink what you want and just do what you want the only thing he did was walk a 1/4 mile a day he ate bacon and steak everyday oh and eggs too drank jack danniels and he lived 20yrs after his first bypass
2006-06-23 20:38:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My brother had bypass surgery 20 years ago and still feels good.Hope this helps.....Sharlene S
2006-06-23 18:08:24 · answer #5 · answered by sharlene s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
mine were done in 95 and I'm still going good. Just depends on how good a condition the rest of your body is in I guess. I still smoke, eat wrong, and rarely excercise. Hang in there buddy.
2006-06-23 18:19:20 · answer #6 · answered by ralphers 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It varies in individuals. I have heard that there is a risk of needing to have it replaced after 10 years.
2006-06-23 21:00:50 · answer #7 · answered by djk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every person is different. Lifestyle changes are important to maintain good cardiac health - eat healthy, exercise, control cholesterol, etc.
2006-06-24 00:59:55 · answer #8 · answered by Pangolin 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
about 4 years and also depend on the individual.
2006-06-23 18:08:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
3.26 years
2006-06-23 18:07:20 · answer #10 · answered by billey32 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋