Angina Attack

On Sunday last, I did a very foolish thing. At 8 PM, I took two pills made of "natural" supplements that were to increase my sexual prowess. I took them despite the warning label that clearly stated I should consult my physician before using it. Two weeks before I ingested two of these blue capsules and enjoyed a remarkable session of sexual activity with my significant-other. I had absolutely no bad side effects. So I decided to try the pills a second time.

By 10 PM, I began experiencing tremors far more severe than any my Parkinson's disease ever caused. I also developed a fairly significant chest pain that lasted a couple of hours and was accompanied by sweating, nausea and vomiting -- classic signs of a myocardial infarction. I stubbornly refused to go to the emergency room and by 2 AM, the symptoms had all subsided and I felt well enough to perform the activity the pills were designed to facilitate. The chest pain returned during this time.

I decided to go to the emergency room and I drove myself to the Indiana Heart Hospital. The emergency room staff swung into action the minute I arrived and emergency treatment was quickly initiated. The monitor was hooked up, an IV established, lab work drawn, oxygen provided by nasal cannula. The on call cardiologist arrived soon after this was done and he intervieiwed and examined me. It wasn't very much longer that a doctor from my own cardiologist's group arrived and I was admitted to an observation unit.

This was the first instance of angina that I experienced since completing EECP last fall. In fact, I had not used nitroglycerin and weaned myself off of Imdur specifically so I would be able to use medications like Viagra, Cialis and Levetra. I had Levetra with me, but foolishly used the natural supplement because it had giveen such excellent results a fortnight before.

Well the good news was, I had not had a heart attack. The markers were all negative and an echocardiogram apparently turned out normal. At least I was allowed to leave the hospital a little more than 12 hours after arriving. But I left with the promise to return Thursday for an angiogram. Now, readers of this blog know I am generally opposed to this invasive test and my favorite noninvasive cardiologist is no doubt spinning in his grave because I signed a consent to undergo this cardiac catheterization. But I was faced with three choices.

One, I could continue taking the prescribed medication that has served to keep me from the cardio-thoracic surgeon's blade for nearly four years and not have the angiogram. This choice is the one I wanted to take at first because Dr. Howard Wayne had little faith in this procedure.

Two, I could have the angiogram with the plan of having stents placed or angioplasty performed. Since I am adamantly opposed to stents, this choice was eliminated as the doctor presented it to me.

Three, I could have the angiogram with the plan to have a CABG done after the procedure is completed. I again said this wasn't a choice, with the caveat that if there was evidence thaat the left ventricular artery was partially occluded, I would consent to the surgery. The "Widow Maker" is a vessel not to be played with.

I did agree to undergoing cardiac catheterization day after tomorrow for one reason. I want to compare the angiogram that was performed in 2004 with this new one. It should tell me if Dr. Wayne's medical regimen and the EECP successfully allowed my body's collateral vessel system to develop around the blocked arteries. So in actuality, I am allowing this invasive procedure to be performed so the efficacy of my treatment thus far can be evaluated.

If my body did create a viable collateral vessel system that effectively supplies my heart with oxygen, I feel that will lend credence to my decision to refuse to have a quintuple bypass four years ago. I am scheduled for the cardiac catheterization on Thursday morning. As soon as I come home from it, I will report the findings on thsi blog.