Question:

those dog videos Elliot are some compelling stuff .lol

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – to write: the attempt was to <snipped I’ve never been in the situation that Jerry (OP) has been in, but Jerry, I think you’ll do yourself a lot of good by ignoring this twit. — Elliott http://home.earthlink.net/~ejk2/ remove ‘eee’ from eeemail address to eeemail

Response:

Sure could.  Shortness of breath is often related to heart disease, as you well know.  The stent can help, but it also could block again.  It could be anxiety, but I would expect that you should feel less anxious now that you have the stent. Then again, you may be realizing that your life was just saved and that can be a cause of anxiety.  I had a heart attack under very trying circumstances (overseas) and not long after began suffering from anxiety and depression.  I was stented overseas, so that worked out well.  But I immediately went into a funk. Better now due to Lexapro, Ativan, and therapy. Tell your cardiologist immediately.  He may want to see you asap. Not trying to alarm you, but I’d look at the physiological symptoms before I’d consider the mental issues. Best wishes. Was admitted to the ER recently because I was suffering for shortness of breath.  Doctors could not find anything wrong but my EKG didn’t look quite normal.  I was advised to see a cardiologist ASAP.  My cardiologist though the problem was my heart an ordered an angiogram.  The angiogram revealed a 95% blockage in one of my veins which he repaired with a stent.  The procedure was 100% successful.  Here is my dilemma.  I have been home from the hospital for three days now an am still experiencing shortness of breath.  I attributed it to stress and have been taken Xanax which seems to relieve the symptoms.  Has anyone else had a similar experience and am I doing the right thing?  I will be having a follow-up with my cardiologist next Wednesday. Could this be stress related and have nothing to do with my heart?

– The Major "They’re taking me to Marakesh."

Response:

Could this be stress related and have nothing to do with my heart?<<

Yes, of course it could.  You just found out that you had a potentially fatal disease – it was successfully resolved via interventional cardiology however anytime we have to deal with our human frailties/disease/thoughts about mortality, etc. (whether conscious or subconsciously) we can experience enormous anxiety.  I worked for many years in cardiology areas of hospitals – the patients there were some of the most anxious (not to mention their families) people I have ever encountered. You attributed your shortness of breath to stress.  What made you decide that?  Surely something did.  My vote is to keep taking Xanax as prescribed and discuss the matter with cardiology at your appointment on Wednesday. (They write plenty of prescriptions for Xanax, believe me) G

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Was admitted to the ER recently because I was suffering for shortness of breath.  Doctors could not find anything wrong but my EKG didn’t look quite normal.  I was advised to see a cardiologist ASAP.  My cardiologist though the problem was my heart an ordered an angiogram.  The angiogram revealed a 95% blockage in one of my veins which he repaired with a stent.  The procedure was 100% successful.  Here is my dilemma.  I have been home from the hospital for three days now an am still experiencing shortness of breath.  I attributed it to stress and have been taken Xanax which seems to relieve the symptoms.  Has anyone else had a similar experience and am I doing the right thing?  I will be having a follow-up with my cardiologist next Wednesday. Could this be stress related and have nothing to do with my heart?

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Suppose its not something you have control with ? Then what?<< This strikes me as a rather anxiety-provoking question for (really anyone) someone trying to get past the fact that they’ve got atherosclerotic heart disease.  I think the goal here ought to be to provide information or support with the intention of bringing anxiety down, even if just a little bit.  People in cognitive therapy are even taught how to counter "what if" kinds of thinking, which tend to raise anxiety – so why throw that at somebody who is already admitting that they’re stressed ?  I understand that breathing/lung issues are a huge hot-button topic for you Steve, and I don’t really have the answer.  Obviously the ultimate answer is to clean the air and have everyone stop smoking – rent the movie Pleasantville, it’s probably something like that…. Unfortunately, this isn’t likely, so acceptance will be the key; not only for Steve, but for anyone with an issue that is "not something you have control with". Gary

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Was admitted to the ER recently because I was suffering for shortness of breath.  Doctors could not find anything wrong but my EKG didn’t look quite normal.  I was advised to see a cardiologist ASAP.  My cardiologist though the problem was my heart an ordered an angiogram.  The angiogram revealed a 95% blockage in one of my veins which he repaired with a stent.  The procedure was 100% successful.  Here is my dilemma.  I have been home from the hospital for three days now an am still experiencing shortness of breath.  I attributed it to stress and have been taken Xanax which seems to relieve the symptoms.  Has anyone else had a similar experience and am I doing the right thing?  I will be having a follow-up with my cardiologist next Wednesday. Could this be stress related and have nothing to do with my heart? Nebulizers and Asthma meds are one of the biggest growing drug groups, so your not alone. Be it from smoking or our anxiety or  the amount of cars in our country , or other counditions combines, millions of Americans are now dying from lung / health problems or having the same breathing problems you are experiencing and its not a pleasant condition. My assertion is , this is not an accident, and is happening to many people especially in vulnerable regions. Suppose its not something you have control with ? Then what? the attempt was to quantify his concerns about why shortness of breath and

what would one be willing to do about it by me asking him if he might not know an answer he didn’t think about before? Often shortness of breath has more to do with a combination of factors , as opposed to one thing. Just because of heart surgery doesn’t necessarily mean his breathng will improve, so my implication was that perhaps he like everyone else might see there is only so much to do about shortness of breath , that isn’t connected to overall good health in general and not to make the same mistakes like some of us have in the past. If one smoked or or has anxiety and or lives in bad area, one can stop smoking, and can minimize their anxiety ( although this rarely stopped shortness of breath over the long run) or lose weight  and begin to try to build  endurance etc by walking or eating good but at some point ater doing all that there is not much else to do but move if the air is not good where you reside or begin asking for pulimanry help. I assume most people in US don’t live in such conditions but it seems like more and more people are getting affected and very few know why since the pollution levels are rarely mentioned on tv newscasts. This alone ( breathing problems) or having to move can cause huge anxiety issues on top of regular anxiety so instead  of saying I wish him well,  "try moving" , I gave my summary of my problems and the question that might remains now  is  what to do?  I would love to congratulate him for successful surgery but I want to be realistic about the prospects of getting rid of shortness of breath.

Response:

Suppose its not something you have control with ? Then what?<<

This strikes me as a rather anxiety-provoking question for (really anyone) someone trying to get past the fact that they’ve got atherosclerotic heart disease.  I think the goal here ought to be to provide information or support with the intention of bringing anxiety down, even if just a little bit.  People in cognitive therapy are even taught how to counter "what if" kinds of thinking, which tend to raise anxiety – so why throw that at somebody who is already admitting that they’re stressed ?  I understand that breathing/lung issues are a huge hot-button topic for you Steve, and I don’t really have the answer.  Obviously the ultimate answer is to clean the air and have everyone stop smoking – rent the movie Pleasantville, it’s probably something like that…. Unfortunately, this isn’t likely, so acceptance will be the key; not only for Steve, but for anyone with an issue that is "not something you have control with". Gary – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Was admitted to the ER recently because I was suffering for shortness of breath.  Doctors could not find anything wrong but my EKG didn’t look quite normal.  I was advised to see a cardiologist ASAP.  My cardiologist though the problem was my heart an ordered an angiogram.  The angiogram revealed a 95% blockage in one of my veins which he repaired with a stent.  The procedure was 100% successful.  Here is my dilemma.  I have been home from the hospital for three days now an am still experiencing shortness of breath.  I attributed it to stress and have been taken Xanax which seems to relieve the symptoms.  Has anyone else had a similar experience and am I doing the right thing?  I will be having a follow-up with my cardiologist next Wednesday. Could this be stress related and have nothing to do with my heart? Nebulizers and Asthma meds are one of the biggest growing drug groups, so your not alone. Be it from smoking or our anxiety or  the amount of cars in our country , or other counditions combines, millions of Americans are now dying from lung / health problems or having the same breathing problems you are experiencing and its not a pleasant condition. My assertion is , this is not an accident, and is happening to many people especially in vulnerable regions. Suppose its not something you have control with ? Then what?

Response:

The angiogram revealed a 95% blockage in one of my veins which he repaired with a stent. I attributed it to stress (OOOOOOOOKIE DOKIE… ya gotta stent with’ah 95% blockage in yer ‘veins’?  there’s that kinda blockage in ‘veins’?  and it was STRESS?) now… i’ve done alotta thangs ta get drugs, but never gotta stent. THAT’S CREATIVE, DUDE ! ~tanya

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Was admitted to the ER recently because I was suffering for shortness of breath.  Doctors could not find anything wrong but my EKG didn’t look quite normal.  I was advised to see a cardiologist ASAP.  My cardiologist though the problem was my heart an ordered an angiogram.  The angiogram revealed a 95% blockage in one of my veins which he repaired with a stent.  The procedure was 100% successful.  Here is my dilemma.  I have been home from the hospital for three days now an am still experiencing shortness of breath.  I attributed it to stress and have been taken Xanax which seems to relieve the symptoms.  Has anyone else had a similar experience and am I doing the right thing?  I will be having a follow-up with my cardiologist next Wednesday. Could this be stress related and have nothing to do with my heart? Nebulizers and Asthma meds are one of the biggest growing drug groups,  so

your not alone. Be it from smoking or our anxiety or  the amount of cars in our country , or other counditions combines, millions of Americans are now dying from lung / health problems or having the same breathing problems you are experiencing and its not a pleasant condition. My assertion is , this is not an accident, and is happening to many people especially in vulnerable regions. Suppose its not something you have control with ? Then what?

Response:

Was admitted to the ER recently because I was suffering for shortness of breath.  Doctors could not find anything wrong but my EKG didn’t look quite normal.  I was advised to see a cardiologist ASAP.  My cardiologist though the problem was my heart an ordered an angiogram.  The angiogram revealed a 95% blockage in one of my veins which he repaired with a stent.  The procedure was 100% successful.  Here is my dilemma.  I have been home from the hospital for three days now an am still experiencing shortness of breath.  I attributed it to stress and have been taken Xanax which seems to relieve the symptoms.  Has anyone else had a similar experience and am I doing the right thing?  I will be having a follow-up with my cardiologist next Wednesday. Could this be stress related and have nothing to do with my heart?

Response:

Was admitted to the ER recently because I was suffering for shortness of breath.  Doctors could not find anything wrong but my EKG didn’t look quite normal.  I was advised to see a cardiologist ASAP.  My cardiologist though the problem was my heart an ordered an angiogram.  The angiogram revealed a 95% blockage in one of my veins which he repaired with a stent.  The procedure was 100% successful.  Here is my dilemma.  I have been home from the hospital for three days now an am still experiencing shortness of breath.  I attributed it to stress and have been taken Xanax which seems to relieve the symptoms.  Has anyone else had a similar experience and am I doing the right thing?  I will be having a follow-up with my cardiologist next Wednesday. Could this be stress related and have nothing to do with my heart?

Ask your doctor then.  If the Xanax is relieving the shortness of breath, then it *probably* is anxiety.

Response:

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