Posted on 09/12/2021 12:19:10 PM PDT by rktman
Carotid artery disease occurs when fatty deposits (plaques) clog the blood vessels that deliver blood to your brain and head (carotid arteries). The blockage increases your risk of stroke, a medical emergency that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or seriously reduced.
Stroke deprives your brain of oxygen. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. Stroke is the most common cause of death and the leading cause of permanent disability in the U.S.
(Excerpt) Read more at mayoclinic.org ...
Like I said I had no clue. Well other than my normal clueless condition. :-}
Glory to God for His providential working. But all that matters is that you were vaxxed and masked:)
Been there. Done that. I’ll note that my neck has never completely recovered after the surgery. It still feels “funny” but who cares. Compared with strokes, it’s nothing.
A year after the surgery by the chief of vascular surgery at Mass Gen, I returned with a series of mini strokes. Turns out that the problem caused by the surgery ended up with the artery worse than it started. But, luckily, he and his partner had invented a new (and totally FASCINATING) procedure to protect against the plaque that ends up dislodged. So all ended up well.
But believe them when they say to keep checking with ultrasounds. I only knew to have it originally checked because mother had the procedure in both carotids. So also looking at your own family history is important.
Glad that you are doing okay. Your story gives me an opportunity to tell freepers to push to get their normal tests and medical visits done.
One of our SIL’s was just buried, possibly because it is so hard to see an md for our regular checkups.
3 months ago, she was having shoulder pains and dropped by her internist’s office to get a steroid shot for her shoulder.
Before she left, something must have triggered his warning system.
He asked how she was feeling, and she said besides the shoulder, she was feeling some chest pains and shortness of breath. The 2 magic complaints to get the good doctors moving and asking for tests and help.
He ordered a full range of lab tests and told her to stop at the lab before they drove the hour home.
She did and in a few hours, she got a cell phone call from her doctor telling her not stay home. To grab a change of clothes and her meds and check in the local hospital. Her red blood cell count was next to zero. As soon as she was in her room, they gave her 2 units of blood.
Which helped her breathing.
However, she was basically in end stage adult leukemia. The hematologist started treatment which made her miserable.
They got her stable and sent her home on her demand. Like my wife, this SIL was an RN for all of her adult life time and watched her health, her husband, adult children and grand kids. So she knew what was happening.
She went back to the hospital and received some current therapy, again she felt worse. Her oncologist and hematologist were in contact with 2 two teaching hospitals with solid reps re her disease.
They advised her to go home and stay off any treatment. She did and the leukemia got worse.
She made the decision to go home and have hospice treat her.
She passed last weekend. She was never in pain and all of her immediate family were with her.
Neither. Well except walking in and out masked. Vax? Nope and no one brought it up. Of course they could have jabbed me while I was out. 💉😳
WOW! Yup. Regular checks. Glad she is now at peace.
Here’s another carotid artery story. Some years ago, my eyesight began to deteriorate, which led to a series of exams, an MRI, and then an operation to remove a pituitary tumor. Growing slowly over decades, the tumor had begun to compress my optic nerve and my carotid artery. But for the removal of the tumor, it would have soon caused a major stroke either killing or disabling me.
Family history. My mother had only 30% blockage at age 100 (I’m in my 60s), and I take after her so hoping this won’t be a problem for me. Both she and I have taken statins all along. And HDL is high naturally which is a good thing. Good luck to you.
I am glad you mentioned that because many hospitals will not operate on your carotid artery until it reaches 80% blocked.
On my last stroke (3rd) I collapsed, couldn't speak English for awhile, and totally lost my left side, and started to lose vision in my left eye.
I was in a Boston hospital that decided to do my right corotid artery and I insisted only one surgeon at Brigham and Womens Hospital, also in Boston, was going to cut me open.
Bottom line: at 1:30 AM a doctor in B&W came in a told me he was going to recommend That I did not get The operation in the morning, because tests showed it was ONLY 60% blocked, and the right side artery would not cause me to lose vision in my left eye.
They really couldn't pinpoint the cause of my strokes ,except to get my 220 blood pressure down to a normal range.
High blood pressure won't of itself cause a stroke, but it usually causes something else in the body to rupture, shear off, or fail, and down you go.
Don't get alarmed about carotid artery blockages until they get over 60%. Have them checked regularly.
A problem with a stroke is if you fall and smash you head or eye - in the hospital you will have to be treated for two problems.-Tom
There are supplements that can reverse both types of plaques, but we really need to stop with the simple sugar sources.
Excellent family history. Your birthday would be a good day to thank your parents for creating such an excellent child!
There’s a good reason to go back in your family and collect all the death certificates to see what’s running thru your genes. It starts with genealogical curiosity, but it’s amazing how useful it turns out to be.
>>couldn’t speak English for awhile
YES!!!! And the blurry vision. I was absolutely fascinated by the experience. I don’t drink, smoke or take funny drugs so my head is never other than as is so it was a once in a lifetime experience to have my head do something so strange. Have to admit I loved it.
A lot of dentist’s are now doing extensive neck checks and I believe their x-rays can pick up some blockages.
I am getting ready to have a cartoid artery duplex scan. The only reason I am getting it is because I pushed for it
After it was scheduled I now have started getting random cheyne stokes respiration issues on CPAP for some unknown reason
You really do have to be proactive on your health care. Drs miss so much.
Did you have any endocrine blood work signs of the tumor?
Years ago (decades), my mother’s primary care physician (and Dad’s, and mine) did the same exam on Mom. Her carotid was massively blocked. She went straight to the hospital and the operating room...do not pass Go, do not collect $200. The Doc saved her life.
I’m glad you were as fortunate.
Did they compare the new and old ultrasound to each other?
The reason I ask is that many moons ago I am in cardiac cath lab doing my paramedic rotations and the doc is shooting dye and calling out numbers as to what the blockages are.
Me being a guy that should have probably ended up being an engineer asked “how are you measuring that?”
He said “the amount of blockage is whatever I say it is.”
When I turned 60 in 2000 I decided to have a very thorough physical, although I was in good health at the time (I thought). But my father died suddenly at age 62 so I thought a thorough physical was a good idea. They found the carotid on one side 78% blocked so I opted for the removal and scraping surgery. No problem with that and that carotid has been free of blockage ever since. That’s one of the good things about the surgery. But I then had a heart catheterization. Had a triple bypass but had no symptoms beforehand. Due to a then fairly active excercise program I had what they called collateralization meaning the heart grew vessels around the blockages. Have had no problems in the 21 years since.
I have been astounded at the number of things radiologist miss and/or just don’t mention.
I have had several scans. Each time we have to go back and ask was it there before and if so what was the size...and the answer has been yes MULTIPLE times and it just wasnt notated.
One of the their failures caused me not to know I need a certain type of protocol on a scan. Luckily I have met my out of pocket on insurance so bring on the MRI that has to be done because of the failure to notate.
I am getting sick of them finding incidental findings that werent notated and that turn out to have been important for trying to figure out what is wrong with me.
Some of both apparently. I need to download the post open summary. Should be ready by now.
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