Please help with treatment review

[OpalRose]

Dave, you have some major leaking going on.  I assume your mask isn't fitting properly,  or the mask moves at night when you move.  Are you a restless sleeper?
Is there any chance your mouth drops open at the bottom of the mask?  I'm just throwing stuff out there as I just don't know.  You checked the hose connections right?  

[Gideon]

obviously a large steady leak, but intermittent over time. Do you tend to roll, back to side? that could open the mask up for these kinds of leaks.

[DaveL]

Yes. Roll a lot.

Thanks Gideon.

I've found that my soft cervical collar helps me a lot. With this mask the bottom two straps come off easily.

DaveL
Toronto

[DaveL]

OpalRose thanks.

Bottom hose is key. I've Found it leaks a lot. I have to put ito n very carefully. It's not a circle. Oval? Last night after waking up i turned it 180 degrees and put it on so carefully.

I've tried over 10 full face masks over the last 6? years. This is the only one that works (sometimes) and only the second one I can keep on for more than an hour.

Thanks!

[DaveL]

Doc said
3 choices
Do nothing
Some stents
Open heart surgery

I’ll hear from too doc in a week and learn more

Dave

[Brazen]

Dave
Ugh. Not fun choices. 
I take it the angiogram showed some blockages?
Sorry for the rough news.
You might have one other choice that kinda of feels like "do nothing" but isn't. 
Medications.

The best solution usually depends on lots of different factors. My Dad had to make the same decision this past summer. 
I asked multiple cardiologists what they would recommend if it was their Dad in that seat.
You might be in a very different seat than my Dad but there was no way he would have made it through open heart surgery and the difficult recovery that follows.
Stents weren't an option because of his kidney function-- the amount of contrast they have to use for stents would have knocked out his kidneys and lead to dialysis.
Dad considers dialysis a show stopper.

If you don't have very impaired kidney function...  stents are a pretty good solution. Fairly easy procedure and recovery. 
The concern with stents is future blockages. Possible but could also never happen.

He chose medications. Multiple expensive medications that all work to protect from heart attack and stroke.
1. Make the blood thinner. 
2. Make the blood more slippery. 
3. Slow down plaque build up.
4. Make each heart contraction stronger.
5. Control the pace of heart contraction/relaxation. 
6. Control the pressure.
(Also diet avoiding fats and sodium)

Medications have stabilized his heart and improved his EF from 30% to 41%.
Still not good, but no longer circling the drain.
Yes, he still has some very serious blockages in there but those took 70+ years to cause issues in the first place.
The goal is to just slow down progression and avoid 100% blockage.


Of course your mileage may vary but I share to let you know heart blockages do not have to feel like a death sentence. 
I hope it's helpful.

[DaveL]

Thanks Brazen. Helps a lot

My Father died same age after refusing open heart surgery

[DaveL]

In fact there was no talk about medications when I was given choices. My hat is off to you Brazen. Thank you!

DaveL

[DaveL]

Brazen lots of blockages. Guessing 4 or 5 stents. Portion of my heart is enlarged.

I'm happier now than I was before the procedure. Now I have respect for the surgical team and appreciate knowing what the health issues are.

There is another choice. Buy a Harley and ride. ;-) Been too long without a bike.

[Brazen]

Losing father to the same issue definitely creates feelings and stress about it all.

Get multiple medical opinions. 
The trouble is that Surgeons will tell you surgery is the best option, cardiologists will likely tell you stents are the best option, and only if those two things aren't options (due to comorbidities) will you possibly hear about meds.

I wouldn't refuse open heart if they are confident you would have a positive outcome (Surgeons tend to avoid surgery on folks likely to die on their table).

4-5 stents are easier to recover from than open heart.
If you're a good candidate for stents.

With open heart...
Consider how you stand from a sitting position right now... do you use your arms to help lift yourself or can you stand using only your legs?
After open heart you will have months of no weight on your arms. Can you get off bed/chair/toilet without using your arms?
If you can't... start practicing and building your leg/butt muscles now if you're going to have open heart surgery. 

And I always support buying a bike.