isn’t easy. First are the many tests to see how your heart is reacting. Echocardiograms, stress tests, etc. to say the very least. New meds and a whole new way of living. In one 6 month period I had 3 stress tests. These are not easy. I did, however pass them all.
And then I acquired a cardiologist. I call him Dr. God. He talks to me as if I am a 5 year old child. But then he has an office here in town and is in the group of doctors that I am now seeing since my move. (At this time I am missing my doctors at the Christie Clinic in Champaign who were so patient and treated me with respect and dignity.)
On to the new meds. My cardiologist wanted me to take Coumadin as did my primary care physician. I refused this med which one nurse in private when talking to me had referred to as the death med because of the many bad side effects. I knew about the side effects because I had a friend at home who was taking it. Also my brother was taking it. At one time when he was having blood drawn for lab the blood pooled in his arm and turned his whole arm black. My friends hands were always black too because of this med.
I take a full coated aspirin each day. By not taking the Coumadin I increased my risk of having a stroke by only a couple of percentage points. I made this choice and I am living with it. beth
