Heart Disease Community

Hi:

......"besides having the blockage my heart has no damage"

......"so my heart grew capillaries"

For those unfamiliar, coronary artery collaterals (a natural development, a gradual process, one's own "bio-bypass" so to speak) involves tiny (rescue or backup) vessels, that connect two larger coronary arteries or different segments of the same artery.

These vessels provide an alternate route for blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium) when called for in an emergency.

Those who have well-developed (and open) coronary artery collaterals are the lucky ones (as my father was), because this form of blood supply helps protect the heart from an attack, or limits the damage to the heart muscle from tissue death if/when the normal blood supply is totally cut off.

The main drawback is that these collaterals are not really meant to carry the whole load of the heart, though they may/can provide significant blood flow in some individuals.

These vessels seldom delivers the same amount of blood flow that the unblocked native artery or arteries originally did, but the blood flow may be/can be enough to ease/reduce chest pain/discomfort in some individuals and reduce the risk of a serious heart attack some time later on.

"having a lot of problems with depression"

Depression (which may/can also be a side effect of from drugs) is common, happens in many individuals who are diagnosed with cardiac-related conditons, and depression often can be effectively treated and defeated (sometimes with the help of professional counseling).

Cleveland Clinic

Depression & Heart Disease

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/stress/depressionandheart.aspx

"I'm thinking about joining a cardiac rehabilitation program to see if that may help"

Great idea!

As applicable to the patient

Cardiac Rehab


Typically, cardiac rehab plays an important role in the overall recovery process, which is DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE, and at any age.

WebMD/Healthwise

Cardiac Rehab

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/tc/cardiac-rehabilitation-topic-overview

Mayo Clinic

Cardiac rehab: Building a better life after heart disease

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cardiac-rehabilitation/HB00017

Mended Hearts

Hope for recovery. Hope for a rich, full life.

For more than 50 years, Mended Hearts has been offering the gift of hope and encouragement to heart patients, their families and caregivers.

http://www.mendedhearts.org

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a life-long unpredictable condition (can exhibit periods of stabilization, acceleration, and even some regression), requiring a continuum of care, as well as good doctor-patient, patient-doctor communication and understanding at ALL times.

Best of luck down the road of life.

Take care,

CardioStar*

WebMD member (since 8/99)



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Be well-informed

WebMD

Living With CAD

A chronic disease with no cure. When you have coronary artery disease, it is important to take care of your...

Recognize the symptoms. Reduce your risk factors. Take your medications. See your doctor for regular check-ups......

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/living-with-heart-disease

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KNOW your prescription drugs!

WebMD

Drugs A-Z

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/index-drugs.aspx

Ask A Patient

Rate a drug, side effects, comments, etc.

http://askapatient.com/rateyourmedicine.htm

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Quote!

"Be a questioning patient. TALK to your DOCTOR and ASK QUESTIONS. Studies show that patients who ask the most questions, and are most assertive, get the best results. Be vigilant and speak up!"

- Charles Inlander, People's Medical Society

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It's your future......be there.

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WebMD/WebMD Forums does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Without going into alot of detail, I have to go back every 6 wks until I can get on the maximum dose I can tolerate but not sure if I can tolerate any more meds.

You did not indicate what the meds are. Some meds can have depression as a direct side effect. Others can make you so "sluggish" that you get depression because of the extra efforts to do ordinary activities.

Make sure that you discuss this with your doctor. He might be able to adjust or change the meds.

Or it might be physiological (or a combination with the meds). A therapist can help you work through this and understand that heart disease is not end of the world and that you can still be active and productive.

I actually think that cardiac rehabilitation could be a really good option for you potentially. Studies show that it improves symptoms of heart disease, and other studies suggest that regular exercise can improve symptoms of depression! I suggest talking about it with your doctor as a possibility.

Regular exercise and focused relaxation can be beneficial. Whichever program offering some form of these two activities would get my vote. When I walk my two dogs, people will often stop me and comment, "They're beautiful...What breed are they?" I say, "Corgi Pembrokes...Only, they're more lifestyle than a breed of dog..."

Our heart never gets a break; so, why not give it one.