Deciding to refuse cardiac catheterization.

You are 100% more active than I am, and I have been feeling worse.  Ironically, I was searching the internet for a discussion that would help me decide whether having an echocardiogram, (which would be read by my adversarial cardiologists), would at least give me more information; how much, if any, change since last year.  The first result was my post.

I have every possible risk factor with the exception of diabetes, and a AAA family history of early deaths.  Still, the fear of putting myself in the hands of a bad technician, or the risk of the procedure itself, has not abated.  I only take a 1/2 dosage of a beta blocker, and regular strength aspirin, for medications.  I have refused statins.

You have a high level of activity.  Getting yet seems reasonable.  Plenty of people "may" have blockages.  It's two months since you wrote; have you had anything done, or are you still researching?  I don't quite understand being told that your heart wasn't pumping enough "oxygen."

I got a CT Calcium scan on my own and had a "0" score which I reported to my cardiologist who said that he had told me "it didn't show blockages", I would still need a cath.  

After much research I was able to find a cardiologist who routinely uses noninvasive CAT scans to follow-up on inconclusive stress/stressecho tests.  The scan showed that I do not have any coronary artery disease, so a heart catheterization was not needed.  I spent 3 months worrying and exagerating every little twinge into a possible life-ending event.  I do not know why this noninvasive procedure is not used more?  It is less expensive and involves less radioactivity than the cath.  My insurance was wiling to pay for it as well.  

During the time I was researching and waiting I heard several stories from people who benefited from the heart cath as they needed stents to open blockages.  They had symptoms/conditions that I do not have, extreme fatigue and bad diets being the common ones. The experience I had of living with a fear that my heart would suddenly cause my death or that I would slowly die made me realize how horrible it can be and what a position the cardiologists are in helping people survive.  A great deal of compassion and patience is needed.  In a way it is good that the "cath labs" have evolved as they have perfected the process, there must be few complications - and now there is the radial approach which has fewer complications as well.  My original doc does not do radial caths.  I still feel that if there is a noninvasive procedure that can show the same thing, it is the way to go.  You should get a CT calcium test and then a CAT scan if you are worried even though the docs now say you don't need an angiogram.  The doc showed me the images of my heart and explained how they showed no blockages, it was amazing!

In the months before the CAT I daily took 81mg aspirin and 100mg Co Enzyme Q-10, nonperscription drugs that I read might be beneficial.

I have a call in to schedule an echocardiogram, but I will not have it done locally, nor will I have it read by the cardiologist I have seen.  The problem with any of this is that I cannot tolerate more stressors.  I'm sick of any physician using scare tactics for any reason whatsoever.  And, sure enough, if they look hard enough, they'll find something.  On the other hand, my quality of life is decreasing.  I'll keep after getting what I need in the way I need to receive it.  Otherwise, I don't want the hell the practitioners can put you through, whether it's heart, or breast, or what have you.  I couldn't take it. 

So.  Regarding the radial angiogram.  I have a sense that women may be better off with the femoral approach.  Just a hunch.  Or, maybe it is that after 40 years, I can still feel pain where I had a saline drip in the vein in my hand, post-partum.  I can't quite bring myself to buy the Q-10, but my sense of that is that it is worth taking.  So is having some fun.

I am very glad that you are having better health.

I had constant chest pressure with the stress of not knowing if I had something seriously wrong or not. After the CCAT and seeing the images with the cardiologist and knowing I had no blockages it went completey away!  The reason I took the ubiquinol was because I read it was perscribed in Germany and Japan for congestive heart failure and that it could help the veins heal fom the nicks and scrapes that might happen during the heart cath I was worried I might have to undergo.  Also, a famous east/west medical doctor who has congestive heart disease in his family said he takes it along with a low dose aspirin, a minimal amount of a statin and Omega 3 to protect his heart.

Diagnosing Cardiovascular Disease in Women: The Role of ... www.medscape.org/viewarticle/733869 2010 - Rita F. Redberg, MD; Leslee J. Shaw, PhD; Timothy Bateman, MD .... While women also get obstructive disease, microvascular disease may ...

Well, it's been 9 months since the last post.  Now, I've become uncertain about having a straight echocardiogram, although one is scheduled for this week.  I am all the more sure that the stress from whatever I am told - and I am sure there will be evidence of worsening of condition - along with whatever options I may be presented with, will increase my level of tension to the extent that is extremely unhealthy.  Yet, I think an echocardiogram should be a reasonable step.  If I had a good relationship with a physician involved in any of it, maybe I'd feel more comfortable with it all.  Or, if there were better local resources - which there are not.  Most options are completely geared toward males, and that hasn't changed in the past 9 months, you know?  Whatever I would be told about cardiac/vascular condition - not worse would be the only information I could handle.  Anything more -- no.  "But"