Medication three years after heart attack ?

Reminds me of the letter a one time GP wrote when referring me to a consultant and after listing my medications added ‘I afraid a case of gross over prescribing’ 

Do you have hypertension, angina and acid reflux?

It's now 1 year since my heart attack an 2 stents and all I am talking now is 75mg Clopidogrel and Ranitidine twice a day (acid reflux). 

Its 5 years since my episode and had a stent fitted.  I am only taking 4 tablets Asprin 75mg, Lansoprazole 15mg, Rosuvastatin 10mg and Amias (Candesartan) 16mg.  I have never had high blood presure but take Amias because it is normally prescribed after heart attachs.

Hi Joyce,

Your medications reminds me of mine. Except that I only take Lanzoprezole 30 mg, Atorvastatin 10 mg, and Diovan 40 mg and some vitamins and minerals once a day.

I had a CABGx3 (Cardiac Bypass Graft -means a triple bypass) 2 years ago without a heart attack. I just read the symptoms and went to a doctor. Your heart attack was apparently caused by a blockage in some of your coronary (servicing blood supply to your heart) arteries. At that time I even requested the surgeon to use some of my arteries instead of veins because their structure and functions (blood pressure in arteries are the systolic while that in veins are diastolic 120/65 systolic/diastolic). One should not use an inferior material for high requirement job. That was unusual request but he did bypassed one of my semi-blocked coronary arteries with my mammary artery. I liked that.

Anyway, you may have more problems that you care to admit. I may be younger with less problems. I am only 81.

Your blood sugar probably reflects your eating habits. If you are not diabetic taking medications for that than you may be pre-diabetic (Type 2 the adult type) when your fasting blood sugar is less than 26mg/dl (milligram per deciliter).

Try to cut down or almost totally eliminate eating any sugar containing food INCLUDING CARBOHYDRATES. That means all breads cookies, everything that are even complex carbohydrates.

NO, I am NOT kidding you.

And that comes from an immigrant with a diagnosed cognitive disorder without any formal training in medicine. Except that I make some attempt at introspection.

Do I want to die ?? Yes or no. And if I don't I know I have to work on that.

Remember, it is your life you are talking about. If you don't take care of yourself, who will.? Your sister? Good luck. Keep in touch.  

Thank you all so much for your replies.  Firstly, I very occasionally get crippling indigestion but thankfully, these episodes are few and far between.  I believe I am prescribed the gastric drug to counteract the other meds, particularly aspirin.  When I first came home from the hospital I did get bouts of chest pain and was prescribed the angina medication, however, upon reflection, I was most probably uptight about all the things that had happened.  Never in a million years would I have expected to have had a heart condition (but that's life I guess).  I am due to see a consultant in 9 days time about a painful and as yet undiagnosed condition following a nasty virus at Christmas so I may get the opportunity to ask him about my current regime, if not I'll ask to see the Cardiologist again for a review.  Can I just say that I too took COPIDOGREL at first but was told that this medication must be stopped twelve months from the date of the second stent, so I am no longer on it (thank goodness one less to take)!!!! Bob, can I thank you also for your comprehensive and very knowledgeable response.  I do try very hard to take care of myself, I am slim, drink my (swamp) water every day which is a juice made from fresh fruit and vegetables with added cider vinegar and other health giving supplements.  Apart from having to swallow all the horrible tablets twice a day I never once think about having had a heart attack - it doesn't even come into my radar.  I am 62 years young and still dance around the kitchen at every opportunity (to radio 2 of course) and until the dreaded virus got me I was regularly at the gym doing weights and cardiovascular, so I really do hope that I haven't got more wrong with me than I thought, but who'se to know because life is unpredictable as we all know, so many thanks for your valuable advice and I wish you many more years of good health and happiness.

Hi,  thanks again for the responses.  I swapped beta blockers to calcium channel blockers as they made me freezing cold and I would bruise at the slightest touch.  I will bear in mind your comments regarding the gym and may swap the workout for swimming instead.  Also, it was very interesting to read about the NICORANDIL and it's incompatibity with other drugs, as I've mentioned above I do take calcium channel blockers and occasionally go dizzy but my blood pressure is always fine when I have it checked.  I will ask the pharmacist about this next time I'm up there as sometimes he talks more sense than the doctors who seem time limited.  Thanks again for your replies.

You are probably taking Lanzoprezol for your acid reflux (GERD). I am/was interested inhaving my hiatus/hiatal hernia repaired by tying the upper part of my stomach around the bottom of my esophagus but I recently found out from the doc who did my upper endoscopy that I have varices Grade A (varicose veins) in my esophagus and I may forego that surgery because of th inherent dangerof the surgery resulting in the pressure in those varices.

By the way you may want to purchase a battery operated blood pressure meter (OMRON ?)  as well as blood sugar meter (Ascencia Contour ?) at your local pharmacy. They are not expensive and they are worth to purchase them. The test strips are expensive though but you can buy them on the Internet.

About how frequently you check your glucose : I use it to give me a feedback on blood sugar levels after eating as well. As a training device so that I learn to control my glucose levels by eating right. A1c will reflect good food training. 

Thanks for the replies.  I am currently having three monthly blood samples taken to monitor my blood sugar levels.