I am putting this here because it is the forum I am on the most. Please move it if it should be elsewhere.

I am 32 yrs old and thought I was in decent shape. The morning of August 6th at 230 am I woke up with a funny discomfort in my chest like I had swallowed a gas bubble.

I could not get the feeling to go away so I woke the wife and asked her to take me to the ER. I took an aspirin had a smoke and we left .

After a ton of tests and 8ish hours they finally decided that something other then acid reflux was wrong and sent me to a cardiologist.

They did a heart cath and told me I am lucky to be alive, most arteries were 70-90 percent blocked and the "widow maker" was 100%.. later that week they did 6 bypasses in an open heart surgery.


Take care of yourselves guys n gals. Watch cholesterol and know your family history.

Its like 4 weeks later I am no longer a smoker, and I am walking like a mile a day !!!

Going flying this week, have an Uncle going to do the lifting for me !!

Take care guys, that cholesterol crap will kill ya for real .


Sincerely, Curtis Lee.

Sorry to read about your condition, Curtis.

I hope you will feel better very soon.

I have a co-worker who had a similar surgery and he fully recovered in about 3~4 months, returning to physical work.
Other than taking medications, he has had a normal life since 2000, when he had the by-pass surgery.

Best wishes!

Got my CABG X 5 in 1997. Still as mean as ever.

Good luck to ya.

Tom

Glad you 'made it'! Jim Fixx fell over dead at a young age while jogging. He had a strong family history of heart disease. He wrote a couple of books about running for fitness. He was trying to increase his 'odds'. Be glad you quit smoking. For the price of cigs you can buy your wife some nice presents and you can indulge in more airplane stuff!

Double bypass in 2005 at age 50. Never smoked or drank. Picture is a view from my Parkzone BL P-51 Mustang wing cam taken yesterday. I'm the top left fellow. The other two are brother Will with four bypasses in 2004 with pacemaker and the other is my 72 year old brother Howard who chain smoked and drank until 12 years ago with no heart trouble at all. Go figure.

Hello Curtis, I came very close. I had the other bypass surgery (gastric). Blood pressure and colestorol were through the roof. I am 160lbs lighter and eating right, no more death sticks,and just simply can't put in words how much better i feel. You are definetely giving good advise to all my freind. I hope you get well soon, and happy flying.................TD</p>

welcome to the club, I haven't had bypass, yet, but have a small collection of stents, got the first at 40, two more at 44, and the balloon thingy at 47. gave me a new outlook on life, "life's too short to take very seriously"

Hang in there guy.
I had a heart attack at age 47. Too much stress on the job they said. I had a chance to take early retirement just a while later from that job and grabbed it fast. I also made some changes in my life for the better health wise.
The surprise to me was that while in the cardiac ward I found out at that time that the most common age for a first time heart problem was 47!
Take care folks, we don't live forever.

Odd I come across this.

I had my first ever physical at 34 a couple of weeks back. Everything OK, except my cholesterol was through the roof at 452, and my thyroid not working.

I put myself on a diet, Doc gave me meds for thyroid, back in six weeks for a follow up check up.

Did you know eggs had that much cholesterol.. I sure didn't.

Good luck Curtis. www.livestrong.com is a very useful tool in measuring what's in what you eat.

I had mine heart attack (cardiac infarction) at age 46; was a very avid water skier (4 to 5 days a week for 15 years), snow skied in the winter, and golfed year round. My blood pressure stayed aorund 120/80 and my total cholesterol was 185 with triglycerides at 135. I only used alcohol socially, but I smoked a pack a day for 15 years. They completely blamed my event on smoking and I would have to agree, if you smoke you really need to consider stopping.... wish I had years ago.

Good luck Curtis, make those life style changes!

Steve

I am 46 and my cholesterol was going up. Started taking fish oil supplements and they brought both cholesterol and triglycerides down. I smoked for 17 and drank as well. Gave up the smokes about 13 years ago and drinking about 5 years ago.

Man,

i'm only 23y.o.

I wish you the best and good luck!!!!

Good to hear everyone "turned their lives around" by watching weight, diet, cut out smokes and other stuff.

My wife has a stent put in 3 years ago and she quit smoking the day of the heart attack.

My doctor said that my problem was "too much wine, women and song"



So, I quit singing!

At 41 had 2 stainless heart valves implanted. That was 29 yrs. ago I stent several yrs ago Now 71 and still flying RC. Fairly good health. Do wht the Doctor says.

I've lived long enough that all I can do is sing.

Phoenix- the very best of luck and take good care of yourself. Everyone here wishes you the best.