Re: Starting EECP next week

[Guest guest]

My God Tom. All that you have gone through , I am very impressed with the way you are handling it. You are an inspiration. good luck with everything. TURK Ramser <tramser@...> wrote: Hi Guys, Hope everyone is fine. I feel a little silly asking this question after reading Janet's question and everyone answers, but here goes. What am I in for Wth the EECP. I have been on a waiting list for 3 months. They tell me that I can't start any sooner then 2 weeks after a stent placement (it's been 4 weeks since the last one and 6 weeks since the two before that). The docs say that since 1 heart attack, 6 graph CABG, 18 stents (six since the CABG) and ICD, that the EECP can only help things. The Doc said that it can't fix things but it will help

with the angina. The upped dosage of Zoloff has helped my Mind deal with everything. And the new ossacat (yes she looks like an ossolot (spelling?)) helps a lot. We had a hard time coming up with a name for her until Grace popped into my head (it's GOD's Grace that got us this far & keeps both of us going). Sorry this is so long but I ramble when I type. Tom

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[Guest guest]

Dear Tom,

Good luck with the EECP treatment I went through the seven weeks some 3 years ago, at the Baptist Hospital in Pensacola.

I would recommend that you get an early morning appointment and that you DO NOT have a full bladder, as once they set you up, that is it for 1 hour. Also you may want to take an advil/tylenol one hour before arrival just in case. I found my shortness of breath had almost disappeared after a couple of weeks and that I had much more energy also. Indeed it would be lovely now to go back for a top up. If I can help in anyway do not hesitate to contact me.

Incidentally my Cardiologist at the time turned off the wrong part of my ICD. He was supposed to turn off the rate response mode and he turned off something completely different which caused a warning sound every six hours. Indeed all that needed to be done was for a magnet to be placed over the device during treatment.

Anyway good luck,

Parish

[Guest guest]

Hey Tom....

EECP is supposed to grow new (collateral) arteries around the heart.

It does that with most folks, but apparently not everyone. I can only

speak for myself. I was feeling pretty short of wind with frequent

pains when I went through the EECP program three years ago. I now give

EECP and coreg credit for boosting my EF more than 10 points..

and (at least temporaily) removing me as a transplant candidate!

WHAT TO EXPECT?

Here's a picture of me getting the "EECP pump up:"

http://www.zaplife.org/img/duff-eecp.jpg It's like wearing the bottom

half of a jet fighter pilot's pressurization suit.. and laying on a

table for one hour a day, five days a week, for seven weeks. You are

hooked to a machine that monitors your heart. During the diastolic

phase (rest period) of each heart beat, the machine pushes air through

tubes to the various inflatable balloons... starting around your

ankles... then up your legs... past the knees... up your legs more...

and finally it squeeze your buns. The balloons deflate during the

systolic phase... then starts over again and again.

It DOES squeeze pretty hard and tightly but it does not hurt.

Noisy, but no pain. Until you get used to it... it's pretty funny:

Like getting a full lower body massage with a zillion robotic fingers.

I laughed my a** off for the first few minutes of the program for

several days. The idea is that it pushes blood backwards through your

lower body arteries... up toward the heart, where it stimulates the

growth of collateral vessels. After you get used to it... it does get

pretty boring. My doc had televisions in both EECP procedure rooms.

But you can read, although you are a tad shaky as the balloons inflate

and and deflate and holding a heavy book above you for 60 minutes can

get pretty laborious. I suggest an iPOD or other MP3 player with your

favorite exercise tunes. Believe it or not... during the last few

weeks, I actually nodded off from time to time.

DID IT WORK?

I did not notice any significant changes immediately.. but during the

weeks and months after the program the changes were PROFOUND! First,

I quit experiencing almost all of my angina battles. Second, for me,

the real quantifier: Before EECP, it took me at least two

hours to mow my small yard, requiring at least a half dozen breaks.

Now, I can get the job done (including edging) in just 45 minutes...

and only one or two breaks, depending on the heat. Plus, I walk at

least 10,000 steps every day.. about 4.5 miles: More than 470 miles

since 9/1/05... like walking from Tampa to Miami and back!

Hope this help you Tom, and anyone else considering the program. You

can get more info at http://www.EECP.com ... although those pages are

more tailored for health care professionals. I look forward to hearing

what you think of EECP and whether it helps you. Again, it affects

different people differently.. hope it does wonders for you as it has

for me. I slowly built up my level of physical activity in conjunction

with EECP as the program advanced... I firmly believe it helped my

(time and money) investment succeed. I endorse that routine, BUT make

sure YOU clear this with YOUR doctor - especially since your stent/CABG

and other history is a lot more complicated than mine!

FYI: Last fall my cardiologist suggested I go through the EECP

program again (for a "tune up") in March or April. Will probably do it.

Duffey

[Guest guest]

Good Luck with it TOM. TURKGOONER1952@... wrote: Dear Tom, Good luck with the EECP treatment I went through the seven weeks some 3 years ago, at the Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. I would recommend that you get an early morning appointment and that you DO NOT have a full bladder, as once they set you up, that is it for 1 hour. Also you may want to take an advil/tylenol one hour before arrival just in case. I found my shortness of breath had almost disappeared after a couple of weeks and that I had much more energy also. Indeed it would be lovely now to go back for a top up. If I

can help in anyway do not hesitate to contact me. Incidentally my Cardiologist at the time turned off the wrong part of my ICD. He was supposed to turn off the rate response mode and he turned off something completely different which caused a warning sound every six hours. Indeed all that needed to be done was for a magnet to be placed over the device during treatment. Anyway good luck, Parish

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