Angioplasty recovery?

Fibromuscular Dysplasia
#1

I’m just curious about how mobile/functional I’ll be after I’m released from hospital following my renal angioplasty on Wednesday. I know I have to spend one night in the hospital and that I need to have someone with me the first 24hrs after I am discharged, but beyond that I have no real clue about what to expect. Will I be able to wear my own pajamas or is there a lot of bleeding generally? I really hate those hospital gowns.

Also, if there’s anything else you wish someone had told you about before your first angioplasty… .please share?

Hmm … also wondering where exactly they generally enter the femoral artery…?

I appreciate any light that anyone can shed on this for me. :slight_smile:

#2

Hey! I’ve got an angioplasty on Wednesday too.
We’ll be angioplasty buddies.
But this is my fourth. I feel like a pro.

They enter through the groin (a little TMI, but they’ll remove some hair to get there). Mine have always been on the right side.
I haven’t had any bleeding afterward – maybe a little bit on the bandage, but generally uneventful.
I’ve taken my pajamas, but I always end up wearing the hospital gown on top because of all those awful wires that don’t seem to be connected to anything.

The procedure is pretty quick – generally under an hour. And the sedation is usually pretty good.
The part that’s hardest for me is afterward – you have to lie flat and still for 4-6 hours. The first time I had one, they pumped me up with fluids and I had to pee. It stunk trying to lie flat and using a bedpan. Miserable. But at Duke they don’t give me fluids, so it’s not so bad.

My big advice is to bring a portable DVD player for those hours you have to lie still. It’s a lot easier with entertainment. And the day you go home, you’ll want loose, comfortable pants.

Good luck!

To: kadi_hodges@hotmail.com
From: fmd-cpt8175@lists.careplace.com
Subject: [fmd] Angioplasty recovery?
Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:53:18 -0400

#3

Oh, and the day after…

I usually have a limp for about a week. Depending on the sedative, I sometimes have a headache for several days. You can’t lift anything for 10 days or so.

I usually shuttle the kids to grandma’s house for two days, and I schedule 3-5 days off from work.

#4

The other thing I would mention is that it is common to get a bladder
infection. My radiologist is the one that alerted me to this. So drink
plenty of fluids once you get home.

Good luck!

Stephanie

On 3/22/08 11:02 PM, “kodfishy” fmd-cpt8175@lists.careplace.com wrote:

#5

kodfishy - Thank you that is exactly the kind of stuff I was hoping to find out… and not TMI at all - though I can’t say I’m thrilled to hear about the entry point and bed pan, it’s really nice to be forewarned. I don’t know if it’s some kind of mistake, but normally if I have a surgery or procedure done, I get all sorts of paperwork mailed to me with instructions and almost always have to attend a pre-op clinic (even for non-surgical procedures). This time, just instructions over the phone, which I find really unusual. I appreciate the tip about the loose pants. That hadn’t even occurred to me and I’d have probably brought jeans.

I’ll definitely be bringing my iPod (it has a lot of movies/tv shows on it in addition to the music). Hmm, I wonder if they’ll let me wear it during the procedure? Were you conscious during the procedure or was it that ‘conscious sedation’ where you really aren’t aware of much? (hoping for that!) Did you watch the angioplasty? I’d like to see that, but I think I’d rather not be aware for other parts.

Can you turn onto your side or do you have to lay flat on your back during the ‘lay still’ time?

Sorry for all the additional questions and if you don’t get a chance to answer, I’ll figure it out when I’m there. :slight_smile:

I’ll be thinking of you on Wednesday too - and it’s oddly comforting to know I won’t be alone… er, well you know what I mean. When you say Duke, are you talking about NC? I’m in Canada, but Charlotte has become like a second home to me, so I have a special fondness for NC. In fact I’m usually there at this time every year, getting a headstart on Spring weather, so I’m a bit wistful thinking about it. Maybe I’ll get there in April.

zigs2zag/Stephanie - Thank you for that bit of info as well. I get chronic UTIs… to the point where I have the little test strips here at home, along with a perpetual prescription for antibiotics (which I do try to avoid). I’ll be sure to drink some extra cranberry concentrate juice and other fluids and keep a close eye on things. It’s definitely my Achille’s heel, so this is really important information for me to know. :slight_smile:

Rochelle

#6

Yep, I live near Raleigh, and my vascular surgeon is at Duke. It’s beautiful here this time of year.

I’ve been able to wear my iPod during the procedures, although there always seems to be a fuss about whether to allow it. I even have an angioplasty playlist :slight_smile:

The smart nurses have taped it to the pillow next to my head so it doesn’t fall around. You’ll have to be able to hear instructions, though, because at some points they’ll ask you to hold your breath and be completely still while they do imaging.

I’ve had different types of sedation. I generally feel pretty close to being asleep, but awake enough to hear instructions. Sometimes I’ve been able to see the screen, but other times it’s been turned away from me. Maybe they’ll adjust it if you ask?

During the still time you have to lie completely flat on your back, you can’t be on your side. I think they usually give me one pitiful little pillow.

Oh, and take shoes you can slip on and off – you won’t want to bend over.
And, most importantly, wear cute socks because vascular surgeons like to check the pulse in your feet.

I’ll be thinking of you too.
My appointment is at 9:30.

To: kadi_hodges@hotmail.com
From: fmd-cpt8175@lists.careplace.com
Subject: Re: [fmd] Angioplasty recovery?
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:42:47 -0400

#7

My treatment was unusual, so this probably isn’t so helpful.

When I was diagnosed, my BP was 180/115 and I was taking 4 BP meds.

I had my left kidney revascularized, and my BP fell to 120/70. I kept taking 1 med.

I had an angioplasty on other renal artery, and my BP didn’t change at all. I still take one pill.

To: kadi_hodges@hotmail.com
From: fmd-cpt8175@lists.careplace.com
Subject: Re: [fmd] Angioplasty recovery?
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:16:57 -0400

#8

for those who had renal artery anioplasty - what happened to your BP, and how soon did it change? Did you change or eliminate BP medicine?