BYPASS THE BYPASS SURGERY Dear friends, Just read the following medical history and action taken by me to avoid bypass surgery. If you follow the similar lifestyle you may also do so, irrespective of your health status and age. Medical History: Lt Col Harish Nagpal I was diagnosed ‘ECG abnormal’ on 01.05.2000 at M H Secundrabad during Annual Medical Examination by the cardiologist Lt Col K R M Rao, when I was 51 years of age. He advised me to get TMT (running ECG while doing some exercise) at Apollo Hosp, Secundrabad. This was done on 02.05.2000 by Dr Shiv Kumar, MD, DM and the result was ‘positive for exercise induced Ischemia (High Probability)’. I was advised by Dr Rao to go through Angiography test at Apollo, Secundrabad. Angiography was done by Dr Rao himself at Apollo, Secundrabad on 10 Aug 2000. Diagnosis: Coronary Artery Disease (old inferior infarct, triple vessel disease, normal LV function). The following blockages in cardio vessels were shown in the report: (a) LAD: Mid – 100% blocked almost 2 cms long. (b) LCX: Distal – 95% stenosis, OM2 – proximal 90% stenosis. (c) RCA: Dominant proximal - 70%. Mid – 90% stenosis. PD - 100% blocked at origin. (d) LV Angio: No MR. LMCA: normal. EF: 70%. I was advised to undergo Triple Vessels Bypass Surgery (CABG) at the earliest, and continue on medicines to prevent further damage to the heart, which may lead to severe heart attack, which may be cause of sudden death. I was advised by my close relatives to take other opinions from other specialists. I showed my reports to Dr C H Umeshchandra, MD, DM famous cardiologist in Hydrabad. Based on the video of angiography he also advised to undergo surgery at the earliest. I showed my reports to Dr (Col) B Kalra, MD, DM in Delhi. Based on the video of angiography he also advised to undergo surgery at the earliest. I showed my reports to Dr A Shrivstava, consultant cardiologist at Malhotra Heart Institute, now Metro Heart Hosp, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. He advised me to meet Dr Bimal Chhajer, MD, famous heart specialist at Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. I have shown my reports to Dr Bimal Chhajer, who, based on my reports, advised me to take medicines regularly and attend his three days camp with my spouse (costing about Rs 20000/-). Meanwhile I should continue on medicines. He was against any angioplasty or bypass surgery. His advice was to improve life style and remain healthy. I took his advice seriously and decided not to undergo any bypass surgery or attend his camp. Angioplasty was already ruled out in my case being triple vessel disease with lot of serious blockages. I asked him: how my heart is supplying blood and working normally as I was not having any angina pain, which is the major symptom of ischemia heart disease. He told me that God is not fool, he has provided us collateral arteries in the heart which become active when main arteries get blocked due to deposit of cholesterol etc. In my case these are active and meeting my blood requirement in spite of so many blockages, and therefore I am not having angina. He advised me to keep the blood pressure, lipid profile within ideal limits and have no stress. I took medicines advised by him and some homeopathy medicines and some Ayurvedic medicines for almost two years, till I retired from active service from the Army in end April 2002. After retirement I stopped all medicines in phased manner. Before retirement one more Angiography was done on 09.07.2001 at RR Hosp, Delhi Cantt by the cardiologist. His reports were: (a) LAD: 100% Mid. (b) LCX: 70% distal. OM2 – 70% at origin. (c) RCA: 60% vertical segment. (d) LV Angio: No MR / RWMA. EF: 65%. You can see some improvements. With these results I was again advised for bypass surgery. I again decided against the advice. My strategy to improve my lifestyle Being an army officer I tried to implement the lessons taken in the army: (a) If you want to win your enemy, know him well. Analyse his strengths and weaknesses (SWOT). (b) Explore all possible routes to overcome the enemy and than take the best course possible. (c) Know your strength and weaknesses. (d) Attack the enemy with full strength to destroy him forever. The first one was to know the enemy. In my case: to know about the functioning of the heart and why we have heart diseases. As heart does not function in isolation we have to know complete cardiovascular system. This system that looks after our blood supply and purification (with the help of respiratory system) also does not function in isolation. So we have to know our body anatomy and physiology. Therefore I started reading available material on the subject, starting with heart, which was my major concern at that time. I came to know: what are the risk factors for heart disease, which are the heart diseases – their symptoms, diagnosis and treatment and prevention. I also got lot of material on the net and studied it seriously. This has changed my total outlook towards life. To remain healthy physically and mentally we have to tackle following aspects: (a) To control the inputs to your body: food, water, air, thoughts etc. (b) To exercise your body and mind regularly. (c) To remain stress free all the time. (d) To improve your environment, which affect your life. (e) To improve your relationships with family members, friends and neighbors (emotional health). (f) To remain independent in most of your daily needs – physical, mental, emotional, social and economical; this will reduce stress level. (g) To cater for your future needs: to have security and therefore living tension free – physical, economical, emotional, social and spirituals. You may add some more aspects. · To meet the first requirement (control of input to the body), I have to study to know what to eat/drink, how to breathe properly, how to think positively etc and than implement the knowledge gained. · To meet the second requirement (to exercise body and mind regularly), I have to again gain information about how to exercise, when to exercise, how much to exercise etc. and after gaining the info to do what is best for me. · To meet the third requirement, I have to work in such a way that I am always stress free. The main cause of stress is to do what you don’t want. Again I have to study the causes of stress and how to overcome these. After gaining the knowledge implement what is best for me. · To meet the fourth requirement, I have to analyse the environment in which I have to live or work and if need be improve it so that it does not affect my health in any way. Environment may be physical, social, emotional etc. · To meet the fifth requirement, I have to be friendly with all my friends, relatives or people I meet causally so that they don’t become cause of stress, which is a major cause of heart problem. · To meet the sixth requirement, I should work in such a way that I have not to depend on any one for my daily needs, this gives lot of mental security and remove a major cause of stress. · To cater for the last requirement, I have to plan my future economy needs so that I have sufficient resources to meet my requirements adequately and I have not to work for money, which again leads to stress. No job is without tension. So, I have decided not to work for money, if possible. Now, I have achieved most of my objectives and living tension free, having adequate exercise, having control body inputs. I have control on my eats/drinks, thoughts and have Yoga exercises / Pranayam, sleep etc. I sleep at 11 pm and get up at 4 am daily without any holiday. I do regular yoga in Colony Park with 10 to 20 persons and teach them. It helps me to remain energetic throughout the day. All these have resulted better medical results: complete body tests were done in 2006 in R G Stone Hosp, N Delhi and results were very encouraging. The results were again checked up in 2008 and are good one. Dear friends, If you wish, you can also follow them or make your own strategy. If you need my help do write to me at harinag49@yahoo.co.in . Do become member of ART OF HEALTHY LIVING yahoo group moderated by me or similar groups and get ready material for improving your lifestyle. If you wish to become member of this group do click on the following link or write to me: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/HARINAG49/