@lisalucier
I am not thrilled about the “nothing to be done” diagnosis regarding my totally occluded carotid artery. However, until such time as I see someone say that their doctors did or can do something about their totally occluded artery, I really have no other alternative but to follow my doctor’s advice. His explanation as to why nothing is done made sense (in trying to clear the artery, particles can escape and end up in my brain). This, as well as the fact that not a single other person on this site having the same condition being given a different therapy, leads me to believe that the medical consensus is there is nothing to be done. What is actually more troublesome is being told that the remaining artery won’t be fixed until it reaches a certain percent blockage and that this is because of an INSURANCE coverage issue. This in effect prohibits me and my DOCTOR from taking a course of action that perhaps we both would prefer (for example, doing sooner while I am younger and better able to withstand the surgery, or if doing earlier results in a better long term outcome).