Post-CABG Blockage

@jackj Are you seeing a cardiologist for all of this? I had a 3by pass in 1996 just had a heart sonogram saw my by passes and blood flowing also the valves opening and shutting What can't the cardiologist find yours? Don't understand .Maybe you showed go for a 2nd opinion to new cardiologist

Oh yes, definitely seeing a cardiologist--the one who performed the angiogram (and whom I've been seeing for at least 3 yrs) and most likely another, to get a second opinion. I have been researching, and my PCP and a doctor friend both have told me that failures like this are not unusual, tho the bypasses may have been put in places that are more difficult to find. I'm just shocked to find that possible all 5 have failed in 3.5 years.

@jackj This Like I said never heard of will you let me know how your doing when u see other cardiologist ? Thanks

I have visited with both the surgeon who performed the CABG and my cardiologist, not to mention studying this subject on various medical sites online. Lo and behold, grafts do fail, for any number of reasons--intimal proliferation (essentially vein hardening), competitive flow (essentially blood uses another-maybe partially blocked-path and the graft closes), bad veins (mine supposedly were excellent), and of course medical error. Depending on which site you visit, and which doctor you talk to, the failure is generally 10-15%, tho I've seen higher numbers on some sites. For me, 4 of 5 grafts have no flow, which is a shockingly big percentage. I still have appts with two other cardiologists and my PCP, but I don't expect any major new information.

What this means for me basically is that the original CABG was for nothing, especially since a stent was recently inserted in the 80% blocked LAD. I have a 2nd angiogram scheduled in 3 wks to stent the RCA, the other major blockage seen at this time. Another shock, tho, is that the other artery blockages that led to the CABG in the first place are flowing well, perhaps to the diet change and the statin usage. I really hadn't heard of any such possibility before so I guess there's good news along with the bad.

I'm calmer about the situation now. I have no symptoms, I'm continuing the good habits, and I'm doing everything I want to do, albeit carefully.

@jackj My triple by pass was done with grafts from my leg Dr told me he couldn't put stents in as my arteries where to small a gallon was tried but after 3months it collapsed so that's why I had my by pass it CABBAG

Yes, veins for me also. 5 bypasses: LIMA (artery) for LAD, which is the main artery (and widow-maker if blocked); and 4 vein grafts from my leg for four other bypasses. All but one vein graft are closed now. They decided (Sep 2015) that I had too many high-percentage blockages for stents so the bypass route was chosen. Now I'm back to stents. My LAD is stented as of 3 wks ago (bypass inop); my RCA will get its stent on 2/21. My veins were supposedly a good size and in good shape. Now it's obvious that may not have been the case.