Ranexa

So the last time I went to the doctor I realized that I hadn't been journaling my chest pain and activity level, which tends to be a huge help when I go in to see her. So I will try to recommit myself. Unfortunately I hate being negative and it feels as if that is all the news I have to give.

My last visit to the doctor's was great. I get around my doctor's and feel so secure. They remind me that I am receiving the best care...far better advice than my previous cardiologist that told me I was beyond his scope of practice, so this is reassuring. Leading up to this appointment I was getting more symptomatic and discouraged. In my appointment I mentioned that I was having daily chest pain, that I would rate a 5. As a result they prescribed me a new drug Ranexa, it is supposed to help people with chronic angina without affecting heart rate or blood pressure (a great thing). Unfortunately the drug is still under patent, which translates into expensive!! Despite that sad news I have been on this pill for about 2 weeks (I wasn't taking it quite right at the beginning). It really has seemed to help. My daily pain tends to be faint until the drug starts to wear off mid-day, when I need to take another dose (in the beginning I was taking it right before I went to bed...the dreams I was having were crazy!! I felt like I had lived out another day by the time I woke up in the morning!) Anyway the drug seemed to be doing wonders until yesterday, let's hope that this is only a small hiccup. It has been 2 days where my nitro has really come in handy. The doctor's have expressed their excitement that I haven't had another heart attack and that I am still alive so the medication is doing its job. I, on the other hand, have always viewed meds as a bad thing and have wanted to cut back, apparently I didn't take into account all they were preventing. I will continue to dream of days sans meds.

I am back to 10 hour nights. This really seems to help me throughout the day but is hard for an active little boy, result = not time with the hubby:(. I have been loving the sleep though!! I can hardly believe I sleep as long as I do. I never understood how my brother could sleep well into the afternoon, mind you I still cannot do this but I can easily sleep from 9:30-7:30 and still want to stay cuddled up in bed!!

Another small note, the doctor's are still very persistent that I need to keep exercising, which is a good thing. I have lost a bit of my drive but at least I know I need it. Apparently with a large aneurysm you are at 2x the risk of developing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and exercise is the best way to keep forcing them to contract and dilate...in other words force them to move so they can't stop working!