lenin, thank you for your reply,

Yeah, the Doctor is always finding a new area blocked, plus she cleans up the old areas with angioplasty. As far as whether my symptoms are different each time; it does seem like it starts out in different areas; sometimes the pain is sharp or it comes with a lot of pressure. Like sometimes it runs down my arm more, sometimes the constant cold sweats, sometimes it's in my neck causing that choking feeling, but it is always the same ‘angina, extreme exhaustion, and shortness of breath‘.

My cholesterol IS extremely high despite the fact that I am very careful what I eat. I have been on a low cholesterol diet for twenty years. They say it is because of my liver, but It doesn't help that I am no longer able to exercise. I am only able to take zetia, because I can not take statins.

I know I have several other heart issues that come into play. I have a pacemaker that works constantly to keep it beating right, I have chronic dresslers from old heart attacks and I get fluid around the heart sometimes. Three years ago my heart surgeon said that my main problem was that my heart was being squeezed because of damage around my heart. It was causing a hardened crust of fat and scare tissue around the outside of the heart and it was squeezing my heart and arteries.
Yeah, you are right lenin, it does seem like there is always another setback and then another heart cath. just around the bend, (I think I can - Square one - I think I can - Square one - I think I can - Square one).
I am curious though, about how many heart caths a person's arteries can stand befor they started rebelling. I guess I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it taking longer and longer to recover after each heart cath.; or is it just because I'm getting weaker?

enie

Thank you both for your informative replies,
I'm not sure what treating the source of a metabolic reaction is all about but if you’ll send me some additional info, I'll look it up on the web.
As far as statins are concerned, I think I have tried them all, several times each. They all do the same thing, (accept the zetia). They cause serous pain in my right side that feels very similar to a full blown gallbladder attack that doesn't ease off. It usually takes a couple of weeks after I stop taking the statin befor the pain and sickness eases off completely. If I could stand the pain, I would. And I don’t know what more I could change in my eating habits more than the low saturated fat diet I’ve been on for over 20 years.
As far as other treatments for the angina, I’m on the maximum amount of atenolol, plendil, and Tikosyn. Plus .8 nitro patches and I recently had to start Isordil on top of the nitro patch, hoping to postpone the heart cath for a little while. Oh yeah, I also take T#3 when I can’t take it anymore.
If there is an alternate treatment, I would love to hear about it.
Thank you again, for the info about my concern regarding having heart catherization too frequently.
enie