Stenting abroad

In Russia, I saw a cardiologist for quite a long time about heart problems. It seems that I took all the pills, and did all the examinations that they said. But this is a so-so treatment, since it didn’t get any better, and throwing handfuls of pills at yourself gets really boring. As a result, when I was really depressed, I began to look for other options where I could get help.

At the forum, where we discussed where to go for treatment, I liked how people talked about Assuta and the cardiology department there. I sent a request there. Even before the trip, I was warned that most likely it would not be possible to do without stenting.

Organizing the trip turned out to be easy. I just booked my plane tickets myself. The clinic managers did the rest: they organized a transfer and an interpreter, booked a hotel, coordinated the time of consultations and examinations. On the day of arrival I was checked into a room. The next day they brought me to the attending physician. It took another 2 days to complete all the necessary procedures. The operation to install a stent was planned for the 4th day after arrival. Such efficiency was breathtaking, especially compared to our leisurely medicine, where each examination must be achieved and waited.

The lack of hassle is very cool. I experienced that this alone greatly contributed to my good health. The respectful attitude, care and sympathetic attitude of the staff is very conducive, since initially, although I read the forums, I was skeptical about everything.

After the operation, I spent three days in a very comfortable double ward with another patient from Russia who was recovering from coronary artery bypass surgery. Even choosing a roommate is part of the clinic’s care for the person. A week later they gave me documents in Russian, detailed recommendations and took me to the airport.

In principle, it was not even treatment, but a vacation in a sanatorium for VIPs.

My brother had stenting in Israel 3 years ago. He was 59 at the time. Now he is a physically active man who plays tennis three times a week and has ambitious plans for the future. I now have the same heart problems, but the pills are helping so far. If I suddenly need surgery, I know where I will have it done.

Stenting is not a simple operation. And like any operation, it is a serious stress for the body. Our doctors from Surgut were not eager to place a stent in my coronary vessel. They have a superstition that treating a doctor is bound to cause problems. They started sending me to Ichilov, so I went. This was in 2013. The clinic was chosen taking into account the statistics of successful heart surgeries. And Ichilov had the best one at that time. And the quality of their medical equipment was excellent.

I didn’t have to do anything myself: I submitted an application, discussed some issues regarding the disease with a consultant, and transferred the money. Everything else was done by the International Department of the clinic. Transfer, accommodation booking and all other organizational issues were entirely their responsibility. They picked me up from the plane and after a while they took me and put me on a plane home.

There were no delays or delays. They examined him for 2 days, and on the third day they performed surgery. It took about 30 minutes. And I felt so good after it that I was ready to go home. But no, I was under observation for another week. And only after that they were released. All this time I was treated with care, something I have long lost the habit of in our hospitals. It was a pleasure.

Definitely the highest rating for both service and treatment.

I needed to remove a plaque in the left ventricular artery, but I kept putting it off, although the degree of coronary disease was already such that the second floor seemed like Everest to me. There are some completely unimaginable queues for a planned operation in Yekaterinburg. Plus, a good friend of mine suffered complications during such an operation that she could barely get out of intensive care.

I started looking for more options. My cardiologist advised me to go to Ichilov, because in his opinion it was a clinic with the best cardiology department and specialists in Israel. It turned out to be easy to go there. I sent an application, my medical reports, which were in hand, and the answer came very quickly. The clinic completed all the examinations very quickly. Even with coronary angiography there was no hitch. In fact, the patency of the coronary artery had to be restored. But it is impossible to do this with the help of statins, which I endlessly took as prescribed by the doctor.

Cardiac surgeon Shmuel Banai operated on me. He has golden hands and a golden heart. There in Ichilov, in the rehabilitation department, I took a rehabilitation course. Now, of course, I don’t run marathons, but in terms of physical activity I have no restrictions.

I had problems with my heart for a long time, but I went to the doctors for the first time when it became really bad. By that time, my coronary angiography revealed a 90% narrowing of the artery. The doctor said that a little more and there could have been a heart attack. I generally don’t go to doctors, so the whole family was on the alert. And then every examination, every consultation was given with a fight. Waiting for surgery when there was 10% left before a heart attack was very dangerous. And there are queues everywhere and no one wants to get involved. So we went to Yeditepe. This is a hospital in Turkey with a good cardiology department.

The clinic took full responsibility for organizing the trip. We were very well received. They gave me a translator. Within a couple of days, I was examined and prepared for surgery. The operation itself is painless and is completed in less than an hour. After it, I spent another day in intensive care and another week in the ward in the department.

Since then, more than a year has passed, I forgot about the pain in my heart and again I don’t want to visit doctors. My daughter and wife are not happy about this, but I feel good and know that everything is fine with me. If you have coronary heart disease, do not wait for trouble, immediately do coronary angiography and stenting, and then live like a normal person.