My journey with FMD and CADS

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MY JOURNEY BEGAN IN 1992 WHEN I SUFFERED A SPONTANEOUS CAD. I BELIEVE NOW THAT I HAD SUFFERED MANY EPISODES RELATED TO FMD ALL OF MY LIFE. EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE FIRST DISSECTION I HAD AN EPISODE THAT PUT ME INTO A COMA FOR ALMOST SIX DAYS. FOLLOWING THIS I ASKED MY NEUROLOGIST ABOUT MY POSSIBLY HAVING RENAL PROBLEMS. I HAD READ ENOUGH FRIM DIFFERENT ONLINE SITES THAT I KNEW THE RENAL ARTERIES COULD BE CAUSING THE HIGH BP AND HEADACHES. NO DOCTOR HAD EVER MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY. I WAS GIVEN MANY DIFFERENT PRESCRIPTIONS IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP MY BP DOWN AND NONE WERE SUCCESSFUL. AN ANGIOGRAM WAS ORDERED AND ANGIOPLASTY DONE IN THE RIGHT RENAL AND THEN AGAIN EIGHT MONTHS. I WAS TREATED BY DOCTORS IN MOBILE, ALABAMA AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS THE FIRST FMD PATIENT DIAGNOSED. I AM BLESSED TO BE LIVING AND 79 YEARS YOUNG. I HAD JUST RETIRED IN 1990 AFTER TEACHING 30 YEARS. THANK GOD MY CAD DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THE CLASSROOM!