I was just about to start a thread on this very subject as I sit here waiting on a call back from the cardiovascular doc at my CCC center for a CT angiogram. They think my right carotid is 70% blocked and blame it on radiation.

This started last July. My primary care doc thought he heard a gurgle in my right carotid and ordered an ultrasound in his office. Came back saying rt. 70% blocked. I questioned whether it was scar tissue because the guy running the machine said it was all clear.

Then I had a H&N CT in August at CCC for a different problem, and it said rt carotid all clear and left clogged slightly. So then went to cardiovascular doc at same CCC in December who had another ultrasound run, and this again said rt 70% blocked. He wanted to do an angiogram and an angioplasty since I had had radiation if it really was blocked. I decided to wait until I could investigate more since I had an uncle die in a similar procedure.

I have no symptoms, no light headedness, although I am again getting occassional unexplained BP drop which I haven't seen since before I had cancer. On Provachol and Zetia and have been for years. HDL runs 90-102 LDL 60-80. If I'm out of range it is because HDL is so high.

If I remember correctly, he said that the scarring from the radiation causing the narrowing IS a problem because it could cause the platelets to back up since the passage is so narrow. At what point Brian, does your guy recommend having the surgery and what does he recommend? Love this gift that keeps on giving.

Eileen