I want to tell everyone that Dr. Ed Underwood at UAB is a wonderful surgeon! He's very open,  straightfoward, personable and a true professional.  I felt very blessed to have had him as my surgeon. My husband and I flew to Birmingham, Alabama to have the procedure done on June 16 and it was worth it. He performed the angio on both left and right jugular and azygous, IJV veins.  My left jugular was severly restrictive of blood flow and it took some time to get it through; the right jugular was less problematic.  For me, the procedure took about 3 hours.  After having to lie flat on my back for about 5 - 6 hours, I felt almost immediate relief (which is better than none and I am hoping for more progress...who knows?  Altho, I still have major battles/symptoms to deal with). I was awake throughout the procedure with numbing at the entry point (groin area) and local sedative (the anesthesiologist and nurses were great, as well). 

I was able to walk 4 blocks without tiring (usually, I would be near death from fatigue).  I did have major tingling of the hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes and head; but that comes and goes. I can feel blood rushing throughout my body, which my theory is more blood is allowed due to the angioplasty. The only downside (if there is one) is the travel back home on June 18.  The waiting and sitting in the airport and on the plane took a lot out of me.  At home I am slowly getting back to how I felt not too long after the procedure. I had an awful 1st night back home (my theory is the traveling did me in and I was off of LDN for a week before the surgery), I did not sleep and my legs and thighs were killing me. That stopped the next morning.  I still have a long ways to go, but some relief is better than none.  I am not quite as dizzy as before, my headaches are still there, but not 24/7 as before, and my balance has improved. 

I would advise anyone who has to travel to wait at least 3 days if possible before going home.  I feel that I had no time to recuperate before flying home. The recuperation time would have helped more.

These are the billing codes that I was given by UAB Medical: 35476, 36011, 36012, 75827, 75860, 75978

It took over a year to get this completed and I am happy that I did it.