After having a stent fitted after a HA 3 weeks ago, I was discharged with the normal drugs to control the condition. The first couple of weeks I have felt find accept for feeling dizzy from the meds which I know is one of the side effects. But the last 4 days I have been feeling sick in the mornings which wears off later in the day, went to my GP and they checked me out and everything was okay they even contacted the cardiac department at our local hospital just as a precaution and they were not concerned just adviced me to try not taking one of the drugs over the weekend but it has not helped.
Has anyone else had this side effect, does it wear off in time. I have expereinced other minor issues such as soreness in the arm and chess, some slight pain etc. none of which was explained to me was normal as the procedure will have caused internal bruising. My GP says it will take a couple of months for these symptoms to go away. I was fit trained all my life and ate the right foods but genetics from my dads side of the family finally caught up with me at 68 years old. I attend to go to the rehab in the next couple of weeks and will be asking many questions about the meds and their side effects and how long it will take to get back to normal. I am very grateful for NHS for what they have done for me but more info about what to expect after being discharged would have helped dispel a lot of anxiety as like everyone who has had a HA I am now paranoid about every little pain or side effect that I feel post HA.
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busybee64
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Sorry you've become one of us hearties, quite a shock to come to terms with.
I can only speak from my experience, Feb 22, STEMI HA (full block r/h artery) and 7 stents, 2 into r/h and further 5 into LAD. I'm afraid it's time, time and.... time, regular meds (do not miss them!) diet, and exercise as soon as you are able. I've found the trickiest part has been the meds, once adjusted/tinkered with you'll settle down a treat. Yes, every little ache, pain and discomfort will feel like "here we go again", use your GTN spray if you need to, that's why it's there. Yes. if it doesn't work, then call the 9's, I did, and, as suspected, just a scare, we've all had them, it will get better, hence the time element.
You've been knocked about, but you're fixed. All I can add is what the Registrar told me when he discharged me...."this is the lowest point, you can only improve from now"
Allow yourself time to recover, keep your mind active, it'll help deal with the aches and twinges which are part of the healing process, and prey on our fears.
Good luck and let us know how you're getting on from time to time.
Thanks for your reply it is good to hear from others who have been through it. I just found out another little side affect they did not warn me about if you cut yourself even shaving stopping the bleeding is fun to say the lease when taking blood thiners
Welcome to the club that none of us wanted to or, in many cases, expected to join.
My experience was a totally unexpected, out of the blue, heart attack at the end of November last year. To say I was shocked and frightened would be a massive understatement. The upside was the support and assistance of the NHS staff and the strong sense of relief was overwhelming.
When I left hospital, 3 days later, I felt absolutely wasted out for a good 6 weeks before I started to feel anything like "normal " again.
Like you I sought reassurance from my GP but, in my experience, they were not understanding of my situation and their help was limited.
Cardiac rehabilitation was an absolute godsend, and the reassurance from both staff and fellow class members was invaluable.
Thanks for taking time to reply, I agree with you about GP's mine did not want to know when it came to adjusting the meds to help with the nausea, just said ask the cardiac team when you next see them. But the booklet they gave me when I was discharged says any problems see your GP!
Thanks for the reply, I know I will not get back to lifting big weights in the gym but I will keep training, the specialist confirm it was possible if care is taken. I have started walking as they advice but this nausea is bad in the mornings I can not do anything I will bring it up with rehab team. My GP did not want to touch the meds I have been given he just said ask the cardiac team when you see them next, and that will not be for another four weeks.
They have already put me on lansoprazole which does the same thing as omeprazole but it has not helped. The cardiac team told me not to take it over the weekend to see if it helped but it didn't. I think either the ticagrelor or the asperin are the ones causing the symptoms and need tweeking, but that will not happen until I see the cardiac specialist again. but thanks for your reply.
I had my heart attack six months ago and I’ve been sick ever since I left the hospital from the medication’s. I suppose I’m on a Plavix and aspirin and anti-cholesterol regimen. The anti-cholesterol medicine makes me even sicker than the Plavix, so I quit it for a while to see per my GP doctor, but I still have stomach issues. I’m either one way or the other as far as number two, I have nausea I have burning in my stomach and I eat a lot of Tums. My symptoms for my heart attack were similar to what I still get on the medication‘s only it would come and go every few minutes and then it started squeezing down. I had one artery 90 some percent blocked, which was the widow maker I’m glad to be here sick they say I have to get to a year on the I feel like I can’t make it to a year. The cholesterol medicine was Crestor or is and I’m gonna try Lipitor and see if that’s any better but it makes me feel weak and not myself and ill. The Plavix. Also makes me messed up that way, but not quite as bad, there is no rhyme or reason to my stomach anymore. It’s messed up. . They won’t do a scope while I’m on the blood thinners. Thanks for listening. I’m glad I found this place.
Hi Salem100, I had my HA 18 months ago and had 2 stents fitted since then I have been suffering bouts of nuasea and occasional palpitations in bed at night, I have had all the tests that you could think of including a camera down my throat and everything is ok except my doctor notice my heart rate was very low at rest so he reduced the dose of Bisoprolol from 2.5mg to 1.25mg, this was just a few weeks ago and now all the symtoms have gone. Finally after all this time I am free of these problems if only this had been done sooner. I have a friend who also had a lot of problems with his meds but he didn't take sorry but you have to put up with them for an answer and after trying a few different meds came up with a regime that he was okay with it worth talking with your doctor but you may find they are reluctent to change anything you have not got to take sorry we can't do anything more or you are lucky to be here so just carry on with the meds and live with the symtoms as a answer.
Hope this helps, as for the choleserol meds I can't take statins they make me ill so they put me Ezetimibe 10mg and I am doing okay with them but I have read on this forum some have had problems with this med. Everyone is different and it's a matter of finding what works for you. But don't get too depressed we have all been through this and things do finally work out, I am now back in the gym working out like I always did and go for hikes with my friend and now the nausea has been sorted I feel like did before I had the HA.
I had a HA and stent a couple of years ago and was put on statins (among other things) i also felt sickly and when they did the regular liver function check a couple of months later it showed inflammation caused by the statins, so they took me off them and put me on Etzimibe instead. No symptoms since.
I never heard of this medicine but I looked it up and it says it can have the diarrhea for the side effect and gas so that’s not a problem for you on it because it’s the same thing as the other ones listed for like Crestor maybe there’s another reason people can tolerate this I’m just really maybe I can try it
Hi busybee64, apparently clopidogrel is a strong suspect for nausea but often with all the medications it’s hard to tell. Try thinking about what medications you’ve last taken when your nausea comes on, are you taking them as the instructions leaflet from the box advises, - as some need taking with food and others might be without, often with all the medications were prescribed lanoprozole to help them not upset your stomach acid- are you on this, have you got a phone number for rehab as I was told I could phone them for advice even before they contacted me if needed. They are very knowledgeable. Nausea is a horrible thing. Hope you can get it sorted.
Thanks for the reply, yes I am on lanoprozole, I am taking the meds as prescribed. I am sure it is Ticagrelor taken morning and night that may be causing it.
I agree about the heart suffering prior to the attack, I was away on holiday most of May and when I got back training I was struggling to get back to my previous levels and recovery was taking longer I put it down to age but now I realise it was my heart that was not up to it. The strange thing is when I was discharged I felt back to normal other than a little dizziness and sore arm that they used to insert the stent but as the weeks have pasted I have felt worse with the nausea in the mornings and general little aches and pains, it seems the meds take awhile to kick in and show their side effects and the reaction to the precedure also takes awhile to show as the body starts to heal.
Joking aside.. pretty much ALL of the ‘normal meds’ prescribed after an MI and stenting have the possible side-effect of nausea (amongst a gazillion others)! 🤦♀️ For me, the Statins, Anti-platelets, Beta Blockers and Ace-inhibitors caused awful nausea (despite various types & varying doses over time)! The only drug I didn’t have any nausea with was Aspirin.
It’s not easy dealing with any of this, especially after having a heart attack that’s already so hard to come to terms with in itself.. BUT, things do settle down one way or another, with ‘tweaking’, a little trial & error, and taking informed decisions that are right for YOU!
I feel it’s SO important to trust yourself and your own instincts and emperical evidence first and foremost; then make sure that you have a Cardiologist and a GP that listens to you and works WITH you to find a (drug) regime that fits you and your return to vibrant health and well-being. ❤️
Oops! Apologies/correction: I had no problems with the anti-platelet drug (Clopidogrel/Plavix) and have been prescribed it twice (for 18 mths & 12 mths respectively).
😀 I had a talk with someone from the cardiac rehab and they didn't think it was a problem and although it may be unpleasent to stick with the meds until the reveiw in a couple of weeks time. But it more than a little unpleasent. Also today have felt a little tight in the chest with a little soreness but again they were not concerned, just repeated the normal advice to use the spray if I get any pain and if it does not work call 999. It would be nice to know what kind of symtoms others have had during the recovery period as a comparison.
That’s great that you have a review coming up so quickly, although I know when you feel so rubbish, 2 weeks can feel like a long time! Hang in there & keep a note of all your ‘symptoms’ and questions.
Since the MI in 2009 (at 44), I’ve had 3 angiograms, 2 stents in LAD & 1 in the RCA; 2 via the femural artery and one via the wrist. I’d have to say that the ‘tightness’ and ‘soreness’ experienced afterwards is ‘par for the course’ and advised/expected after going through the serious cardiac event and subsequent invasive procedures; but it passes and you WILL feel better. 🤗
Thanks for the reasurence, I had my one stent through the wrist but I was told I may need another one in the future. I had really good treatment while in the hospital but when I was discharged I was given my meds and a booklet no one went through what to expect during the recovery, the possible side affects, pain and soreness that you may experience. What is acceptable and when to seek help, it was only if you get pain use the spray if that doesn't work call 999 and that was it. The booklet says if you have a problem call your GP, no chance it is impossible see a GP in our local practice at best you will see the nurse practitioner. if she thinks it is necessary the practice will make a phone consultation with one of the GP's in a couple of weeks time.
BTW, I had the MI over in the Caribbean and had to be flown to Martinique (French) for the urgent stenting; when done and dusted, my wonderful French/Canadian Cardiologist went through all of the meds with me, then handed me a CD to bring back to the UK Dr’s.. I asked if this was a recording of the whole procedure he’d done & that I’d watched on the monitor..?? 🤔 His reply:
“ Mais NON! It eez Celine Dion’s latest album, because we all adore ‘er!!” 😂😂🤣
😅 Now thats what I call good service, I was lucky my wife and I was on holiday in the Philippines all of May touring the islands, had this happened then in one of the remote islands I would probably not be here now! Instead it happened in July and we have Blackpool Victoria hospital nearby which has the reputation of being one of the best Cardio hospital in the country outside London. Mind you I didn't get a Celine Dion album, will have to bring that up when I have my reveiw.
Oh wow!! That is scary.. & was VERY lucky, thank goodness!! 🙏Same here actually, I was living in St Lucia at the time of the MI and rushed into the private hospital here. Despite blood tests showing my blood flooded with troponin and being told I’d had a ‘massive heart attack’, I was kept in for a week, given every test under the sun - except for ANYTHING cardio-related) including a full body MRI (for NO apparent reason!) and charged over $10,000!! I went into heart failure, my liver enlarged to the point of my body appearing to go from less than 8st to looking 9 months pregnant and still, the so-called Cardiologist did nothing other than more expensive, totally irrelevant tests and insisted I was ‘just constipated’!!!! 🤦♀️
It’s impossible to say how one knows, but I KNEW I was dying! I discharged myself from hospital, managed to get a 20 min flight to Martinique and a taxi from the airport to the hospital. The Cardiologist literally just listened to my heart with a stethoscope in the waiting room and was utterly shocked! He told my partner there and then that he couldn’t believe I’d survived for as long as I had since the MI, let alone have made it from one island to another. He said, “There’s going to be a party, it will be for a few hours and.. it’s for her!” 😆With that, I was rushed straight into emergency surgery and told afterwards that my LAD and RCD were both >90% blocked and my heart was within hours of failing/stopping for good having had zero intervention for over 8 days. Utterly shocking! ❤️
You had a really bad experience, it's good you came through it all. It would have been the same had I had the HA on holiday, getting to a good hospital would have been difficult and they are all private and out to make money if you have no health insurance you get no treatment. I feel a bit guilty complaining about my nausea when there are those like you who have been through far worse. I had a funny turn yesterday I had a little tightness in my chest all day and when I was doing a little gardening I had a couple of sharp pains across my chest and after the that tightness disappeared and this morning my nausea is not to bad. All my vitals have been good since the stent was inserted so not sure what happened yesterday but I feel better so hopefully things are finally improving. I checked with cardiac team and they are not concerned, they said as my heart is healing you can expect some pain occasionally.
Busybee, you have NOTHING to feel ‘guilty’ about! These are VERY early days for you & every little twinge, pain & quick breath can be so scary and worrying after a heart attack! It’s not surprising when you realise that your body and your mind has gone through legitimate Trauma (think PTSD).. wouldn’t you be very on edge & have very heightened ‘flight/fight’ responses out driving for a while if you’d recently been involved in a serious car accident?! It’s your body/brain’s ‘survival’ instinct, releasing cortisol hormones essentially to ‘protect’ you by putting you on high alert eg at the first sign of chest pain again. Of course, it doesn’t help matters that the adreline hormones then pump out (getting you ready to ‘run from the lion), which in our no-lion world now means we just feel instantly stressed and anxious whenever this happens.. which can cause (wait for it..) elevated HR, BP, sweating and chest pains!!! 🤦♀️ Never a dull moment, huh?! 😆 BUT, it does settle down & lessen in time & you will become more used to handling it. However, I have to say that - for me - all of the meds which are known to cause many/all of these same symptoms of a HA, chest pain, breathlessness, zero energy/strength, dizziness, nausea, tiredness, etc etc etc! I felt terrible and it wasn’t getting any better.. & for me, that simply wasn’t ‘good enough’ for me, my heart or my life… ❤️
You are right about how going through this heart trauma takes time. I agree with you about the meds, if you read the side affects on the leaflets they give the same symtoms that they are suppose to prevent! ☹️I have a natural slow heart beat and breathing rate from the years of training I have done. I was always setting off the monitor in the hospital but yet they still give me meds to slow it down further does not make much sense. It seems they give everyone the same meds and see how they go and tweek them if there are any problems. I have had to stop shaving with a razor the slightest nick and because of the blood thinners I bleed for ages you would think I have been bitten by a vampire🤣
Ha! 😁 Yep, same.. I was on Clopidogrel (Plavix) for 18 mths. I remember being in a restaurant & feeling as if my feet were wet under the table.. when I put my hand on my ankle to check, my entire palm was covered in blood, as was my leg, foot and shoe!! 🦟 All the staff rushed around trying to mop up and clean me up, much to the bewilderment and horror of the other diners!! 🩸You get used to that too, although I’m still gutted about the shoes (as your wife will understand)! 👠 😂Seriously though, once off the anti-platelets (12-18 mths), the bleeding’s a LOT less just on Aspirin; and my stents are still totally CLEAR after 13 yrs now. 👍 ❤️
👍Yes the bleeding can look dramatic if you are a onlooker and are not aware why it's happening. 😀Just one more thing you would think they would warn you about when you are discharged from hospital. Touch wood my nuasea is improving, but still the odd twinge or two. Good to hear that after 13yrs the stents are still clear, when I was in the ward some of the other patients who were on their second HA were telling me don't expect the stents to last more that 7yrs, but looking at their fitness level and listening to them talking about their life style I was not surprised theirs had not lasted that long. One of them who was being discharged the day before me was trying to get to the pub and have a fry up meal before they closed that day and was worried he would not make as he had not got his meds.😆
Just a thought - I wonder whether developing a regime for taking your medication might help you. I take allm my medication with my breakfast. The Bisoprolol, Losartan, Rosuvastatin and Vitamin B all go down with my cereal, followed by the dispersible Aspirin and then a cup of tea. I then get on with my day.
I don't take a PPI (Lanzoprazole/ Omeprazole) as I am allergic to them. My GP insisted on prescribing them, but eventually gave up when I never ordered them online.
I do the same I take my meds with my breakfast and aspirin after. but after about 30min the nausea kicks in even worse until after lunch when it starts to decline and I feel reasonably okay. but I know I will have to go through it all again the following morning.
Hmm, it definitely looks like one of your meds is causing the nausea. Even when I was on Clopidogrel for12 months and before it Prasugrel for 11 months, I never had any issues. Even Diltiazem wasn't an issue when I took that for a while. The problem with these things is that we are all different.
Yes these meds affect everyone differently, I woke up this morning and the nausea is not as bad if it stays this way I can cope okay. Maybe I am finally starting to get use to them.
I had a 2nd heart attack 8 weeks ago. I had 1 stent from the previous one and this time I had another 3.I coped well with 7 lots of medication but about 2 weeks ago I started to get really bad muscular pain. Like you I always seem to feel really sick. I can cope with that but the pain is horrendous. This all happened last time, this time some different drugs. Have stopped one drug for a day to see if it makes a difference. For me it’s here we go again. My wonderful consultant saved my life , I’m happy to be alive.
Sorry to hear you are suffering bad pain and like me nausea, I have alway hated the feeling of sickness and would rather have muscular pain within reason of course. This morning the nausea is not as bad and hopefully things maybe are improving and I am starting to tolerate the meds better, the next fews days will see how things go. I hope you find what is causing the pain you are suffering and things get better for you.
I had 2 stents fitted beginning of April after heart attack found out it was genetic in hospital 7 days fitted at Royal Victoria Belfast they were brilliant back to original hospital discharged after echiocardiogram as Dr was off on hols. Given all the pills same as you no information have pain in chest at times and terrible leg pain. Cardio nurse only ever phones as i have COPD as well trying to find out what is responsible saw resp nurse everything fine and dandy under control was before this happened still waiting on review and rehab fed up waiting and feeling like a truck has hit me now depressed and fed up. When she phones on Thursday am going to demand a review off meds with cardio hope I get some joy I think it is the Tricalegor same as youalso give me terrible wind pains. Sorry for long post hope you feel better soon.
Yep they look after you great when in hospital then just give you your meds and a booklet when they discharge you with no information on what to expect while you are recovering and any possible side affects from the meds. I got a call a few days after being discharge from a nurse in the cardiac unit to see how I was doing but at that time I had no problems. It's after a week of being home that the Nausea and some chest pains started but they say everthing is ok your heart is healing and this is normal, the nuasea should get better in time but why was I not told this before being discharged. After having a HA you are paranoid about any pain you get in the chest and feeling nausea thinking it's happening again. As I am typing this I just got a few pains they only lasted a few second but scary.
You didn't miss much the booklet just tells you to take it easy at first, then start doing walking and gentle exercise. A list of the meds and possible side affects which you can get from the leaflet in the med boxes. The standard diet sheet for healthy eating which is out of date the latest research shows dairy products are okay and don't increase bad colesterol in fact it has the opposite effect, but it is hard to change old astablished ideas. The rest of the booklet just tells you about the Cardiac rehibilitation services they offer and a few contact numbers. There is nothing telling you about the pains and nuasea that you will go through during the healing process and how hard it can be, it does advice you to see your GP if you have any concerns which is a joke it is vertaully impossible to see a GP in our health center, at best you may get to see a nurse practitioner and finally if you are lucky a phone consultation with a GP weeks down the line.
Same here I don't feel on my own so much now sorry this happened to you as well I had to look up all the side effects on RX drugs vert informative sure its the same drug that is affecting me still feel like cr@p in the mornings terrible constipation.
My nuasea seems to be improving so maybe I am slowly getting used to the meds, still getting the odd twinge. Yep this site has been more help that my GP, hearing that these symtoms are normal when you are recovering from the HA from others who have been through this before is reassuring, just a pity the hospital didn't tell me all of this on my discharge it would of save me a lot of anxiety. Just got a letter from the hospital detailing what happen to me and the treatment they did, first part is all wrong the symtoms it details when I went to my local A&E are he had pain in both arms wrong, he was feeling nausea wrong! he was feeling clammy wrong! he was treated for several hours before being transfered to Blackpool Victoria Hospital wrong! I was in A&E for 10hrs before getting any treatment and it was after 24hrs before I was transfered! does not feel you with much confidence when they can not get these basic details right🙄The only pain I had was in my chest and the only time I felt nausea is when they gave me morphine for the pain and nausea is a known side effect of that drug. Hope you start to feel better soon and get back to some normality.
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Feeling reflective after my 2nd HA
Experience when having a stent fitted 
Weird feeling after stents fitted
