Just thought I'd introduce myself. I had a heart attack last November and had 2 stents fitted in a single artery. I was 47 at the time and although I've drank and smoked way too much over the years I always ate fairly healthily and was fairly fit. Apart from everyday illnesses and damage from sports injuries I've never really been ill before, although heart disease does run in my family. At the time I thought it was completely out of the blue but knowing what I know now about symptoms I can see that there were a few indications that something wasn't quite right.
I'm now 8 months in, packed in smoking and have made all the diet and lifestyle changes, and although I feel fairly well most of the time I have ups and downs, like I'm sure we all do.
I was a member of BHF and hope that this forum is a bit more lively as I think an online support group such as this can be a great asset if utilised.
Anyway, that's enough from me for now.
All the best,
Marc
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Marc68
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Hi Marc, I am no expert but I think smoking and family history can be real warning flags. You have done really well to give up smoking. I am afraid I was always in danger, I am overweight (working on it) smoked until 2003, my dad died at 52 years old with heart failure and I am diabetic. Luckily I haven't had a heart attack but had angina and nearly 6 weeks ago I had a bypass.
My family say that I know more than anyone else I what is going on inside my heart.
Whatever the past we can't change it but we can try our best to make changes to our future.
I have found a lack of information and will also rely on this forum for that and support so anything I can do to help just let me know, I can only help from behind a key board but I will do my best.
Hi Heather I too lost my dad at 52 with heart attack , I also am diabetic with ischemic heart disease but thankfully no heart attack , but suffer with vasospastic angina after 3 stents fitted, your post is an inspiration to me , to know that there is others out there going through the same thing that can come through the other end ( does that sound selfish cos I don't mean to) so i wish you all the best on your journey and stay strong .
Hi Marc and welcome. Smoking and family history, tick. Like you out of the blue but hey ho, I too am 8 months in, but I had quit the fags some ten years prior. Still experiencing ups and downs as well, called good and bad in my world, good outnumbering the bad. I still have some issues berating myself when a bad day comes as I feel bad not doing enough exercise, but even that is getting better
Yes Heather, the writing was on the wall for me but somehow I had ignored it. I was always the active/sporty one in my family and had never been properly ill. Always been a bit on the heavy side myself (ex front row rugby player) but fairly fit and active. Luckily, my HA was fairly mild I'm told, muscle damage is minimal, and I was classed as low risk when cardiac rehab finished, so there are a lot of people worse off than me. I sympathise as there's facets of this heart disease malarky that aren't easy to come to terms with, and my complaint is fairly small compared to others.
I'm here to help as well Heather and hope that this forum keeps active. There was some great info on the BHF site but the forum had fallen flat, and I really think that an opportunity to feed directly back into the BHF team on here can only be a good thing for both patients and for learning/research/consideration for medical professionals. Win, win!
Hi Skid,
Hmm, sounds familiar! Must admit, my exercise has dropped a bit for various reasons and I need to get back on it. One of my biggest issues is that I've not been able to find out the limits of what I'm safely able to do, but I'll be putting up a separate post at some point soon about that one as the situation is a bit different to the norm.
Again, thanks for the welcome and I hope recovery is going well for you both.
I read your post with interest - like you I am an ex front row player with the associated body shape and mass!
Had 3 stents in single artery last November after heart attack but have recovered well. On advice from hospital I did next to nothing until January but then attended 2 weekly rehab sessions at the hospital. After 8 weeks I transferred to "level 4" cardiac rehab at local sports centre.
I was given advice in the rehab sessions in response to specific questions e.g. can I swim, can I ride a bike etc. and was initially given very clear boundaries or limits to work with but these were progressively incremented until I am now doing basically as much as my rugby damaged body will take! There were also a number of advice sheets in racks in the department for specific activities e.g. scuba diving, walking, running etc.!!
After retiring from rugby at 50 (I am now 64) I have resumed regular exercise e.g. level 4 rehab, aerobic gym sessions, swimming and cycling. The only thing I have been 'advised' against is heavy lifting in the gym. It was explained in detail but seemed to be based on the thought that the breath holding and rapid exhale with heavy lifts was not good (for me at least)
For me the experience has made me immensely grateful for the opportunity to get back on track and a determination to stay positive.
I was (mostly) the little un in the middle but still fairly chunky. lol. I understand the exercise part of it but that isn't the issue for me. It's exactly what you mention, the type of exercise that makes you hold your breath and grunt, that is my problem, along with adrenaline and heart rate. I've fished for monster sized fish for decades and I'm not sure if I'm now physically able to do it.
There's a bit more to it so I'll put up a separate post about it in the next couple of days or so, but thanks mate. It's good to speak to others who might be able to see where I'm coming from.
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