my beat

[coracao]

Hi,

Had a heart attack at 43, was down for 8 minutes and in a coma for 3 days, still recovering from the operation. high blood pressure and cigarettes not a great combination, had a bypass op but blood pressure is still high, I don't understand and I am sacred as I don't smoke anymore and I am taking my medication. I am scared that the new arteries will get blocked again.

[sturon]

Hi.

What a difficult time of it you have had. I think it is very natural to feel worried and afraid but you have new arteries and they healthy.

Stopping smoking is the best thing you have done to maintain your health - well done.

You didn't say what your B/P has been. An ideal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg. If your pressure is higher than 140/90 you should do a daily reading for a week and go back to see your GP. If you are getting other symptoms, like headache or your B/P is very high go back to see your GP as soon as you can.

This is from the NHS Choices web site:

nhs.uk/conditions/high-bloo...

Good luck and hope this is helpful.

Regards Ron.

[coracao in reply to sturon]

Hi thanks for the reply. My BP is like 157/114; 159/111 which is absolutely ridiculous but got an appointment this month with the consultants at ST Barts Hospital that saved my life. I see my GP on a weekly basis to check my BP and I do my own at home. I just don’t want this new arteries to get blocked. By next week, I am going start on yoga and meditation and hopefully that will help me.

[stevejb1810]

Being scared is common amongst us hearties. The best advice is to talk to someone about how you feel etc. The worst thing you can do is bottle it all up. You should be able to get you GP to help find a counsellor or you could find one on Internet and go privately (it’ll likely be quicker). You should also be offered cardiac rehab, they can help too.

Well done on stopping the fags. It’ll take a long time before your body recovers from those, years not months, but you should feel the positive effects within a few months (at least you might have done had it not been for the HA and subsequent CABG.

On the blocking arteries front, you should be given medication - statins- for that precisely to reduce the risk of further blockage.

I know it’s easy to say this than to to do it, but try to relax and not get stressed by anything. Exercise (cardiac rehab will advise) and take the meds. You will feel better surprisingly quickly. I am 8 months post triple CABG and feeling better than I have done in years.

Steve

[coracao in reply to stevejb1810]

Hi I am taking statins among other meds, going to see the consultants this month and crítical after care team next month, starting yoga and meditation next week, is just at the moment I feel powerless...

[Lezzers]

Hi Coracao, my husband was 42 when he had a massive heart attack & went into cardiac arrest. I was told he wouldn't make it & they were gonna turn off his life support. He did make it, unfortunately a bypass, stents etc were not an option for him as his aorta is completely blocked so he's managed by medication only....that was 20 years ago & he's still doing well. Life has its challenges, he now has heart failure but as his heart was badly damaged that's not a surprise, again it's managed by medication & he's doing really well. I hope kevins story shows that life goes on. I hope you continue to do well, ask your medical team bout cardiac rehab, it really helped Kevin get his head round it all xx

[coracao in reply to Lezzers]

Hello, miracles do happen as things did not look good for me either, but I now embrace this second chance and appreciate everything. I struggle to accept what happened to me but I taking it as a warning to slow down knowing that so many people were in the same situation as me and some of them did not make it. God did not want me to be part of His Kingdom yet.