Morning all, I’m after some advice please. My husband, who is 47, has just been diagnosed with a couple of clogged arteries, has been put on statins, blood thinning drugs and will have to have a couple of stents fitted. This has come as a massive shock to us. After having had some chest pain, no history in the family we have been knocked for six. Thinking he’ll have to take meds for the rest of his life, when he’s only 47 has been hard. Anyone had experience of stents?
Stents : Morning all, I’m after some... - British Heart Fou...
Stents
Written by
Cherrybubble
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
71 Replies
•
It's everyone's first reaction to say "I'll be on meds for the rest of my life". However, even though taking a few pills might be a psychological blow it's really no great imposition on your daily routine.
Much more significant is the other half of the wellness equation, how to change lifestyles to tackle the root causes that have led to your husband's heart disease? The problem is that atherosclerosis is a progressive disease, but stents and medication can only do so much. At 47 your husband needs a solution that will keep him healthy for another forty years or more.
For many people the really big changes are the 150 minutes of aerobic exercise that need to be fitted in every week, the adoption of a genuine mediterranean diet that ditches takeaways and processed food, stopping smoking and stopping or radically reducing drinking, getting Body Mass Index below 25 and (a much harder challenge) keeping it there for the remainder of your life, etc, etc.
In many areas there are eight week "cardiac rehab" classes, these are an excellent guide to the critical life style changes that will be essential for maintaining your husband's long term quality of life. If you can possibly get your husband on one of these courses I'd throughly recommend it.
Thank you chappychap. It’s really frustrating as he was cycling everyday 16miles to work and back, then started to work from home about a year ago and stress levels at work have gone through the roof. He isn’t necessarily that overweight, and his diet isn’t awful, he doesn’t smoke, or drink that much so this was not expected, other than the stress being out of control and inevitably having some negative impact. Anyway, thanks for the reassurance about the meds. Got to get him back to cycling somehow. Thanks again.
It’s tricky, presenting as an emergency usually associated with heart attack it all happens so rapidly you are taken along with it, the shock and upset follows on. Advance notice presents you with some of that shock ahead of the procedure and it is precisely that ‘a shock’ for all of us with ‘experience’ whatever the circumstances we will all reflect on how overwhelming it all is. The meds can bring side effects that compound the problem and the upset can also result in lost sleep and for me overly obsessing on the detail. It’s not an easy time but it will get better. The intervention is there to help as are the tablets and gradually you will all come to terms with it and hopefully your husband will feel better as things settle. Not all of the medication is necessarily forever and as Chappychap says not a huge imposition on the day. Keep a diary in terms of any worries or concerns you feel might be attributed to medication and do share with the team GP, nurses who will help you through this. Ditto Chappychap’s comments, the lifestyle changes are a big part of the equation but guilt isn’t, we are all here because of a variety of factors the important thing is to look at the future and maintain health and well being - both physically and mentally. Take care x
Thank you SusieAG. Thanks for the support, it is overwhelming but as you say I’m sure we’ll adjust.
Hello SusieAG
It’s taken me 18 months to be able to identify with the journey you described . I felt I was the only one feeling like this. Thank you.
As part of rehab I lost 1.5 stones and felt fab. Today I weighted, I’m not exercising like I was pre returning to work full time and I topped the scales at my highest weight yet . Feeling a bit sad but I am the only one who can make things better.🙂
Hi - it worries me to be honest I work full time but have been off since mid October. I don’t relish going back to work because I need to lose weight and I do use my time at the moment to get out and walk and generally take care of me 🙂 I am 60 my job is quite demanading with lots of evening and weekend work and I know I won’t find the time to exercise as I do now like you I know I need to make informed choices and do the best for me moving forward.
X
Thanks for your reassuring words SusieAG. Merry Christmas.
Hi Cherry,
I am 46 and in the similar position to your husband. I was diagnosed with CAD and put on statins, blood thinners and beta blockers 'for the rest of my life' and had 3 stents fitted almost 3 months ago. I also felt shock when it dawned on me that I'll be taking meds for the rest of my days but it doesn't bother me any more. I just accepted it and I'm now too busy with getting on with my life. I used to smoke, drink and I ate whatever I wanted for decades and I'm not even surprised considering that I did have heart disease history in my family. I only stopped smoking year and a half ago when I got so sick I couldn't smoke any more but I carried on with drinking and eating until I got stented. I don't drink as much any more (once a month I may have a couple) and I eat healthy diet of mainly whole vegetables, very low fat and I've lost about 12 kilos since. I exercise every day and running 5km (or more) 3-4 days a week. I'm aiming at running 5km under 25 minutes and yesterday I did it in 28:36. Seriously, I never felt better and healthier.
I hope this helps a little and just remember - it ain't over till the fat lady sings and taking few pills is not the end of the world. Good luck to both of you.
Thank you HB-HB that is helpful. I’m glad you’re feeling so good and it sounds like you’re taking great care of yourself. Have a great Christmas.
I agree with Chappychap but I go a stage further. Atherosclerosis is caused by a number of factors, one of which is Cholesterol. Without Cholesterol, Atherosclerosis can't happen. So if you remove Cholesterol from his diet (his body will create the Cholesterol it needs) his Atherosclerosis won't get worse and might even improve.
This is where I go the stage further. I recommend that you watch the film "Forks Over Knives". It will show you that you can clear out his arteries. It is on Netflix, YouTube and a website of the same name. It is about medical dietary research, including a massive study of 800,000 Chinese people. You might find it helpful, I did and I am much better for it.
In the film, there is a bloke with 27 diseases. After 6 months on a WFPB diet he was down to 1.
Without Cholesterol life can’t go on, it isn’t the demon , it is the repair material the body uses to try and rectify damage, sugar levels and the resultant inflammation is. Just as many heart attacks occur to people with “low “ cholesterol levels as to those with levels considered to be higher than normal. Nonetheless the good advice you and the others have given of eating a healthy diet, improving lifestyle and regular exercise are key to a successful outcome. By way of encouragement Cherrybubble I know a number of people who have had stents, one over ten years ago, living normal active symptom free lives some without trying that hard!
Thanks PhilGM. That’s really good to know.
The liver can produce all the cholesterol that the body needs. No animal products are necessary.
I believe that eating in a WFPB way improves health generally, not just heart health. It gives the body the nutrients it needs, without pushing processed "food" in that it doesn't need. I doubt that everyone will want to go full blown WFPB but cutting out the processed "food" is the first step. If people did just that one thing it would make a hell of a difference to the national health. There was someone on here who got their cholesterol down just by cutting out the processed "food".
I put the word "food" in quotes because some of it, I have learnt, is not recognized as food by the body.
Wow. That sounds incredible. Will definitely check it out. Thank you. Cholesterol free diet will look into. He is super stressed with work at the moment which I blame for all of this. Don’t know if there is a direct causal link with stress causing raised cholesterol but there must be!
stress will lower magnesium levels
Athough I'm 65 my heart attack was a massive shock. I eat a Mediterranean diet, exercise 6 days a week, never smoked and moderate drinker. I was the healthiest person I knew! I went from no tablets to 9 a day and it's really demoralising. However, much to my surprise it is slowly becoming routine. The support and advice on this forum has been a big part in helping me to cope with the shock and anxiety. I think you're right and stress plays a large part.
Look into all the cholesterol information on B.H.F. forum before you make any decisions.
Don’t worry Cherrybubble My husband had a quadruple at 60 and since then has had 7 stents.Still going strong with Meds and is 79 in January.Modern medicine is a lifesaver. Merry Christmas and don’t worry.
Thank you Pinocchio. That’s good to know!
please research _calcification of organs and arteries, magnesium deficiency and symptoms of magnesium deficiency,and vitamin d3 and k2 mk7 goodluck
Ok, intriguing.
Hi I seem identical to your husband. 2.5 years ago I was 46 & had our of hospital cardiac arrest whilst out cycling.
I too never smoked, are healthily and always excercised since my teens. At time I had been cycle to work too for over 11 years, commuting 13 miles each way 4 days per week. Then I would cycle on weekends & the odd evening in summer. I always are well, generally Mediterranean as I lived in Italy when I was 21 & the cuisine stuck with me.
So it really was a massive shock, I came round in hospital after 4 days in a coma & my wife was there to explain.
It’s very demoralising & hard. BUT it does get better & whatever solution you hang onto taking meds is not that bad in end, I was well peeved as never even took paracetamol for a headache before! It’s becomes routine & in fact I’ve had meds reduced.
Put it this way it’s better than being dead!
As for diet that’s a tough one, there are so many conflicting studies, don’t eat full fat diary full example, yet when I was recovering there was a study published saying diary had no impact on heart desease,
End of day it’s better & enjoy life.
Merry Christmas
Thanks for sharing your experience really helpful to hear about. Being so healthy that must have been hard. That seems to be pretty common story on here. Merry Christmas to you.
I was a little older than your husband (55) when I had a heart attack and stent. In fact all of us in the 5 bed Coronary Care Unit were aged 55. No recent family history, cholesterol level not high, didn’t smoke, not obese and exercised regularly. It came as a shock and it has taken some time to get over things but 2 + years on and I feel fine. I haven’t found taking the meds to be a big deal (once my body got used to them). Taking them is a constant reminder of my condition but I don’t see that as a bad thing.
I exercise regularly (but warm up and cool down more systematically now), try and eat well and have made changes to my diet. Everything is now back to normal (or better than normal with the meds) except I now better know what’s going on behind the scenes in my body. With a blocked heart - not knowing is far more problematic.
Things will get better. If I could make a suggestion - do try and get your husband to talk to someone about the stress. There are counselling options available via the Docs and (in my case) Cardiology Nurses, too. And go to cardio rehab if it’s on offer.
I hope you and he have a great Christmas.
Thanks for telling me about your story - that is useful to know about the counselling options as his stress levels need to be dealt with for sure . Merry Christmas to you.
Hi, I am 43 & had 2 stents after a HA in September. I also have struggled with anxiety for 20+ years, so this was a real kick in the gentleman area. My issues were deemed to be due to smoking & I also had a poor diet & cholesterols of near 7.
My biggest issue has been the phantom pains since the stents were fitted, most I believe are stress related aches & pains, needless to say all have moved to the chest area since the HA. But hey on the bright side, I haven’t had a tension or migraine headache since 😂
My experience is that the Mediterranean diet, should be called the ‘no taste, no joy diet’, so we have changed that to the ‘let’s be sensible, but still enjoy food diet’, we check labels, don’t add salt or sugar, try to get veggies & fruit intake in etc. So far ( with help of the statins ) i’m down from 14 stone to 12 & cholesterol is 2.4. I’ve been slack with my exercise, but catching up a bit more now,social anxiety & fear had meant I stayed in more than I should have.
Pills are fine, just a planning exercise of getting them arranged, collected & taken.... some side effects, aches & pains, bruising & bleeding easily, slight dizziness was unexpected. However I have now been discharged by my cardiologist & other than the aspirin, the tablets will stop after a year. 🤗
I think it is natural for your hubby to think it’s end of life as he knows it, I did/do. However as my cardiologist has said, I now do not have any higher chance of a second HA than anyone else, it took 40 years to clog the arteries the 1st time, so with the lifestyle changes it should take longer the next. Fair comment I think & he’s the expert, so I have to trust his opinion. Onwards & upwards.
Have a Merry Christmas.
Glad to hear you’ve made such great progress. Thanks for sharing.
Hi😊 Stents saved my husband's life. He went to theatre grey and came back pink. He had quite a few at the same time via groin and wrist and they have extended his life for years. He would not be alive otherwise as he had been turned down for any other surgery due to frailty. Don't worry! Love100cats
Thanks!! So glad to hear such a positive story.
My husband was just the same as yours, grey/pink. The transformation in skin colour after having his first stent was amazing, he looked the healthiest I’d seen him in years.
I find Mediterranean diet really tasty. I get my healthy fats from olive or rapeseed oil, oily fish, eggs and nuts and seeds. There's some controversy now about whether dietary cholesterol clogs the arteries but I still have skimmed milk and low fat yoghurts. I have absolutely loads of veg and slightly fewer portions of fruit. Not sure about my carb. intake but most of it is from veg. I also eat porridge every day and absolutely no processed foods or sugar apart from the fruit. Have a look at Dr. Michael Mosley's books.
Ok thanks will do.
forgot to say I also have pulses and beans regularly.
I feel sorry for Cherrybubble, she posts about her concerns but immediately finds herself in the cardiac theory battle zone!
It's all about cholesterol and you must become Vegan; no it's all about raised insulin levels and you should eat cheese and meat, no you're both wrong it's all about increasing your HDL cholesterol levels and you need to fast for two days a week!
Unfortunately there are a lot of people who have turned their heart conditions into their latest obsessive hobby, and they support their favourite theory with the uncritical fervour of a football team!
But for all the sensible people wondering exactly what to do, then I'd say ignore all the fanatics trying to recruit you to their cardiac causes. Follow instead the balanced advice from the British Heart Foundation (the sponsors of this web site).
And, rather than getting tied up in the differences between the various theories, look instead for the points where absolutely everybody agrees...exercise regularly, cut down on sugar, salt and carbs; eat your five a day, cut out processed foods, get your weight down to sensible levels, don't drink much, don't smoke at all, identify the chief causes of stress and tackle them, make sure you get seven or eight hours sleep a night, take your medication in the doses and timings that your doctor recommends, have regular health checks at least annually.
Get this basic stuff right and you'll be well down the road towards a longer, fitter life. Ignore these and you can tinker with the fringe stuff, like whacky diets and exotic food supplements, until you're blue in the face. The fact is you'll just be kidding yourself that you're making a meaningful difference to your life expectancy.
Good luck!
Excellent post! Being guilty myself of throwing myself into researching my condition and trying to optimise my lifestyle to suit whichever theory is on my mind. Balance and happiness need to be major factors in any choice.
Thank you Chappychap! Really sensible advice. Lots of really interesting suggestions from others but I hear what you’re saying completely. This is all so new to us lots to take on board. Thanks again.
Go to the top of the class!😊 At last some common sense! All you people listen to what is proven and reasonable. If you want to give some other advice a try do so, but don't lose sight of what works for so many. Well done Chappychap.
skid112Heart Star
An admirable sentiment from ChappyChap, one size does not fit all.
Once your husband has been to the cardiac rehab classes he should be able to continue with his cycling. The level of fitness pre the stents may be a good help in his recovery, please don't think the medication is for life, there are plenty of us who started off with several who are now down to a couple (not from a vegan or plant based diet, but exercise, cutting out processed meats and upping the vegetable intake, sorry but I like my meat and fish) . Has there been any history in his family of heart issues or high cholesterol? This could be a factor
Hi skid112, no that’s the problem no history in the family that we know of. He has been under a lot of stress for a few years at work and stopped cycling with working from home so I’m sure those factors are big players. Hard to know for sure of course.
Hi cherry bubble, I can’t offer any advice but would just like to say your husband is not alone. I had a stress MRI on 28/11 and had been assured my chest pain was probably muscular by the cardiologist. I am 47, never smoked, eaten healthy, no family history etc. I got married on 15/12 and my wife was dreading I got bad results before the wedding!
I got the bad results of a blocked artery causing Ischaemia by post on 19/12 and worse still the cardiologist I am under who brought my appointment forward to 21/12 left the hospital and my appointment to discuss my urgent case is now cancelled. We are very much in turmoil but I’m just trying to stay calm but in the night the anxiety is really bad.
I wish you all the best and good luck hoping things get better for you.
Thank you Stu88. So sorry to hear about your situation, how completely frustrating for you. That must be so hard. It’s the middle of the night panics that are the worst! Good luck to you. Hope it all gets sorted really soon.
Thanks. I’m trying headspace, a meditation app for your phone that I’ve been recommended. Might be worth a try.
Hi, I had a fairly similar situation. During the summer aged 49 some odd sensations in my chest led to angiogram and 1 stent. I remember that shock as the doc said “for the rest of your life” so clearly. Stent was on 31st August. Nothing to worry about. Actually in a bizzare way an incredible experience. Two weeks recovery and then get back to life. He’s going to be ok and your going to have him around for many years to come. To focus on a positive. He’s lucky he found out this way and didn’t have the heart attack that so many go through. Impossible to stop worrying but try to enjoy your Christmas. Life is a gift and he still has it. As for the meds.... as my gp said to me upon seeing my distress.....”oh well.... mind over matter”. Happy Christmas.
Thanks Lxnc. What a positive message thanks really helpful.
I know I should not say this, but "there are people who are far worse off than you" without meaning to offend. I often think about adults and children with disfiguring conditions/physical and mental disabilities from birth, for example, excluded from society. If someone was well until let's say 48, and that's a long time that someone was well and had a very normal life until then. You know what a good life was and you may recover from the temporary setback and "turmoil".
However, I strongly feel that lifestyle choice has a huge factor in this as others had commented.
They say about the government adding more tax on food companies that market popular foods, containing, so much sugar/high bad fats/chemicals served in plastic. It seems that there's finally a move against the use of plastic in recent years after groups campaigning against for decades. These new changes would have to go further. They ought to fund/design/build the new hospitals with car parks next to their food chains and supermarkets. Are you the product of their clever, cunning food strategy that made them rich but made you ill? NHS would certainly use those facilities these giant food chains can finance and provide.
How about Sainsbury Cardiac Centre in several regions in the UK? Tesco Cardiac Centre of Excellence that you get fast-tracked without any lengthy wait or going "private"? I'm amazed these hadn't happened as we all know what made people ill.
Cherrybubble• in reply to
Thanks for the positive message and certainly some food for thought.
Hello Cherrybubble,
Sorry to hear about your husbands health scare but try to put into prespective, which I appreciate isn’t easy. To help you get your head round, let me share my story. Before my Heart Attack in March 2018, I weighed 100kg, BMI was 30, Cholesterol was 3.7, worked from home and average steps were day 1500. Drank socially and although vegetarian, I was eating fatty foods etc.
Suffered a massive Heart Attack whilst driving to work, had 4 Cardiac Arrests also. Blue lighted to Leicester Glenfield Hospital. Had 3 stents in the LAD and put on various meds, which I have accepted. Role forward to the present time, my weight is 76.8 kg, BMI is 24, Cholesterol is 2.5 with LDL of 1.1. Given up alcohol, eat a healthy diet and walk an average of 6km per day. I feel fantastic! In fact been on holiday to Thailand last month and going to India in Feb. If I can do it, anyone can!
O wow, thanks for your inspiring story! Amazing turn around. Good for you. Makes me feel much better.
Thank you , I have just been needing some reassurance.
I had 2 stents fitted after (mild) HA 12 weeks ago .i am 59 , but due to terrible anxiety it is making me so miserable as every twinge , ache , I think there is something wrong . but after reading your experience and how far you have come it has made me more confident in my recovery ..
so thank you 🙏☺️👍.
Farm animals are not on a WFPB diet, they are fed various animal feeds (meat as well - see mad cow disease) and some grass. One of the tenets of a WFPB diet is "No processed food". The animals are stuffed with antibiotics and growth hormones. The animals reared for foie gras have their livers stuffed with fat.
There is still so many unknowns about heart disease. 50% of people who suffer heart attacks have normal or even low cholesterol. I took a CAC test about 6 months ago and discovered it was extremely high...…… almost (1000). Although I am considered to have advanced heart disease and at very high risk, at (63) I have never had any symptoms and I passed a stress test. I feel that diet, exercise, reducing stress, avoiding toxins/heavy metal exposure are extremely important. There is much controversy about what is a "heart healthy diet" it may vary depending on the individual. Cholesterol may be a factor in CVD but there are many other factors. Insulin resistance and blood coagulation are just two others. My strategy is to eat real organic food and keep my carb intake under 75g, I try to eat two meals per day within a 7 hour window. I have added a weight training regimen and have increased aerobic exercise. I keep track of both my macro and micro nutrients and I'm experimenting with some supplementation. I have decided against taking statins after doing some research and learning the difference between the relative and absolute benefits of statins. My goal is to slow the progression and stabilize the plaque (Plaque can progress as much as 30% per year). The most dangerous type of plaque is unstable plaque. A CAC Test gives one a baseline and allows one to monitor heart disease progression. I will re-test in 18 months and if necessary modify my strategy. One important side effect of this strategy, is that my quality of life has gone up, and I feel better now than I ever have.
great job .. i was detected with lots of plaques at age 48 , stenting attempt was not successful as plaques were calcified , i followed medicines,regular 60minutes walk and plant based no oil foods (weekly once fish/egg) doing good , improved my stress test time from 7min to 9min . I am torn between low carb which you follow (ADA has revised guidelines upto 130gm carb) and low fat ( ornish,esselstyne suggest 10% fat)
What was your CAC score? I understand that can be a difficult decision. Personally I feel so much better on a LCHF Diet. It increases my quality of life which for me is really important. I have also increased my quality of sleep and spent more time being mindful.
I did angiogram 1 artery 100% blocked,4 arteries 90%,1 more 50% blocked ..cac might be more than 2000 ...I developed collaterals so my stress test improved
What do you feel contributed to your athrosclorosis. Poor nutrician , hypertension, family history, life style, smoking, other? How did you develop collaterals?
I do not smoke I think eating out(saw David diamond audio you posted),stress could be reason..my active exercising helped to develop collaterals...i have hard time explaining low carb to doctors..they are still in drugs / low fat frame of mind
Stress can be a big factor, doctors are not trained in nutrician and may not know the latest dietary research. If all one has is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Low-Carb Diets and Cholesterol, LDL-C & Heart Disease Risk w/ Dr. David Diamond PhD Dr. Bubbs interviews expert Dr. David Diamond PhD to talk about cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, saturated fats and heart disease risk. In this episode, David reviews the history of our modern fear of cholesterol, statistical misrepresentation in the early research on cholesterol and heart disease risk, and whether he believes the evidence supports saturated fat as a risk factor for heart disease. David also discusses the original research on statins, reviews the literature on LDL-c, and how much they actually impact heart disease risk. As well, David highlights the importance of LDL particle number and the fundamental role of clotting in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Thanks for the information pcspetro. Lots to take on board for sure.
I am 70 January had 3 stents last June kept fit and did not eat junk food do not drink never smoked then in June this year had 3 stents fitted you are on blood thinners for 1 year and aspirin for life the operation is nothing your in and out in a day started the Gym last month never felt better feel like my old self no pain and feel great theres nothing to worry about just keep contacting the hospital to see if there are any cancelations that way you will get in quick
Thank you Shootist - useful to know that you feel that it is nothing to worry about.
Needing stents is a thing to worry about that's why I said keep ringing the hospital appointments dpt for a canccelation if your not treated for a long time you can die so please keep ringing the appointment dpt the operation is nothing to worry about I would rather have a stent than a tooth out nothing too it but please you have to keep pushing it after its done it takes about 3 months to get fitt again then you feel great
Concerned you have just hit the nail on the head.
Please please can you go and educate some cardiologist's that are still burying there heads in the sand and blaming cholesterol for everything and anything.
Thanks to you and Mr ivor Cummings videos I've seriously looked at insulin resistance and am doing what I can to address what I now strongly believe is the real culprit of heart disease.
I thank you concerned 😊
Hi I had a heart attack 2 months ago and stent fitted it came out of the blue I'm 56. I am finding cardiac rehab really helpful and my meds are settling down now. I have low blood pressure and have had to stop my blood pressure tablet. It is a shock and I was very frightened at first but getting used to living life again. I have a wonderful family currently cooking Christmas dinner. There are 10 of us and I feel very lucky to be here enjoying the day. Good luck and merry Xmas to all.
Indeed we are all very lucky. Have to be grateful in many ways for sure.
I understand your feelings ..I was 48 when plaques were diagnosed for me. I too revolt against such drug menance .. too many pills drive you crazy .. at our level it is difficult to determine what is needed and what is not .. if you have seen pcspetro video of david diamond he explained why statin is not needed but there are counter documents which say high risk individual LDL > 70 with plaques burden > 70% and /or CAC > 100 need this drug .. I do not find a solution but we can allways learn from sharing our experiences
Tricky to know for sure. More research needed!
Try having it happen at 34 ...
Latest blood test shows HDL at 1.1 and LDL at 0.9. No idea if this is good or not but doctor doesn’t seem worried
I've got 1 stent and 2 drug coated balloons in. Nothing to worry about. My left ventricle was blocked and blood couldn't get through. I'm on rivarauxaban and clopidogril statins ramipril. Stop clopidogril in June and my rivarauxaban will go up from 15 to 20. I'm supposed to be on tablets for rest of my life. To be honest with you I've never ever taken tablets but have to do what hospital says. It gets on my nerves but no problem. Just do what Drs say and youl be fine.
Hope so! Glad to hear the stents and balloons was nothing to worry about.
I was 74 when admitted to hospital with chest pains. I was in hospital for eleven days and had angioplasty with five stents fitted.
On release I was advised to start with five minute walks, twice per day, and I was knackered. Now, four months on, I walk about 2.3 miles aiming to take about 38 to 40 minutes. About forty minutes after completing the walk my blood pressure is sub 140/80 with pulse about 55/65.
Prior to the angioplasty I played golf about four times per week aiming to complete nine holes in about 75/80 minutes and pulse about 125.
I’m 47 as well - with 2 stents fitted December. I’m on a ‘moderate’ diet ...just cut out daily treats / chocolate and avoiding processed meats. I’m back playing football now and in pretty good shape - although I had a tough first 2 months. It’s always back of mind, but life is almost normal again. I also blame stress for my arteries.
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Stents inside stents
Hi all, just a update
Been back wards and forwards for the last few years on different meds...
Stents
Hi all how long do stents remain effective for i had 2 in 10 years ago after heart attack .I ask...
Stents
Hello
I had 3 coronary heart stents done at Papworth 8 months ago, all has been well until...
Question on Stents
Question on stents I forgot to ask this question to the cardiologist.
I had a couple of stents into...
2nd round of stents
Hi all,
Came across this group whilst recovering at home following 2nd round of stents put in my...
stents inside stents which are inside stents!
Highest number of stents 
Stents. Again. 
