Stent fitted inApril2019

[househunterthethird3]

I'm 73 and had a stent fitted at Southmead Hospital Bristol can't fault that part of the operation, but the aftercare doesn't exist, had to stay in overnight in the morning was seen by a guy with a stethoscope dangling around his neck who said morning Alain you must not forget to take your tablets and buggered of still don't know who he was 10 mins later a wheelchair arrives to take me to the dispatch dept to go home, couldn't get an appointment with our doctor till 8th May I had loads of questions to ask what a joke I need to lose weight need advice statins giving me hell I have ditched those second type tried needed advice none given not ready for the grave yet used to be active but since problem have put on 4 stone need advice about exercise I think ill be asking the preverbal pig flying over. NHS get your act together, good start but very very poor finishing

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Could you expand on your tale rather more so people have more to go on. When did you have the stent fitted and was it an elective or emergency procedure. You also mention gaining four stone in weight. Why and when was this! With a better understanding people are better able to comment and/or advise

[Zoesgranny]

I have a story similar to you. Heart attack April 2016. Blue lights to Dundee, stent fitted next day, discharged day after. Given pills and told nurse would visit at home and rehab classes would follow.

No nurse, no rehab.

Phoned my local surgery to ask. Receptionist said “oh we don’t do heart attacks” that’s the rehab team🙄

Eventually the rehab nurse came back from holiday/time off and said she hadn’t had my referral.

Eventually got the cardio rehab class - 35 minute drive away.

Bought an exercise bike and go for walks.

Do as much as you can without feeling too bad and carry your phone and gtn spray.

Hospital does procedures, not rehabilitation.

[Clerkenweller]

Sounds very poor. You should be able to access cardiac rehab where you can be advised on exercise and diet. You should receive a copy of a letter to your GP describing the procedure (might take time) which you can then talk through with your GP. If you’re experiencing side efffects of the drugs call your GP. In my experience always write down the questions before the conversation. You should also have a date in the future for a review with your cardiologist. If anxious (very common) the BHF site is a great source of information including diet. Good luck.

[Judy2208]

Go to your GP and ask about cardiac rehab they work out a training program and you get informative talks on heart attacks and other matters hope this helps speedy recovery

[Song19]

Snap, lots of question but no one to ask. Just told to go to A&E if worried!

[Calliope153]

Ask to be referred to the cardiac rehabilitation classes. Southmead runs them in the North Bristol area and the cardiac nurses are very good. You will have to wait for a space though (I waited for 3 months). You will have to ask your GP to do this referral but you could try ringing the nurses directly (number on Southmead NHS web site). Once your stent is in the GP is your link. Southmead does the procedure and then you can forget seeing the same consultant twice. I am not defending Southmead (three good departments and the rest of the place is a frightening joke of a hospital - they haven;t yet managed to get through an inspection) but the numbers of people trying to access the cardiology department are huge and they move you on to the GP as fast as they can. Try to book with the same GP when you make your appointments - otherwise every appointment is spent going over the same ground and getting your medications altered proves to be difficult as no one wants to take responsibility. If you;re in Bristol - good luck with getting a GP appointment in less than two to three weeks. No one can lose weight for you (and I advise you to shed it as fast as you can otherwise the default position from the doctors tends to be you are not helping yourself) cut out the fat, processed food and sweets and cake and walk every day. The mad looking woman walking the Sea Walls is me - started at 20 metres and now do over a mile having built up gradually. It isn't easy but you can do it - you have to be determined and , a year after stent and heart attack, I realise there's much talk about support but you are very lucky if you get anything once they have given you the medicines.. Good luck.

[Cazz1954]

Just a thought if you can’t get to rehab perhaps your doctor could refer you to a local gym that specialise in cardiac rehab like mine in Somerset near Yeovil. As you didn’t actually have a heart attack they might be willing to allow you to do that.and you will get it at a reduced rate .I pay £3.30

[MikeBB]

Well, lets turn this round. These days, the likes of a stent is seen as sooooooo routine by the medics that the follow-up "we" would like is often quite minimal. The success of modern stenting must be excellent generally for this to be the case.

This of course doesn't help the OP.

My own experience was marginally better, but I still had to work the system to get what I wanted. That mainly entailed finding a gp in my practise who was interested enough to help me find the correct balance of sweeties to support the necessary recovery, while minimising / removing the side effects.

I see a suggestion of going to a gym - and that sounds like a decent enough idea. I was referred to our local cardio rehab but after the first visit I decided that bad 80's music and dodgy callisthenics weren't for me, and went off to do my own thing.

[Qualipop]

It ws 3 weeks before cardiac rehab contacted me only to be told, oh sorry we don't do anything for people in wheelchairs so I had none. 4 weeks before I could see a GP. When I had severe problems wih tablets, GP totally refused to changehem insisting cardio would but I never heard another word from cardio. Never even saw a doctor after the heart attack; just a nurse who gave me a bag of tablets and a letter you'd need a degree to understand; didn't even explain what he tablets were.. As you say , it's treat the plumbing and chuck em out. Seems very common. As to diet I was just told to look at BHF website. Absolutely the only help I got was to stop smoking. NOw, 7 months on I have horrific breathlessness, even walking into another room. Chest clear so got referred back to cardio who have just written to say they won't see me as angio showed clear enough arteries. I haven't left the house in months because I gasp for breath. A phone appt with GP booked for 2 weeks time.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I am not sure if you are aware but GPs can prescribe an initial 12 week WW or Slimming World course. It may, however, vary between Health Trusts and even with individual GPs' attitude.

[househunterthethird3]

Thank you people for all off your replies I would love to do excercise but what is good and what is bad I used to walk with my beagle every morning but Statins helped to kick in my arterites in my hip and being now overweight not funny Im only looking for guidance to be pointed in the right direction and I will have a go, I was about to start on a diet but was warned off becuse it was high protein and that makes your heart work overtime so need a sensible diet , I dont eat a lot chicken,fish veg fruit ,no fry ups I dont drink dont smoke dont snack god bit of a boring sod,Ive got lawns to cut jobs to do but am worried about overdoing things as no one in during the day,so easy to plonk arse down into chair and write complaining letters have an appoinment with quake in a months time yippee

[Katiejo1957]

Oh my your adventure sounds like mine and l really feel for you.

Before heart attack worked out 3 x a day Hiit workouts and cobra workout 3 x a week was 9 1/2 stone. Then heart attack august2017 ( only found out 2 days ago l had a cardiac arrest and it was a massive heart attack).

Had 2 stents fitted sent home on medication thinking 62 years old and taking pills for the first time in my life . Told to use my gtn spray Went on rehab in a classroom.

Then sent appointment for assessment for exercise rehab for jan 2018

Went in my workout gear but it was only an assessment he would not sign me up he said l needed to see cardio team and he booked me in for an exercise test on treadmill . This was beacause when l told him some days l needed to use my gtn at least twice.

Went in March 2018 for exercise test and l failed within 5 mins. No explanation and a letter came for outpatient appointment with heart people at hospital. June2018 doctor said not my heart without even examining me l was in 5 minutes came out thinking l had turned into a drama queen .july developed a cough All this time still using my gtn spray.

Back and forwards to gp not getting anywhere was getting worst end up spending Christmas in bed and went to doctors on 29dec 2018 he said Copd and booked me in for breathing test for feb 2019 l spent new year in bed still getting pains in chest and taking gtn spray because it eased the pain. My symptoms had all got worst out of breath tired. Struggling to do things. Had my breathing test told l have Copd stage 2 given a spray . Still using gtn spray . First week of April goes to gp as chest pains lasting longer see a new doctor he was shocked l was using my gtn spray all this time with no further investigation he said I not sending you to casualty l going to ring hospital and get you on a ward which he did . This was Thursday , Friday saw heart doc who booked me in for angiogram for April 14th ,which was yesterday l have a couple of small arteries 99% blocked and too small for stenting so nothing they can do 2 major arteries not narrowing but not ready for stenting yet and unstable angina. Lots more medication I have constantly asked questions without getting answers .So like you l am in limbo and l feel in the dark what this all means is it serious am l ill will l get worst can l exercise besides walking . I realised my last attack came on because l was feeling ok and cleaned my windows . I too am now 12 stone 6lbs and no matter how well and sensible l eat the fat ain’t going no where without proper exercise what can l do to shift the fat bought a bike but l set off wheezing and SoB within 5 mins All advice wlecome

[Ramblingross in reply to Katiejo1957]

Oh my goodness..l do feel for you..this doesn't seem right to me also....it's horrendous....surely a diagnosis should require meds and advice...reading some of these posts does suggest poor follow up and l agree...l had 2 stents in 2011...l had a visit from heart Foundation nurse with advice about my diet..life style etc..but apart from a one off appointment on upping my walking speed l didn't learn anything...if l have a problem l go to Dr.s....wish there was a local clinic or something similar with medical staff to help and encourage and answer ones concerns but if there is l haven't found one.....l do hope you get answers to your health issues katiejo..

[Katiejo1957 in reply to Ramblingross]

Thank you for replying l know it has took 18months to finally get a heart doctor who ordered angiogram but at least finally l know l was not turning into a drama queen lol the results have shown other issues with heart and l am on lots more medication but when l asked what does this mean for me and my health he just said lots more medication as the arteries that are 99% blocked are too small to be fixed.Go home and enjoy your life.

I am waiting until my gp gets all the info from this hospital stay then l will book in with the new gp and ask him to explain what all this means for me and my health.

I too would like to say l have never smoked but grew up in steel city under the umbrella of the British steel chimneys pouring out their toxic waste as a child we had smog and soot all over.

Moved to a farm in my grown up years thinking better air but milled our own cattle and pig feed .we used to be covered in white dust not realising we were breathing that in too .

I think we have to remind ourselves that our human bodies are a highly technical machine and it will and can take a while to get to the reason for our symptoms I will never knock the NHS only been dealing with then since heart attack and without the nhs and their staff l would not be here

[Ramblingross in reply to Katiejo1957]

I wish you well for the future katiejo and hope you get some good results and satisfying answers...the worst part is the not knowing..l think that once it's explained to us we get a clearer view...

[PMT123]

You should be reviewed about 12 weeks post stent implantation by the doc that performed the procedure, if you are doing well at that time you will be discharged from the hospital and if you have problems in the future your GP can refer you back to cardiologist.

Your GP can refer you to Cardiac Rehab Nurse at hospital and could also refer you to Dietician for advice on losing weight.

Walking is probably the best exercise for you at the moment or maybe swimming but don't go OTT until you have completed the cardiac rehab programme or it has been ok'd by doc.

Medications - Statins are known to cause muscle aches. There are other ones you could try, ask your GP about atorvastatin if this is unsuitable, possibly ezetimibe (not sure if this is still used, but you could ask). It's quite important to try and find one that suits you, as this is taken for secondary prevention therapy.

Bisoprolol is a beta-blocker. This is probably the reason that you feel tired. You could ask your GP if the dose could be split into 2.5 mgs twice daily or maybe alter the time you take it so that you aren't exhausted all day. Again, there are other beta-blocker.

Aspirin/clopidogrel - these are the most important ones just now and must be taken. The clopidogrel will probably be discontinued after 12 weeks, depending on the type of stent you have. The first 12 weeks after the procedure are the riskiest for in-stent restenosis which is why you are on two blood thinning meds. These keep the blood anti-coagulated and flowing through the stent easier.

I hope this helps, let me know if you want to know anything else.