Stents

[stillaboveground]

Will I have the wow factor after they put in my stents, or will it be a slow recovery

[Chappychap]

That's an interesting question. I had a bypass operation rather than stents, but it's the same result in that both procedures are really about removing the symptoms of angina.

After a bypass operation there's obviously a substantial period of recuperation, but after that was over there was indeed a "wow factor". I now genuinely feel twenty years younger. I hadn't appreciated how I'd slowed down over the past few years. Without being conscious of it I'd had moderated my behaviour to accommodate the encroaching breathlessness of angina. But now I go to the gym at least three times a week and consequently feel all that lost health and vitality flooding back.

I'd encourage you to attend the "cardio rehab" course that most hospitals offer, and to think carefully about the lifestyle changes that they'll recommend. Implementing those changes will really demonstrate to you how much fitter you now are, and of course it is those life style changes that are absolutely critical in keeping you fit and healthy into the future. Remember, heart disease is incurable, so stents/bypass operations only really give us a second chance to mend our ways! If we don't take advantage of that amazing opportunity then we're doomed to be back to square one before too long.

[stillaboveground in reply to Chappychap]

It came as a shock to hear I had suffered an heart attack, so at a loss with the whole heart thing

[Chappychap in reply to stillaboveground]

I didn't appreciate that your stent was the result of heart attack, from the way you were talking I assumed it was due to atherosclerosis/angina.

The "wow factor" after a heart attack is the biggest wow factor of them all, the incomparable wow of waking up to a brand new day!

[stillaboveground in reply to Chappychap]

I was a healthy 74 year old woman before all this, I took the stairs not the lift and ran everywhere. I didn't realise there where so many different heart conditions. I never thought about my internal organs because they all worked okay, (WRONG). Many thanks for your help.

[fergusthegreat in reply to stillaboveground]

You are very lucky to have got to 74 with everything working OK. There are a lot of people much younger than you on here.

[stillaboveground in reply to fergusthegreat]

Thanks for your reply fergusthegreat

I am indeed very lucky to have got to 74 with good health, my child died far too young.

[Honeybee65 in reply to Chappychap]

Fantastic reply love it 😊

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

I arrived at having a stent in a problematic way - had a heart attack, cardiac arrest, had 1 stent fitted and as a result of all that have heart failure.

The initial recovery was difficult as I had 3 mins of CPR in hospital which left me in a lot of pain for a while. That said I do now feel 200% better. As Chappychap says, without realising you moderate your behaviour. I didn't have any symptoms prior to my heart attack but with the energy i now have I realise I was taking it a lot more slowly before.

I would reiterate what Chappychap has said - we're not fixed but have a second chance.

I've embraced the changes that are needed:- stopped smoking, drinking, changed my diet to a Mediterranean one, getting fitter, going to the gym, lost weight, BMI now is good range. All these changes add up to making a huge difference.

32 weeks ago I was lying in a hospital bed trying to work out what had hit me and wondering what the future held, and now I'm enjoying life and haven't felt this good in a long time - but to get to this point changes were necessary

[stillaboveground in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Thanks

[70garden]

I am sure everyone is different on how things are post stent. I can only comment on my husband who had 2 stents fitted 2 weeks ago. He hadn’t had a previous HA but at angio was found to have had 1 totally blocked artery, 1 95% blocked and another 90% blocked. Apparently the cardiologist hadn’t been expecting this result. They had not thought they would be able to stent due to calcium in the artery lining ( I think ) so suggested they could try, or stop and talk about triple bypass surgery. My husband asked to give the stents a go, he is now the proud owner of two stents apparently 1.5 inches long, which I am sure is normal but it seems quite long to me !

Post angioplasty he has been absolutely fine. Slight change of medication but he has been brilliant. It was the very hot week so I took him shopping in Sainsbury’s to get some exercise in cool conditions. Another day we then had a good walk together and he managed, no pain. Then the tester was a walk into town together and up a hill. He hasn’t been able to do this since last year.

So this is a positive outcome and stillaboveground I wish you every success when you have your angio.

[stillaboveground in reply to 70garden]

Thank you

[benjijen]

I had 2 stents and felt more energetic quite soon after. I have been going to cardiac rehab, usually 3 times a week for 2.5 years now and it really helps, not only because of the exercise but also there are like minded people to speak with. P.s I like you name!

[stillaboveground in reply to benjijen]

Thank you for the reply

[BillyMct]

I had a significant change for the better the day post stent procedure. I had felt very ill in the days leading up to the procedure (they said I had a crescendo angina attack) my chest felt like it was full of silt irritating my inside (of my ribcage) . Post the procedure it felt fresh and clear (odd sensation I know). Not sure how much of that was from the amount of nitrate? they also flushed through as I was on a drip rate limited by my bottomed out BP pre the procedure. The only issue immediately post procedure was an ache from the various prodding and poking (entry point was via the groin) and the stent locations felt a little tender, plus a headache from the nitrate flush which kept me in a day longer due to the risk of it possibly having induced a brain bleed.

[stillaboveground in reply to BillyMct]

Thank you

[NorthantsSteve]

Hi. I had my HA followed by stent 2.5 years ago aged 55. Total shock and didn’t know I was unwell (not overweight, exercised, no family history, never smoked etc). The days after I felt brilliant but couldn’t say if this was the ‘new’ heart or just relief at still being here. After that I had rough days feeling very tired and sometimes emotional (I put a lot of this down to the meds but obviously there was a psychological event too). I went to cardio rehab (great), exercise regularly and eat better. I’m also less stressed at work and have a different perspective on life that makes me a lot more chilled. Over two years later I feel great and really glad and very lucky I’ve got the opportunity to have another go.

To answer your question. My take is it’s impossible to predict. We’re all individuals and your recovery will be yours alone. And it probably won’t be a one-way improvement. But you’ll get there. Do the right things, get help when you need it (especially if it’s getting to you mentally as that can slip through the net medically), and stay in touch with the brilliant people on this forum. Good luck.

[stillaboveground in reply to NorthantsSteve]

Thank you, you are right they are all great on this forum. I have received a lot of advice from people who have been there before me

[mandm65]

Hi stillabovegroun, welcome to the forum.

Wow factor, humm, I guess first we need to agree a definition of wow factor, like previous poster said we are all different and we tend to address our conditions differently. There are so many parameters involved, most importantly what our health/condition pre-stent was so for me it’s almost impossible to predict one solution fit all.

Like yourself I also suffered HA, but mine was post stent, it was a silent one so i did not even know that I had suffered a HA.

Pre-stent/HA I was a fit and healthy runner, regularly running marathon to raise money for various charities. Being a runner, I was extremely careful with my diet, never smoked, and always maintained healthy weight/BMI moreover no known family history!

I guess my wow factor probably is that thank God I am still alive, I could have dropped dead twice when I suffered episodes of syncope.

To overcome my condition, I have been using my marathon mentality, ‘never give up’, and dont allow these conditions to stop living my life. I would want to carry on doing what I enjoyed most, I don’t recommend to anyone what I did post stent/HA but feels it’s best to share my experience with members, so hopefully they can stay positive and would not allow any negativity to creep in. If you have time feel free to have a look at this post.

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

Going back to wow factor, well as you can see, I ticked all the right boxes, lived a healthy and managed lifestyle and still ended up with these conditions! What changes can/do I make to my lifestyle to get the wow factor! I guess its very easy to fall into the trap of ‘why me’ but there is counter argument, ‘why not me’! Anyway, I am digressing into another set of discussion, so I better refrain from that.

Best of luck with the procedure, it was straight forward procedure for me, in and out same day. BTW I also highly recommend "cardio rehab” to assist the post recovery.

Take good care of yourself and do come back and tell us all about it.

[stillaboveground in reply to mandm65]

My heart attack was quite recent and I feel angry that it happened to me, I have had good health for 74 years so it all came a bit of a shock to me. I know now this changed my life and I still want to be back to normal, I will get used to it no doubt. Still a bit raw. Helpful forum. many thanks.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to stillaboveground]

Hi

You have had loads of brilliant advice already.

Coming to terms with any major health issue can be a shock and take time to come to terms with our 'new normal '

It can feel like grief having to let go of our sense of well being.

The Portuguese have the word saudade it means a wistful longing for our former life and the future we thought we were going to have.

Life does throw us some curve balls and googlies.

Feeling 'raw' or angry are okay. The great thing about the forum is that everyone is here to help and support each other when the going gets tough.

Please don't feel you are alone.

The BHF nurses on the Helpline are another good source of support.

Go and talk to your GP if necessary.

Cardiac rehab is another way hopefully you'll find further help.

[stillaboveground in reply to Milkfairy]

Many thanks for your reply. I might feel better when I have had my work done, till then I am in a limbo and feel unsure of everything. I have had some great advice from everyone.

[Alison_L]

I had a silent heart attack a year ago, and was given one stent which didn't make me feel any different - mainly because I never felt "ill". I'm now awaiting another angioplasty for more narrowed arteries, which my cardiologist assures me will make me feel much better. I'm very doubtful, especially since he told me to stop doing most of the things at the gym that I've been perfectly comfortable doing!

Frustrating is the word...

[stillaboveground in reply to Alison_L]

Thanks Alison, good to know there are others out there

[45sue]

I think the extent of the wow factor depends on what medication you are given , the side effects & how long the take to settle down.

[stillaboveground in reply to 45sue]

Thank you everyone is great on this forum.

[Khonkaen]

I had a heart attack back in late March (2019) and they fitted 2 stents covering 3 restrictions 90% and 90&/75% restrictions. no wow factor for me. 4 months on I have good days, nothing wrong, others I feel ill/scared, today is not a good one. I have been trying to follow Dr Esselstyn's "whole plant based diet" like vegan, but with no oil. Have cheated a little with some fish and a few other things, since I dropped from 86 to 72kg in a month, I am 6ft and have lost all my upper body fat and a little from the lower half too. I am walking about 2-4km/day, plus a little other exercise. My big problem is that I live 1/2 year in Thailand, where I had the attack and stenting and 1/2 year in Portugal, so my aftercare has been zero. My information has all been from the internet, "teach yourself cardiac recovery" and that is a very uncomforatble feeling, having no support. Hoping to get some here.

[stillaboveground in reply to Khonkaen]

Hi thanks for reply. I hope you get some support and peace of mind. I had my heart attack in May in Spain while I was on holiday, I had excellent treatment in Spain and was discharged on 1st June 2019, I was given enough medication to last me till I got to Halifax hospital in Yorkshire where I was left without medication till an excellent doctor in Huddersfield decided I should have some, this was on July 19th I now have to wait till September 3rd for angiogram this will be over 18 weeks since the attack.

[WardijaWardija]

Hi. I had triple stents inserted 2 weeks ago and I too was concerned as to how I would feel thereafter, especially as reading on here experiences from WOW to TERRIBLE.

All I can tell you that my recovery was an instant WOW, with the exception of feeling tired for the first couple of days, by day 3 I was driving and pretty much back to as before, but better than, although I did try not to lift and hump heavy stuff around.

I had bruising, which I expected - my stents went in via my groin.

Not being a lover of pain - and due to a previous attempt of having a stent inserted at the wrist, with no sedation whatsoever, which had to be aborted (thank God), I had a pre-planned general anesthetic for my procedure which was undertaken by a very competent heart bypass surgeon, not by the previous medical technicians/doctors who basically butchered me for over an excruciating hour. I refused point blank to be treated by them ever again.

Following the procedure I was put on the seemingly standard medication, Clopidogrel 75mgs, which will continue for 12 months and I have had no side-effects from taking them.

For me it was a WOW for sure - no more breathlessness, palpitations, pain and feeling like I was going to pass out each and every time I did anything mildly physically exerting. I feel re-born and it's only now looking back that I realise just how unwell I had really felt and for so long.

I really wish you all the best. I think a positive outlook really helps.

[stillaboveground in reply to WardijaWardija]

Thank you for your positive reply, everyone is so very helpful and some seem so laid back about it all (although they all must have been worried) I am going into the Unknown as far as I am concerned I will be better when it's over and done with.

[WardijaWardija]

Oh and forgot to say, No cardio rehab was necessary.