Hi all.......After Googling "heart attack" so many times I wanted to throw my computer against the wall I am so happy I found this group today. Thank god, I've only been on for the last 30 mins and it has already helped tremendously.
I am 43.
Was on holidays in Ibiza (Aug 19) with the family when I had my NSTEMI. The holiday was all about the beaches as opposed to hitting the clubs as I would of 15 years ago.
One stent and two hospital stay's (1 x Spain + 1 x NHS) later I am back at home shell shocked and feeling like I don't know my body/head anymore. I'm a super positive person by nature but I am on a roller coaster ride emotionally right now. One minute I'm super positive, then the lightest of twinges send me down to the pits of despair. I have been healthy these past 10 years, training regularly and the diet was pretty good. I'm a business owner, travel a lot for work. Work-life was productive, meaningful and positive but very stressful.
I was a light drinker at home but on the weekends and entertaining clients, I would binge drink and party as many people do. I have never smoked but I did enjoy vaporizing Cannabis (pls don't judge/let's not debate this point) I'm just trying to be honest with myself and the world. I have stopped all booze and weed.......and here I am, 43 and my life is upsidedown and I'm trying to work this all out.
The event happened almost threes ago. I'm managing a 30 min walk a day. Went to pick the kids up yesterday but was late and had to walk quickly. Arrived at the school with chest pains, used the spray for the first time. This scared the bejesus out of me......was going to call my GP, but couldn't get through, found this group instead.
Well, that's me.......I have a ton of questions but I've seen so many of you already ask and write what I'm feeling and experiencing so I am already benefiting from your honesty and contributions. Thank you!
Positive healing to you all.
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Rupes88
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Welcome Rupes88. Yes it’s a shock and one I still haven’t come to terms with. This site is very supportive. I am not a medic so I just speak from my own personal experience. I am a 68 year old lady who has always been fit and eat a healthy diet. I don’t smoke or drink apart from an occasional gin (very occasional). I like to think I’m not judgemental. You’ll be ok. You’ve made some good decisions already. You’ll get there. We’re here for you.
I am 48 and recently had a stent implanted due to an occluded IM (no H.A. though). I have always been very fit, training 4-5 times a week in the gym, playing rugby, plenty of cardio......
My downside was a family history of heart disease. On the plus side, this made me much more concious of any heart related 'twinges'. I didn't drink a lot but did smoke a few cigarettes here and there (mostly social).
2 weeks after the stent and I am back in the gym although after a H.A. I think you would be wise to make the most of cadio rehab and doctors advice (which I am not!).
My own personal view is to keep on being positive and get rid of as much stress as you can (which I know is not easy). I am now getting into meditation (yes people, you can laugh if you want) which really helps me.
I am using this is a wake up call to give my life a few tweaks and push on to a higher level of well being (I'm really not a hippy!!). Better diet, no smoking and a glass of red wine every now an then etc
I do get twinges but try not to be too paranoid about it. I think listening to your body is key.
All of the above is based on my own opinion so please check with your doctors. I just hope this can help.
Thanks mate.....yeah it seems to be down to genetics for me too. I initally thought Id be back in the gym pretty soon, I was super up beat in the days after the HA but after pushing to had these past few days it has dawned on me this is going to a much longer haul than I thought.
I'm very pragmatic and can see the path forward just to got work through the mist of emotion.
Up until today I thought Cardio Rehab wasnt for my age group but after reading through many post Im following up today and will jump on board. Sounds invaluable.
Good call on the meditation, its totally legit an not just woo woo. Far from it. Since the HA its become one of my main finger holds. If any one is interested I cant recommend the SAM HARRIS: Waking UP app highly enough. Its free at the start. Worth a try if you are interested.
Funny you should mention him. I discovered him via the Joe Rogan Experience (podcast)..great couple of interviews with him. Pretty inspirational guy. Did you see the video of him trying to sprint only a couple of months after the op. Didnt end well. The guys has an amazing story. Cheers !!
Hope all is going well for you. I am unable to question the recovery process but I was told, in similar circumstances, to rest for a month i.e. just move about the house/garden and very light housework etc. The reasoning was that after a heart attack and operation (stent) you needed to allow time to heal.
Unless you have been specifically advised the 30 minutes day walk is correct for you I would be a little more cautious.
I do agree with the other posts about the benefits of the rehab process - go to them!! After a life of boxing and playing rugby I thought it was a bit soft to start but with hindsight I fully understand that the progression, in terms of physical challenge, is deliberate so bear with it even if you are not finding it as hard as you think you need. Basically you have to take your time as we both know the potential implications of rushing it.
Thank you NathanBlau.....I was just writing in a another post that as I had my Heart Attack in Spain and I dont feel I have had the tradional advice that I would have got if I had had it here. At the start it was just about getting fit to fly and back to the UK. When I arrived back to the UK I was back in for a few days but didnt have any advice or sessions with a cardiac nurse, just a chat with the Consulting doctor on the way out A&E. I've learnt more from all of you than the system so far. Thanks, I'll dial it back.
Feel free to message me if you want more detail if the process (for me) Happy to help as I know all too well how disorientating it can be in the early days.
Hi Rupes88, my husband had a heart attack and cardiac arrest aged 42. He's was definitely a bad diet and not listening to the wife (me!) telling him he was eating & drinking his way into trouble! Anyway, he completely turned his life around with the recommended diet and exercise and with the help of his meds he's never had another HA. He does have heart failure but that's because the HA left him with a badly damaged heart. He's 64 now and not doing too badly considering. It is scary getting used to that spray, hopefully when your meds kick in you won't need to use it so often or at all. Take care, best wishes for your continued recovery.
30 minutes of steady walking sounds good and should be useful in improving your muscle tone. 30 minutes of fast walking was a bit much, so just dial it back to steady and keep at it, nice and easy does it and slowly extend the exercise time.
I'm 65 years old, so a far bit older than you are, but whatever age having a heart attack is one of the most traumatic experience there is.
I had a heart attack and a cardiac arrest at the end of December 2018 and like you, at first I was all over the place, couldn't sleep, frightened, tearful , afraid. I wondered if I was alright to go to sleep at night, afraid I might not be here in the morning. It's all a natural reaction to an event that none of us expected, or where prepared for.
It will get better, when you feel down just remember that you and I are still here, we dodged a bullet and have been given another chance.
Try to take it easy until you're assessed at Cardio Rehab, then steadily take rehab from there. You mention the stress in your job, you should try delegating, stress in not good for our hearts.
The message I've been given from the medics is, good diet, dump the processed food, get weight in a good range, stop smoking, cut down on booze and exercise. I've done all that in the last 8 months, and while I have heart failure as result of my episode in December 2018, I actually feel better than I've felt in years - if someone I told m that last January I'd have laughed at the idea. But I'm still here 8 months later, now with an ICD fitted to prevent any more episodes of cardiac arrest and feeling good, well and positive.
Good luck on your journey, there will be bumps along the road but you will get there
Thanks everyone, so so much....I can't tell you how much this group has helped me rephrase the conversation in my head. Last night i slept through for the first time. You guys rock!
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