I had a heart attack/cardiac arrest on 28th December 2018. Diagnosed with Heart Failure after Echo on 30th December and follow up Echo at the end of February gave EF of 30%
Reviewed on 10th April, suggested to have an ICD implanted as at a risk of an arrhythmia at some point in the future that could cause a further cardiac arrest.
The shock of all this was like nothing I've ever experienced in my life before. I listened, and I mean really listened to all the medical people who explained what I needed to change in my life. I listened and did what they said - stop smoking, cut down on drink, change diet, loose weight, exercise/get fitter, take medicines, don't get stressed.
I've done all of the above, and can honestly say I feel so much better than I've felt in years.
So, today I went back to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital for my 6 month review, not really knowing what to expect, the last review came up with -"you need an ICD!" Met with my consultant, who looked through the records, asked how I felt etc. Explained the life style changes I'd made to which he replied, "Great you've been pro-active to your condition", listened to heart/chest, took blood pressure 152/81 (white coat syndrome again), and then said yes your heart has suffered some damage but I think you are asymptomatic , you no longer have heart failure and I'm going to discharge you, you'll still need to come to see the consultant who fitted your ICD and will see the pacing clinic every 12 months, but from my point of view, we've done everything we can and you're now fine, any questions?
Really wasn't expecting to hear that, so asked the question what if things went downhill? Got the answer no reason they should, just keep doing what you have been doing as regards lifestyle. The ICD is an insurance policy, he thought the change of it giving me a shock is less than 1%.
Came away on cloud 9. I'm actually more emotional after this meeting than I was after my heart attack.
I'm grateful to the people on this forum who have answered my questions and to everyone who has posted entries which have been so useful in helping me understand the issues around cardiac health matters. I will carry on offering my opinion (for what it's worth) on this forum, as all out comments on our conditions help other people who will suffer from a heart issue, and will carry on trying to learn more about matters of the heart.
To anyone out there who perhaps is not at present in the best place, please don't give up, you never know what is just around the corner.
Now I've promised myself a holiday once I got the nod that things were on the up - hopefully will also be sitting in the sun eating gelato in a few weeks time!
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SpiritoftheFloyd
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Thanks Lesley, really wasn't expecting that today, found it difficult to accept what he was saying at first, then he said, OK you've got a case of white coat syndrome, but if you had HF you're heart would find it almost impossible to get your BP up to 152, the fact that is has, tells me you're OK
Fantastic news ! I have HF that I assumed was irreversible but you've shown it isn't! I'm very glad for you that all the hard work you put into your recovery has worked so now enjoy that well deserved holiday 😀😀😀
That’s wonderful news. You have given me hope that things can get better ( only 6 weeks after HA and struggling) I’ve started rehab at st caths today so feeling hopeful
Yes luck does play a part in it, the time of day when I rang 999 - 1.30am, quiet, ambulance here in 6 mins, having an amazing hospital - Liverpool Heart and Chest only 10 miles away - this all helped.
The event shocked me like nothing ever has, and once it had sunk in a bit I became keen to understand how to remedy my poor lifestyle and try to avoid any more trips in a van with blue lights on the roof. At the time of the Echos I was over weight ,unfit who smoked and had a terrible diet. 9 months later, good diet, weight down, no smoking, now got BMI of 21 and while not super fit, certainly fit. I was always hopeful that all this effort would add up to something, glad I stuck with it!
Still working on fine adjustments to diet, but basically stopped all processed food, cook meals for scratch, no processed meat, almost no red meat, cut back on dairy, no chocs or cakes (sweet tooth) plenty of chicken/fish loads of veg, low carb
Hi Spirit of the Floyd, gutted we couldn't go to Egypt this year, I have missed it so much. We have had lots of mini getaways in this country since my 2 heart attacks at the end of May. Still finding it difficult some days as iam exhausted, think it must be the Meds. Looking forward to two more little holidays before the end of the year, only thing is we have spent a fortune in this country doing short breaks ! Could have been in my fabulous 5* in Egypt fora couple of months! The kids are worrying about their inheritance going down! Do I give a monkeys------- No! We are looking after us! Take care.xx
I'd booked a holiday for 2 weeks to Cape Town and was due to fly exactly 5 weeks after my HA. I always liked a "What if" and looked up where the flight would have been at 1.30 in the morning (the time I rang 999), if I had had my HA 5 weeks later - not good! It would have been half way across the Sahara Desert. Being as I'm only 10 miles away from an excellent heart hospital and still almost didn't make it, if this had happened on the flight I'd have been toast! So in a way I wasn't too disappointed to have missed that holiday. On the plus side, still here, doing well - Cape Town and I will have our rendezvous sometime in the next 12 months
I hope you soon get a chance to get back to Egypt, stay well, stay positive.
That's wonderful news...the best!! Well done you, you have clearly worked hard and kept it up. Please stick around to inspire others. Yours is one of those stories that really gives hope. Meanwhile have a great holiday in Tenerife and come back to us when you return with tales of sunny beaches!
No I don't take Entresto, The beta blocker I'm on is Carvedilol.
After my HA I bought a treadmill and an exercise bike. As well as doing the 12 weeks in cardio rehab I try to do 60 to 90 minutes on my treadmill every day, either walking at 6.0 - 6.3 kph or running at 7 -8 kph. Also stopped smoking, drinking alcohol, completely changed diet - now cook meals from scratch, removed processed foods - especially thing like bacon/sausage, almost no red meat, restricted dairy, no chocolate/cakes, eat lots of chicken/fish and loads of veg, try to keep diet low carb
Brilliant news Russell that's quite an increase. Is it a case of the GP keeping an eye on you now or are you left to monitor yourself, apart from the ICD of course?
Sister is off to Tenerife tomorrow, have requested weather updates!
Yes I've been asking myself questions about the Echo for a while. I know they're not 100% reliable and an echo under estimates while a MRI over estimates. Since completing cardio rehab I've been pushing myself further to see what was the threshold of exercise where I'd become breathless and start having angina like pains, but even with running on a treadmill at an incline of 6% and a speed of 8 kph - nothing!
I'll be passed back to GP to keep an eye on me, and I'll be monitoring myself quite a bit.
I'm currently browsing the internet for a holiday. ✈
There's almost no maintenance, you have a home monitor which watches what your ICD is doing, you just need to visit the clinic once a year.
Emabrrassing! Absolutely not. The majority of people who have an ICD fitted see it as a badge marking the fact that they have had a cardiac arrest and they're still here. Without the advent of an ICD a lot of people who are alive wouldn't be.
So good to hear you are doing well! I too was discharged from Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital this week - they were very pleased with my progress (new aortic value)
Thank you. Yes it was certainly a challenge giving up:- smoking, drinking, sweets, chocolate, cakes, fried breakfasts, chips, bacon, sausages,red meat (the list goes on)
That's great news! So every cloud has a silver lining. You took all the advice on board and now look where you are! I'm just starting out on my journey.Also changed eating habits , going to cardiac rehab, gave up smoking before this event. You keep doing what you're doing!!!!
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