Feeling grotty

[Isobella9]

Woke up on 31st January at 5.30 with intense chest and back pain !! Knew something serious was wrong........called for an ambulance , suffered a heart attack , on arrival to cardio had a stent fitted........came home 3 days ago , felt okay for a few days , but today feel dreadful..........?? Aches and pains, a little breathless, light headed .........is this normal after what happened to me ?........

[NorthantsSteve]

Hi Isobella9. Welcome to club you didn’t want to join. I had a heart attack + stent over three years ago and can empathise with you. I felt absolutely brilliant after the stent but soon realised that was probably adrenaline from still being alive and the fact that the meds hadn’t fully kicked in. I guess you’re on the usual cocktail of anti platelet, statin, Bisoprolol, Ramipril? The Bisoprolol will slow your heart down and the Ramipril lowers your blood pressure so that accounts for feeling light headed. As long as you’re not experiencing chest pains/angina and the aches and pains aren’t serious (in which case call 999) this is how I felt. It’s still very early days and you’ll feel a lot better when you get out and about and start cardio rehab (hope you get offered it as it’s great) and gradually you get used to the meds. I’m fitter than I was before the HA, eat better, I’m more chilled and have a better work/life balance. You’ve come to the right place for support and info. There are some brilliant people here and I learn something new every day. Take care.

[NorthantsSteve in reply to NorthantsSteve]

Why not give the BHF nurses a call: 0300 330 3311

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

I’d definitely get checked out. May be nothing, but better safe than .......

[KatyB07]

Hi Isobella,

I had ha & stent fitted on the 2nd Dec.

I felt the same getting over the angioplasty & use to all the medications you’re given. Takes a while to all settle down, still have a few aches & niggles now & then to sort out but much better than I was.

Feeling light headed is low blood pressure make sure you drink plenty of water.

The cardiac nurses are at the end of the phone but if you’re in any doubt go to A&E, I did twice.

Halfway through cardiac rehab which has been a great help especially with my confidence.

Good luck x

[SamLab]

Husband had two stents fitted after HA, sent home 3 days later, started to suffer some chest pains day after eventually told me so got hooked off back to the doctor who said back to hospital you go! Turned out nothing wrong had another angio, ecg and echo cardiograph stents remained in place seems sometimes the heart doesn't much like being messed with and some people can get some discomfort from the stents being fitted he was kept in for 5 days while they did the tests then sent home again. (He also had some dental work done, terrible tooth ache been going on for a month before HA, they did extraction at the dental department in the hospital, had he waited he would't have been able to have an extraction at the dentists due to blood thinners which would have had to be stopped before treatment which so soon after a HA was not a good idea) As others have said best thing to do is either call cardiac nurses or go back to GP to be on safe side not everyone is the same!