Hi everyone. Last night my husband told me that the results of a recent ECG show he may have had a heart attack. He has to see a cardiologist and we are waiting for a date. He is only 45 years old, eats healthily and exercises and has a healthy BMI. Though his parents both have angina and high blood pressure and my husband has been on meds for his blood pressure for about a year.
I am posting as I desperately need to talk to someone. I'm terrified. My head has been spinning all night with worry. We have 2 children and to all of us he is our world. I'm just so scared of what might happen.
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CastleV
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Hi. What a shock it must be fir you all. But you will get some good balance from posts here. I went through three HAs without knowing. I had fairly regular mild symptoms, on walking up slopes, a bit of left arm heaviness and pain in the neck and shoulder. Nothing very dramatic, but later found I’d had three.
They can be very quiet!
But you are now in the system, and I hope he gets the angiogram very soon.
I’m assuming he, or others in your family, don’t smoke around him? But stress is another factor you might check out.
Thank you Kristin1812. My husband has never smoked and is such a chilled out guy. I do ask him regularly if he's stressed and he always says he's fine. He's so happy go lucky - I'm the worrier. How are things for you now that your HAs were diagnosed?
I’m afraid his genetics are in evidence, aren’t they?
I’m doing OK, thank you for being concerned.
Perhaps you do the worrying for all the family? Keep strong.
Things will soon get clearer, and for lots of people here it turn out to be pretty straightforward, but of course initially it’s such a shock, particularly till you know more.
Hi. i myself am 45, with a young family and recently suffered a HA (prosterier MI). was on Mon 17th Feb.
i had angioplasty that day and then 2 x stents fitted on 20th. im now back home on plenty of meds and taking it very easy.
I wasn’t unhealthy and i ate ok (drank too much !) but had a family history of heart problems.
I am no Dr but I would assume they are happy with his current condition, otherwise they would have him in for angiogram immediately. Angiogram (if required) is relatively painless and quite straight forward. the most painful part of my whole experience has been removing the stickers they attach the ECG leads too (i have a hairy chest and didn’t shave it )
It is frightening and a huge worry but do try and stay positive. Easier said than done, but there are many, many people who have gone through this successfully.
My Dad was 56 when be had a HA and stents. he’s now a fit 73 year old who lives his life without any issues.
Wishing you and husband all the best. if you have any questions i’ll be happy to try and help 😃
Hi Castle, please try not to worry. Now that this has been picked up your husband will be looked after. My husband had chest pains at 49, and after an angiogram they discovered that he had had a heart attack and had a completely blocked artery. He had 2 stents fitted which they did one day and he was home the next.
He was given blood thinning medication and now (7 years later) he takes aspirin and statins daily.
It is frightening I know but there is a lot that can be done these days. Wishing him well.
Hi CastleV. Strange as it may seem he’s in a much better place knowing and being treated than previously when you thought he was well but wasn’t. He’s on the medics’ radar now and once they’ve got to the bottom of it will be fine. There’s probably more he can do in terms of diet (have a look at the BHF resources) and exercise eventually and once you know what the underlying problem is. I thought I ate healthily but there’s always more you can do. And the medicines he’s on will really help.
Hi Steve. Thanks so much for taking the time out to reply. And your reassurance is a big help too. I will definitely check out those resources. I am really hoping the referral to the cardiologist comes through soon, then as you say we will know what's caused the HA and be able to access treatment. I'm worried that he will have another one whilst we wait. He has been given a spray to use it f he gets any chest pain and was told to call 999 if that doesn't work.
Also to say that my step dad was told by a GP that he’d had a heart attack in the past because of an ECG but the cardiologist he went on to said he definitely hadn’t had one. Don’t want to give you false hope but you never know.
hiya🤗.. i was diagnosed with Microvascular Angina 2 years ago.. had a couple of overnight hospital stays because of this.. during an appointment with my Cardiologist early January he told me that an ecg taken in hospital late October showed irregularities and an ecg taken just before i went in to see him was similar.also an ultrasound of my heart wasn’t ‘very clear’. in his opinion both showed that i may have had a previous heart attack!.. result is going to the Golden Jubilee Hospital hopefully in May for an angiogram.. Consultant said that should give a clearer result.. so don’t worry.. i’m sure after seeing the Cardiologist your husband will be well taken care of 👍
Thank you Manhattan 1 - I cannot thank everyone who has responded to my post enough as I had no one to talk to with previous experience of this situation. You have all been so very kind.
Hi there, my husband (49 fit, healthy, non smoker) had a HA back in Sept while we we out in the park walking the dogs. Ambulance arrived within 10 mins and took him to our local hospital, which fortunately for us is one of the best in the country with a massive heart unit. Within half an hour he was in surgery having an angioplasty and stent fitted in a blocked LAD. He was in coronary care for 5 days and was the worse 5 days if my life, due to corona restrictions he wasn't allowed visitors.He has made a good recovery (currently cycles 10k a day on excersice bike) he's back at work full time and waiting on results of his latest echocardiogram( apparently the man that did it said his heart is showing good signs if recovery since the last one, although the damage will always be there)
Like you I was terrified, I didn't know if I'd see him again when they took him in the ambulance! I still have panic attacks when I can't hear him breathing in the night 🙄 its probably affected me more than him, but it is getting easier, and the good thing is he's now getting the care he wouldn't have if he'd not had his heart attack, his sister died at 47 with undiagnosed heart probs and his dad and aunt both died due to heart problems so I guess he was a ticking time bomb.
If you ever need a chat please don't hesitate to message x
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