Hitting a brick wall.

[Ethel3]

Hi all, I am nearly 6 weeks post MI and stent fitting. Up to now I have been relatively ok, increased my activity by walking around an hour every day and now introducing cycling for 40 mins as and when the weather will allow. Today however I woke feeling tired, no energy and very emotional. Apart from worry about how to manage future events due to the Coronavirus nothing is 'wrong". I have not yet begun my cardiac rehab as there is a waiting list so don't have others in the same position was me to ask. Is the usual?

[Ethel3]

Thank you. Your response is greatly appreciated.

[Hidden]

Hi Ethel,

My situation slightly different as I am 5 weeks post double heart bypass tomorrow. So far I have been making good gains walking and gradually improving my activity. However, just the last couple of days I have felt utterly shattered and this morning I got paranoid I felt my old angina pains returning (they weren't).

I think it's normal for us all to feel this way at some point as life returns back to normal. The last week reality for me such as money, work etc has certainly started creeping back into my mind. I guess, the best we can all do is try to stay positive, try to focus on our recovery and accept that some days we're just not going to feel like exercising.

Good luck with everything, sounds like you have made some great gains.

[Calm2]

Hi Ethel, I can only reiterate what has all ready been said. Perfectly normal, I started off after my stent with more energy than I’d had in years. I went out walking daily and throughly enjoyed it. Suddenly though it was like I had hit a wall, very emotional and the realisation of what had happened and I started to question my mortality. I have never actually got back to the walking bug but I must. Like the others said it’s like a high followed by a low . I can’t emphasise enough though how good cardio rehab was and I only wish he could continue longer. I too thought I was only one this happened to until I joined this group and realised different. Hope this all helps to know we are all the same 😌

[lettingoffsteam]

This is a totally normal reaction to what was a traumatic time.I was suddenly diagnosed with dangerously high blood pressure last year and had a five day hospital stay as they tried to get it under control.I was strangely calm throughout and for about six weeks after and then the shock caught up with me and I was floored by anxiety and panic.I found cognitive behaviour therapy organized by my GP helped.

You have been through a lot and you've stared mortality in the face but you are winning.It will get easier I promise step by step.This forum is a great support and I'm sure rehab will help a lot.Take care.🙂

[Paddyboyo]

You are lucky to be getting rehab , after my M.I, and 3 stents, I was on my own so had to improvise with my fitness, anyway what I'm saying is keep up your regime of fitness and by the time your rehab comes round you'll be well ready for it , I got rehab after a quadruple bypass and believe me it's hard going, so the fitter you are now will pay dividends. Good Luck.

[Trinityzero]

I agree with ups and downs that everyone has mentioned. I would just add to remember to listen to your body too. We all, even healthy fit never a problem in their life people, have days when they need to stay under the duvet a bit longer or curl up and read a book/watch TV. If you're keeping your basic fitness up then don't beat yourself up if you need a day off.

[Phil_London]

I can understand also, I have a HA fortunately caught early so was not a major HA and one stent, the thing also to note is that your body is also adjusting to all the medication as I assume you are on all.the usual meds, I am just about 10 months post Stent and still have moments when I think I have some issue with my heart with a strange chest twinge but most they say is meds and I will only know at one year when they reduce. I also hit a physical wall some days as though fatigue hits me and I am now reasonably fit, but still for some reason assumed to be meds, WHAM, tired. Good luck it does get better.

[Imin]

I can only agree with previous comments. I was doing ok for first month post HA but then suffered terribly with anxiety and panic attacks.

I understand your confusion though...I am exercising 4-5 times a week and eating an extremely healthy diet with very little fat and only natural sugars from fruit & veg but then I’m told “don’t overdo it” and “your body needs some fat” and “everything in moderation”. What exactly is moderation??

We have gone from not overthinking most daily decisions to completely overthinking the “how will this food benefit my body?” “Will this food block my arteries?” “Have I done enough exercise this week to keep my arteries from blocking again?”

It doesn’t matter how many times doctors, nurses and family tell you “you didn’t do this to yourself...it was in your genes”, you need to feel like you are taking control of keeping your arteries as healthy as you can for as long as you can!

I too get the unexpected day of utter fatigue for no apparent reason. Like an earlier comment said, all you can do is listen to your body and sometimes you just have to give in to it! The difficult bit is getting back to it the following day!! 😊

Good luck with your recovery and I hope you get to rehab soon...it really does help x

[SmokeAKipper]

im 6 mths into my stent... what they wont tell you is that the drugs your on will.. start to have an affect on you. What i mean is you may find yourself abit vulnerable... abit unlike your normal yself.. you might be on a bus and have a chest pain and think .. shit this is it.. its the drugs.. main thing is if in doubt go to casualty .. have a list of the drugs your on for the hospital ..say in your wallet.. i found i needed to be more responsible for myself .. get your cholesterol checked.. know what level you sould have and what your need to do .. diet..

walk as much as you can.. and find someone as a support unit.. any questions ill help you if i can.. get an echocardiogram..

jim ( a survivor)

[4Stents4me]

Hi Ethel3

like you I’m about the same last stent was fitted in Jan so now getting into an exercise regime and things are going well, it’s normal to have ups and downs energy levels can fluctuate I works suggest you do what you can when you can do it. I also haven’t started cardiac rehab but I’m wondering if I’m going to start, diet has changed and exercise regime has kicked in. 50 km on the bike this weekend and feeling good, hope you find a way to get your energy back !!