New here, advice needed...

[Inaminute]

My 53 year husband had a heart attack in November and had 2 stents fitted. An admin omission led to no referral for any follow up or rehab care. His referrals have also been "lost" twice since then so as a result he is still waiting for a further stent to be fitted. We were relieved to have a date later this month but have recently learned that this has been postponed with no further date arranged due to the Coronavirus situation.

So he's stuck. His semi-planned phased return to work next month is in doubt now as he's high risk, especially without the stent and works in a supermarket (Keyworker). He's fed up and desperate to return to work but we just don't know what to do. Can he transfer from being off sick to self isolating?

Is anybody in a similar situation? Many thanks....

[Woodensider]

Hi there, I had HA & 2 stents beginning of February, I'm 57 & drive a specialist HGV & various machines I carry around on a trailer behind it. I work in the electricity industry & am considered a key worker. All my follow up appointments have been cancelled. As such I am still off sick in a bit of limbo, anyone with an HGV license gets it revoked after a HA, you have to do a treadmill test & an echo stress test to get it back. My specialist has phoned me but appologised & said hopefully he can see me sometime in August!. So I'm just going on week by week trying to stay positive but really don't know how long I will have to wait.

Regards

[Inaminute in reply to Woodensider]

Hi Woodensider, thanks for your reply. We totally sympathise with your situation and hope you get sorted with your appointment . It can be so worrying but you're doing the right thing taking one week at a time.

[jessy01]

hi i also had a heart attack the end october at 53 had cardiac arrest and had one stent for complete blocked artery just wandering if the third stent is going into one with a stent already as they ob do not think it is urgent as such i also work in a shop and went back after 7 weeks and if you have not received letter telling you to stay home for 12 weeks you do not fall into the high risk category as i have also not received one, your employer do not have to pay you unless you have this letter. if you are not ready to go back to work maybe you can get a letter from your doctor.

[Inaminute in reply to jessy01]

Thanks Jessy for your reply. I hope you're feeling much better following your HA.

He feels fine in himself and really wants to return. Around a month ago, his consultant did a review of patients in light of what was going on with Covid. As his stent procedure was considered more urgent, it was scheduled for this month. A couple of weeks ago he was told that it was now postponed. He's going to try and speak to his consultant to see whether he's considered fit enough for work.

[Rob501]

I'm feeling ur pain, I was diagnosed in Jan as needing 2 stents now there gonna do the easy one hope that sorts it enough to not try the fully blocked artery then covid happened before the angiagram I was off for 2 months as I have a lifeguard job with a really tough swim test to work so no chance of giving me a cardiac arrest trying it! Once I got my diagnosis I wanted to go back on light duties as I've had my council job for 34 years and am not lazy my returned phase started on the day local government shut everywhere so I went home ready to be redeployed to sheltered housing passed the interview then said my health concerns they literally turned white and said no chance without the operation went home depressed feeling useless, got a call the next day and I was off to food parcel this was bedlam and I ended up hiding using my spray and had to have my mens all changed again, so sadly the housing people were right.Now I'm same as you I'm sitting here hoping I'm forgot about and then right could I swap to isolating then take 2 weeks holiday after my employers have been OK but you can kinda see them beginning to look a bit miffed with it all, I'd stay out of it until everything is done if possible I'm 51 and you just feel but I can help still it's tough to decide mate but know how ur both feeling

[Inaminute in reply to Rob501]

Hi this is Jackie's husband Andy just seen your message hope you are feeling okay I decided to go back to work this Thursday its been hard me I work in a supermarket i used to do nights going 0n days doing a phase to work on light duties not going on checkouts that will do my head in will be asking for mask and gloves hope everything goes okay with you

[Rob501 in reply to Inaminute]

Glad ur back mate just take it slowly blimey I've been done I was going down hill a bit and randomly they reopened our heart centre Thursday and rang me on Wednesday so was first on the list. Didn't want to go because of covid but to the point of no choice lol they reduced patients from 10 to 2 was in there 11 hours and stent in the operation felt more invasive than the angiagram the nitrates blew me head of this time I lay there thinking just don't be sick and could feel it coming down my arm before coming out.

I've been for a few walks since and gone past the distance where the chest pain used to hurt and had no pain which is a great start I think.