Hi all, I had a cardiac arrest whilst on a treadmill (on a cruise ship in the Caribbean - don't ask!) last December and seem to be struggling a bit.
I had an internal defibrillator fitted in late December and, after an issue with a lead that had moved, had an operation to rectify in the middle of April. Defib is now working fine.
I recently started a phased return to work ( I create 3D simulations for the Fire Service, so can work from home) and at the same time started the BHF Cardio Rehab programme at home with the blessing of my local rehab team. The exercises themselves are enjoyable and I am comfortable doing them. However, by Saturday, I was exhausted to the point of not being able to function, and spent the day either sleeping or doing very little. I didn't feel ill, just exhausted -almost has if I had taken sleeping pills. Is this normal?
To compound my issues, I appear to have gone largely deaf in my right ear. At the time of my Cardio Arrest I sustained a blow to my right ear/head when I was thrown of the treadmill. I had a brain scan at the time which showed no brain damage. Is the hearing loss likely to be linked to the physical trauma?
I am trying to stay positive, but am getting to the stage where I wonder what else 2020 is likely to throw my way.
Not really expecting any specific advice, but just wanted to share my frustrations with someone, and all things Coronavirus aren't helping my mindset; getting any face-to-face time with my GP seems difficult given the current restrictions.
Thanks for reading.
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Guitarman666
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Just to say sometimes it seems everything goes awry at once and it really is frustrating: both mentally and physically. I have the desire to slap people when they tell me to keep "your pecker up" so I won;t say that to you. The GP telephone consultation appears to be the way ahead and I can;t imagine it ever going back to the way it was- or as I said to the GP the dehumanisation of medicine continues apace. Sometimes you could just do with reassurance that actually being face to face with a medical professional brings. I am aware I am not being helpful but sometimes you just need to know someone has read your post and has an inkling of how you feel about things. Btw, that being exhausted but not ill, be nice to yourself and have a bed day... take care and be aware your frustrations are fully understood - our stories are different but we all experience the woeful follow up to the major events. The strangely strange but oddly normal world we all inhabit now, as you say, doesn't help.
Hi, your body has recently gone through a major trauma, it's not surprising you're exhausted, your meds may also play a part in that. Good advice from calliope. You may be interested in joining a support group call SCA arrest UK, the name says it all, hundreds of people there who've been in your position so lots of advice & support. They're also able to advise on anything you have concerns about, they have very close links with cardiologists & sads UK who support the group. They also have a closed facebook group of the same name, I'd highly recommend joining.
Do you get out into the green stuff at all? I am a great believer in gentle walking on level ground to get your heart and mind back into sync. Are there any old railway lines that have been turned into community paths near you? I am fortunate in that there are several paths near where I live. They are either flat or have gentle gradients and usually got through trees and run by rivers and streams.
In 2014 I could only walk about 4 paces without having to stop and blow and I honestly thought that it was getting very near my turn to go. After getting my valves fixed I was faced with a very unfit body that was totally not able to do much. The rehab program helped a lot and gave me measurable signs of progress, which encouraged me to keep going and to very slowly but surely extend my activity range.
It is very easy for your fitness to slip away. May I suggest a daily circular walk -10 minutes out and ten minutes back, total distance probably about a mile. Get some good wet weather gear and consider taking some walking poles in due course. Nice and easy does it, but it has to be regular.
Will you still be tired? Certainly. Stamina has to regained, step by step. Don't push it but now is the time to get your diet/weight/activity back into balance. Consider getting an activity tracker that will remind you to move on a regular basis and will keep you informed of your activity levels, especially if your job involves a lot of sitting down.
Just watch out for the cyclist though, there seems to be a major infestation at the moment. Perhaps they should all be fitted with bells or something.
Congratulations on your Caminos. I think that as we age we have to make the exercise more gentle but also more regular. I used to walk 3 days a week. with friends. During the great Covid caper I have walked with my wife on a daily basis and have slowly built up to about 10,000 steps a day, mainly on level paths, made from old railway lines and we have both become quite addicted.
The hard part is not falling asleep on returning, but if I do , so what.
In the summer I usually used to go Austria for epic views and easy walking. Ski lifts are wonderful things and with a bit of luck you can find ridge/contour walks from one lift to another. The Grand Balcon along the side of Mont Blanc springs to mind, along with the Emporer's Path above Wengen, with views of the Eiger, etc.
In the meantime nice and easy does it. All the usual stuff about watch your weight and diet, easy on the vino collapso, etc. Keep on walking if you can to rebuild your stamina, but nothing too daft to start with, it will get better.
Congratulations on surviving a cardiac arrest. Speaking as an ex cardiac rehab instructor/personal trainer I would say you are overdoing your exercise in some way; either the type, intensity or frequency of your exercise. Are you doing it every day? This is ok as long as the intensity is not too high, you could lower the intensity and see how it goes. Or maybe every other day would be better. You are probably best to speak to your rehab team and see what they say.
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