Hey all, I'm new to the forum and am glad to see that there are other people out there to share this with. I've had a stent placed 5 weeks ago and am having a wee bit of a hard time coming to terms with the ups and downs after treatment. The worst thing would be the chest pains mixed up with nausea and no apetite.
Anyone feel like cheering me up.
Cheers,
Paul
Welcome Paul.
Sorry, I can't help with the post stent info, I'm waiting to see if I need any myself.
There are many I have seen on here with stents who may be able to advise. Just scroll through the posts.
Hope you feel better soon.
Mark
Hey Mark,
Thanks for the info. I'll definitely give that a go. Good luck with everything.
Cheers,
Paul
Hello Paulus70
A warm welcome from a member in Scotland! Sorry your finding it hard to sort your emotions out but it’s natural, I haven’t had a HA had Aortic valve replaced and bypass nearly 4 years ago and after an event we all have to get our heads round what as happened to us!
It does get better talking about how you feel does help, do you get cardio rehab in the Netherlands? If you do please try it. I found it invaluable for my stamina and for my mental health. Being around other people who have been through the same experiences as you is such a help. I know at the moment they are suspended here because of the virus.
Your appetite could be because of the drugs your on as well as the nausea but maybe a chat. with you GP or cardiac nurse, is something to try.Remember there is always someone here on the forum who will lend an ear or a shoulder to lean on.
Take care stay safe Pauline
Hello Pauline,
Thanks for the kind words. It really helps to have contact with other people because at the moment I'm feeling a little paranoid.
I have physiotherapy appointments in the coming weeks and I'm hoping that the side effects from the cocktail of medicines that they are giving me will calm down soon.
Thanks again for the message.
Cheers,
Paul
Hi Paul
Welcome to the forum.
You'll hear the phrase "it's early days but it does get better" a lot, but it is very true. I can understand the lack of appetite, mine deserted me for a while - I think it's a combination of all the drugs I had to start taking and basically the shock of it all. I didn't have any pain from having the one stent put in, but as I'd gone into cardiac arrest i ended with a number of cracked ribs after all the CPR. So my first 6-8 weeks were something I'd rather have not had to face, but once I got started in cardio rehab I quickly started to make progress. Hopefully in these strange times you're able to get access to cardio rehab in the not too distant future, as it really helps you to move forward both physically and mentally. I've not experienced any nausea, but it may be the medicines you're on - perhaps have a chat with your doctor about it.
Hope things start to improve soon and best wishes
Sorry to hear that you had to go through such a painful experience.
I'm eligible for cardio physiotherapy and will hopefully be able to start next week. I'm looking forward to it as I keep myself in pretty good shape and just happened to be mountain biking for 5 hours before the attack. I'll definitely schedule an appointment with my doctor and have him look into the side effects of the meds and possibly look at changing one of them.
I really appreciate the kind words and advice hope all is well with you.
Regards from the Netherlands,
Paul
Hi paulus70
Welcome to the forum, sorry you’re going through a lot at the moment, I don’t have the same condition as you but there are plenty of people who I’m sure will happily share their experiences on here.
Very friendly bunch here 😃
Thanks for the kind words.
It's nice to know that there are people out there that can share stories /knowledge when it's sometimes difficult to get through to a health professional.
I'm hoping for a good night's sleep and a better day tomorrow.
Best regards,
Paul
Hi Paulus70
It does get better with time and most people will say that in here. Glad to see your a cyclist 🚴♀️ I am as well and it has helped with the rehab. Short story last year I had a Cardiac Arrest, CPR, Defibrillated back to life three times and had to have a 5 x Artery bypass.
I’m now back in the bike and have just completed 520 miles this month, the docs said I’d never be back to riding. Showed them and you will get there.
All the best
Hey Dractrek,
What an inspiring story. At this moment in time I don't even feel the urge to jump back on my bike but after hearing from you it has given me some hope.
I suppose I'll just have to be patient and take my time.
Best regards, Paul
Hi Paulus. Since there seem to be similarities in our experience I thought I’d let you know my story to reassure you. I had a stent in 7 weeks ago After suffering a full blockage in my Lcx which led to a heart attack at age 49. I have always loved a quite healthy lifestyle. Since the procedure I have experienced occasional twinges in the heart and chest pain. In these early days I have been to hospital twice: once due chest pain and another time after a sudden burning in my chest and fainting from a sudden drop in blood pressure. I have also suffered diarrhoea from the medication. I was feeling pretty down about things but the nhs staff are fantastic and reassuring as are cardio rehab even working remotely. My Gp prescribes time release nitro capsules which has helped and a recent perfusion/stress test has shown very good blood flow.
My experience was that once my stent was in, communication from cardiologists has been poor. They just didn’t take any time to explain anything. It was the nurses and my rehab contact who have been the most reassuring, plus the members on this forum. I am now walking around 5 miles per day and hope to get back on my bike soon. One piece of advice I receive was TTT - things take time, which has eased my rush to get back into fitness and I am using the Borg scale to guide me. Things are up and down, but my optimism has grown as each week has passed. I have a great job but am now under the employers insurance scrutiny, so it could become a had. However when you are lying in resus in a hospital not sure what is going on and whether you are going to make it, you get a new take on what is important in life.
Hey there Ajpabc,
I've just returned from the doctor and it seems that my meds, plus anxiety, panic attacks have been getting the better of me. After the third week I started walking again and even managed a 10km hike. In hindsight I've been doing too much and have to take a bit more time for myself and get a good night's rest.
Thanks for sharing,
Paul
I had a heart attack late February and two stents. Lost my appetite and if it wasn't for my husband meals I'd have disappeared by now! But still not got my appetite back. Nausea I have as well and funny enough asked on here the other day if anyone else had that. I had the nausea with my heart attack and its not gone away. Did you have the same?? Possibly the medications as everyone on here is suggesting which makes sense. If you can tell the doctor about it and hopefully they can help you?? I had no Rehab due to the Corona Virus but again reading what people say on here it's invaluable and will be what you need to get you on the road to recovery. Also they will be able to answer or help you with lots I'm sure. Good luck and really hope you do well with your recovery
Hello Babpak11111
The nausea started after I was admitted to hospital on Sunday after almost passing out at home. My meds where changed from the 2 x 90mg ticagrelor to1x 75mg of Clopidogrel which I think might be messing with my appetite. I'm always quite surprised when you speak to someone from the hospital or doctor and they tell you that the meds shouldn't be giving you those side effects. Very confusing. I'm hoping that this week will get better and I can start to feel confident /normal again.
Hope all is well with you,
Regards,
Paul
It's difficult to suddenly find yourself post heart attack at home and the not knowing etc. Months on and none the wiser! I find l can't sleep and with the added uncertainty of the pandemic.. Don't think it was the best time in our case a heart attack. If you can find out when your Rehab starts that might help knowing that's imminent?? Re doctors and side effects. They know the science and training and knowledge. But we actually have the experience and how it feels. Trying to put that in words I'm still trying to work that out so they do understand!
Let us know how you get on and keep talking about how you feel. Good luck
Babpak11111.
I've got a telephone appointment today and I'm hoping that will give me more answers.
So glad that I found this forum, such a lovely bunch of people and the replies are helping me feel better about my insecurities.
Have a great day,
Paul
Good luck today fingers crossed
Hi M8. Did you have a heart attack before the stents, and have you had an echocardiogram since, to determine how well your heart is working? I would imagine it will be the medication that is causing the nausea, and sometimes the stents can cause mild discomfort, I am sure I could feel mine, along with others I met, although you are not supposed to have pain receptors in that area. However if it is more than a niggle I would get it checked out? I would also do your own research and question what drugs you are on and why, if it is anything like here they just put you on a general prescription of drugs as there is no real subjective assessment done, they just think you are going to sit and watch TV and eat chips all day and you might not actually need to be on some of them.
Are you exercising, it is a fantastic form of rehab and will take your mind off things, this comes as a big shock to all of us, particularly those who have been used to regular exercise and though themselves safe from this sort of thing (like me!). Good luck, they have done their bit, now it's your turn!
Hey Lateguitarist,
The pains are like you said, just there but not enough for me to worry about them. If I'm honest I've been really stressed and a wee bit depressed lately and I don't think that it's helping.
I've still to receive my physiotherapy and I'm hoping that it will start next week. I'm also going to call with the medical staff at the hospital and ask about an echocardiogram 👍.
I've been excerising but had to stop due to the way I've been feeling. Hope to get back at it soon.
Thanks for the info and I hope all is well with you.
Cheers,
Paul
I am not sure what the physiotherapy there will be like, but if it is anything like the Rehabilitation I received in the UK it will be very, very helpful. To be honest the GP aftercare here is not great, but the hospital treatment including the Rehab was fantastic. I am sure that it goes a very long way to getting people both exercising and feeling mentally stronger, and included discussions and group chats about just the things you are worried about. I think the feeling in your chest could well be the stent settling in, like I said quite a few guys said they experienced this. However, I also accept that some of the perceived problems can be between your ears! I got into a bit of a period of blaming Statins for every little ache and pain, when in reality it was just the effects of age and exercising a bit too much. I would suggest you just start walking at a pace you are comfortable with, and take it from there, going further and a bit quicker as the days go by. Just remember, you are, like me and many others on here, one of the lucky ones who at least had the chance to be "repaired"!
Sorry forgot to mention, yes I did have a heart attack before the stent
I had a heart attack 20 months ago and the first few months my emotions were very mixed up. I was extremely anxious and every twinge was another H.A. I had very little appetite. It took many months to calm down. I followed the exercise regime and attended cardiac re-habilitation. I also had cognitive behaviour therapy which helped with the anxiety. For 20-30 years I had eaten a Mediterranean diet, exercised daily, drank moderately and never smoked so there was nothing I could change and I felt very out of control. It does take time but you will start to feel better and calmer. This forum gave me loads of support and advice so stay on here.
Hello Isobelhannah18
Thanks for the kind words and reassurance. Like yourself I've taken pretty good care of myself over the years and this has come as quite the shock. The thing that I find hardest to deal with is the unpredictability of day to day life. One minute I'm feeling great and the next it's doom and gloom. I'm hoping that the rehab will help a lot and I can get to the same place as a lot of the people on this forum.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a message.
Regards,
Paul
Hi Paul, welcome to the club my HA was about 8 weeks ago , had 5 stents in one artery and now suffer from heart failure. A massive change in my life. Yes its been tough , again no appetite but little nausea. I think my meds are now settling down, although it could be one of them causing my insomnia. It's a massive mental challenge, my anxiety is diminishing but sleepless nights are the norm. I am having private therapy to put the whole experience into perspective. There are 920, 000 people with heartfailure in this country, so I am not alone.
Regards and good luck with your recovery.
Hello ph5019,
Sorry to hear that you are having the same troubles as myself. I'm also not getting enough sleep due to anxiety, panic attacks. I've come back from the doctors today with Oxazepam and I'm hoping that this will help me relax a little bit.
Hope things get better with yourself.
Cheers,
Paul
Hi , l am glad you've got some medication, good luck with that,keep in touch I know it helps to think your not alone ' Paul
Hi Paul just dropped in to say Welcome to a fantastic forum. We're The Hearties a very knowledgeable bunch with great compassion and the BHF nurses are angels.
Having a bad day then share your rant with us... We've all been there!!
I had a stent for LAD blockage, it took a few months for it to settle in and I had to play around with meds to get them right (muscle ache with statins).
Take your time and stay well.
Hello mcc19and64.
So glad that I found this forum as I was finding it hard to get any solid information from the Dutch hospital.
Feeling better about myself today and I've got a much more positive outlook after reading everyone's replies.
Take care,
Paul
I had 2 stents fitted 9 years ago. Medications were difficult to manage to start with. Got them sorted and everything was fine after about 6 months, until this December when one of the drugs had to be changed because it was withdrawn, and no longer available. I, like you, had suddenly feelings of nausea and loss of appetite. The drug that was changed was the antacid, Ranitidine, which had been so good. I had this to counteract the effects of the soluble aspirin on the stomach. So instead of Ranitidine, they gave me Omeprazole - a proton pump inhibitor - which is used to treat the stomach acid from the Aspirin. This gave me indigestion and nausea it was meant to treat. So I was given Lansoprozole instead of Omeprazole, but again it is no better. Having now to take Rennies Deflatine which helped a bit. I started to lose quite a bit of weight, so a month ago I was put back on Ranitidine and Gaviscon, and am beginning to feel better. So out of all that, do you think that, as it is nausea which is bad for you, it might be the aspirin and antacid that are the trouble - if you are on these. I think the aspirin is the really important drug to be on as it is the blood thinner, and the antacid is to counter the aspirin side effects. This is very long winded, but it might just help. Do hope you will feel better soon.
Hello Howdenhall,
Are from Edinburgh by any chance?
You might be onto something there as I take my Apsirn (dissolved) first thing in the morning and not long after I'm starting to feel a bit sickly. I'll speak to the cardio assistant today and ask about that. Thank you.
Take care,
Paul
Yes I grew I in Edinburgh but left 60 years ago now! Did you have any luck with your cardio assistant and your medications?
Cheer up Paulus. Remember Brian Cox when he was in DReam singing “Things can only get better”. Welcome to the group. Scroll through the posts and other’s profiles and you’ll get an idea how we all manage and support each other. Try not to worry. I find if I get stressed or particularly emotional I get pain from the area where my stent is. I think it’s psychological and as soon as I notice my hand going to that area on my chest I tell myself to calm down and the pain goes. I noticed this especially when I attended counselling sessions. Try not to do too much too soon but be aware that not all meds suit all people and you may have to change to ones better suited to you. Take care.
Hello Maisie2014,
I've just spoken with the hospital and I will be starting cardio rehab on Monday. This is great news as I've been looking forward to it.
Thanks for the kind words and I'm sure that every day will start to get better.
Cheers,
Paul
Afraid I had a whole year of hell after a heart attack and stents. Partly because of he shock of having a heart attack and coming to terms with it but mainly because I react really badly to a lot of tablets. I would no sooner identify one that was causing unbearable side effects and get it changed, than another one would give problems or it would be a specific brand with certain preservatives or colourings. Please don't think yours problems will go on for so long. I'm so bad with tablets my GP greets me with "Hello trouble". Your system does need to get used to your medication and most of it will settle down but if it really is unbearable don't hesitate to pester your doctor. Check all tablets for possible side effects and discuss them with the GP but don't put up with them if you are worried and don't hesitate to ring 999.
Hello Qualipop,
I'm sure now that it's the medication. If things don't get better over the coming weeks I will definitely be back in touch with the hospital /doctor.
Thanks for the info and I hope all is well with you.
Regards,
Paul
Glad to read your starting rehab, as I said I found it invaluable, if it’s anything like the class I attended lots of laughter!
Hello Pauline,
I can't wait to get started. Hopefully it's as fun as your classes.
Cheers,
Paul
I had a stent fitted unexpectedly nearly eight weeks ago. I too had chest pains where I had to use the spray but the last ten days it seems to of stopped
I still get a tight feeling some days and feel some pressure too also probably like you I didn’t sleep at all at first. I am now feeling more positive and my appetite is back I do still feel anxious at times especially at night but if I do feel bad I get up and put a film on. Are you getting some exercise. I’m only walking as no rehab classes I think it’s hard at this time too as no follow up appointments have you rang your GP about the nausea it could be the medication Hope you feel better soon give it a little time
Hello BulleyJude,
The stent pain has receded a little bit today and I'm feeling much better thanks. I was under the impression that I'd be stented, released from hospital and be back at work a couple of days later. Apparently this is not the case and this forum is helping me to realise that.
Hope all is well with you and thanks for taking the time to reply.
Cheers,. Paul
Hello BulleyJude,
Went for a walk this morning and had to cut it short. Very frustrating as I felt so weak, clamy hands and a feeling that I might be sick.
Hope this clears up soon.
Best regards,
Paul
That’s a shame. Had you eaten. Maybe your blood sugar or blood pressure is a little low. Always call your GP they might be able to suggest something If you are worried please call and they will put your mind at rest which will help especially if you are anxious.
Regards
Judy
Hi hun welcome to the forum. I haven't had stents so can't help you with that I'm afraid. I had cardiac arrest at home. There are lots of great people on here. You're bound to feel fragile at the moment. Things will get better even though I'm sure you're sick of hearing that lol.. Try to keep smiling hun and each day will get easier. If you're ever having a bad day we're all here for you. Take care x
Hello Jowalk6
Thanks for the positive message.
I'm glad that I've signed up to this forum as its really helping with my confidence.
Take care x
Paul
Hi Paulus, I’m not stented , but had heart surgery and I imagine there are parallels. A few thoughts.
- I agree Dr’s aren’t great re side effects. My pharmacist is good for Q’s on these, sometimes they even suggest a different medication to then ask the Dr about.
- Ask cardiac nurses, doctors or pharmacists if you might need a tummy protector, also called a PPI (no, not the insurance type!) like ranitidine or nowadays omeprazole.
- I also found recovery unpredictable, but then I noticed a strange pattern. If I was having a bad day, either really tired or feeling low, I could almost always look back and see that I’d done quite a lot of activity the day before, or sometimes 2 days before if it was a real exertion. My heart & also neurotransmitters seemed to have a delayed dip, and I only got this feedback to slow down 24+hrs after the activity. So I learned to do very little at first & just add small increments, plus not plan anything the day after an activity. So if I wanted to go out for a day, I worked up to it, going out for half hour, then an hour, then 2, then half a day etc, with a planned rest-day on every day after.
-Rest is really vital, our hearts beat 24/7 so their only chance to heal & recover is if we avoid exertion. And alongside rest, very gentle movement eg walking or the rehab physiotherapy you’re about to start.
- choosing a realistic medium term goal helps (an event, holiday or activity), that you can look forward to & work towards slowly. My life & hopes felt dashed initially, but I chunked up big dreams into smaller goals, that built one on the next.
Good luck
Hello Real Green,
Thanks for the message and info. I'm in touch with the hospital again today regarding meds and I'm also trying to schedule an appointment with a therapist to talk about my worries, anxiety and stress. Today hasn't been a good day, went for a short walk and had to stop after 10mins due to the fact that I felt sickly, clamy and very week. I know these things take time but I'm having a hard time with it.
Thanks again and hope all is well with you.
Regards,
Paul
Hi Paul....like you I had a HA five weeks ago and had emergency angioplasty with one stent fitted in my completely blocked left artery. It's been a roller coaster of a ride so far, so I empathise in how you're feeling. I've been lucky with the new meds in that I don't seem to have experienced much in the way of side effects apart from slightly low BP in the afternoons. I felt totally exhausted for the first three weeks, but I've noticed this last couple of weeks my energy levels are slowly returning and each day I'm trying to do a little more.
I've found this site absolutely invaluable and some of the people and stories here are nothing short of inspiring and have given me so much hope and reassurance for the future. I too suffer from intermittent chest pain though it's niggling, sharp pains most of the time rather than the horrible crushing pain I experienced when I had my HA. The cardiac rehab nurse (who I've found to be incredibly helpful) has assured me that it can take weeks for the bruising and tenderness inside the body to heal and that it also takes a while for the stent to 'settle' in to the artery. I must admit though that I'm now super-aware of every twinge in my chest, arms and shoulders, then I get anxious and a little panicky which in turn makes matters worse!
It's good to know that here on this forum we can all support each other and share our stories...and it's reassuring to hear from people that have been through similar experiences or are still going through them! Regarding the aspirin, not sure if it makes a huge difference but I never take mine until after I've eaten breakfast and so far although not much appetite, I've had no nausea. Good luck, Paul, and take care of yourself 
Sorry for the late reply Jaynie13.
Had a pretty rough couple of days days and I've tried to stay away from the Internet for a while. Isn't it strange that stent pain isn't mentioned after the procedure and you have to find out for yourself. Very frustrating.
Thanks for the Aspirin tip, I'll give that a go tomorrow and hopefully my apetite returns soon as I'm already starting to lose weight 😬.
Have a good weekend and thanks for taking the time to reply.
Paul
Hi Paul....no apology needed and I really hope that you're feeling a little better. I totally understand about needing to stay off the internet for a couple of days. I have to sit on my hands at times to keep me from Dr Google as every time I look at what 'he' has to say I end up convincing myself that I'll be lucky to see the end of the day and then spend the next few hours in an anxiety melt down which in turn gives me some chest pain and makes my heart race, which then makes my anxiety worse....and it all becomes a vicious circle!!! The emotional side of being post HA (and I imagine any cardiac event) is that it's such a roller coaster! Talking of anxiety, do you think that could be exacerbating your lack of appetite and nausea as well? I do hope that your appetite comes back soon. Take care of yourself.
Still having pain after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
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