8 days on

[cakesandbakes]

Well its now 8 days since my heart attack and 4 stents.Trying to do a little more each day but with rehabs closed its difficult. No hospital follow up for 3 months.Not sure how much walking i should do for fear of bringing on another episode,i am sure you have all been there. I had the angiogram through the right wrist and oh boy was my arm bruised,8 days on still painful at night should i accidentanly lay on it and still feeling light headed. I have been convarlescing with my sister as she is the one with all the room! I have started to wean myself away from this delightful peaceful place by going to my house for an hour or two a day as i realise I have got to try to get over my anxiety as i live alone but have good support with family near.The minuet i get through the door the negative thoughts come flooding back so i try to imagine two thought buses chugging towards me, one snatching the bads ones away and the second giving me nice ones! Foolishly i thought like the old days i would get a call from GP after he recieved the report that i had been in hospital but that was wishful thinking. I am not an anxious person by nature does this get better with time.Thankyou for this site and all the friendly advice.

[homingbird]

New to the site- hope this works....

[homingbird]

Have you found or does anyone know of any online support cardiac rehab groups please?

[Zena166]

Hi. It is early days for you so everything will be of concern and sometimes overwhelming. Take it slowly. Book to speak to your GP to talk about what has happened and what to expect going forward. Also they should be able to refer you to a local rehab team that you can speak to on phone and who might also do online stuff. Below is the link to the online rehab from the. BHF. They also have a helpline that is incredibly helpful as well as a list of local BHF groups that you could contact so you can eventually meet up with local people in your area.

It does take time but it sounds as you are doing some good stuff with the buses (I love that idea )

bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-...

Others will be along with advice and support. Do take care. Zena

[cakesandbakes in reply to Zena166]

Thank you

[HenryTudor]

Hi cakesandbakes,

Your experience is not too different to mine, bar two other issues.

About 20 hours after the emergency angioplasty I had a VT episode. The heart beats too fast to pump any blood and you can be dead very quickly. The staff were amazing - ten doctors and nurses running towards me shouting “Are you all right?” They had to stop and restart my heart.

I was in the CCU for nine days.

I was, and I am every day, grateful to be alive. I’m determined to live a healthy and full life into my 80’s - I’m 66.

I had one visit to the cardiac rehab which was no more than a chat with the nurse.

I’ve taken charge of my own rehab. I’m a slave to my Apple Watch. Over a number of months I’ve slowly slowly built up to closing the rings every day and have now done that for three weeks.

I’ve had bumps along the way, of course.

I went through a phase, when I came home from the CCU, of having a panic attack every time a nodded off, either in bed or in my chair. (Possibly due to one of the meds?)

I overcame this by accident myself by drawing inspiration from a young friend of mine.

It was late in the evening and I was sitting up in bed when I received a WhatsApp message “How are you?”

My friend Heidi is a single parent with a severely autistic daughter. She’s desperate to get a job but can’t land anything and doesn’t have an easy life. But she’s obtained a degree through the Open University over about six years. She lives sensibility, keeps a lovely house, looks after her money, runs a car and goes on holiday every year.

We exchanged messages for about an hour and it was such a positive experience that I saw (not the first time) that she’s actually an inspiration. With lockdown easing, my wife and I had her around for tea last weekend and it was lovely.

I’m sure there are times when she’s on her own that she finds it hard but I find it an inspiration the way she’s organised her life to be self reliant and to find so much that’s of interest to her.

A bit of a long story but you can find inspirational people around you. Look for them and tap into it. It keeps your glass half full.

Softly, softly getting back to full fitness but also focus on the mental side.

Henry

[Bradee12]

Mate,

The link above from Zena to the British Heart Foundation (BHF) is great! I had a heart attack 7 weeks ago and two stents since. The advice on that site is just what you need.

I would only add as you exercise, walking, don't go out into really cold air. That will not do you any good to be walking for exercise in cold air. And do stay on the meds till the Doc says it's OK to stop. This is usually a year. You do not want a stroke because of a clot forming on a stent. The meds will stop that happening and you should be fine.

Don't forget too, that with some people, the meds might make them a bit tired. You can always talk to your GP about that if you are affected.

7 weeks later, my arm and shoulder where they put in the arterial cannula (right arm) is often painful at night if I roll on to it. It's just going to take a little time to recover.

But do get on to that BHF site. It is excellent!

[cakesandbakes in reply to Bradee12]

I appreciate all the replies. And I have exactly the same problem with my arm as you.

[Superdar]

Your alive!!! Keep pressing forward!! Cherish each day!! Keep walking , you'll feel better over time!!!