Anyone out there feel they are getting worse not better after heart attack and angioplasty ?

[Sootycat]

Hi everyone I put a posting on a while back a few days after my heart attack and angioplasty. 3 blocked arteries 2 stents some heart damage. I felt alone and scared. I got so many lovely replies they kept me going and gave me hope. I am now on week 5 and still feel no better. In fact I feel much worse. Before the heart attack I felt as fit as a flea. No chest pain no angina just a bit overweight with asthma and mild diabetes. No meds.

I feel so ill and tired now and breathless I can barely get up the stairs. My chest pain is awful and pain in my armpits. I spoke to my Doc on the phone who didn't want to examine me and said go to A & E with pain. I don't want to be a nuisance or labelled neurotic.

All your wonderful replies helped so much but again I feel alone and pushed out to sea. My husband is at a loss and so worried.

My bp was always 130/90 it now runs at 170/105 my Bm is 15 - 18 daily.

I am on Ticagrelor 90 x2. Newly on metformin now which is 500 x2. And Candesartan 2mg once a day. I also inject clexane 10pml for life. I am allergic to ramapril and all statins.

My bp is getting worse my sugar seems out of control and now with the chest pain I am having panic attacks.

Many of you replied saying how they themselves were full of fear but improved. How gradually things got brighter and you could do more. I am the opposite and every day feel worse I seem to be regressing.

Doctors are so busy and disinterested. No cardiac follow up appointments. If we had any money I would go private but my husband hasn't worked now for 18 weeks.

I feel desperate.

Anyone out there similar who seemed to get worse rather than improve ? Bad chest pain and pain in armpits or am I really just being neurotic and should grit my teeth and get on with it ?

[cakesandbakes]

I fully understand how you feel and it seems we are in a similar boat. I am now 6 weeks past heart attack and stents and feel worse than before full of anxiety which is a new and horrible experience .Had some pain radiating to left shoulder blade at weekend went to A and E where I was kept in given lots of tests including CT lung chest ,heart They were ok thank goodness.Thought that it was either pragursel because apparently that drug is best given after certain heart attacks and not others or that's what they said. Or possibly stents healing. I have a telephone consultation on tuesday with a cardiologist. I just wish it could be face to face.I am on ramipril as well as pragursel asprin statin and bisoprolol which I read shouldn't be given to people with asthma or certain lung disease .and ramipril best for people under 55 I think.The BHF booklet has good information on all the drugs.I have sarcoidosis in lung which I have had 10 years with no real problems except breathless in certain situations . It does seem the cocktail of drugs is more or less the same for everyone as per protocol. I live alone which doesn't help anxiety but have good family very close. With no rehab I am doing a couple of short walks a day. But due to covid the days are long. We can only try our hardest to be strong and positive in the hope that things will get better for all of us and take comfort in the support on this site.With luck we will be the ones in the future telling others it will get better.

[Sootycat in reply to cakesandbakes]

Thank you for your lovely reply. I know fear plays such a huge factor and the new cocktail of drugs.

I am so pleased you had such good atteniton at a & e and good tests will have put your mind at rest.

Lucky lucky you to get any appointment with a cardiologist. Squeeze every moment out of it !!!

Wishing you a speedy recovery and we'll done walking every day xxxx

[cakesandbakes in reply to Sootycat]

Hello sooty cat again.like you I am a retired nurse but when we are anxious and unwell you know what you should do but don't always have the will.I was lucky that my cousin was once sister in charge of an intensive care department and won't be put off.She rang the rehab nurse and insisted my appointment for a chat with cardiologist that was for 3 months time must be brought foward.that's how i aquired it for tomorrow without her I would likely still be waiting. I am gtateful for the care i got in A and E so dont be worried about going they will be understanding. I dont rush things it's easy to be envious of others that can do more but they are maybe younger I am 64 and before this walked looked after grandchildren kept busy and thought apart from the sarcoidosis I was fairly fit.now i just do 2 walks a day of 20 mins a time. Keep us up to date.

[Sootycat in reply to cakesandbakes]

I rang my doc and spoke to her this evening. She has doubled my bp meds. She said there a no cardiac referrals. None and she has rung and begged. So it's A&E or nothing.

So upsetting. I am so pleased for you and good luck xxxx

[laser189]

Hi Sootycat

I had similar treatment to your following my HA. I could do very little for the first four weeks then gradually improved and I am still improving 7 months on. Fortunately I am not diabetic nor have any other complications. When I left hospital while i felt like you left alone with no help, but they did give me the telephone number of the cardiac nurses. If you have this ring them, they are very knowledgeable and can give practical help. If this is not available to you I would do what your GP suggests and present at A&E. A telephone call first might be sensible as they might direct you straight to the cardiac unit.

[Sootycat in reply to laser189]

Hi there

I am so glad you are improving. Unfortunately I have no number for Cardiac nurse/ rehab. One did ring to say everything is cancelled at the moment but even when things resume nothing in our area.

The BHF nurse was super helpful but again Doctor or A&E only options. Our A&E is tiny at a little cottage hospital but at least a springboard to bigger hospitals.

I just wish there was more support. Without this website I don't know where a lot of us would be.

Thank you for your reply and a good recovery. X

[NotAllWhoWonder]

Welcome to the hearties clan!

I think you need to take a step back and see this for what it is: you haven't broken your leg and stuck it in a cast so that it can do nothing apart from mend itself for 6 weeks. You've broken your heart, which can NEVER stop moving and it cannot take time off to repair itself. It needs to try to do that while keeping the rest of you going, too.

It's difficult to understand for some people, but while this is happening you're not going to be able to run a 5k, or do a number of things you used to. You're going to get tired quicker, etc. Take. It. Easy. Go to your cardiac rehab. Take your medication. Make the adjustments so that you don't end up in the A&E again.

You can, and will, lead a healthy, normal life again. But, you need to give your heart some time to heal first.

[Sootycat in reply to NotAllWhoWonder]

Thank you so much. At least you made me smile. The things you hope I can do I couldn't do before the heart attack lol !!

Chronic asthma diabetes need 2 new hips dvts Pe's etc. Bit of an old Croc.

We have no cardiac rehab in our area so no support. This website is invaluable. As a retired nurse I am out of the loop for 20 years now but what happens to the human body doesn't change only advances, one hope's, in medication.

I just hoped I would feel better not worse and improve slightly each day.

Ho hum ☺

[NotAllWhoWonder in reply to Sootycat]

Ah good, you're from the "old school", so at least understand that certain things take time (no offence to any from the younger generations who expect instant results - it is 2020, after all, where you just need to click one button to get most things instantly).

Bottom line is that your ticker needs to keep ticking while your body works its magic to fix it - just allow it all the time it needs to do that, and don't try force it.

Give your GP a ring to find out about the rehab - it's definitely helped loads of people in our situation get their lives back on track!

[Snowdrops_17]

Hi Sootycat, please go urgently to A&E darling and get this high blood pressure checked out! If you feel physically that bad! Please asked them if there is a sugar free medication for high blood pressure! 170 - 105 doesn't sound good and would have me worried as well! Please try 🌈👍🥰 have to amend post as read your previous one! Your heart will take time to heal itself! It really does! So sorry you have such a rough time with your health but A&E is your best shot, blood pressure needs sorting! Do you still have sweeping in your ankles???🥰🌈🤔

[080311]

Hello Sootycat

That blood pressure is a bit high and feeling so bad needs looking at, please a trip to A&E I think is called for.

Chest pain needs looking at.

Let us know how you go.

Best wishes Pauline

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

I think you should present yourself at A&E, any chest pain needs to be looked at, they won't think your neurotic.

I went for a routine appointment a few weeks ago and was surprised how empty the hospital was, it was like the Mary Celeste - if your hospital is anything like mine I imagine it will be much the same - do go, that's what they are there for.

[laser189]

Hi Sootycat

Perhaps I was lucky but although I felt very alone I had a better support network after discharge. Whenever I talked to any of the cardiac nurses, the first question they asked was if I had any chest pain. I had none so I do not know what they would have done if I had.

I know the Corvid situation has disrupted the cardiac services but you are important. Hospitals are now getting back to normal. You should have had a discharge sheet from the hospital where your stents were fitted. That will give you telephone numbers direct to the cardiac unit. Use them and talk to one of the nurses and they should be able to help you. Demand to go on cardiac rehab - I had to and it was the best thing I did even though it was cut short by the Corvid. Do not be afraid of bothering people - it is what they are there for and you only get one life.

Good luck.

[Sootycat in reply to laser189]

Thank you. You are quite right but we have no cardiac rehab in our area at all. The sheet I was given only had a number for the first 7 days. So I rang my Doc who has doubled my bp meds as now 179/ 105 going up minute by minute. She said tonight there are no cardiac referrals at all. None. So I am at a loss. If this pain increases I will go to A&E. Thanks for your help and reply x