Thankful to be alive

[Smudgebuttonjessie]

Some may recall my previous posts of having Dressler’s syndrome post bypass surgery. It has been 10 weeks post op but over the last 7 weeks i’ve been battling heart attack symptoms up to 7 times a day with increasing onset and duration, despite several trips to A&E my symptoms were put down to the Dressler’s syndrome until last week where finally one of my episodes was actually captured on an ECG and showed i was in fact having a heart attack, i was rushed into the cath lab for angiogram where it revealed one of my bypass grafts had failed to take therefore blood could not get through the graft and was back tracking causing all this pain ive being having for the last 7 weeks. Cardiologist put stents into the graft and during this another artery collapsed causing a further heart attack whilst still in theatre, this was repaired immediately and my life was saved. I was discharged home yesterday being pain free and on the right road to making a full recovery. I am a very lucky girl but it shows if you think something isn’t right get it checked out and be persistent xx

[Magicfairy]

Hi there, wow you have been through the mill, must have been a very scary time, so glad you are safely home and pain free, take it easy, and yes good advice 🤗x

[Sunnie2day]

WHOA! I've been offline fighting an acute flare of my recurrent pericarditis and hoping you were finally seeing some improvement with your Dressler's - opened the inbox just now and saw your post...

WHOA! So have the pain attacks thought to be Dressler's been heart attacks all along? What a nightmare, you really are lucky to be alive, good on you for keeping on pushing for answers when the pain didn't stop.

And a superb illustration of why people MUST always call for help when this kind of pain happens - an acute flare of pericarditis can so completely mimic a heart attack that when the diagnosis of recurrent pericarditis or Dressler's is made it's too easy for the medics to dismiss the pain as 'just' the pericarditis or Dressler's.

But sometimes, as in your case, it is really a heart attack. Thank-God someone in A&E that day was paying close attention to your ECG and realised you were having a heart attack right there before their very eyes.

Please keep us updated on your recovery.

[Magicfairy in reply to Sunnie2day]

Hello sunnie, you have been missed, wishing you well 🤗❤️

[Sunnie2day in reply to Magicfairy]

Thank-you, getting there. Furosemide is a wonder drug - this morning I woke up to the odd pleasure of bony ankles and fingers!

[Magicfairy in reply to Sunnie2day]

🙂Yes it is, I’m on that too, so happy it’s working for you, it’s so nice when you start feeling human again, take care 🤗

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Sunnie2day]

Hi - glad to hear you're on the mend, take care.

[Smudgebuttonjessie in reply to Sunnie2day]

Hiya Sunnie2dayGood to hear from you again, sorry to hear you have had another flare up, wishing you a speedy recovery. Thank you for checking in with us.

I’m still in shock to think it was mis-diagnosed for so long but relieved that i’ve finally got sorted and can look forward to returning to some kind of normality. I will be monitored for the Dressler’s syndrome which has cleared up for now. Keep in touch

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

Oh my God - thankfully they spotted what was going on with the ECG. So glad you're now pain free, there really is nothing worse than being in extreme pain. As you say, if you feel that something isn't right get it checked and be persistent.

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

So good to hear you are now recovering and looking forward to your future. It is so worth posting for others here. The good lesson being .....trust your own body symptoms, and persist if you are sure something is wrong.Enjoy your life!

[Smudgebuttonjessie in reply to Kristin1812]

Thank you Kristin1812That was the exact point i want to make sure people see, trust your own body and be persistent. Hoping you are well in yourself xx

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to Smudgebuttonjessie]

Thank you. So pleased it has turned out well for you. I am doing fine now. I knew something was wrong, Lots of symptoms, investigations, drugs. Making story short.......Consultant tried reducing various meds, and I’m a new woman!