Hi everyone I am hoping someone also feels like I do as speaking to doctors has got me nowhere.
I am 59years old I had a heart attack last Aug and had a stent fitted. Before my heart attack I kept getting episodes of fatigue and sickness the tiredness felt so bad even though I had slept all night. I had heart palpitations the doctors said unless they were more than 20% in the day he didn’t think I needed treatment that was in 2018. Since the heart attack I get so tired it makes me feel very sick I find if I eat something like a banana or biscuit it eases for a short while I have checked my blood sugars they are completely normal. I take Bisoprolol 1.25mg ticagrelor 90mg and 75mg of aspirin. I was on statins and blood pressure tablets the blood pressure tablets were stopped as my blood pressure is low already and it was dangerously low and the statins have been stopped since Xmas as my liver test results were also dangerously high. I now have a non alcoholic fatty liver the last test results showed high B12 results. This is getting me down I cannot seem to do much without having to sleep for short periods is this normal the doctors seem to have no idea surely there must be others like me with this problem to at least give me some idea as to why I am so exhausted?
Thank you for any help
Written by
Annemarietheknitter
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Thank you for replying I do have patient access so can see my blood test results. I have been waiting since last year to get an appointment for the department that deals with the liver but they closed due to Covid my doctor contacted them again saying she needed urgent advice it took nearly two months to get a reply they did say I need an appointment but still nothing. I will speak to her again regarding the specialist blood tests.
Just noticed your in Canada I am in the UK they do different tests here doubt they will do that I will ask they will probably laugh.
Could I just ask, what exactly is the point of making statements like "in my area", when you are in Canada?? Do you actually have heart disease? You profile goes to great lengths to inform us about Osteoporosis but then goes on to say that you wish to keep your other conditions private. I think I am not the only member who is beginning to find your irrelevant comments a bit irritating lately, are you medically qualified to make comments regarding blood tests results or eating "beets"?
I am no expert. But you say you feel down. Fatigue is a common symptom of depression or anxiety. I have suffered from this. When you get that feeling try to work through it. Get up and try to do something. I wish you well. Take care
Thank you but I know I am not depressed fed up annoyed irritated perhaps
I think if you have problems with your liver fatigue is a common symptom? I know your username indicates your hobby, are you able to make time to exercise, even just a short walk to begin with? As well as helping your mood it will also benefit your liver, as well as a healthy diet. It is not easy when you are feeling tired but in the long term it will help a lot.
I had similar symptoms and asked my cardiologist for a referral for a sleep study. This involves wearing a monitor for 48 hours or so. It's not uncomfortable. The results showed that I had severe sleep apnoea. I stopped breathing 60 times an hour or about 450 times per night! I was given a CPAP machine which is great. I can now sleep through the night.
Sleep apnoea may be something to look into, if only to rule it out as a cause of your sleep issues and exhaustion.
Hi annemarie. Sorry to hear you are struggling. Like you I have been taken off statins as they raised my liver function test results. I have been put onto Ezetimibe as an alternative to atorvastatin 80mg. I am still being investigated for the liver issues, so can't really offer any solutions, but I do empathise with the exhaustion and am now wondering if it is related as lateguitarist suggested. In some ways I was lucky the GP I spoke to was interested in my case and wrote to a gastroenterologist and a lipid specialist for advice. As i say, it is all still trundling along and no solutions or answers yet. Dare I suggest you push your GP a bit harder? I know it's difficult, but if your life is being impacted to this extent you have a right to some help. With best wishes x
My problem is it has been going on for years I did have a total hysterectomy in 1989 at the age of 27 so I went through the menopause immediately so thought that might have caused it but after 32 years I don’t think it has anything to do with it as they couldn’t link it. The gastroenterologist has said I need to be seen still waiting for an appointment which with what’s going on with Covid won’t be anytime soon
This must be so frustrating, I can't understand why there seems to be so much delay in so many appointments but not in others. I have had some fairly serious problems with my eyes all thorough lockdown but have and still am managing to get treated. This is one of the aspects those who still oppose to lifting restrictions do not seem to understand.
I suffer fromchronic fatigue and sometimes feel so sick with it too. I was perfectly ok after my CAs but ince on Bisoprolol it started and on 5mg or over I couldnt function at all. After several trials of other meds which I am allergic to I was finally put on Quinedine, an non licenced anti arrhythmic med from the hospital. My hearts been much better on it since but desoite the brilliant start where my brain fog lifted Im back to exhausted again and breathlessness, angina and this hot weather has promoted so many palpitations. No help to you Im afraid but it is common with heart issues. Its best to go back to your Dr and tell them these how these meds are ruining your quality of life. What suits one doesnt suit others, we are all different so do pursue it via your Dr, and if no joy, your carciologist. Find out her secretarys email and make the enquiries yourself. Mine writes back when I have important questions. Good job too as since leaving hospital with ICD fitted, I was discharged to GP and technician care with ni support anywhere. Unfirtunateky everything is trial and error but I hope you will find a solution that helps. I suspect youre also feeling that life is passing you by too when too tired out to enjoy it. All the best.
I am so sorry to hear how bad you are feeling and I do hope they get things sorted for you soon. Yes you are right not all medications suit everyone.until my HA last year I didn’t take any medications at all just loads of vitamins but they react with my medications so only take vit c which is helping my UTI which appears to have finally gone (touch wood) . I haven’t seen my cardiologist since the HA the doctor communicates with him via messages. Trouble is I have had this tiredness for nearly 30 years but it has definitely got worse since so I am beginning to believe it is something to do with my heart it is hereditary so it’s probably something I am just going to have to live with. Thank you for your help
Hi, sorry for delay in replying, just spent the last 2 days in hospital. No shocks fortunately but v close to and the palpitations and fibrillations were bad when already sat in the cool shafe with a fan. Id never had so many consecutive episodes like that, it made me feel v weak and sickly. I cancelled plans as I was scared to go out in case my defibrillator shocked again as it felt in the verge of it every time, which is usually wjen as massive shocks about to happen! In the end I put thr fan by my.bed and slept it off. Next day perfectly fine except for the thumping headache from the ngt spray. Following day, I was woken in the early hours 3 times with same palpitations etc. It got worse once up and about so this time I took my Drs advice and called 111 (Dr said 999 but not a life or death emergency, however the paramedics said it can be so call 999!) They recorded several tachycardias, it was all over the place and at A&E it settled eventually. By the time I got to ACU everything was normal again! Some VTs and the rest probably AFs rather than VFs but ICD is reacting to them all as VFs and preparing to fire. At least I know my own signals as the ICD checks showed it corresponded with the symptoms! Rather than reset my ICD theyd rather prevent the AFs so unfortunately more meds now. Got to trial Adizem (Diltiazem Hydrochloride) and get checked in a months time.At last I got to see a cardiologist! He answered so many questions. He ruled out heart disease for my swollen feet and ankles as echo and bloods were ok on that, and I got to discuss my constant chronic fatigue.
His opinion was its not my heart, it must be meds and diet, many factors can cause it. He suggested I lose weight but its the fatigue slowing me down thats caused it! Ive only been.like this since on beta blockers following my SCSs, was always fit and healthy til then. I've put on 2 stone just isolating over the past 18 months, I just wanted to lose weight not gain any! Im already walking daily and getting plenty of sunshine now plus keeping to 1000 cals or less daily. He suggested checking for vit D so checked my blood and discovered its low. I was surprised as my diet is generally healthy, I love fish and my green veggies and eat so many avocados its a wonder I'm not green! Thats why I can't understand my fatigue and breathlessness. It can be meds affecting the absorbtion though. He also suggested my GP monitors Vit D levels, thyroid and hormones as all contributary. I was surprised to hear a lot of patients have liw vit D levels which apparently we need to watch as it helps our immunity too.
I agree the extra weights not helping but am already into it as queen of salads already, but will watch my diet more for actual content now. I was awful on hospital food as so much stodge for sitting around, the first day it was egg sandwiches in the afternoon and egg sandwiches again at 11pm with tea and a biscuit. I never have that many carbs, esp bread, ever! I got totally dehydrated in A&E all day, 3 small cups of water all day just wasnt enough in this heat, I generally drink around 3 litres or more daily. My feet swelled up more despite sitting on a trolley for 10 hours. Not good when already feeling queazy. Still, got to be grateful for anything as they looked after me well otherwise. We'd be lost without our nhs!
So pleased I got to speak to a cardiologist and learn much more in minutes than in 6 yrs since my SCAs. He happily explained things and concluded that sometimes they simply cannot find the exact cause or label other than its a 'fault' in the electrical signals that makes me prone to VF and tachycardias. He said that, basically, is the diagnosis, so they can only treat the symptoms as the cause, other than genetic, is unknown.
I appreciate what you say about vitamins affecting you and your meds but thought Id update as the Vit D is a good point to watch in our situation, it could be worth asking your GP to check for that in particular if not done so already.
I hope you find a solution and get better too, its hard to do anything when so exhausted all the time.
Oh you poor thing you have been through it must of been terrifying for you. You should have had more fluid than that very dangerous in the heat. Egg sandwiches yuk I am vegan so the thought of that is terrifying lol. I was on gluten free plus I am unable to eat dairy when I was in hospital so they didn’t feed me at all no food from Tuesday till Friday when I came home. Trouble with getting more medications is you don’t know how your body will react hopefully it does sort things out. I wouldn’t be surprised if the medications absorb the vitamins that would make sense why you are low in vit D normally going out for an hour a day would help that. I am beginning to believe that I cannot do much about the tiredness other than give in and have a kip.
Pleased you got to see a cardiologist I haven’t seen mine since August last year when I had the HA. It now turns out I definitely do not have a UTI but blood has come up three times in my results so now being referred to hospital what a pain!
Take care of yourself and try and look on the bright side of things failing that put a good comedy film on and have a good laugh we all need some it will make you feel better till the next round.
Aw thanks. Poor you too! Sounds like youre going through the never ending processes as well. As with so many from the reports on here, trial and error seems to be a common thread re medications. I've learnef a lot on here since joining this year, Id never heard of it until then. I was looking for a fb group and decided if there wasnt one Id open one. So now joined one and it mainly supports newbies starting on their recovery. On here we can chat about meds and all sorts easier. Whats really helped is not feeling so alone with it all. The only people I knew with SCAs all died from it so not very encouraging. It just added to my guilt about surviving when it killed a friend 2 yrs ago and her daughter kept asking why couldnt her mum be saved, why did it have to happen so suddenly, why wasnt she aware and got the ambulance earlier.... the families really go through it too. Made me realise I had so much going on in my head that I hadnt really dealt with as bo one else in the same boat. I have very supportive friends but they have no idea how tired I feel all the time, they just can't imagine! I just tell them to remember how they felt when theyd had a bad nights sleep and couldnt wait to get back to bed. Apply that to every day, and sometimes far worse, sometimes better, but always like a battery running down the longer you do anything!
I do wonder what the cause is as I was beginning to feel like no one believed me. My consultant said a while back that basically they are keeping my heart as good as they can with meds and if they make me tired theres not much else they can do.
The cardiologist I saw in hospital this week clearly noticed my weight and suggested diet. I said Im a healthy eater but with a sweet tooth so I know my faults but what vitamins and minerals are best for my heart condition. Thats when he offered to check my levels in a blood test. He then prescribed some vit D tablets along with my meds! With my diet and walking daily I was surprised but will look at the things possibly depleting it. I said do you think I want to be carrying this extra weight, I was trying to shift it before lockdown but now trying hard to.shift the extra 2 stone Ive piled on in the last 17 months! At least he was more interested in helping me to look at various causes, he has referred me back to my own cardiologist again as he understood my GP wont know everything and said these are all things to discuss when I get my appointment. He seemed surprised to hear Ive only had one appointment in 6 years. Thats because shes put me in the hands of the pacing clinic to report anything, but they say they dont report anything unless critical and I have to request an appointment via my GP. My GP leaves it to my consultant to supervise hence going round in circles!
Im guessing it means good news generally but this cardiologist filled in more gaps when I got to ask all the questions. Poor chap, but he was rather gorgeous and his team certainly didn't mind, they joined in with some questions too! Its good to take the smooth with the rough!
I have an appt to get another blood test (Im already like a pincushion) and will discuss the kidney issue with my GP then. Meanwhile I was keeping hydrated until hospital but have resumed and finally feel back to 'normal' today!
I hope you are ok too with your tests, you certainly don't need anything else to worry about. Good luck and hope youre soon home and recovered.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Sudden fatigue and aches
Fatigue and aches following triple by-pass.
Feeling dizzy in Spain
Feeling strange on Bisoprolol
Stomach upset/ bowel problems/ feeling sick and suspected heart failure 
