Life after a heart attack/stents proc... - British Heart Fou...

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Life after a heart attack/stents procedure

Aries1969 profile image
9 Replies

6th June heart attack and stent procedure. Was discharged 3 days later as someone at home when i returned yet ambulance took me home.Got a call from Cardio Assessment couple days later how i,m coping.that was 7 weeks ago and my support from British Heart Foundation has ended yet had no calls or anything.According to support i,m supposed to get cardio help few weeks after the attack.nothing.I am struggling as trying to recover slowly doing small steps but i,m finding i,m wobbly on my feet,perspiring loads,fatigue,no one is telling me anything.I got re-admitted into hospital 1 week after being discharged as stopped breathing..got told nothing yet bhf support thats the normality.I am thankful to the paramedics,hospital nurses etc but i would like to know what happens now-5th August.almost 8 weeks since heart attack/stent procedure.

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Aries1969 profile image
Aries1969
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9 Replies

Hi Aries,I'm so sorry to hear all of this. It must be so difficult for you. I guess it depends where you ate as to how you are treated? I'm in scotland and had a HA 15 weeks ago. I was in hospital for 3 days, then sent home, and a week later had a stent fitted. Cardio.rehab team were on the ball with phone calls . No face to face due to covid. I'm not sure what to suggest apart from phoning your cardio rehab team to ask for Information? Or your gp? At least then you will know something? Good luck

Aries1969 profile image
Aries1969 in reply to

Thank you..I had stent put in as soon as ambulance got to the hospital,then went into coronary unit for 3 days-room on my own all wired up.Jus t dont know where i go now as here nothing and when you ring gp you get a call from a doctor you can hardly understand.they say rest but its the knowing nothing

Dizzylizzy4321 profile image
Dizzylizzy4321 in reply to Aries1969

I was same. Cardiac arrest.HA and 3 stents in emergency. Got out on day 5. Just told to get up and about ASAP. Bcos of covid didn't get any rehab at all. I am coming up for a yr and my gp only spoken to me once. And that's bcos I called them. I'm in scotland. I called my cardiologist for advice. I live alone. X

pasigal profile image
pasigal

Ooof. Sounds like you're getting third-world care on a first-world taxpayer load. I sympathize.

I don't know your particular situation but do you have a spouse/companion/sibling/friend who can advocate on your behalf? Just trying to arrange doctor visits, meds, appointments is very stressful and that's not what you need right now.

(standard disclaimer about my not being a doctor, just a heart patient) What you need to do is rest and take any medications, and make sure you are up and about every day, start with walking short distances. Other than that, rehab and follow up tests SHOULD have been scheduled, I'd think...in my experience, it takes 2-3 months to heal from a HA/stent, and even then you will have "episodes" and bad days.

Hang in there! There are many thousands of us out there in your boat, sorry your care has been so slipshod.

Kristin1812 profile image
Kristin1812Heart Star

Hi Aries. I can hardly remember any occasions when someone rang me up after being discharged from hospital, and I have had lots of heart-related admissions, ambulances etc. I just don’t expect it. But perhaps you were told to expect calls?

Here, they seem to expect you to contact your GP or 111; or 999 if it’s something really urgent. It works OK for me.

richard_jw profile image
richard_jw

You clearly need help. It could be that the medication they have given you is not optimal, some of this stuff is pretty powerful like Beta blockers (e.g. Bisoprolol).But you sounds like you need actual help.

Where I am (Surrey), back in August last year when I dad a heart attack there was no rehab because of covid.

Now there should be and one possibility is to phone the cardiac rehab unit at your local hospital and explain the problem.

When I was discharged, there was a cardiologist assigned to me. You could phone his/her secretary and ask for a phone call. You should get a phone call from this cardiologist a few weeks after discharge, but contact the cardiology unit anyway and explain the problems you are having

GPs are a poor third, mine just said "go to A&E". A&E is an option, it really depends on how poorly you are. In my case, they determined that I was not having another HA and sent me home.

So either phone cardiology and ask for a call from your cardiologist, or try cardiac rehab.

Maisie2014 profile image
Maisie2014

Hi Airies. First of all take a couple deep breaths. Sit quietly for a couple of minutes. I recognise the anger I felt after my HA and stent. Now look through all the paperwork you were given when you were discharged from hospital (I was given a lot). There will be lots of information there. I remember when I checked mine I had been given a telephone number to call for my cardiac nurses. I rang and spoke to one and she arranged everything for my rehabilitation. In the meantime she said to take this easy and try to have a gentle 20 minute walk each day. It’s going to take time to come to terms with what’s happened to you. Different areas have a different approach but you will get there. We’re all here for you. If you didn’t have any paperwork try calling your GP or cardiac consultant’s secretary and ask for the telephone number of the cardiac nurses. Take care.

Hi Aries sorry to hear your having a bad time. I had my HA and a stent fitted last Aug just coming up to a year now I did get a few calls from the cardiac nurse every month or so maybe longer I had no idea what I should or could do or whether the tiredness was something to worry about. Not much advice at all! Do only what you can manage no heavy lifting rest as much as you can but obviously take small walks around your home when you feel able take short walks outside even if it’s just in the garden (if you have one ) . The medications make you tired if you haven’t got a blood pressure monitor then invest on one just to check the tablets are not making your blood pressure too low . Try not too worry it’s totally natural to feel washed out. I am in Essex the cardio rehabilitation was also stopped not sure whether they have now opened up but they should have contacted you if not call your doctor they can contact them directly as you need support. There are a lot of lovely people on here that can give you better advice than I can. Take care

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

MY HA and stents were 3 years ago next week I was sent home with a discharge letter and told NOTHING except that GP would be in touch and a discharge letter that needed a degree to understand. I wasn't allocated a cardiologist, in fact have no idea who I saw when in hospital. After about 3 weeks ( pre covid) I was contacted by cardiac rehab and had to see a nurse who gave me a book about changing diet etc and said I couldn't go to rehab because I was in a wheelchair but I could phone her at any time. When I had problems with one of my tablets the GP insisted he couldn't change it- it had to be the cardiologist so he contacted him but never got a reply. The only help I got was a face to face meeting with my GP who went through eh discharge letter and explained it all and the standard blood test to make sure he statins weren't affecting me badly. I never did get rehab. That's been affected by covid and is no longer done in the gym but you should be given online exercises to do. I don't understand your comment about support from the British Heart foundation having ended. I wasn't aware they provided support after a heart attack unless you just rang for advice. It sounds as if you need o ring your GP and insist on a face to face appointment if you can't understand them by phone.

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