Hi,
My husband had a severe heart attack in February. He's on 8 different types of tablets and has been out of breath going up stairs/hills etc. He's been diagnosed with heart failure and was managing ok but is now experiencing sudden bouts of shortness of breath. Is this normal? Sorry, this is all so scary and I just want to find out about what to expect.
Thanks.
I’m sorry to hear about your husband’s heart attack and heart failure, Kazzer. I am in a similar situation. Is there a heart failure team (nurse led seems to be the norm, although they can consult with cardiologists), in your area? I have had a lot of support from my heart failure nurse, might be worth enquiring about if he hasn’t been referred to them.
Thanks Honeybee1961 - yes, he has a heart failure nurse and she's been really helpful but she's not been around for the last couple of weeks. He's contacted his GP and has been sent to A&E this morning. He's undergoing the usual tests and at least he's in the right place so we'll see what they say. Worrying times...
Hello and welcome to the forum!
You say your husband had a heart attack. Was this caused by a blocked coronary artery(ies) and did he receive a stent(s)? I was diagnosed with angina and severe coronary artery disease. Whilst medication helped the attacks gradually got more severe with increasing breathlessness as the heart struggles for oxygen. He is in the right place and hopefully they will get to the bottom of his breathlessness. Do keep us updated.
Thank you! Yes, he had a blocked artery and has had one stent. He's still there and they've mentioned that he may have angina (is this as well as heart failure or a symptom of heart failure?). Hopefully they will get to the bottom of what's going on - and as you say, he's in the right place.
I’m sorry to hear that your husband has had to go to A&E, Kazzer. I have been sent there a couple of times by my GP surgery since my heart attack (I had bypass surgery) and HF diagnosis last year. They focused, understandably, on whether or not I was having another heart attack at that very moment , so did usual blood tests, ECG, heart monitor, BP, chest X-ray. Fortunately I was not having another HA so was sent on my way each time even though I had the continued breathlessness and angina.
The most useful thing to come out of it was a re-referral back to cardiology and then a cardiac MRI. I had struggled to get this before this time, might be worth your husband requesting a re-referral at A&E , if he isn’t offered one and isn’t currently under a cardiologist. I had to wait a while, but the MRI is a very useful and thorough look at the heart. I transpired that my breathlessness and angina were due to ongoing ischaemia, lack of blood flow to the one artery that was not given a graft last year. I have now had three stents placed in that artery (the RCA, right artery), only had it done last week, but already I am feeling less breathless and the angina pain seems more manageable. It seems for me anyway, the HF was a bit of a smoke screen for what was my immediate problem, which was ischaemia. I hope you and your H get to the bottom of his problems and he is home from A&E soon.
Thanks for your kind words and advice Honeybee1961 and I'm glad to hear that you're feeling much better after your procedure. Like you say, it sounds like the HF diagnosis disguised what was really going on for you. Hopefully the doctors will get to the bottom of what's going on with my husband soon....will keep you posted 🙂
Is your husband also seeing a respiratory specialist?
My heart problems go back 4+ years and I too suffer from shortness of breath at times, indeed I am absolutely certain that my shortness of breath and in turn my lungs inability to produce enough oxygen in the blood are causing almost all of my concerns, but trying to persuade a cardiologist that my heart problems are directly related to my lung problems has proved to be nigh on impossible.... until now!At the outset of my problems and shortly before the 1st of my 4 ambulance A&E visits, I was also diagnosed as having late onset cough induced asthma, but that was at a different hospital to where I am now living close to and from whom I am receiving excellent service.
I am now under an exceptionally good respiratory consultant who immediately agreed that heart problems can and are frequently linked to underperforming lungs and she is as such bludgeoning her way into the cardiology consultants on my behalf!
At the start of each and every day and prior to any kind of exercise I know by the inner feelings of my lung area if I need to take any additional asthma sprays (Salamol) and if these puffs don't free me up, then I will almost always then use my GTN heart spray.
Good luck
I to had a heart attack and ended up with 4 stents after 9 month noticed I was getting out of breath on small inclines and walking distance got put on to 20mg isobide monostrate this helped with breathing but after another 6 months started again getting out of breath now on max 30mg twice a day I think this is only temp fix
Hope this helps good luck
I to had a heart attack and ended up with 4 stents after 9 month noticed I was getting out of breath on small inclines and walking distance got put on to 20mg isobide monostrate this helped with breathing but after another 6 months started again getting out of breath now on max 30mg twice a day
I think this is only temp fix
Hope this helps good luck
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