Carpbait

When discharged from hospital after heart attack I left with enough medications to keep the pharmacists in business for years, ( like most of us ) 2 of those. Meds are for blood pressure, my GP would now like to put me on a 1 year diet and exercise regime to get me off of those, my question is this, who do you listen to, cardiologists or GP! Who would you put your trust in.

[Ageingfast]

Given that you have stroke issues, I think you might opt to give GP precedence. In any case, your BP can be factually monitored so you shouldn’t have any conflict. That’s just for BP medication. Blood thinners are a different issue and I would go with the Cardiologists.Really good that your GP is supporting you. I hope you can have the perseverance to exercise and diet.. that is a worthy investment in your life,

Colin

[Hidden in reply to Ageingfast]

Thanks for the advice

[Hidden in reply to Ageingfast]

Here here I think it's a pity more GP's don't do the same, he is obviously one of the better ones.

[Hidden]

I know you have had a tough time back in 2019, and as in other posts you are maybe not getting much backup. However if your GP has told you he wants to put you on a 1 year diet and exercise regime, there is obviously a good reason. This is something you should have been doing straight away but perhaps your other half was not on board with this by the sound of things? The fact remains though that if you don't do it you are putting yourself in danger of another event, I am sure your cardiologist would agree with the GP but maybe he has resigned himself to the fact that you won't do it and therefore he is going down the medication route, which is not the preferred option really. So, in answer to your question, exercise and diet all the way, for your own sake and also your families. Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the advice, last words spoken to me by cardiologist was you will be on these medications for the rest of your life, never gave a hint to try and come of them, will look into GP recommendation, fear is a great enemy, I never want to experience that feeling of a 40 ton truck siting on my chest again.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

As the man says you have nothing to lose, exercising and losing weight is a win win there is no down side to it. Just start off gently and build up both your fitness and confidence. If I were you I would go back to your GP and say yes OK I am going to do it, can you give me the go ahead medically (if hes not already) that I can start a program of walking/brisk walking and also diet advice if you need it. Trust me you will feel way better for it once you get into it.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Losing excess weight and getting fitter often leads to a drop in blood pressure and related medication. It will so lead to a reduction in the risk of Type II diabetes or in medication if you already have it. I am sure your GP will put you on appropriate courses and not SAS training on 800 cals/day. 😁 To me you have everything to gain and nothing to lose. If you are concerned give your cardiologist's secretary a call.

[Chappychap]

As Lateguitarist said, there's no downside to weight loss and exercise. This is true for everyone, but anyone with a heart history is running a very significant risk if they're overweight, don't exercise, eat unhealthily, or smoke.

You're fortunate in having such a pro-active and engaged GP. Based on comments on this forum it's clear that the great majority of of GP's just go through the motions rather than engage with patients to address the root cause of their heart problems.

[Hidden in reply to Chappychap]

Comments appreciated

[Shar28]

Hi Carpbait, what I’m going to say sounds flippant but I don’t mean it that way...what have you got to lose by giving your GP’s plan a go? They’re not taking you off meds now and saying sort it out through diet and exercise, it’s with a view to changing (reducing) meds in line with your needs at each review. Diet and exercise will change (reduce) your needs. Exercise releases feel-good hormones too, which help with quality of sleep, mood etc. You never know, you might find you actually enjoy it. Personally I don’t particularly like exercise for its own sake but I do like feeling fitter, looking trimmer (vanity is a wonderful motivator) and sleeping better when I do it.

Good luck! And best wishes to you and your loved ones.

[Hidden]

So, like you, I was discharged with enough to set up a Dispencary - I think many of us are after such major surgery.

I am now down to half of what I started with, because some were specifically for post op, and some I've the pleasure of enjoying for the rest of my life - apparently that goes with the condition. The other point of note for me was: the types and levels of medications could vary as my health changes and there was no fixed times for any of my medications prescribed.

Thankfully, I am able to e-Mail my Cardiology Clinic, and both my Cardio Clinic work with System One - so all instructions are shared to all parties via the same system. Despite this, I've had situations in the past where my GP & Cardiologist offer up 'conflicting' requests - in each case I have spoken to both to clarify things - and we've all come away singing from the same hymn sheet.

In respect of a proposed diet and exercise regime, I don't see anything to lose by trying - both are beneficial to your health, and it may bring about enough change so that you can reduce the level of medication you're currently consuming each day.

I hope you manage to get a hymn sheet from which you and your clinicians are agreed upon, makes life so much easier.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Appreciate the reply.