Is my heart range normal 2 months post MI and stents?

[Roxybella]

Hi, I am two months on from MI and two stents fitted. I have had my bisoprolol increased from 2.5 to 5mg a month ago but still don’t feel that well! My heart rate range is 54 - 139 most days ( that’s just pottering no strenuous activity) and I am still getting angina pain every day and out of breath. My question is, is this alright? I just feel I am not improving as well as I had expected or am I expecting too much! Many thanks it’s hard the not knowing for sure just feeling fragile x

[firstlight40]

Hello, sorry to hear you are feeling unwell and anxious about it. It does takes time to recover from a heart attack, although it depends on the severity. So some people can recover quickly for others it can take much longer.

Regular exercise is important for recovery, if you can build up to walk for 30 minutes 5 times a week that will help your heart recover.

When they do an angiogram/angioplasty they have a good look round at all of your heart arteries so unless they told you otherwise then the original blockage should be fixed.

If you are feeling pain have you found using a GTN spray helps? Just after my MI was told that if I felt pain while at rest I was to use the gtn spray every 5 minutes for 15 minutes and if it didn't improve to then call 999 and not worry about bothering them. If I felt pain on exercise I should stop immediately and use gtn spray.

We are not doctors here, so if you are feeling unwell you should contact your heart team wherever you were treated, or the BHF nurses. If you are really feeling bad contact 999 as it's very important you get looked at.

[Roxybella in reply to firstlight40]

Thankyou for your kind reply, yes I use my GTN spray and if does help usually having to take it twice. I have a cardiac rehab nurse who rings every two weeks and last time she advised me to speak to a doctor if my heart rate kept going up high. I have managed to get a doctors call on Monday 10th so I will explain my worries to him. It makes it hard as I have asthma and mild stage 1 COPD and the chest pain and breathless has been put down to these for over 12 months unfortunately. I’m waiting for an echocardiogram and cardiac consultant check up but with covid there are longer than usual waiting times. Thankyou again for your kind replyx

[Hidden]

Dear Roxybella

Sorry to hear that you are suffering so, mainly it seems by worrying over questions that we on here would find hard to answer.

I would contact your GP / Heart team /111 and ask the questions as it is vital to get answers to help levitate your worries.

We are here and for as long as you need us, but not being medically trained it is difficult to know what is the norm for you.

You are a fantastic individual and what is normal for me may not be for you.

Take care

[Roxybella in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for replying to my question and I understand it being hard to answer, I have managed to get a doctor’s call Monday so I’ll try to take it easy over the weekend and relax many thanks

[Hidden]

Hello

I can feel how anxious you are with all the not knowing

I had heart attacks and then on to By pass surgery and 4 months on when I feel anything I go into instant panic and never sure is this right , is this anxiety making me feel this way because I am worrying so much or is there something wrong

I often think I wish I had a crystal ball so I could tell what is going of

I was given as many are a Rehab Nurse to contact if I had any worries and that has helped me so much as she reassures me when I describe how I am feeling that everything is ok

I am not sure if you were given any after care contact details who you could contact but if you were I would use them

I have not had stents but read so many posts from those that have and it seems it can take a while to settle down after

We cannot say if this is normal as such but can relate to how you feel but if you are in any doubt don't feel a nuisance as already said phone your Doctor , the BHF Nurses or 111 and tell them how you are feeling they will tell you if they feel you need to be checked or this all sounds normal for the stage you are at in your recovery

I wished I could say more to ease your mind but I will say that you have all these wonderful more knowledgeable members than me on here that will try and support you while you get through this which I hope even if in a small way helps to know you are not alone trying to deal with this x

[Roxybella in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for your kind reply you have reassured me a lot Thank you. I know exactly how you feel that’s how I am becoming anxious if I get a bit of chest pain or a slight twinge wondering if it’s anything to worry about and then becoming more anxious 😬 I have a rehab nurse she told me if I was worried to phone the doctor I did and they have doubled my bisoprolol but things don’t really feel any better a month on so I’ve asked for a doctors call on Monday to review them. Thankyou so much again for your reply x

[Hidden in reply to Roxybella]

Hello

It can be more difficult for some of us than others but hopefully as time goes on we will feel more confident

I am pleased you have asked to speak to your Doctor and please let us know how you get on x

[ChoochSiesta]

Doesn't sound right to me. I had a MI and stent. Next day I felt fine as if nothing had happened.

[Roxybella in reply to ChoochSiesta]

Thankyou I’m going to speak with a doctor on Monday x

[swanzchic1]

I'm also on theses tabs the 2.5 I'm.54 had heart attack last April I'm so breathless also and getting worse no answer from gp saying its stress I'm not stressed another saying its because I'm asmatic but I'm not weasing so lost and its all new to. Me also Hope you get the answers as I'm losing hope

[runamok27 in reply to swanzchic1]

I had my HA in April also and was originally taking metoprolol. Felt terrible so cardiologist switched me to carvedolol. Felt terrible so cardiologist switched me to nebivolol and feeling really good now. Making really good progress in cardiac rehab and finally feel like I am rapidly getting better. I also switched from Brillinta twice a day to Clopidegrel once a day. The Brillinta was giving me really bad shortness of breath.

[Roxybella in reply to swanzchic1]

I’m so sorry you are struggling too 🥺 I’ve asked for a doctors call on Monday hoping to get some advice, thank you so much for replying x

[Blearyeyed]

We aren't medical professionals , so it is good that you have contacted your Doctor for help and it could be helpful to get to the bottom of your issue if you have a think through what has been happening and prepare some notes for your appointment. It may help your GP to get to the bottom of your current tachycardia issues if they give you a monitor for a few days . If you politely request for them to fit you with one of the surgery heart / BP monitors for 3 days they could establish the pattern of your problem.

Whilst doing it you keep a diary of when you feel symptoms , and its a good idea to note the readings that will automatically come up on your monitor when it bleeps periodically through the day in a set if notes of your own .

You may also benefit while being monitored from doing a standing test a couple of times in the day marking down the exact time you did it on your diary . This would be particularly useful if you are also experiencing lightheadedness or dizziness on sitting or standing or during activity and are experiencing more fatigue.

The standing test involves you lying down for 15 minutes and relaxing ( some people doing these tests choose to do their first one as they get up in the morning).

You then stand up and stand still for 5-10 minutes depending on what you can manage then you lie back down again for another ten minutes.

Mark on your diary when you laid down again e.g : 6 minutes .

After ten minutes of lying down you sit up with your feet to the floor for ten minutes.

This test helps to establish if you are having any movement related swings in tachycardia or blood pressure that can be causing your fatigue or pain.

It can be done by you with your own BP monitor if you have one , you press the button to get a reading on each minute if the test and record the heart rate not just the BP.

These tests can help your Cardiologist or GP establish if you are only suffering from symptoms because you are still in recovery from your operations , or , if you have a temporary ( acute version) activity related heart rate issues like , POTS , which may help them to adjust your medication or help them recommend another medication or change in behaviour that should help solve the issue. As others have said it may all be as simple as you requiring a change in the type of medication you are using if the increase in dose did not help.

Some lifestyle changes along with your medications are often all you need to do to reduce these problems for whatever reason they occur . Pacing yourself through the day helps . If you feel dizzy or nausea on activity sipping cool water as you move from sitting to standing and vice versa helps to reduce these symptoms. Waiting a moment from getting out of your bed or chair before walking off and slowly building up to physical jobs can help reduce effect the activity has on your heart.

Do you think you might also be experiencing some slowness in your circulation?

Symptoms like cold hands and feet , fingers and toes , fatigue , tingling and brain fog or a dull feeling in the head can be because of this and getting your circulation back in synch can sometimes take time after a heart operation. They can also just be a part of our body not responding as well to the changes in our activity or the weather.

These things can often be helped by simple things like keeping hydrated , light exercises or compression clothing and the right vitamin and mineral supplements. You do need to discuss making any of these choices with the GP first to make sure they are right for you.

As you circulation improves the heart responds realising it doesn't need to work so hard and it often has a beneficial effect on your heart rate.

Write down any new or increased symptoms you are experiencing and let your GP know as that will help them work out if you need any extra tests ( such as kidney or liver tests done to see if you have a mineral balance not another health issue ) or to help them advice you on things you can do to improve those symptoms.

The best thing you can do us try and relax and stay calm as stress and worry also increases your heart rate and will make your heart rate swings worse. Good luck on Monday and do let us know how you get on.