reassurance after Heart attack and stents

[Chesterd]

Hi I ve had a heart attack 6 wks ago had two stents fitted really anxious and not coping mentally with every pain, palpitation

[Hidden]

I think truth be known we all went through the same, I know I did. The gremlins in my brain had a field day with all sorts of negative thoughts running through my brain.I'd had a brilliant service and MOT on my heart, it was in better shape than it had been in years, when the "gremlins" tried to take over I focussed on the positive, about the great work the surgeon had done and how those stents had opened up my arteries again and the cocktail of meds I was on to keep me in good shape,

My heart ached for a good three months after the procedure, I know a lot of folk have no ache at all, but I could really feel mine......we all respond differently to angioplasty and it does bruise and batter our hearts whilst its being carried out. I also thing that in the early days that we are fare more "intune" to whats going on and that we listen to our bodies far more.

The medicines also take some getting used to.

When you get rehabilitation offered jump at the chance, it will realy give you confidence in your "new body" and it'll make you feel a hell of a lot better.

[Chriswood79]

Hi Chesterd. Welcome to the club, unfortunately. The good news is the stents have given you a new lease of life. Physically it will take time to mend and the discomfort ease and go. You will recover and be better than before. Mentally it’s extremely difficult to begin with. You’ve been through a complete unknown and got through it and out the other side. Every twinge or ache is a massive deal. Try and live in the present and take each day as it comes. Don’t dwell on the past or look to far to the future while you initially recover. Keep your gtn to hand as a crutch (you probably won’t need it 🤞).Take the rehab it’ll give you confidence. And use the net to find forums and others like is. You’re not alone even though it feels like it. Take care and good luck.

[Chesterd in reply to Chriswood79]

Thankyou much appreciated

[Chesterd in reply to Chriswood79]

Thanks Chris, did you get palpitations

[Chriswood79 in reply to Chesterd]

I’m not sure if they were palpitations or just physical anxiety. Or a combination of both. My chest was uncomfortable for quite a while after. I’m (only) 42 and I don’t have any previous experiences pre-HA. I realise now I have a lot to live for so really grateful now, 7 months on, for some new normality. It’s still a journey and am really hoping I can come off or reduce some of the meds in August.

[kyoom in reply to Chriswood79]

Hi Chriswood,firstly, i am sorry to hear of your ordeal at such a young age. Things will improve I promise!

My first HA was also at 42 .I had a CABG done in 1990 and in 2016 I had to have 2 stents inserted in my RCA.Iam now 73.5 years old and doing well apart from the old aches and pain.I am still very active and continue to do my daily walk (20,000 steps) per day.

I know exactly what you are going thorough. Please look on the bright side of things. You now have an improve heart function, be thankful and enjoy every day life has to offer. The past is history. You will improve slowly but surely.

Take care and please let us know how you are doing.

[Chriswood79 in reply to kyoom]

I have 2 stents in my RCA. It was 99% blocked and I had a lucky escape. I suffered depression and anxiety before my HA which I was successfully navigating and learning from. So I feel ive been relatively positive on my cardiac journey and accepted it now. Just need to continue moving forward. I exercise daily and have started running which had been really good for me. You’re right it does improve. Thanks for your concern and comments kyoom, and I hope I am still active like yourself in 30 years!

[Hidden]

Hello

You have had some really supportive replies especially Hidden reply which helped me to reading it and you will always find that you will get someone to give you those words we so need to hear when we are struggling

I have no words of wisdom on this one as I am a wreck after having 3 heart attacks within 6 months followed by a triple Bypass 7 months ago now and I am still worrying and tuned in to every feeling and driving myself mad at the same time

I read you are a anxious person by nature and I am to and yes everyone or most would feel anxious after such a life changing event but when you are already anxious I think we have that little bit extra to try and cope with but you will

Take the advice from these lovely members and know you are not alone

I think it helps to know that there are so many feeling the same way to even though you would not wish it on anyone else

I hope you will keep us updated how you are doing and I wish you all the best x

[Chesterd in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou so much for your lovely reply it really helps x

[Hidden in reply to Chesterd]

x

[Hidden]

What your feeling is normal. Refer yourself into the IAPT team, they'll be able to help. The local hospital or Dr's will be able to give you the number. A lot of us suffer with ptsd after a ha but very little seems to be done about it. It will get better with time.

[Qualipop in reply to Hidden]

What on earth is an IAPT team? I got no help after my heart attack either physically or mentally. Even Cardiac rehab wouldn't take me after the initial what to eat and stop smoking appointment because I'm in a wheelchair and they insisted I couldn't do the rehab.

[Hidden in reply to Qualipop]

IAPT stands for. Improving access to psychological services... Effectively its the team in the NHS that you refer yourself to if you feel you may need some mental health support. Heart attacks rarely affect just your physical health, often they affect the mental health side too. They are very supportive and will help.

[Qualipop in reply to Hidden]

Strange because I asked my GP for counselling and he never mentioned anything. It was only 2 years ago. Oh heck no it wasn't. How time flies. It was 2018. Maybe it didn't exist then.

[Hidden in reply to Qualipop]

My GP was exactly the same.. Told me there was a 9 month waiting list for help at the local practice.. No mention of IAPT. Its only when I dug around I found out. Give them a call.. Nothing to lose 👍

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Qualipop]

IAPT services have been around since 2008.You can self refer.

england.nhs.uk/mental-healt....

Some hospitals also provide Clinical psychologists.

[Chriswood79 in reply to Qualipop]

IAPT is NHS psychological talking therapy service you can self refer into to talk with a counsellor. It helps some people but not others. It helped me with depression but was deemed unsuitable for my HA anxiety. I was offered CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) to work through on my own which was helpful.

[simonhall9]

hi i had a heart attack 2 years ago and for the first year i was anxious paranoid that any little twinge niggle was it happening all over again i was 49 when it happened seemingly fit and healthy i did smoke then too but cut that out as soon as it happened as time went on i got more confident more assured with myself also got over the disbelief this happened to me. its an emotional journey even though I'm not an emotional person this group help so much cause we are all more or less in the same boat i read all my replies took them on baord it helps but as most people say time is a great healer it allows you to absorb what happened and get your confidence back. but wow what a wake up call hang in there it gets better and we can say this as we have been where you are. reach out all the time i did like minded people know how to deal with things as they have been there too and knew how they felt at that time.

[Gazzer83]

Hi Chestered, I had my first HA when I was 39. Having a young family and the only earner was a lot of pressure and I took the attitude of stuff happens, just get on with it. A lot of it is mental well being and how you choose to move forward. Take the Rehab, if not offered, ask about it.

I am now 58 and just had my 7th HA and still here. I am a half full sort of person, although I still have the odd self pity moment. It really is all about how you look at it. Mine was a wake up to take more care of myself and spend more time with my family. I was a work alcoholic at the time.

Try to look forward to the fact that this is an opportunity to change your life for the better. It is a scary thing but also, you came through it.

Talk about it with your family. My youngest was only 6 at the time of my first HA and she was scared and it helped explaining it to her.

Be positive and look forward to enjoying your life.

Regards

Gazzer.

[SmokeAKipper in reply to Gazzer83]

When I read your answer and saw 7 th AH I was wow.20 yrs on kudos to you for your strength of character.

Totally agree being positive is a must

[kyoom in reply to Gazzer83]

great words of wisdom. Best of luck to you also.

[MountainGoat52]

I Chesterd,

I'm really sorry to hear that you are having problems after your heart attack and stents. Hopefully these issues will fade with time. As others have said, keeping positive is definitely the key to recovery. I told myself how fortunate I was to be living in the 21st century with the means available to remove the blood clot that caused my HA and to correct the narrowing of my artery. In my father's generation it could well have been fatal.

I won't lie... by comparison to most, I had it easy. I was bluelighted to the local cath lab and had been stented within 90 minutes of me calling 999. I did elect to have bypass surgery to take advantage of the long term benefit, so now I am doubly endebted to the surgeons, doctors and nursing staff of the NHS. I do say thank you as I reach the top of the mountains that I choose to climb.

Events have certainly changed my life for the better. I was going nowhere with just medication to try to treat my long-standing blood pressure without any investigation of the cause. Now it is all behind me... the way is forwards. I sincerely hope that you can start to feel this way.

With my warmest best wishes for the future,

Gerald

[rizal]

You are describing what everyone of us felt, if we are being honest. That doesn't make the anxiety less, I know. The slightest little twitch, real or imagined, brings back those memories of flashing blue lights, paramedics, 2 paramedics and a doctor in my case, fussing around over you, connecting wires and tubes and squirting stuff under your tongue and speaking all the time but you are too frightened or confused by the whole thing to understand or follow any of it.

I have discovered that we all, well most of us, go through exactly the same feelings. I am not belittling them, they are very real concerns.

My situation was really complicated by the fact that on that night the ambulance crew decided they had got me stable enough to face the journey round the M1 and M25 to the regional heart hospital. At that place they did a very speedy and efficient angioplasty as soon as I arrived, hardly had time to take of my coat as I went in the door. There they decided that the little artery that was causing so much grief could not be stented so they did one of their balloon tricks and decided the others will probably need a stent but to wait till I had had 3 or 4 month recovery period, meanwhile MRI and all the gubbins during the settling period. They arranged for me to have cardiac rehab at my local hospital, but not to start till they had done all that later stenting, ( about 4 months later) The cardiac rehab is wonderful. Hard work to build your confidence but lovely understanding nurses to help put your worries to rest

[Andyman]

Yes we all go through that. But if they persist please get help. Ask your doctor for counselling. It helped me. Oh and mindfulness for your future wellbeing.

[momander]

Hi Chesterd,I can really resonate with what you ae saying. I had my heart attack 11 months ago and I am still processing it!!! Every switch or sensation in my chest makes me feel anxious in case it developes in to something more sinister!!! It all takes time to settle down. I just try to think positive thoughts. I was told it was a mild heart attack, and I had a stent put in. I, like you, and most folks, am on a cocktail of medications. These take time to settle down too, and some of them have their own problems with side effects!!! All GP's are different, and some reduce your meds after a certain time. I will be on mine for life which I am fine with. They are there to keep me alive and I am so grateful for every day now. The whole experience gave me the fright of my life and I stopped smoking and drinking and completely overhauled my diet too. I would never have done any of that had I not had a heart attack!!! You are in the early days of recovery so take it easy. You will be fine I promise you. Take care.

[EDAVEX]

Hi Chesterd, I had two stents fitted 2 years ago next week. Like lots of people it was a shock at the time and I had all the feelings of anxiety, worry and feeling very sorry for myself. I was (am) young at 54 so not expecting a heart attack at this age and every twitch made me worried in the first few weeks. I think there are some pains etc but most of its probably in the brain and you do worry about every twitch and think its your heart but its your mind playing games. It goes quickly.

My advice is take control of the things you can control and don't worry about the things that are outside of your control. I focused on recovery, exercise, weight loss and made some big changes to my life (becoming Vegan etc.) that put the power in my hands. It helps to have a plan and a focus and this puts you back in control. You do a lot of worrying in the early days but realise this is pointless. I also had lots of regrets about why I had a heart attack so early (bad diet etc.) but that is also pointless because you can't change the past.

I did worry that I could have another heart attack at any moment but you quickly realised that I was far better after having the stents fitted than before (as now your on good drugs etc.) My cardiologist also re-assured me that I'd know if I had problems in the future as I was not monitoring my BP, heart rate etc. etc. and I'd not ignore any pains or issues when exercising etc.

Anyway two years latter I don't think about my stents or worry about my heart but I still do everything to ensure my heart is healthy. I eat well, exercise a lot and feel better than I did 10 years ago. I take my drugs and monitor my BP, heart rate etc. and do my blood tests. Worrying does not help but ensuring you look after yourself is under your control now.

Good luck, please don't worry. Stents are amazing. Their failure rate is tiny and your heart is now pumping good healthy blood. If you have pains that worry you then speak with your doctor but most of the time its your brain and your just scared because its a very traumatic experience. But also know you are not alone. Its great to find another person who has had the same experience.

Happy to have a phone call if it would help you. It helps to talk with someone who has had the same experience. I was lucky that I made friends with someone who had stents at the same time as me and we have shared notes over the last few years.

All the very best.

[Chesterd in reply to EDAVEX]

Thankyou so much may take you up on the phonecsll

[TCX57]

Hi Chesterd

much the same as everybody else has said. I have really struggled with the mental side at times. Suspicious of every ache and pain. I was fortunate that I never had a heart attack. I had three stents fitted. I think you need to be easy on yourself and take time to adjust. Really listen to your body. As I was told don’t Dr. Google. Stay positive and seek support of sites like this and you medical and rehab team. Keep stamping down on the negative voices.

I wish you all the best in your recovery

Tony

[Chesterd in reply to TCX57]

thankyou

[NYA2019]

Like everyone else here your anxieties are not that different. It took me six weeks just to walk 200 yards to the shops without my wife. Exercise is the key, you should be enrolled in a Cardio Rehab Programme, assuming there is one in your area? Speak to your Cardo team and ask if you have been referred to the programme. My Rehab Programme ran for about 8 weeks where you join a class of about 20 other people each week, they take you through gentle exercise and run lectures on topics such as your drugs and diet, just to name two. All are there to help you regain your confidence, mine was smashed and three years on I still worry myself on occasion, especially when I've inadvertently overdone my gym circuit session. Take it super slow to start with the view of doing a little more every other day. You will have setbacks in the early days but try not to panic, it's just your body telling you it needs a little longer to rest. It will surprise you how good you feel after a short extended rest. Life will improve, it just takes time. All the best with your recovery.

[Chesterd in reply to NYA2019]

Thankyou

[Jules2021]

Hi. Welcome to the group.After a heart attack we all become aware of the slightest wee niggle that we never took under our notice before. It def takes some time for the mind to come to terms with what happened,never mind the physical side of things! Take your time,plenty of rest,and listen to your body.

Take care. Julie x

[Chesterd in reply to Jules2021]

Thankyou

[Qualipop]

Join the Club. I think I'm safe in saying we all felt exactly like that.. When you've never had heart problems and suddenly have a heart attack it's like being hit by a bus. It's not helped when the hospital explains absolutely nothing and then you have to get used to he side effects of all the tablets and try to accept what's happened. We all know we're not going to be here forever but that sudden reminder of your own mortality is like a bomb blast. On the practical side, talk to your GP about any problems with tablets, there are alternatives for all of them. Your GP now takes over your care so they are the ones to contact with any worries. My discharge letter was so complex I'd have needed a degree to understand it so I asked my GP who was brilliant. He explained it all. I'd already been told by the nurse who did my echo scan just how much or little damage there was but I was still awfully worried by the fact I had to go back for another angiogram as they'd seen two more quite large blockages. . Added to that my mum had died at 69 of heart attacks and I'd just turned 70. After a few weeks I was contacted by Cardiac rehab who help you get active and supervise exercise. There are delays n ow because of the dreaded C but it will happen. They also give advice on lifestyle. DO IT.

On the mental side accept how you feel, It does get a lot better. LOok at it this way. You've been given a warning ; many people don't get that. You can now change any part of your lifestyle that need changing ie smoking, changing diet and losing weight if any of that is necessary. Take the advice, take the tablets and you can start to live the rest of your life. You've been lucky. Just by changing my diet I Lost 2 stone without even trying. The BHF main website has hundreds of heart healthy recipes and simple ways to change what you eat. After about 3 weeks, start to potter around the house; maybe take a slow walk down the garden. You will probably feel the need to have someone with you just for confidence. Increase your distance very slowly. As things settle down you WILL get your confidence back and you will realise you have a life ahead of you.

[Chriswood79]

I hope all these lovely comments and words of support make you feel a bit stronger and not on your own. Reading them all makes me realise how far I and everyone has come in our own similar situations and it makes me smile and feel proud of one and all. Thanks very much you great people ❤️‍🩹

[Russelljack in reply to Chriswood79]

I totally agree with Chriswood79. After my heart attack 3 months ago I was absolutely petrified but slowly with the help of so many wonderful caring people I'm rebuilding, thank you all from this humble 63 yo