Good morning all, I had a heart attack last year and had two stents fitted, I'm pleased to say I'm completely over it and until a couple of months ago life was brilliant.
Two months ago I ruptured a disc in my back, the pain was unbelievable when it happened as the rupture had apparently trapped the sciatic nerve, for two weeks I couldn't even stand up or even sit up.
Fast forward a few weeks and with plenty of stretching exercises courtesy of a brilliant physio I'm well on the way to recovery.
I suffered nerve damage and still have "sensations" in my leg.
I did a bit of research into nerve recovery and found that B1, B6 and B12 would be very helpful.
I then looked at taking these after angioplasty, on the research I read I will not be taking them as it seems they could be detrimental to the stent site remaining blockage free.
I sympathise with you .I had 'raging' sciatica for some years and only appropriate exercise from physio. and hydrotherapy helped. The latter I heartily reccommend. I wish you well from this debiliating affliction. By the way do not go for surgery !Not worth the risk in my opinion.
Thank you, my GP and my phsiotherapist both have the same view as yourself regarding surgery.The annoying thing is that I got over a heart attack in three or four months, the physio told me that it would take a year to get over this, I thought he was talking tosh.......now I agree with him.
But as in everything I'm determined to beat it.
I'm averaging 6000 steps a day and doing my exercises 5 or 6 times a day, I'm determined to get my life back.
The two weeks I spent in bed really made me think about "life" and the importance of living it to the full whilst I can.
Yes. I too was very determined .Not sure if I was just lucky but once my sciatica had completely gone...yes a year sounds about right.....it has not come back. So i wish the same for you.
Dear JohnH100
Found your post very interesting, so sorry to hear of the back injury and I am pleased that you are slowly getting over it, That old sciatica nerve damage is literally a pain in the bottom and I have suffered with it a few times in my life.
The bit in your post that interested me more was the taking of the B vitamins. As you may know that I am vegan and have always supplemented my diet with extra vitamins of the B group.
My cardiologist knows all about this and told me that it was important to balance out my vitamin intake {something that I have done for years} my heart valves are ok and I had a bypass.
Would love to know the reason that you took B group vitamins and why you have stopped them
Take care
Hi there, I didn't start to take them.I Googled "stents and taking B vitamins", on the strength of the results of this search I decided against talking them.
in reply to
Thank you I will look that up, maybe its about the heart valves as I know that is a completely different {and more complex} thing to the bypass.Take care
Well I can’t understand this about vitamin B? I was discharged on 26th Feb following a HA and stent. I was sent home with my heart medication and the registrar also renewed my ongoing medication which included vitamin B strong compound which I take 3 times daily to save me renewing it myself ?? Also when I saw my cardiac nurse she checked all my medication and said nothing about not taking. my Vitamin B? Quite the reverse and was pleased I was on it!
Contrary to previous findings, the administration of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 after coronary stenting may increase the risk of in-stent restenosis and the need for target-vessel revascularization.
Hardly ground breaking
But if people believe these type of reports then good luck
I'd had sciatica for about three weeks, I thought I was just about getting over it, on the Wednesday Id been out for three or four walks, I'd managed to do all my stretching exercises several times in the day with no issues. The following morning I squated down in the shower, on my way back up my left leg just gave way, the pain was unbelievable......I was on the bathroom floor for about 20 minutes just shaking in pain....it felt like every muscle from my left buttock to my left foot was just in the most violent and repetitive spasms.....my GP and Physio both said that was then the disc ruptured and trapped the nerve and left me with nerve damage.
I've suffered from sciatica for about 35 years but I've never experienced anything like this episode.
Thank you, I was only looking into supplements as a way of helping with neuropathy, I'm starting pilates classes to help with core strength.
Hi John I also had a HA with 5stents 4 years ago. I feel great but my last blood test showed I was low in vitamin B 12. It’s ok now after a bowl of fortified cereal and toast and marmite daily
Sorry to hear about your back. It sounds like you will be like my wife... being very careful from now on! Pleased to hear the physio has worked.
On the subject if Vitamin B and stents, I take Vitamin B as part of my daily medication. I had two stents at the time of my heart attack and bypass surgery 11 months later. Once I was discharged by the hospital that undertook the operation, I was put into the care of the local hospital. They were puzzled why I had had a heart attack and I ended up being referred to the pathology department. Following blood tests, it was discovered that I have a high homocysteine level which was a contributory factor to my heart attack in that it makes me prone to blood clots..... and the treatment, Vitamin B9 folic acid. I take this as an over the counter Vitamin B Complex tablet. No-one has ever told me that there are risks involved.
I will have a look and see what the research says, but I doubt I will be making any changes to my medication.
Hi John,I think we all have to do what feels right for us really. I take advice from the professionals, even though their individual views can differ sometimes!!! I had a HA lady year and a stent fitted. I have herniated discs in my back and sciatica. I used to take NAPROXIN which was brilliant but I am now not allowed it due to the risk of stroke/ heart attack!!! So very careful with my back but had a flare up 2 weeks ago and was unable to take any thing!!! I was given diazepam 2mg!! I can't exercise as my back is too sore but I do try to go short walks with my tri walker. I feel very grateful to be alive but very sorry for myself too sometimes!!!
Hi. I too have 24/7 severe back pain as well as heart issues (4 h.a) and I am not allowed naproxen either but the pain has become so intolerable I do take a very few a day! I have facet joint arthritis, osteo and rheumatoid arthritis , sciatica etc etc but get so little help from health professionals. Apparently they cannot give me more to get rid of the pain. I just have to suffer it ! Its a nightmare and there are times when I too feel so sorry for myself. Is being pain free even for a short time, too big an ask? I feel your pain. All the best to you xx
That sounds awful Tricia, my heart goes out to you.Isn't a shame that we can't take Naproxen any more, that's been my go to medication for years when the sciatica flares up.
I was on Morphine and Tramadol for 8 weeks, when I decided to stop taking them I felt awful for a few days.....real anxiety issues, it was terrible.
My focus now is on religiously doing my exercises to strengthen my core muscles to avoid any reoccurrence, I don't want to live through that again.
Oh thank you! Morphine just makes me throw up and tramadol put me to sleep! And neither much good for my pain. As you say, Ibuprofen works the best!! Thats why I sneak a few a day! All the best.
When my sciatica first flared up in January I spoke to our GP and asked for Naproxen, which in the past had worked amazingly well, to be told that I can no longer take it.I've had Tramadol, Morphine and Amitriptyline over the last few months, non of which has been as effective as the Naproxen.
That's very interesting but wise not to take the vitamins. However, maybe you can find out if essential oils, diluted in carrier oil, and applied topically to the area of nerve damage? Helichrysum is well known for repair of nerve damage and I have found it worked on my thigh when I had Meralgia Paresthetica. I stress, though, you would need to ask an expert if it is suitable for you. Good luck and well done!
I've had severe spinal problems for 30 years and every test under the sun including vitamin levels but my GP (and endocrinologist) has never once suggested any vitamin supplement for the excruciating nerve pain even when I was bedridden for 9 months.
My heart goes out to you, 9 months.....I'm lost for words.I have nerve damage from the herniated disc, I feel like my shin and ankle area has been scalded, it's very sensitive and has "electric shocks" going off, which my physio says might take a year and possibly longer if at all to disappear.....my ankle is also weak and Ive got a slight foot drop....both of which are improving with exercise.
I looked into supplements to promote nerve growth and healing and found some interesting articles on B1, 6 and 12........
Thanks, I finally see a surgeon on May 3rd. The nerve pain is constant in abdomen and legs but the more recent problem causes those shooting electric shocks down both legs. Part of my spine has moved out of line. I learned to live with the constant pain but hese electric shocks are unbearable.
Thank you- same to you. I had sciatica when pregnant and baby laid on the nerve so I know how bad it is. I collapsed in the middle of the road during one of the shocks. I also got it a few years ago but an immediate trip to a superb osteopath managed to fix it ans, touch wood, it hasn't come back. I sent a local shopkeeper to the same osteopath and a week later he was treating me like a Queen! Completely gone without any big manipulation. Getting treatment before all the surrounding muscles go into spasm helps a lot. If yu keep geting it, you may have an unstable sciatic joint which can be treated. Most GPs insist the sciatic joint is fixed and can't move- not true.
I lived with ruptured disk sciatica severe lower back and leg pain for over a year. I gave in to microdisectomy surgery where they removed all the ruptured disc they could from a small incision on back. I went home later that day and never took pain pills again. My ruptured disc was L5 S1.
Thats great to hear, for the moment I'm going the non invasive route for a few more months, surgery is not something I'm ruling out despite my GP not recomending it.
Good morning Sue, I just did a Google search "stents and vitamin B2 B6 B12" and read a few of the articles that came up.....sorry I can't point you in their direction.If I had deficiency of their vitamins I would have researched further, I don't have a deficiency I just wanted to boost my levels to possibly help with nerve damage recovery.
On the basis of a couple of articles I read I decided against supplementing my diet.
You might find this website about microvascular and coronary vasospams helpful too. It is written by patients for patients, supported by world expert Cardiologists.
Thank you so much. I was considering taking B12. After my heart attack, and having three stents fitted. I am glad that you put out a warning for caution.
Hi Hidden , I am so sorry to hear about your back injury!
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Many thanks.
Apologies if it came across as a recommendation, I had no intention of doing that.
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