Today is the first anniversary of my widowmaker heart attack, this time last year I was in hospital wondering why me and what happened. To be honest I’m still asking what happened. I haven’t seen a cardiologist since or a doctor I seen a cardiologist nurse to tweak my medication and haven’t had rehab either . No blood tests nada . I’m hoping that since it’s now a year that at least someone will contact me for something !!! Anyway one year done and dusted I’ve a few more to go before my kick off of 60 . That’s the time scale the doctor in hospital gave me . Have a great eater weekend guy and a huge thank you to everyone here who have helped me this past year
Happy notdead day to me : Today is the... - British Heart Fou...
Happy notdead day to me
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54 Replies
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Dear Notdead
Fantastic news, well done, so pleased that you are here to send your post.
Get in touch with your heart team { dig out that paperwork} or the very lest you Dr { yeah I know } because without doubt you have been missed off a few lists and you should have had some form of check up by now.
A happy Easter to you young man and I hope you have many many more, enjoy the weekend and then chase up your check up, its important.
Take care and well done again
• in reply to
Thank you blue ! But I am infact a woman 😂😂
• in reply to
Dear Notdead
LOL I am so sorry “young Lady” please forgive me, but your sex aside my words are still sent out heartfelt to you.
Qualipop• in reply to
Celebrate every year but your GP should at least have done a blood test a month or two after you started all your tablets then an annual check thereafter. I never saw a cardiologist or had rehab but the GP never misses my annual check of bloods, weight and an ECG.
Your anniversary will fall on Good Friday once in a while. Even better when it’s Easter Sunday and a few million of us Christians will be celebrating our Not Dead Day and we can share our joy with you.
Keep positive. Try to find some rehab. Our NHS might be returning one day.
Colin
Yep, my birthday was yesterday (Good Friday) and I'm just happy to be seeing another one which was one of the best ever. I did nothing special but husband took over cooking and housework for the day to give me a whole day just for myself. I caught up on unread magazines, then got out into the garden and sowed all my veggies and weeded half of the garden
That’s an impressive days activity. I mowed half the grass and checked to see that it is too early to sow seeds !Next week I will sow some runner beans or sweet corn. They will be indoors for a good few weeks. I do love sweet corn and my better half loves runner beans. The asparagus is already showing.
But above all that…..happy birthday.
Thank you for the Birthday wishes. My runners don't go in here until June at earliest. NO room for sweet corn.
I had a Stemi (widow maker) in January 2016. My follow ups have been excellent and I get invited every year for a cvd bloods and pressure follow up. However, mine does not go on anniversary of event as it goes from my month of birth e.g every May. Coincidentally, I have just had my invite letter plus a questionnaire to fill in about how I am and feeling etc.
• in reply toStuart2441
A Questionnaire? Tut you are so spoilt!
I have never been led to believe I will be called in for an anniversary check up not sure if this is depending on your health area.I have been discharged by the cardiologist and the cardio nurse I will either make contact with the GP or go to the hospital if I have further problems.
My prescription even has the date when I come off these blood thinners and go back to Clopidogrel, so I don't need to speak to the GP.
Me too. Never had an annual heart check. GP is always responsive if I call. Expects me to contact them if I have a problem.
It isn't general practice locally and other people have said the same. I do think it is a local thing.
Congratulations on your first of many anniversaries!
If you don't get invited by your GP for an annual cardio check up then I'd strongly recommend you contact them and request one. As far as I know, at least in England and Wales, this is NICE recommended practice, so it's something we should all receive.
Personally I find the annual cardio check up is an absolutely critical part of my health regime. In particular the blood tests deliver essential information that you can't get anywhere else, for example they'll disclose how your liver and kidneys are holding up to your medication and if your medication needs adjusting, they'll allow you to track your lipid (cholesterol) levels over time, and they'll give you a quantified score for how insulin resistant you're becoming.
Good luck!
Congratulations not dead 🙂😀.
Don't hold your breath on follow ups. On my anniversary of bypass, I waited patiently. Nada, called the hoppy to be told after the 6 week check up, that was me done. Contacted Dr, again told I didn't need anything. The Covid excuse continues to allow the health service to work under cover of darkness and by telephone alone 🙆♂️🤷♂️
Liked the wee cheeky joke in there about health nurse asking about diet. Not PC at all 🤣🤣 but funny nonetheless ….
Great news Notdead + hope you have many more anniversaries. What do you mean by kick off of 60 please - has doctor said you’ve only a certain length of time left!!
• in reply toDave678
Yeah I was told I’d be lucky to make it to 60 . I’m 54 n two weeks time
Dave678• in reply to
Blimey - I had a widow maker last year + hope we can both make it for longer than that! Good luck 🤞
Mac054• in reply to
I had a widow maker in 2009 when I was 58 and I now have four stents but I'm still here, hopefully for a few more years. Doctors should be more careful about what they say as stress is so bad for us hearties.
What is a widow maker please ?
Her sister works in my practice 🤣🤣
I was called in for a yearly check. It was done by a bog standard nurse who knew pretty much nothing about cardiology or what symptoms to look out for. I knew more than she did, and I ended up asking why I was there to which she had no answer. I used to think that the NHS was pretty good, but now.................
Unless you push hard to get to see a cardiologist, the NHS does not seem to serve us well.
In the weeks after my MI, I was getting all sorts of symptoms, and a call to the GP resulted in at least 8 pointless visits to an overworked A&E where they did an ECG and Troponin tests and sent me home.
HiDo not wait to be contacted, take the responsibility back and contact them. That is what I am doing. Initiating contact with my GP is what I had to do when I came out of hospital after my NSTEMI in March and made them aware of their obligations to duty of care! I will
Be inisisting in monthly appointments and blood checks (quarterly) . Had the GP listened to me and actually saw me instead of telephone appointments I might not have gotten so Ill -cannot happen again .
Take care of you and best wishes but most of all take control x
MilkfairyHeart Star
Congratulations!Where are you based ?
You seemed to have missed out on the usual recommended follow-up care.
As I have a long term condition I am seen twice a year by my Cardiologist and Neurologist.
My GP checks my bloods at least once a year.
My OH has obstructive coronary artery disease and Atrial Fibrillation.
He is contacted yearly by our GP's practice to have his medication reviewed, BP checked and blood tests done.
It's written on my husband's repeat prescription when the review is due.
I would give your GP a call and ask for a review including blood tests to make sure the medication you're taking is not causing any problems.
This title made me smile as this is exactly how I feel when I wake up every morning! My 1st anniversary isn’t until May this year and I have every intention of celebrating my not dead yet day! Like many others I would recommend you ask your GP as a minimum to have your blood tests. They gave me reassurance I was on the right track.
Take care and enjoy being alive!! 👍
Well done on the first year, especially after so traumatic an event. I am absolutely amazed that you have had no follow up whatsoever. I would certainly be chasing the matter up.
My local hospital amazed me with its response after I was transferred to its care by Papworth.... probably more in fear or respect than anything else. I even got called for rehab by the hospital where I had my stents, a full 2 years previous. Yes, I'm greedy.... 3 hospitals! However, after I was discharged to the care of my GP, the system fell apart and I had to become proactive. No check ups, but I can call up an annual blood test, though this year they have limited what is being tested. GPs are certainly not doing themselves any favours. If they want respect, they have to earn it.
Wow! Great news!Just chase them up. I realized early on that you have to drive things along yourself as there is an assumption that you're ok if you don't shout out. The cardio nurse is a great first stop for elevating any concerns you may have....
My story?
At birth, my parents were told to make the most of me due to floppy heart valve.
At five years, even tho I felt fine, the same message.
My Mum decided that I'd have a normal life, not wrapped in cotton wool and so I did everything that a kid would do.
At sixteen, I wanted to join the Army but failed the medical but they wouldn't didn't say why.
At eighteen, I had a company medical and the doctor told me I had a heart disease and I was staggered. when he suggested forty as a possible terminal age.
I phoned my Mum and she finally told me what everyone knew but me!
Mum did the right thing by letting me live a normal life and so armed with the knowledge, I kept an eye on my condition but never let it bother me too much. and years later, my GP said it no longer mattered as medicine had moved on.
At 70, I developed AF in spent two nights in hospital followed by permanent medication which I monitor with my GP by creating records of my BP and HR to keep my medication fine tuned. I don't wait to be asked. He gets my data every six months whether he wants it or not!
So, one wife, three sons, six grandkids later, here I am at 74 writing to you, still alive and still doing silly things.
Keep an eye on yourself. Heart medicine gets more advanced all the time and going on the wonderful stories I see here, never accept that nothing can be done.
The bottom line is you're in charge.
Good luck....
• in reply toHannibal1948
I love your story how great is your mum not telling you ! Love it xxx thanks for sharing
Reminded me that when I chased up my last GP surgery for an annual check the receptionists response was "who said you could have one?" Thank goodness I have since moved and new surgery could not be more helpful. Makes me realise what I have put with during the last few years. Ps. Would not recommend moving house to change doctor - too much stress =aggravated symptoms!!
I got a text from my GP a couple of weeks ago asking for a blood pressure reading. I assume that is my annual review.
I will be celebrating my first not dead day on Monday and I contacted my GP and requested blood tests tests which were good . I have been contacted by the hospital where I had treatment for an appointment with a cardiac nurse I had one after 3 months it is for a chat about how I feel ,my husband gets a chance to talk too , other than that just some phone calls from rehab nurses and phone appointments with stroke clinic and neurologist.No physical checks with anyone.I asked the GP if any of my meds will be reduced he said he would like to raise some dosages when I told him that before the attack I had always had low blood pressure he said “oh maybe that is why you are on a low dosage “ doesn’t make me feel reassured so I will take a list of questions when I see the nurse .
I am fortunately feeling well and living life as normally as we can at present.
When my husband who did CPR on me moans at me I remind him that he is not allowed to be horrible to me as he had his chance to get rid of me and he has to put up with his choices .We have been married for 45 years 😇
Happy Not dead day! Same as yourself,it was 23rd April last year i found myself in the cath lab thinking what the heck happened? I will be having a little celebration next week too.Have a great day and cheers to many more. Julie x
I keep an eye on my blood pressure by taking regular readings, I am still undergoing cardio rehab for my October procedure. I also check my heart rate when at rest and after exercise.
I cannot say I am unhappy with any of my treatment. If people feel they would be happier with regular check ups I know pre pandemic my surgery offered well women and well men checks.
After my bypass in 2017 and looking at my family history my sister and brother both took advantage of that service.
As I have said several times, if I felt there were issues with medication or I felt there was a problem I would seek the necessary help, a yearly check will show what is happening at THAT time, I need to deal with things as they happen.
We are all different, as long as I can keep an eye on my blood pressure which is easy enough I can deal with other things as they arise.
It obviously depends on individual GPs as to what tests they do but soon after my HA I rang and asked to see a G P for an explanation/translation of my discharge letter which he was most happy to do . At the same time he told me that I would get blood tests 2 months after the HA to make sure the tablets were not having any adverse effects; then I would get an annual check up for BP, bloods and an ECG which I have had every year. They were about a month late during you know what but still did it in person. When i had problems with BP dropping I was asked to speak to the practice pharmacist who knows more about the tablets than a GP does. When I had a fast, fluttering heart rate I immediately had an ECG at the surgery within 24 hours and a referral for a monitor and an echo scan at the hospital. Both were done within a month. I can't fault my GP's care but the hospital has been worse than useless. The cardiologist did my stents b ut never spoke to me. On discharge I was told nothing apart from throwaway remark from the nurse who did my echo scan saying "Oh good, very little damage" and another nurse said I had 2 more blockages and would need another angiogram to see if they needed stents. I had that 2 months later- no stents needed but also no explanation as to why 65% blockages didn't need stents.
MilkfairyHeart Star
Just a thought, 'widowmaker' women have heart attacks too.
If you survive a heart attack you have not had a 'widowmaker ' because thank goodness you're still alive!
Is it a widow maker or a widower maker ? No serious reply needed. Happy easter
MilkfairyHeart Star
Firefighter
Police officer
Chair
These are perhaps sex and gender neutral.
Widow is not, it refers to a woman. Perhaps a new word is required?
Actually why say widowmaker in the first place?
Why can't you say I have had a heart attack?
Absolutely, there is NOT a gender neutral word for widow/widower.
It would be like saying all police officers should now be called police women.
• in reply toMilkfairy
Wish I’d never opened my mouth 😂😂😂😂
I am now really confused as one of the posters has removed their comments.
Have a lovely day
😊
• in reply toMilkfairy
🧐🧐🧐
Heather1957• in reply to
Please don't feel like that, I think it is an interesting point, when I first became aware of the term 'Widow Maker heart attack' I thought it gave a false impression that men only suffered with this, obviously at one time more men than woman had problems with the LAD (I guess) but obviously it is used as a more generic term now even if it is not really accurate, the thing is there isn't a non gender specific term for someone who has lost their partner, which is why I think it would really need a more legally accurate term rather than people deciding that widow relates to both male and female, maybe boring to some but interesting to me.
In another life I used to write legal material for law students and under the (then) sexual Offences Act there was an offence of 'having intercourse with a mental defective', students used to complain all the time about the term mental defective and quite rightly so but that was the term on the Statute so until the offence had legally been change to a mental disorder anyone charged was charged with sex with a mental defective.
A long winded way of saying somethings are not right or accurate but until they are changed 'properly' there isn't a lot we can do.
You can see this is something I am very interested in LOL!!
But please don't be sorry you raised it!
MilkfairyHeart Star
The word widow is defined in the dictionary as being a woman.
I agree, there needs to be gender and sex neutral word to describe a surviving partner in a relationship.
My partner is one person who had a potential cardiac event prevented by a timely insertion of a stent.
A cardiac arrest isn't a heart attack. Though a heart attack can lead to a cardiac arrest. This happened to my brother in law.
Non obstructive coronary artery disease NOCAD causes major cardiac events too, including heart attacks and arrthymias which can lead to cardiac arrests
My cardiac events and possible heart attacks are prevented by the timely infusion of intravenous GTN.
Yes okay 👍
Perhaps you need to speak to someone in a legal dep as you are trying to argue about 2 words that are gender specific there is no gender neutral equivalent.
I would also question your definition of the word widow but hey ho each to their own.
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not happy! 
Sorry to say the NHS let me down once again 
