CPR Recovery

[Neil2566]

Hi,

Hopefully someone can answer this please, I had an OOHCA on 19/04 and was gone for 15 minutes but fortunately the person who gave CPR stuck with it until paramedics shocked me.

My question is - it’s almost 2 weeks and I’m still having recovery pains in my chest & ribs from the CPR, is there an approximate timescale for how long it takes to improve?

Thanks

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello Neil2566

Welcome to the forum, however I am sorry to hear of the reason why you have come to join us. It is an experience that will take sometime to come to terms with. Both physical and mental healing.

I haven't personally experienced a cardiac arrest, however my brother in law did. He was resuscitated by an off duty lifeguard walking through the park.

His ribs hurt for several weeks afterwards.

I broke a rib last year and it took about 6 weeks to stop hurting.

I suggest you hold fast to a pillow when you need to cough or sneeze and ban all jokes that will make you laugh.

Have you asked your GP about which pain relief you can take?

Unfortunately heart patients are usually recommended not to take non steroidal anti inflammatory druds NSAID such as Ibuprofen.

There are a couple of other forum members who have experienced an out of hospital cardiac arrest and hopefully they will be along to offer you more support and advice.

There are also a few support groups.

lifeaftercardiacarrest.com/

sadsuk.org.uk/sudden-cardia...

[Lezzers]

Hi Neil,

My husband had a cardiac arrest albeit some years ago and as a result he suffered a broken sternum & some broken ribs which was very very painful. He recalls that it took some time for the bones to repair and for the pain to heal but that paracetamol did help a bit. However, for the first couple of weeks after he was taken off life support he was in considerable pain & it was found he had Pericarditis, which is quite common after a cardiac arrest. Maybe have a word with your cardiologist/GP just to rule that out.

Milkfairy has given you some very useful links, I highly recommend you have a look at them as you'll find lots of help and advice there.

[Neil2566 in reply to Lezzers]

Hi,Thanks for the reply, I did wonder about pericarditis as some of the chest pain doesn’t make sense.

Unfortunately this isn’t my first rodeo, I had an MI and triple CABG 21.5 years ago. What causes me a lot of concern is that during the angiogram they could only find 1 of the bypass grafts and suggested the other 2 are gone but they offered no explanation.

Hopefully some phone calls today will help answer the long list of questions that are building up.

Thanks again

[Lezzers in reply to Neil2566]

Fingers crossed 🤞 you get the answers

[Driver11]

You are very lucky, after mine I was in a coma in hospital for 2 weeks then a further week before having an ICD fitted and then allowed home. Make the most of every day and good luck

[Wire57]

Hope things get easier soon, I had an OOHCA in Oct 19 and after coming out of a coma had a CRT-D fitted due to an EF of 10%. After about three weeks things started to get less painful and by about six weeks pain / discomfort was a thing of the past.Remember to listen to your body it is only painful at present because it’s still healing.

Take care and good luck for the future

[Neil2566 in reply to Wire57]

Hi,Did your EF improve?

Thanks

[Wire57 in reply to Neil2566]

Yes my EF increased to 33% and by walking or should I say strolling (slow leisurely walk) approx 8 miles a day it has now reached 35%. Whilst the initial 25% increase was achieved quickly due to CRT-D and medication, the next 2% took two years, but at least it improved by 2% rather than decreasing.Hope everything is going ok and if you want to ask anything else please feel free to do so.

Take care

[Neil2566 in reply to Wire57]

Hi,

Thanks for coming back to me, it’s reassuring as fortunately my EF didn’t drop as much as yours but did drop by 25% so hopefully it will improve.

Only had the ICD a week and struggling to sleep at the moment, I struggle to walk long distances as I’m awaiting a knee replacement, I’m a cyclist which doesn’t affect my knee but they’ve told me to stay off my bike for 8 weeks.

Appreciate your response, thanks

[Wire57 in reply to Neil2566]

I found it hard to sleep at first, but I think a lot of that was down to the medical advice of not lifting my arm above shoulder height for six weeks to allow the wires to bed in. When I went to bed this was always on my mind, as soon as I passed the magic six weeks it was as if someone had switched on the sleep button. I appreciate not being able to walk much, I also had the same instructions regarding cycling and only started again once I attended the cardio rehab. Hopefully the rehab team will be in touch in the next couple of months, these teams help you realise how far you can go and if one form of exercise is a no no for what ever reason, what other exercise you can do to build up your stamina.

Take care it won’t be long and you’ll be pain free, sleeping like a log and back on your bike.

[Diy66]

Hi Neil2566

I had CPR in October and I was still suffering until last month, bear with it, they do a lot of damage when doing it, but we’re still here, I’ve got too much to do, I ain’t going nowhere yet

[Neil2566]

Hi,Sadly I have too many health issues, the cardiac arrest only jumped the queue in front of nerve transfer surgery and a knee replacement.

I’m just grateful that someone knew CPR and kept going for 15 minutes until paramedics shocked me, I owe someone a couple of pints.

Thanks