Morning, I'm new to the forum as I only had my attack last month and wondered if the feelings I have are normal. The event was quite traumatic as I was on a cruise ship and had to be medivaced, without my husband, to Maderia where I had 3 stents fitted the following morning. Although I don't think I am anxious the event is still uppermost in my mind. Is this normal? Our plan when we retired was to travel but now having experienced hospitalization outside the UK I am apprehensive. Not only was there a language barrier there practices did not come close to the UK. Also concerned that travel insurance in the future will be really expensive. Can anyone advise on this please? I am waiting on a follow up appointment in the UK with a cardiologists who may be able to answer my questions but I'm sure others in this forum with real life experiences is a better source.
I had stents fitted last month and lo... - British Heart Fou...
I had stents fitted last month and looking for advice
Thank you for posting.
Insurance comes up a lot on this forum, often in the context of cruising. We can all learn a sobering lesson from your experience. Being medivaced from a cruise liner is an extremely expensive operation, it would be ruinously expensive unless you were properly insured.
On a happier note, there's no reason why your travel plans need be curtailed. Yes, insurance is more expensive (and you'll need a month two for your procedure to settle down before an insurance company will touch you), but unless you have multiple conditions insurance is not prohibitive.
I had a bypass operation a few years ago, but my wife and I still cruise a lot. Here we are earlier this year on a cruise to Germany and Scandinavia. If we can do then so can you!
Good luck!
Hi, thank you for responding. Yes my experience does endorse the importance of insurance and I will make sure when the time comes I'm properly covered. I'll check in again nearer the time with the forum for insurance company recommendations. I'm sure we will get back to cruising as soon as we can although it will take some time to get the confidence to cross the Atlantic again. We are fans of Celebrity cruises and I can't praise them enough for the way they dealt with my emergency. Not only did they look after me and divert the ship so I could be medivaced, they organised everything for myself and my husband who couldn't come with me because of the weight restrictions due to the distance from the ship to Madeira. Thanks again for getting back to me and who knows we might bump into you one day on a cruise ship.
Yes, insurance is definitely essential. I live in Australia where cruising is just about to start again. We have booked an Australian coastal cruise. Our insurance is as much as our cruise because of age and pre-existing illnesses and Covid cover. But, we wouldn't go without it. It would cost heaps more for a medivac etc. Even though we will be in Australian waters all the time, our Medicare or private health cover is useless, as the ship's doctors or the ship aren't registered in Australia.
Dear lmg25
Hello and a big warm welcome to this forum, I hope that it gives you the support and information as it has not only me, but many others.
Wow ! And Wow ! What a way to join us and I for one are glad that you have found us and as you say the “real life experiences “ that we can help you with.
Now you have a few questions that need addressing and soon a few other members will add to the answers that I will attempt to give.
Yes it is very normal to feel the way you do especially the way it happened to you, as time goes on hopefully this feeling will become less and if it doesn’t please make sure your Dr and family knows just how you feel, better to tell them now than later when it could be harder to do.
You have to know that you are not alone , the very reason this forum keeps going is testament to that and we are here to help not only you but your loved ones that suffer as well as us.
But first it must all be about you and how you are going to re-balance your life without this hanging over your head, it needs to become a part of you and not you a part of it, easier said than done, but very doable.
I think your world will soften once you are under the care of the NHS, it will help build your confidence back.
As for travelling, then why not? As soon as you are fit and well {both physically and mentally} the world is yours, others will add to this later.
Yes insurance is more, but thousands travel with illness so it is always possible, again others will advice you on insurance companies .
So there you go, you have told us your journey so far, complete with hopes and fears and we are listening and always will.
Take care and please keep us informed.
Hi Blue1958, thank you for getting back to me and for your support. It's very early days and I will keep an eye on my feelings. I've also discovered to stay away from doctor Google as there is so much negativity out there and glad I've found this forum. I'm sure I'll have more questions in the coming weeks that individuals on this forum can help with but in the meantime I'll have a look through other posts for inspiration and answers. I never thought I would ever join such a forum but I've got to say it's comforting to know you are not alone. Thanks again.
All of us on here have gone through the same or something similar or are related to someone going through it.I joined back in 2017 after a bypass and as well as getting a huge amount of support and advice I used it to document my progress (or lack of it). It was a tough time, on occasions I regretted having the op which was silly as I would have died without it, on some days it was also 1 step forward and 2 steps back.
Fast forward October 2021, I again had angina pain and was admitted to hospital and after about 5 days went down for an angiogram and had 2 stents fitted, unfortunately my arteries were badly blocked so they had to be drilled to fit the stents.
I know some people had this done and found it painless, all I can say is lucky them!! I also found recuperating harder and I struggled with some of the medication.
Well 6 months on and some tweaking of the meds I am feeling a lot better, I have been fortunate enough to have gone to cardiac rehab and am waiting to join a group to build on that.
We may be a group no-one wanted to join but there is a wealth of info here so ask away with any questions, usually someone has the answer.
Welcome!!
👍 😊
Hi Heather1957, I'm so sorry that you had to go through that a second time but glad you are now feeling better. Like you I also felt the procedure to be very uncomfortable, but I survived. I assume the op has been successful as I don't have anymore pain or breathing problems however, I am looking forward to meeting with doctors in the UK as I didn't get a follow consultation in Maderia. Thank you and please take care of yourself.
I actually found your post reassuring. I am going on a cruise in September across to Canada and New England (plus new York) all of 25 nights. Hopefully we shouldn't have a language barrier (well not much anyway) but felt reassured after reading your post that the system worked and they got you the treatment you needed. I do agree that there is nothing like being home when you have serious problems though as it certainly helps to be in familiar surroundings where people all speak the same language. Although no doubt as long as you received the necessary treatment who cares what language they spoke!!
Hi again, the treatment we both got on the ship (Celebrity cruises) was amazing and they don't take any chances so don't worry about it. Not only did they get me off safely, they looked after and assisted my husband, booking flights from Portugal to Madeira, booking a hotel for him and arranged for our luggage to be transported from Southampton to our home in Scotland. They also kept in touch with the hospital over night and the following morning and updated him with what was happening and my progress. We can't thank them enough.
Really good to hear!
Hello 
What a traumatic event you went through and yes it is normal to feel as you do , it comes as a shock and a life changing event it takes our minds longer to catch up with what has happened than our bodies
You have had some really good advice but I just wanted to say Welcome and I hope now you have joined you will get some comfort talking with others that understand what you have been through and how you are feeling x
Hi, thank you for you support and kind words. I'm sure it was traumatic for everyone who has gone through this as you just don't believe it will happen to you. It's dealing with it that I am struggling with. We thought when we retired we would travel but this has put that on hold for a while. Thanks again and take card.
Hello
I had 3 heart attacks and then a triple Bypass and that was 10 months ago I had my op and I am very much still struggling to deal with it so honestly this is a normal reaction even though myself at 10 months may not be I always feel I should have come to terms with what happened by now but it affects us differently at times
It is early days and you will go traveling again and get back on course as we say give yourself time and if you really feel you are struggling maybe some Counselling could be something to consider
But if you read posts on here you will see members of on holiday , cruises , doing marathons and lot's more and so in time there is no reason why you cannot travel and you will x
I have had 4 stents inserted and lead a very normal life. Fitting stents is quite normal these days. It does not seem to affect my travel insurance wither. Cardiologist advised me to exercise and keep exercising. Hope that helps.
Hi you are right insurance will go up I had 4 stents fitted 3 year ago I pay approx 600 pound for yearly travel insurance mainly go to Turkey holidays and golfing Other than that after your physio just go back to normal life
Yes, travel insurance goes through the roof, I have been checking medical facilities in other countries and the Bahamas is looking good. And some Caribbean islands which are patchy, a lot are English speaking though. If any one has any information on places to go long haul that would be great thanks.
I can understand what it feels like to be ill and be far away from home. However, I was told the standard of hospital medical practice in mainland Spain and Portugal is as good in U.K. although the standard of general practice or family practice is not as well organised as in U.K. How many blockages did you have to require stenting and how are you now? Regards.
Hi, thank you for getting back to me. I don't mean to sound ungrateful because I am grateful to the cardiologists who performed the procedure to insert 3 stents but the hospital I landed in was a nightmare. Their equivalent of our A&E was unbelievable with rooms and corridors packed with patients whose dignity wasn't considered. The hospital was very old and tired and hygiene was a concern for me. I couldn't even get wipes to clean my hands when I couldn't get up to use the loo. But I live to tell the tale and for that I am grateful. I'm doing OK I think although I do get feelings I'm not sure of. I am anxious to get a consultation in the UK as I didn't get a follow up with cardiologists after I had the procedure. However it looks like that's not going to be anytime soon as received a letter today advising they are very busy and can't even give me an estimate of when that might be. So disappointing.
I think you echo the thoughts on many on here re follow up. After my stents I saw a Dr the next day and he discharged me, I have never seen a Cardiologist again. However I have had a few appointments with the cardio nurse and the cardio physios, I have been discharged by the nurse and have just finished my cardio rehab but am waiting to start a further class to build on the rehab.
I think it has become the 'norm' that the cardio units don't do any follow ups once you have had the procedure unless it is ongoing. Any changes to the meds is done through the GP.
Really? I find that worrying. Are you in the UK? I'm in Scotland. The doctor who travelled home from Madeira with me just happened to be an ITU specialist. He seemed to think I would get a follow up with cardiologists in the UK and that they would probably adjust my meds. My GP also said the same. It's so confusing. I've been so lucky up till now and this is my first brush with ill health so I'm not sure how it all works. That's why this forum is so helpful.
I am in Wales, hopefully yours will be different as your treatment occurred overseas, but I think you'll find in many places they don't do follow ups with a Cardiologist. When I had my bypass it was different as that is OHS so I had a cardiac surgeon and a cardiologist (at different hospitals)
In October I was admitted with unstable Angina and saw a Cardiologist on the Wednesday, she told me she was referring me to another hospital for an angiogram and I stayed on the ward until I was taken to the other hospital on Friday, I had the angiogram and 2 stents fitted that morning (it was rough) they kept me at that hospital overnight and I was released the next day (Sat)
My GP phoned during the next week to discussed medication and I was also called by the cardiac nurse,
6 months later I have never been called to see a cardiologist. Personally I have no problem with this as I am doing okay and will be down the hospital if I have any further pains.
OMG you have been through the mill. To be honest I just want to get on with my life as well and don't particularly want to have to visit hospitals. It's just that I have a few questions re medication and outcome of the procedure I would like answers to that I couldn't ask at the time because of the language barrier etc. The report I received for my doctor in the UK was written in Portugeuse which doesn't help. I have contacted CEGA, who were appointed by our insurance company to arrange my medivac and repatriation etc, as I believe they may have a report from the hospital in English. It's so complicated when you take ill abroad especially when there is a language problem, I wouldn't recommend it.
don’t worry at all. Even I went through the same. Just forget and lead a normal life. Just don’t miss your meditation
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