Still in shock about needing a cabg / bypass but now I think I’m lucky

[Jako999]

Hi all this is my first post and story. I’m a very fit 55 year old never smoked, don’t drink and a vegetarian about 6 months ago I started getting very mild Left shoulder discomfort but only when really pushing my self hard, after a bit I went to see the doc as my dad had angina, test after test and nothing then the angiogram last Monday and bang it looked rubbish the Doc who did looked a bit shocked because I look and feel so well said I need a tripe/ quadruple bypass how in hospital waiting, it was the biggest shock I’ve ever had I’m lucky to have got this far. I’m medical so I realise just how bad this is. I’m still in shock and blown away by it all I felt fine and I’m always rushing around and busy how can I be this ill?

I’ve come to terms with it a bit more now and now I’m doing nothing I realise there is always a strange feeling in my Left shoulder neck and the top of my are I’ve just never relaxed enough to feel it before.

I thought I was unlucky but now I realised I’m actually super lucky to still be here, to have found it and now hopefully get it fixed. If I hadn’t it would have killed me sooner then later after all it looks like I was already on borrowed time.

So the moral is no matter how small you think your problem is get it checked.

Thanks for reading

Martin

[Heather1957]

Martin what a great attitude. It is a shock when you are first told, but let's be honest it beats the alternative.How lucky are we to live in the day and age of bypass and stents?

I hope everything goes okay for you, there is a wealth of knowledge on here so if you need any info pre or post op, ask away.

[Gail1967]

That takes me back to 3 years ago- did a little run on the Friday- had an indigestion style pain on the Saturday- in hospital from then but feeling ok & expecting to go home any day. Had the angiogram & nearly fell out of the chair when they said you need a quadruple! But like you just feel lucky a little fizz of my heart meant I did get checked out rather than waiting for the big one & what that may have meant!! Good luck with your recovery ❤️‍🩹

[Pollypuss]

Very good post Jako999. Like you I was fit with no symptoms other than shoulder pain and had to have a triple.. it really will save your life and so glad for you it was detected early

[CyclingTime]

I had the same last October. 58, fit and cycling a 120-150 miles every week, racing on Strava and then ..50 mile ride on the Saturday no issues at all felt great, tried on Sunday but had to stop after ten miles and by the end of the week I had to stop four times walking 400m!!

CABG end of January, quadruple bypass. Wasn't long before I was walking 35 miles a week and I'm back on the bike now. Last weekend in Wales on holiday I was riding up 17% hills and all good.

So look forward to the outcome and getting back to normal.

[fixedrider in reply to CyclingTime]

Not unlike @CyclingTime - I didn't ride as much as that, but I'm a life-long club cyclist, riding non-competitive events of that distance and having a go at club races. I just felt "not right", and next thing I knew I was having a double bypass. Three years on, I did the RideLondon 100-mile event a couple of weeks ago.

[CyclingTime in reply to fixedrider]

Excellent completing the Ride 100. I still get some physical muscle pains in my chest with everything getting back to working normally after 6 months of nothing chest wise. So I will be targeting something similar

[fixedrider in reply to CyclingTime]

To be honest, I still get very mild discomfort three years on. In one way, it feels like tightness, which you'd worry about. But I've been checked over several times, and I'm pretty satisfied that it's just structural stuff that may never quite go away. Not in any way life-inhibiting, and not, according to the medical people, anything to worry about.

[Pollypuss in reply to CyclingTime]

That’s about it. What I could never understand when I played tennis I would start off in discomfort when I was serving and after the first set the pain went which the doctors said was therefore muscular. I’m a great believer in telling people to push for further investigation. I was 78 after all. Well after triple am back to tennis but always slightly alert to any pain which is now a result of what I never expected - a triple bypass two years ago

[Ruby300]

Good morning, it must have been a big shock to you especially when you are fit I had big shock last year when I had a massive heart attack just happened but you know I thank God I pulled through it wasn’t easy but now I am doing really well considering the consultant said they nearly lost me. But we get through don’t we and this site is really good. I wish you all the best let’s us know how you get on. Take care. 🙏

[MountainGoat52]

Hi Martin,

It's great to hear that you are keeping positive about this and pleasing to hear that the problems that you have have been uncovered before it was too late. I had to go through a heart attack to get my situation resolved. My GP just kept increasing my medication when I exhibited increasing blood pressure and complained of pains in my leg muscles when climbing hills and having make regular stops on the ascents. He was unwilling to refer me for further investigation.

The doctor that carried out the angioplasty at the time of my heart attack was surprised that I was fit, yet had a good measure of coronary artery disease. He referred me for surgery and I saw the consultant within a couple of months. Having the bypass surgery corrected the remaining problems that I had and even the artery with the stents was bypassed. It now takes a stiff steep climb to make me pause on an ascent, I no longer have any leg pains, nor do I ache after a full day in the hills. It all goes to show how vitally important it is to have a good flow of blood to the heart.

Best wishes for your impending surgery. I'm sure everything will go well and you will soon be looking back on it all and moving forward and enjoying life without any of the issues you've been having.

Gerald

[Heyjude31]

Hello Jako999, I suffered indigestion and shoulder pain and the next thing I was told I needed 4 x bypass. It was a huge shock, but I am SO grateful to have had the surgery with an amazing surgeon who will forever remain my hero, and his team. Look after yourself and I am sure you will be on the road to recovery very soon , Judi