This is going to be long winded but it is getting me down. Those of you who have read my posts will know that in 2020 i had two stents fitted one in each artery which led to so many things appearing, frozen shoulder in one arm tennis elbow in the other. Due to walking as part of my rehabilitation i found i had an inguinal hernia that was operated on just before christmas, then i burnt my arm which meant two more weeks off work. Went on holiday didn't feel well trying to do my walk three days after coming home another trip to hospital and another stent fitted in right artery. They was concerned the blockage wasn't there before and said i had severe circumflex disease. There is a narrowing of a recessive vessel that may need attention and if i am symptomatic to the narrowing under exercise i could be a candidate for TRANSFORM where they inflate and deflate a balloon in the vessel to make the opening easier for the blood to flow through. After coming out of hospital and on increased medication things have gone from bad to worse. My stomach feels rough but not all the time i spend a lot of time in the toilet trying to go to the toilet, i feel down a lot of the time i keep taking gaviscon and paracetamol to try and keep it at bay. At night i have to sleep on my back as i normally sleep on my side but when i do that my stomach starts playing up. I can still do my walking but when i realise i have something else to do for example an appointment at the doctors or even going for a meal my body goes into overdrive feeling bad dry throat stomach pains, needing the toilet. I thought that a lot of what is going on is in my head but i did explain to the doctor that when i returned home after my third stent i thought great i can get back to the way i normally take my tablets and everything will fall into place but i am hoping its medication. At the moment i have been told to stop taking the statin for a month, i was on 5mg of Rovortastin that as increased to 10mg. That doesn't seem to make a difference. The other increases are Bisoprolol which was 1.25mg now taking 5mg. Also the inclusion of Clodiprogrel to protect my stent again i still take Losartin 25mg and Ososobide Mononitrate 30mg and Aspirin and Lansaprozole but no increase on those. Got a meeting later next month with mental health nurse to see if what is happening is psychological. Something else i forgot to mention after the hernia operation i noticed that if i strained the pain appeared inside where i had the operation, and i would get an ache there, i have noticed lately that that ache i get occasionally has dropped down just above my right leg in the centre of my body. I really don't know what to do, it just seems like a waiting game.
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Sizzlerman
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Hello Sizzlerman, first of all I am very very sorry for all the trauma you have been through, having such a tough time. I had a bypass x 4 nearly a year ago and am on a number of medications. I can’t comment on the physical aspects of your surgery, but I can relate very much to the psychological impact of your experience. The focus seems to be on the physical recovery of patients and very little on the mind set following heart surgery. From a personal perspective I would not have believed that the mind can have such a powerful impact on how we feel physically. The mental aspect has in some ways felt worse than the physical recovery. I am now nearly a year following my bypass, I go to cardio rehab twice a week and also see a counsellor. It is helping and I am very grateful to be feeling much better. It does get better but does take time. I would say be kind to yourself and grab as much help as you can get both physically and psychologically. Without going into too much detail, but a few months I had a constant upset tummy and managed to convince myself it could be something awful. Thankfully all is fine, it was anxiety. As I said I didn’t realise how powerful the mind is. Take good care, always reach out to us hearties and let us know how you get on. Judi
Hello again, one other thing I meant to mention is for quite some time the medication played havoc with my system so lots of trial and error. The anxiety didn’t help, One of the nurses I saw on one occasion said that anxiety and panic attacks can mimic cardiac pain, which in some ways made me feel better. At least it was a relief to know that this can happen. Take care, Judi
that was reassuring, i had an Echocardiogram two weeks ago and she explained that everything that is going on with your stomach has nothing to do with your heart that is fine. Its just that i haven't been able to do the exercises yet when i went to the Rehabilitation Nurse because of my stonach. At least i don't feel sick. Also feeling drained, can't watch a film at night keep drifting off.
sorry to hear about your problem. THE mental side to all this can be very debilitating. Mental problems can cause many pains and issues which have nothing to do with the primary issue. I have to admit i have not found an answer yet. But iam trying. The biggest issue is there is strong link between the mind and the stomach. I do walking and muscle relaxation. I got a cd from nhs which i listen to. It does help. Hypnotherapy has helped a bit, but unfortunately as i have said many times, these are tools which you have to the use and work with. I am fortunate that i will be seeing an nhs psychologist soon. But i have got to have a plan of attack on where i want to be after all the talking. Because even after this what will my new normal be? You have been through alot more than me. So i feel for you. But unfortunately mental health in this country is not a big concern to the medical profession. Iam not being nasty but when you get involved with say the cardiologist who are expert's in their field. Then that is the field they concentrate on, and so they should. But there needs to be some form of mental counselling to get you through this patch in your life. Or even the ability to see someone on the nhs where you pay a small fee, like when you go to dentist. But like i have read here, in the past, anyone who has been told about a heart condition or have had a heart operation are we suffering from ptsd?
thank you. It just annoys me that originally i thought it can't be in my head but, for example i have a birthday party for my grandson to attend and i feel ill i have been on and off the toilet every half an hour and i know later on when i am home i will feel fine.
I know exactly your feelings. The trouble is i have always had issues from anxiety. I try to battle through but it is so energy zapping. I had a similar issue like you last year before my heart diagnosis was found. So as i have said many times this heart diagnosis is the icing on the cake. The anxiety i believe has caused ibs. Trouble is if i had not battled it then i would not have seen many places in the world. But it is hard it really is. But this heart thing has made me worse. Like you once iam at home iam relaxed and feel safe. Like having a comfort blanket. But you carnt live like that. I have tried hypnotherapy. Which sort of works. When i came away from some session i could take on the world, but then normal life takes over and the thought's come back especially with the heart worries. I suppose once i know what way we are going with my heart issue. Then these experiences may help to make me stronger. I do hope so.
I have suffered from anxiety all my life and tried in vain to battle through it as you say. Then I had my stent and my anxiety worsened. My GP told me that anxiety was really damaging to heart patients and prescribed alternative medication. This worked very well for me and I have no qualms about taking them. They only enhanced my mood and had no other effects other than me getting a better nights sleep. There are some people here that frown on any medication for mental health issues but really they go back to the bad old days when people were ignorant of any issues and just said that you are suffering from your nerves. I tried all the alternatives and got sick of feeling anxious all the time so just as you take medication for any other illness so do I.
i can understand how you feel and have inquired to NHS for help and have an over the phone appointment for October but at work they work with an organisation that can get me up and going. The only problem would first be getting there. I would be terrified knowing where i was going, and that has been the case in August when i had to see the Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse . I woke up feeling unwell but decided to go, and not being able to do the exercises because the way my stomach felt it spiralled from there. Managing to do my walk every day to bring a bit of normality to my life but other than that i get nervous, for example just dropped my wife off somewhere but accompanied with a bad stomach and a trip to the toilet, its annoying but if medication is the only way to go then so be it because i don't want to become a recluse.
thanks for reply. Yes anxiety does not help the heart. Iam on 20mg fluoxetine. But i might have been on it too long. Unless i need something stronger. ? It is awful that your own body and mind can become so toxic to you. But your mind can be so powerful in the wrong way.
I get that they are linked. The good news is that apparently it has nothing to do with my heart, but google and media are annoying. I am not on medication yet as my doctor suggested the NHS helpline i do have an appointment in October but at work they work with a company that specializes in this and other areas, this might be a better route, off work because i can't function properly so there intention would be to try and get you back to work in the right frame of mind.
You've got a lot going on. I've gone down a similar path and it's been a good learning experience for me. Your body goes through a Trauma that causes you mentally to look for the next traumatic problem to happen next. It's the Anxiety that causes the down feelings and the body to act abnormal, like with the bathroom issues or lack of sleep.
It's like opening a medical can of worms once you have any procedures done. I had to become my own mental health coach. I had to trust that I was going to be done with all of the procedures soon and I was going to feel better and be done waiting for doctor appointments and bad news.
Eventually it happened, I got off some of my medications and eat somewhat normal foods and less stomach problems, more normal bathroom visits. It only took 3 year's, but now I feel my life is back in my control again in a good way. It's a long journey, but if you can keep yourself calm when the anxiety starts and convince yourself, you made it through everything up till now and you can handle the next thing one day at a time.
thank you, it's the normality i would like it is so confusing everything was going fine, went on holiday abroad still did my walks and didn't spend to much time on the sunbed and ate sensibly got home 4 days later back in hospital another stent fitted, it seems one step forward and two back. However i am not going to let what is going on defeat me, i am pleased that you have turned the corner and i hope to be there soon.😊
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