I’m 58 and suffered a heart attack (STEMI), on a plane followed by cardiogenic shock in April 2022. I have 5 stents fitted to two arteries supplying my heart. I went into cardiogenic shock shortly after the first 4 stents were inserted during the heart attack. I was taken into intensive care and had an intra-aortic balloon pump inserted for 3 days to help, while my heart recovered. The 5th stent was inserted in a planned procedure a week later.
Whilst I have some damage/scarring to my heart and moderate mitral regurgitation, 6 months later I completed a 20 mile cycle and half day strenuous walk over the moors in the last week. Although fit and healthy prior to the heart attack, these are things I feared I might never do again lying in ICU. The hospital quite rightly focused on my physical recovery, but the mental side has been tough.
It seems silly now, but recall lying in my bed afraid to even move in case I dislodged a stent in the first few days. I know every case is different, but I wanted to share this as a message of hope. It’s normal to feel scared (or terrified in my case) in the early days and weeks after such a life changing event . Speak to others and use the BHF resources. I called the BHF helpline when I came home from hospital. The specialist cardiac nurse I spoke to was amazing. I told her all the things I was concerned about and the twinges and pains I was experiencing. She gave me so much reassurance and had the time to listen without the restriction of a 5 or 10 minute appointment slot.
I still have concerns about my future health; what the mitral regurgitation and scarring means. However I also need to keep reminding myself not to borrow problems from the future. Right now I feel lucky and can lead a reasonably normal life.
Huge thanks to the NHS and BHF.
Written by
CyclingRich
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What an ordeal you went through but thank you for sharing it with us
I suffer with anxiety and now struggle after my heart attacks and Bypasses I had but one thing I shall take from your post which I think is brilliant and I hope you do not mind me borrowing it is the words when you said
Not to borrow problems from the Future
Such a good way to think even though I have never thought that way I shall try and put it into practise
Thanks for your kind words. If I look back at my recovery , all the negative things that I lay awake worrying about in hospital, never happened. I tried to focus on all the things that had gone well instead, just to distract myself. Easy to say but harder to do.
Hello, just wonderful to hear, and I hope you continue with a great recovery. . Thank you for such a motivational and inspirational post. Take care, Judi
thanks our life changes after these events I had one stent walking in Spain and ended up having stent done in Santiago de compostela. But your story is wow.
3 years life on yah still have worries but not like before, the BUPA nurse I had was great, unfortunately the mental side is not treated. Weldone and to our future all of us
Thank you for taking the time to share your story. You may not always feel like it but you are very brave and actually deserve a medal! Getting yourself back up and into your physical training again takes guts, determination and mental strength. You really should stop for a moment and acknowledge that you have managed to get yourself out of your bed and achieved all of this. Mental health is not addressed after a heart diagnosis. I understand cardiologists and GP’s are not trained specifically in this field but it should be recognised as part of this health issue as so many people are struggling with this. Take care and keep on doing whatever works for you - as you are doing great!
Thank you for sharing your story, I too found your words “not to borrow problems from the future” quite profound. I too had a Stemi in April 2022, although 1 stent fitted for me. The damage to my heart was transmural (full thickness) with the added complication of a thrombus. I am now doing things I never believed possible a few months ago. I was feeling negative about pretty much everything, every day but whilst I still get those days, they are fewer. Professional counselling has helped me enormously. I try to take each day as it comes and not look too forward in the future. Good luck with your continuing recovery.
Many thanks for your amazing story. You certainly appear to have mastered the mental side of recovery as well as the ohysical. I found taking each day at a time and marking the improvements made to be a great help, not just for myself, but for my wife as well. She had to be assured that I wasn't going to keel over and we'd be back at square one.
Now 5 years post heart atrack, 4 years post bypass, there are days when the only time I think about what I have been through is when I have my array of medication with my breakfast.... then it's on with the day. I must admit that sometimes I do a little too much, but I'd rather it be that way than looking for potential problems. I certain try not to borrow problems from the future.
Hello, thank you for such an inspirational and positive post and I very much hope your recovery continues to go well. I also had a STEMI which was completely out of the blue and happened at work. I have had some post MI complications which are ongoing (waiting to be seen at Leicester) and have an issue with my arteries which causes blood clots (5 large clots were removed at the time of the STEMI) I lost my job, which I loved, due to employer being unsupportive regarding me returning to work (blatant discrimination) I have struggled with the psychological side of things, and it has been difficult. I am now at the point where I am starting to accept the 'new' way of life and it has helped so much to read your wonderful post. Good luck for your continued recovery x
Yea the mental health side is the worst , after my heart attack and op I was even scared to be home alone and go bed at night time in case it happened again during sleep. I go for long walks especially when the weather is nice sometimes I walk for 3 hours and I take that time to reflect a lot…. Everyone on this site we were given a second chance in life… let’s make most of it 🎊🤗💐
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