Hi , under the NHS prevention initiative for Lung Cancer I was invited for a CT scan which showed no sign of lung disease, but severe calcification of my arteries. Saw GP who prescribed meds and referred to cardiologist that appointment is Nov 23.
GP advised me to have gentle excercise and mentioned possible bypass etc.
Off I went and now due to length of time before cardiologist appt feel completely lost , worried and questioning what I can actually do excercise wise.
I don't smoke any more and I am tee total and have started a healthy diet .
Feel I am just waiting have heart attack! Anybody have words of comfort / advice.
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Wilkie105
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Dear Wilkie105
A warm welcome to you, I hope that the forum can help you deal with your worries over your recent diagnosis .
Its a shock that most of us know how you feel, especially when it was picked up via a totally different test.
We are here to help the best we can, the main duty we have is to convince you that you are not alone and help and support is available to you at every stage of your journey.
Its a case { at the moment } of wait and see as you will soon have a barrage of test that will help see the extent of your problems and only then can a plan of recovery start.
Please ask any questions you feel that we can be of help with.
Many of us are traveling the same path { we are just a little ahead of you }
Thank you for taking the time to respond, it's great knowing there is support out there
Hello
Thinking something was wrong with your lungs then finding out it was your heart and having to wait so long now for an appointment must all feel so overwhelming
I had 3 heart attacks in the space of 6 months and my the time I got my triple heart Bypass from the first heart attack I had it was 10 months altogether
But in that 10 months they had me on all the right medications to prevent anything happening before I got my operation so if they have you on the right medications you should be fine
Also if they thought it was an emergency you would not even be put on a waiting list you would be straight in having it done which I hope this reassures you a little bit
It is good to keep moving and gentle exercise but as I am no good at advice on that one I will let other members suggest what might be best
I know this is the last place you would have wanted to join but you will get plenty of support and understanding
Hello, welcome to our forum. I am sure it must overwhelming for you, but as others have said you have been given the meds to help your heart. For gentle exercise i suggest walking but not too far and take it steady, appreciating we are not doctors. Perhaps speak to the BHF foundation nurses if you are not sure they may also be able to help and advise. The other thing is if you feel unwell please don’t hesitate to call 111 or 999 if you feel poorly. I had a 4x bypass 18 months ago and in many ways the psychological impact has been worse than the physical recovery, which has been straightforward. I am very grateful to be able to exercise and swim and feel much better. Be kind to yourself and please do talk to us we are a great bunch of hearties. Take care, Judi
I think I'd go for a private consultation with a cardiologist (cost about £200-£300 I guess). You can't spend all the months up to November wondering what you can and can't do. If you take that option, try and get the results of your CT scan from your GP or the hospital where you had the scan and take them with you.
Maybe to ease your mind you could put a note into the GP to say you are confused / concerned over what exercise / how much you can do due to concerns over the new condition? If you say they can respond via SMS in order to avoid an appointment I would hope you get an answer.
I'm not medically trained but i suggest it might be more that they just want you to do what you like doing, and to do as much as you can and regularly but never to a high level or intense imput.
I suggest they are really saying we shouldn't be sitting still for long periods of time, to keep as active as possible but not to over do it.
For Gentle Exercise i think it's likely they mean
Walking
Swimming
Yoga/ Ti-chi / Pilates
Bowling
All to to the extent where you raise heat beat a little but don't get too breathless.
Examples of moderate aerobic activitiesModerate aerobic activities can include:
a brisk walk
cycling gently or on level ground
gentle swimming
water aerobics
volleyball
doubles tennis
It can also include simpler things like:
pushing a lawnmower
painting and decorating
heavy gardening
Examples of vigorous activity
Moderate and vigorous intensity is subjective, what is moderate to one person may be vigorous to another. It all depends on how fit you are. Generally, the types of activity that require vigorous effort for most people include:
I’m so sorry that you got this diagnosis and then have a long wait to learn more. One positive point is that you are aware now and can do some beneficial things like what you mentioned, I.e. eating healthy and doing gentle exercise and taking any prescribed medications. I know that it is scary beyond belief, but you can have support and ask questions on this forum.
I still am taking baby steps in terms of getting more exercise. After my HA, I was weak and scared all of the time. I began indoor walking for about 3 minutes at a time. Eventually, I worked my way up to a full 5 minutes for every walk. I kept an eye on my breathing and heart rate during walking. Now, I can walk for 15-20 minutes per walk. I know that that isn’t great, but it is much better for me. I also have arthritis in both knees and some extra weight so the exercise does make me feel better (when I stop—lol ).
You might want to check with your doctor about what exercise to do and how much. Start slow and gentle with the exercise while keeping an eye on heart rate. You aren’t in competition with what anyone else is doing—just your own goals. If you can only walk one minute, then do one minute. When you feel strong enough to walk two minutes, then do two. There is much to be gained by just moving more.
Plus, it may sound silly, but your early screening/prevention testing for lung cancer may have been a huge blessing! You can now take some steps that may prevent you from having a heart attack. That is a win!
May I also suggest that while you are waiting for additional testing/appointments that you begin to incorporate mindfulness/relaxation techniques into your daily schedule. Those activities might help with anxiety and stress. It is normal to feel worry, fear or even anger with what you are going through right now. Be gentle on yourself.
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Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
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