hello I had a mild heart attack aged 64 never smoked , eat healthy walk everywhere . I’m struggling mentally , have lots of support though but not really spoken to anyone in same situation . My cardiac rehab is good but none of the people have same thing ?
heart attack aged 64: hello I had a... - British Heart Fou...
heart attack aged 64
76 Replies
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Welcome to the club that none of us want to be in !I am 2 years older than you when I had my HA on February 27th .
I actually thought I was reasonably fit until then .
In fact the HA early afternoon and in the morning I had been out for a run .
I have had 3 stents fitted and yes, initially, it was difficult to get my head around what had happened and regain my confidence.
I hated taking all the medication, but now accept it .
It took a while before my first thought in the morning was Oh, I've had a heart attack!
Of course I still have the down days but overall I'm more positive now.
I struggled to get any structured rehab but eventually got myself into a good routine with advice from the team where I was treated .
I'm Walking a lot and running again .
I'm now getting a minimum of 10,000 steps a day in, be that running or walking , and following the rehab teams strength and cardio program.
I ten to alternate between these.
I am also nearly 1.5 stone lighter and am now very strict with my diet !
I found the hardest part was acceptence of what had happened and taking responsibility for the best recovery I can have ... But that certainly took time !
Try not to look back , but accept where you are now , and look forward to getting the best from your rehab .
Best wishes, Ian
in reply to Instructor57
thankyou so much …. Yes my first thought of the day …. Oh I’ve had a heart attack ! So shocking
Instructor57 in reply to
It will change honest !This is as much a mental as physical challenge at first .
My emotions were all over the place for the first few weeks or more !
Hello 
I am sorry to read you had a mild heart attack it comes as a shock to most especially when we feel we have done everything to prevent this happening but despite that it still happens
It sounds like the physical side of your recovery is going well and on here you will find that many have struggled with the Mental side of things so you are not alone it has been said the brain can take longer to process what has happened than the body
I had 3 heart attacks a triple Bypass and I am still struggling really bad with the mental side of it all and how it has affected me
You can speak with your Doctor and maybe some Counselling may help depending how you feel you could try a short course of medication for anxiety and of course you can come on here and talk with us anytime you want there are some lovely members that have given me so much support and I am sure they will do the same for you to x
The are times young lady when you should be more self centered, I know for a fact that you are having some "issues" right this minute.But you just can't help yourself, reaching out to support yet another of us,no adjenda, never any criticism just be kind being kind.
You really should have your feet up and a cup of tea, but if you see pain you become a analgesic.😉
What would we do without you.
in reply to Rogo23
well yes it’s hard to concentrate on yourself when looking after everyone else …. Thanks so much … take care 😊
in reply to Rogo23
Tell you something else I feel guilty about . I have three daughters 43 , 41 and 37 …. They are all now at risk , having to have health checks etc . My brother is now on a statin which is good . I have a friend who is a a gp ….. she’s shocked about me so getting checked too !!!
MummaSoap in reply to
I haven’t had a heart attack but I have dilated cardiomyopathy which was triggered by my pregnancy (and my dad has the same heart condition).
Both my sister and my 2 daughters will be advised not to birth naturally (should they decide to become mothers) and some days the guilt is crippling. Obviously I want them to be safe and that would be my priority but I also feel that, because of me, they will all be denied an experience into motherhood that should be their choice.
My son will be 5 in September and will have his first test to check his heart health - again I’m vary awake that this will be something they experience every 5 years because of me. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly grateful that the testing will be available to them, I just wish it wasn’t necessary and I hate knowing I’m the cause for the need.
I empathise with how you feel and I would like to say it gets easier but I haven’t got there yet. I’m hopeful that it will though and I hope the same for you too.
If you find yourself struggling then keep talking and posting on here; there’s a wealth of knowledge and supportive members willing to help and guide you, you’re not alone.
Best wishes
Soap 🧼 💛
Just out of interest, who gave you this advice?
"Both my sister and my 2 daughters will be advised not to birth naturally (should they decide to become mothers)"
I suggest you consult a Cardiologist with a specialised interest in caring for pregnant women, who can provide pre pregnancy counselling.
For futher information see The British Cardiovascular Society's, UK Maternity Cardiology Society
britishcardiovascularsociet...
The Royal Brompton Hospital in London provides a Pregnancy and Heart Disease Centre.
rbht.nhs.uk/our-services/he...
Hi, it was my cardiologist that looked after me during my pregnancy with my youngest daughter and she specialises in heart conditions through pregnancy who gave me the advice for my girls and it was my dad’s cardiologist who gave my sister the same advice.
The obstetric consultant that I saw in my area alongside her said she was one of the top in the Southwest for looking after pregnant women with cardiac conditions so I had no reason to doubt her advice but I’m always open to learning more 😁 these links look really interesting, thank you - I’ll be sure to take a look!
Best wishes
Soap 🧼
It is so important to be able to receive good pre pregnancy counselling in these situations.
The UK Maternity Cardiology Society has only recently been formed and is wonderful resource.
Oh definitely, I couldn’t agree more!
I wish this had been available to me when I had a my shock third pregnancy and found out at 20 weeks!! 😱
She was worth the whole scary experience and I’m so grateful that she is happy and healthy now but I certainly don’t wish to be in that position again, it was quite unnerving.
Do you know if they would still be able to access that service if they don’t actually have the condition beforehand but an immediate family member with one?
I would expect if there is a family history of hereditary Cardiomyopathy that a person's GP should be able to refer to them to Royal Brompton Hospital, for pre pregnancy counselling.
I read the links and the high risk clinic sounds exactly like what I attended in Bristol during my 3rd pregnancy. I attended every fortnight and had an ECG every time along with bloods including genetics testing, echos and scans for baby - it was an absolutely incredible service and probably what saved my life when the load the pregnancy was putting on my heart started to become difficult for me to manage.
I still remember when I started having contractions on the Saturday before I had my daughter and I was panicking and kept telling nurses, “I’m not allowed to deliver naturally, I won’t survive” 🤦🏻♀️ I bet they thought I was so dramatic!
Although if she hadn’t been delivered on the Tuesday, I think my body was going to make the choice for me anyway!
Funny how life works out sometimes; thank you again for the information, I’ve sent it on to my sister for future reference 😁
It's good to hear that you received such good care during your pregnancy. Funny thing is that midwives do see mothers and babies that survive and thrive despite the odds 😊
There is a Research Midwife who runs an online support group for mothers who have experienced peripartum cardiomyopathy.
Snap my heart issues first manifested with pregnancy and familiar hereditary gene and dilated cardiomyopathy too. But managed to look after heart till I was in my 50s. But 2 ops and some implanted hardware later I’m still going ok at 70. I welcome every morning with a yawn a cup of tea and then a smile 😂x
Hello
I started to read your reply and thought I was getting told of at first I thought what have I done now
But then I saw how much you care as I read on and I thank you for such kind words as I reply I am sat having a cup of tea to
Thank you so much for such a lovely reply and I hope you are having a lovely weekend x
iwas 54 May 22 when I had my first HT with in 2 weeks I’d had a quadruple heart bypass and 2 weeks after that another HT. My world totally fell apart I have never smoked, don’t drink, vegetarian and very fit I’m also medical how could I have missed it it all? The doctors and the surgeon all told me it was an absolute miracle I had made it if it weren’t for me being so well and fit I would have died pretty instantly. Massive Massive shock .
I was very upset for the first 6 months and cried a lot, I just kept thinking I should be dead, I saw and dreamed about being dead. It was a really bad time especially when your trying to recover from open heart surgery. I was exactly a year ago last week and the tears returned.
I don’t think it will ever go away but then May be it shouldn’t we need that reminder of just how lucky we are and we should never forget.
So if you want to get upset or cry go ahead, there is no shame just the same as asking for help is the way forward.
Good luck
Ar I’m so sorry . It’s a difficult time . Thanks for replying , it helped . You take great care
It’s a life changing event - and takes time to bounce back from.
My HA was almost 4 years ago, but I am now fitter than I’ve ever been, I learnt that I need to not eat processed food or carbs, and do need to eat more eggs and meat. You probably thought you were eating healthy but probably were not. Your GP will not know anything about nutrition by the way. My consultant cardiologist was happy for me to be on a keto diet for example (I’m not on that now though as it’s hard to maintain).
I would suggest you get a proper lipid panel done, not just the basic stuff the NHS does.
You need an LDL-p test, an LP(a) test and an LP-PLA2 test - you will probably have to get these done privately and try to find a consultant that knows what they are - your GP will not.
in reply to Ader42
thankyou for replying . Very useful 😊
It is interesting that you mention LP(a). I think it might be the first time I've seen it referred to on this forum. I had an LP(a) test as part of a full lipid profile ordered by Pathology at my local hospital as part of post HA investigations. The issue for me was found to be my homocysteine level which was high. This increased the risk of me having blood clots, relevant to me having a HA.. Thankfully it was easily sorted with folic acid which I now take in the form of a Vitamin B Complex tablet. My LP(a) was fine - I gather treatment is rather more complex.
As you say, GPs don't know about these things. Although the Clinical Pathologist wrote a comprehensive letter to my GP, but from later conversations it became clear that most of what she wrote had gone completely over the head of my GP.
I’ve avoided this forum for a few years as I found that I just kept getting shouted down by people stuck in the past advice-wise: people that still talked in terms of 1970s high cholesterol and low cholesterol let alone 1990s good cholesterol versus bad cholesterol.
I kind of stumbled back by accident and felt that whilst here I could offer a tiny bit of help/hope before I get shouted down again.
It’s good to know some now get LP(a) tests on the NHS as I was refused LP(a) test on the NHS even after my widowmaker heart-attack and 3 stents, and LDL-p wasn’t even known about by my first cardiologist or gp back then either.
Around 25-30% of the population have genetic LP(a) - and conventional meds and lifestyle changes have no effect on it, so diet etc. won’t help - new PCSK9 drugs are currently the big hope in this field. If one has high LP(a) then one needs to get the relevant markers down and ideally consume good dietary LDL cholesterol like eggs. This way the balance of the cholesterol in ones blood is less small LDL/LP(a) particles and more larger fluffy LDL that is good for you .
Sorry to hear you were refused a LP(a) test. I'm sure thatit was only done because they were curious about the cause of my HA, which is in itself unusual. The Clinical Pathologist was excellent and thorough... an extremely pleasant and helpful lady who actually spoke to me, not at me. She got me back onto a statin (Rosuvastatin) after I'd had issues with three of them, something my GP could have done, but he just gave up on it.
As for, PCSK9, well that was one thing that came up in discussions with the Clinical Pathologist. Thankfully it is not an issue in my case. When there is a whiff of another drug getting added to my list I get edgy as I've quite a blacklist. Having said that. I recently got Nifedipine added (of my own volition) which has largely solved my Raynaud's and bumped my BP down a bit, so it's not all bad. I'm on a modest 5 medication + 2 vitamin "diet". 😀
Can I jump in here. How bad was your Raynauds? Did the Nifedipine completely cure it? And how much did it lower your bp?. My husband has seriously bad Raynaud's but his BP is on the low side.
My Raynauds is hereditary... I used to hate snowballing as a child. It has slowly been getting worse over the years and it worsened considerably when I had my HA in 2017. Not sure whether it was the HA or the meds. Anyway, last autumn / winter I was doing a fairly large garden project and my toes were dreadfully painful. I couldn't get them warm, even in bed at night. Also, some of my fingers have going dead and white when I've taken a bottle of milk out of the fridge. Touching anything cold set them off.
I started a trial of Nifedipine in March. 5mg, three times a day. It lowered my BP 10 points (both Dia and Sys) straightaway. It's now sitting about 5 points down. My toes have not yet fully recovered and I suspect they never will. However, I've never had a dead or white finger since I started taking the medication. That in itself is a success story. And I don't have cold hands any more.
I made a request to my GP which was passed to the Pharmacist that works for the practice. She agreed a trial if I monitored my BP. After a couple of months it is now on repeat. All I can say is it certainly works for me. 😀 I hope it will for your husband.
Thank you, my husband has severe Raynaud's too, I'm so glad this worked for you. Could I ask what you're BP is now? My husbands is usually in the 90's over 60's, his medical team are ok with that but they'd like it higher so that they could increase his Entresto. But it's something to bear in mind if his BP does improve.
Hi Lezzers,
Your husband's situation sounds difficult. I assume his 90s/60s is without blood pressure medication (though he probably is on a beta blocker). If so, there is nothing to reduce to balance the blood pressure reduction that Nifedipine might produce. I'm on 25mg Losartan, so dropping that off or reducing the dose would have been the way of achieving the required balance. Prior to taking Nifedipine, I generally had an average blood pressure of around 128/78 This dropped off to around 115/65 when I .started on Nifedipine, indeed after just taking one tablet there was a response. My latest average over a day was 124/68 which the Pharmacist at the GP practice referred to as near perfect... for me of course as an active 71 year old.
I can see why the medical team want to increase your husband's Entresto dose, but it looks like it nay be a Catch 22 situation. He needs more go from his heart to raise his blood pressure, but needs the Entresto to give him that go. I guess it requires a softly softly approach. I can see adding Nifedipine into the mix could be difficult until he has a bit of blood pressure in hand. Until then it would be a case of managing his Raynauds physically. I always found it was not sufficient to overcome the effects of Raynauds without adding heat from an external source. So putting on a pair of thick socks did absolutely nothing. My cold feet did not generate sufficient heat to overcome the effects of the Raynauds. I was considering an electric foot warmer until I started on Nifedipine.
It might be worth discussing the issue of Raynauds with your husband's medical team the next time an opportunity arises so they can give it due consideration . I really do sympathise with your husband's situation. Raynauds is not pleasant, but because it is not life threatening or seriously debilitating, then it is often dismissed. Only recently has it been added to my medical record, that being entirely down to the Pharmacist.
Kindest regards,
Gerald
His meds are a bit up & down and all over the place at the moment while they try and get his symptoms under control, the Entresto lowers your BP as does some of his other meds. He's only on the lowest dose of bisoprolol, they did try to increase it but that didn't work out
Yes, the Raynaud's is very painful, it's mainly his hands but he does get it in his feet as well. I've yet to find anything that keeps his hands or feet warm. His nurse is aware but you're right because theres so much more going on health wise Raynauds is a bit of a poor relation.
Thank you for your advice
Well let's hope Nifedipine can be rolled into the mix. It is marvellous as far as I am concerned andn it shoehorned into my existing meds without any issues. Incidsntally, I'm only on 1.25mg Bisopolol. Higher doses lower my heart rate too much and at 3.75mg I got feelings of impending doom... absolutely horrible!
I hope things can be sorted soon,
Gerald
Thank you. They did increase my husband's bisoprolol to 2.5 but like you it lowered his HR too much. He has an ICD which paces him at 50, within 3 months of taking the higher dosage his ICD increased his pacing from 4% to 47% and as it was the ventricles it was pacing & that can damage your heart it was reduced again.
I will ask his nurse about taking Nifedipine but it'll definitely be a no no at the moment
I have Raynauds Phenomenon. It's caused by vasospasms in your extremities and is linked to my migraines and coronary vasospasms.
A side effect of Beta blockers is to cause Raynaud's Phenomenon in some people.
I can't take Beta blockers as they make my vasospastic angina worse.
Nifedipine is a calcium channel blocker, it reduces the vasospasms by relaxing your blood vessels. The main side effect is lowering your blood pressure.
My Raynauds is better than it was, as I am on very high doses of another calcium channel blocker, Diltiazem. I have to wear lots of layers and silver threaded gloves in the winter as the cold is a major trigger for my vasospasms.
I am actually enjoying the warm weather, my blood vessels are nicely dilated.
I fairly certain that my Raynauds got worse when I started taking a beta blocker. I probably could stop taking it as there is very little damage to my heart, just some minor scarring on an internal wall.
Nifedipine seems to be the preferred calcium channel blocker for the treatment of Raynauds as it works well on dilating the very small blood vessels in the extremities. I'm not sure how Diltiazem performs in relation to it. I was on 60mg Diltiazem for 6 weeks after my bypass to reduce the risk of the newly placed blood vessels from going into spasm. I got on okay with it, which is more than can be said for many medicines.
Beta blockers are usually recommended to be used with caution people living with Raynauds Phenomenon.I suggest you discuss with your GP about an alternative medication and not just stop taking your beta blockers.
My GP has given up with me as, in his words, I'm "a nightmare to medicate". Thankfully the Pharmacist is more clued up and she thinks that as I'm only on 1.25mg of Bisoprolol, I should be okay and the Nifedipine should overcome any effects the Bisoprolol may cause. That does seem to be the case as since I've been taking Nifedipine I've not had any sign of Raynauds in my fingers, I now have a warm nose and my toes are recovering from the sorry state that started last autumn / winter. I will review the situation next autumn / winter.
My understanding is that Rosuvastatin is one of the better statins, as it is more potent for reducing inflammation even at lower doses and inflammation is likely the biggest problem in our situation and the source of our condition (my inflammation was caused my smoking).
As an aside, I also take 1 to 2g a day of Niacin (Nicotinic Acid - Vitamin B3), the flush type as this is known to be safe and improve lipid balance. It’s what they used to prescribe before statins were invented. Make sure you get the flush type if you want to try it as the flush-free type doesn’t have the same benefits.
Yes, Rosuvaststin is a more modern statin than the Atorvastatin, Pravastatin and Simvastatin I was prescribed previously. Initially I had a bit of a heatache with it, but that went in a week or two. I only take 10mg daily as it is pretty effective. Its inflammation reducing properties has never been mentioned.. it was more a case of getting me back onto a statin to help stabilise any plaque and reduce the risk of blood clots which goes alongside the reduction in my homocysteine.
Many thanks for the tip on Niacin. I remember that many years ago it used to be plugged as being beneficial... in a cereal advert if I recall correctly. My daily Vitamin B Complete includes 16mg NE which apparently is a full RDA. As to whether this is of flush type or flush-free type, well who knows. Your 1g to 2g seems huge by comparison.
I hope you feel better soon. And I’m sure you will receive some good help here from all these good folk.👍
in reply to Jetcat
thankyou for replying 😊
I can relate to that. I experienced the same at 59 just over a year ago. It was completely out of the blue and I went through very similar emotions, including denial. It took a little while to come to terms with however I did and I'm sure you will too. Stick with the rehab and the medication and your mojo will return. My reasoning has been that I was fortunate (might seem a little perverse!) to experience a mild HA before a more serious event - I'm now on the right meds to help prevent that happening. All the best.
in reply to Coxtribe
thankyou so much 😊
Hello Treyarnon I’m sorry to hear about your heart event. I had a NSTEMI (no stent needed as it was a small branch of an artery that was blocked) but given the normal list of heart drugs and like you I was shocked and sad as I thought I’d always done the right things too. I was 56 and I think no matter what age we are, we always think we are too young but the cardiologist told me - we’re not and it can happen at any age. Unfortunately my HA was put down to genetics as all my numbers were in the normal range at the hospital but my GP did suggest switching to a veggie/plant based diet but allow myself a treat day - a reward at the end of the week. Like you, I was scared, anxious and worried. I questioned my mortality and all the visions of growing old with my hubby went out of the window. I daren’t go to sleep in case I didn’t wake up and just felt I couldn’t cope with anything negative. I became very envious of friends and family with good health especially when they appear to be in worse shape than me with bad habits. However, 8 months on I turned a corner and you will too. It’s very difficult to get you out of the dark hole you’re currently in but you will once you come to terms with the situation. I did get support from a councillor based in my GP surgery as well as my cardiac nurse and an OT from the hospital. They taught me coping mechanisms and assured me that how I felt was “normal” as it’s a big life changing event. All I can advise you on now is that time will heal your heart and your mind. Belly breathing exercises are good to learn and practice. Keep a gratitude diary and write down one thing daily that your grateful for. Attend a rehab class where you can exercise in a safe place and just take one day at a time - it’s not easy and although it’s a shock - me and you got away lightly compared to many. Let’s make the most of every day, take the meds, they are helping the blood flow, try and accept the new you, share your feelings with friends, family, the forum - you can’t beat advice given to you than from someone who has walked in your shoes and take on all the help that’s offered to you. Good luck and take care - it will work out, keep us posted ❤️🧚🏼♀️
exactly how I feel . Thankyou so much 😊
good morning. I can see you’ve had lots of useful responses and I’m echoing those. I thought I was fitter than average so having a heart attack and a stent fitted was a huge surprise. It dented my pride enormously! At first I couldn’t think about anything else and was anxious most of the time. That was 3 years ago and those negative feelings have long gone. I make an effort to exercise gently every day and I limit many foods but I’m not obsessed with every twitch and twinge any more.
in reply to Golfgirl3
thankyou so much . Take care
Good Morning Treyarnon - just to wish you a very big welcome to the forum. You'll find all sorts of answers to questions here (even those questions you never thought to ask!) it's a very helpful forum👍.
I'm female, always been slim and thought I was relatively fit until I had my HA at 62yrs old last January, this was followed five weeks later by a triple bypass. A few weeks after the bypass, and the initial recovery, I realised that I was now on the road to recovery from something I was unaware I had - and it could have been so much worse. You're also now on the 'radar' and can expect advice and help with your situation from the medical profession who can, and will, help you on your way to a new and better future. I can honestly say that I feel much better now, a year and a half after the HA, than I did for those few years before the operation. I'd been putting aches, pains and decreasing energy levels down to aging etc. Obviously, there are going to be down days when it can hit you that "EEK, I've had a heart attack" but eventually, it can fade into the background. I feel like a spring chicken these days. 😀 I have a healthier eating regime (no drastic changes, just a bit more sensible) and spend a lot less time sitting on my rump and more out walking enjoying the fresh air! You'll get there, and hopefully like me and many, many others, you'll find a completely new lease of life! Please keep in touch and let us all know how you're getting on and if you've any queries please don't hesitate to ask either - someone will always be along to help. Carol 😀
in reply to Cee-Cee1
thankyou so much Carol
Cee-Cee1 in reply to
You're very welcome, Trey! I really mean that when I mention how much better I feel - even my skins brighter (very important to us ladies!🤣). Whether it's the 'modified' diet (less cakes & sweeties - more fruit & veggies) or simply spending more time on my feet rather than the car - or even just the medication - something's definitely working! Hopefully it'll all have the same positive result for you too. Carol x👍
in reply to Cee-Cee1
I’m so pleased you’re feeling so much better 😊 ….. hard isn’t it , what do I turn to when I’m sad ….. chocolate !!!! 😂😂 thanks and take care
Cee-Cee1 in reply to
Thank you, Trey - it is hard at first, but you'll feel much better too - it just takes a while to come to terms with it all - it's a massive shock to the system, physically AND mentally! (🤣I'm more of a cream bun and biccies sort of gal if a sad mood gets me - avocado & wholemeal toast just doesn't hit the spot sometimes!)🍰😄
Hi Trey,
I have a similar story, I was 64, very fit, no family history and I had HA in the gym when warming up.
I asked the professionals where did this come from?
They asked the usual questions but after explaining my job (which I loved) involved lots of travelling and responsibility, they suggested it was stress that was causing adrenaline, albeit at a low level, to be continuously circulating in my bloodstream and damaging my arteries.
Simple solution, I retired.
I really miss working, but have accepted the inevitable. I certainly don't miss getting up at 4 am to get to the airport, and sitting on the M25 in static traffic though....
That was 10 years ago, still here, still going to the gym and playing lots of golf.
My advice for what it's worth, live healthily, stay slim and try not to stress too much. It's good to talk, and can help reduce stress, some people advocate yoga or similar.
Good luck
in reply to tunybgur
oh my goodness that’s so much to contend with 😔 . Take care thanks for replying
Sorry to hear you had HA I had massive one two years ago but I really like what Instructor57 he said it all what I was going to say. It is a shock I never had rehab I did plan for myself I had a stent yes for the first 3 months I just couldn’t get my head round it even the consultant said the same thing you walk your diet is healthy no heart complaints in the family. And biggest thing was all the tablets I had to take. But now I still walk I go to the gym and I feel great. There is life after HA like I said I57 said it all. I wish you well you will get there. Best wishes.
in reply to Ruby300
Very confusing isn’t it ? I wish you well too and thanks for replying 😊
Hello Treyarnon,
As others have said you've joined the club you never wanted to be in. I had my first mild heart attack in 2020 at 57. Everyone, family, friends, employers / colleagues whom are health care professionals were all shocked. I don't fit the archetypical HA profile. I did have high BP and cholesterol levels. I took this as a warning and second chance which gave me a determination to change some lifestyle factors. I had a very positive attitude and outlook, thought I was coping well. No rehab classes as during COVID. On the usual cocktail of drugs I had a second mild HA 5 months later. Angiograms have not identified any significant blockages. I had a spell when that had a profound effect on my mental health and anxiety due to ongoing symptoms, now somewhat controlled with meds'. It has taken me about 2 years to really get my head around it, bit like a bereavement. Possiby due to many aspects of my working life changing too, changes were foised upon me by employers / colleagues to protect me but this actually had a negative effect on my mental health. I didn't want my physical health to define me but these changes eroded my sense of self and value as a person, affecting my self esteem. This is all sounding rather negative but it isn't meant in that way. Your on a journey and yours will be different, just wanted to assure you it does take time to come to terms with living with a heart condition. Try to travel with a positive attitude and heed any advice, you'll get there. I wish you well.
hi - I had a heart attack apparently I wasn’t even aware of it and then I had OHS for aortic stenosis my heart was seriously Crocked !! I hadn’t seen a doctor in 25 years I’m 63 now and was always smugly healthy and fit . It hit me mentally and I felt almost ashamed of my smugness and was very low ….. but now that’s in the past I saw plenty of doctors to make up for my 25 year absence and I now focus on a further 35 years doctor free hopefully I it’s the future that matters
I didn’t do anything to get heart problem I don’t smoke ,drink , veggie for all my life so it’s just one of those things and I am so very grateful I’m fixed . Don’t over think it it’s just life stuff can happen look to your new healthier future and make it splendid !
in reply to Leonardo1
thankyou 😊 that’s great
Hi Treyarnon,It's a shock isn't it!?
I had my first heart attack 2 years ago, but I was a smoker!! I stopped immediately!! I dont miss it at all but I did enjoy it!! I've had 2 more heart attacks since then and a double bypass in January of this year. The emotional adjustment has been absolutely awful!! but slowly and surely I am getting there. The anxiety of having had a heart attack was really bad but now I focus on how lucky and blessed I am to be alive. I still have times when I wish this has never happened to me but to be honest it has changed my life for the better!! I dont smoke or drink and my outlook on.life is very different now. I focus on being a good kind person and not getting caught up in any drama!! My GP told me that stress is my enemy!! I've always remembered that!! I lead a quiet simple life and I'm happy to be able to do that. You will be fine I promise you!! You will grow stronger by the day, it just all takes time. Baby steps and remember to be kind to yourself!! You deserve it!! 😄❤️❤️
thankyou so much . Yes I need to learn not to stress 😊 . I’m so pleased you are on the mend
Sorry to hear you have joined the club but the members are very friendly. Judging by your history you have to blame the parents 😀.
When my brother had a quadruple bypass the surgeon asked after family history and said 75% of this down to genetics. So it came to pass I had a LAD stent a few years later . Mentally I am in good shape. You have done the right lifestyle stuff history wise . Now don’t fear it and adapt. Positive mental attitude is important. Have a great day .
Hi Trey I understand your confusion. My father died from heart related condition at the age of 39. He was an Olympic trained swimmer of healthy weight etc. Move on 23 years I was told my heart was beginning to weaken. With the technology of hereditary sites in later years I delved into my history and found at the age of 60 I was the longest survivor of his family. I now have 4 new pipes from by pass surgery and recently had my very own life saver implanted in the form of pacemaker and defibrillator. It may not be your fault you had a heart attack. But it is only you and the wonderful heart specialists and medication now days that can keep it going and you alive. But, Unfortunately It is now up to you look after it. Sorry that might sound a bit blunt but you have that choice now our ancestors didn’t.
in reply to Swalecliffe88
hi has anyone been told heart rate should be below 60 when on bisoprolol 2.5 mg ? After exercise mine goes up to 86 but they say bisoprolol needs increasing ? Do get dizzy and light headed a bit already ? Thankyou
Swalecliffe88 in reply to
Hello Hidden think replies got muddled. But my pacemaker is set to 55 and I was on 5mg Bisoprolol. But got so dizzy. It was reduced back down to 1.25 again. Can’t tolerate any more of that drug.
I was 68 when I had an out of the blue HA 2 years ago. I do have type 1 diabetes and family history of HA’s but never thought it would happen to me.
Mentally I was good until a year later. I found a wonderful therapist who helped me through it and I’m now back to my positive self.
It’s physically and mentally a bigger event than I had appreciated so don’t beat yourself up about feeling low some days. Once you recover, your life can just carry on but more healthily.
Good luck and be kind to yourself. ❤️
thankyou for replying . I wish you well and thanks for the advice 😊
Hi Treyarnon,
I'm sorry to hear that you've had a mild heart attack, despite seemingly low risk factors such as never smoking and doing lots of walking.
Unfortunately, heart disease is still a bit of a lottery, as there are so many factors, and no one really knows what causes certain people to be afflicted ... and not others. It's very likely that genetics plays a significant part; as does the sum total of all the 'abuse' we've given our bodies in terms of food, drink and exercise in all preceding years; plus external environmental factors, e.g. smokey pubs, traffic, swimming in dodgy water etc. etc., and not forgetting how our mental health has affected us.
My own experience of heart disease started 16.5 years ago when I was 47 (nearly 48). I was single parent to 3 teenage boys 14, 16 and 18, and we'd all had a bit of a crappy time in the preceding 4 years. Nevertheless I was relatively fit and well, if a little bit overweight. I'd begun to notice twinges in my chest when I was walking our dog.
Long story short, I didn't have a heart attack, but I was admitted into hospital with chest pains within 2-3 weeks. It turned out I had unstable angina, and was scheduled for an urgent quadruple bypass (CABG) within a week of first arriving in hospital. I'm not proud, but I did use BUPA to guarantee a speedier operation than the NHS might have offered. But since I was kind of frightened for my life (and I had 3 young dependents) I did what I could to ensure treatment.
I can't say it was the greatest experience of my life. It bloody hurts when you recuperate from such an op. 
But the important thing was I was alive! And I could be there for my sons. (My ex- was dealing with her own issues and could not really provide the stable and secure environment that helps kids thrive.)
Having been pretty scared by the whole thing, I did all the things I thought were important to prolong my life: lots of exercise, healthy eating, heart rehab classes, getting my BMI down to 25 (unfortunately its gone up in recent years though).
I also reassessed my life priorities. What was the point of being ambitious if the likely result was some sort of even more major cardiac event and premature death.
Luckily I was reasonably well paid ... but I stopped worrying about my house and mortgage so much (a consequence of being the sole breadwinner in a 5 person family) effectively downsized, and decided to live more for today than for tomorrow.
So, since my cardiac event, I've travelled much more (with kids, when they were still at home; my late mum, and my now parter). Places visited (a mixture of work and private) include: UK (England, Wales, Scotland), France, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Monaco, Malta, Turkey, Greece, Ghana. Qatar, UAE, Mauritius, India, Australia, Peru, USA and Canada.
Meanwhile my kids grew up, got good degrees, from good unis, got good jobs, met and married 3 wonderful daughters-in-law, and gave me 5 beautiful grand kids between 9 months and 5½. What's not to love about that!
It does take time to get your head into having had a heart attack - or similar - but it does not mean all things come to an end. With time, I think it becomes possible to live with heart disease ... even if the main consequence is having too many daily pills ... but I know what each is for and I am very compliant taking them - even after 16.5 years.
Professionally I was back at work after 3 months (phased return to work) and have worked reasonably full time since my cardiac event. The main difference it's made to me ... is that I I still want to do a good job but I don't really want to get stressed by inconsequential arguments about how we do things. I'm kind of semi-retired at 64, and try to take on work that I enjoy, rather than just to pay the bills.
The best thing since my heart op is to have been there for my kids, and knowing that they are there for me.
Good look with your recovery.
Best wishes,
Fish4info.
P.S. Mum had a heart attack when she was 71, and only passed away when she was 91. Despite the fact they were bad for her, she still loved cream cakes to the end.
thankyou for the reply . It helps . Ar your mum did very well
Hi there, I'm sorry to hear about your mild HA. I'm not sure this may be of much comfort to you but to be brutally honest I would rather have a mild HA at 64 rather than at 54, 44 or even 34! People seem to be getting HA at ever younger ages so if you have gone 64 years and only had a mild HA I think you have/are doing a LOT better than a LOT of other people. Good luck with your rehabilitation and keep looking forward.
Ar yes I realise that people are far more worse off than me . Thankyou for replying
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