5 aside to a CABG

[MattG1875]

Hi all, thought I might share my recent experience.I am a 58year old male, never smoked, always been active (lots of football) eat healthily and don't consider myself to have suffered from anxiety or stress. On 28th April I had a heart attack whilst playing 5 a side football. Wasn't sure it was a heart attack at the time as I wrongly assumed a heart attack would be pain in the left side of your chest and arm. I asked the sport center to call 999 for me, response was it could be up to 3hr for an ambulance "could you make your own way there" still not convinced it was a heart attack I waited for a friend to finish playing football and have a shower. He then dropped me off at A & E. While I waited in A&E alone I went down hill a bit, shaking and sweating profusely. Lucky my wife turned up and sorted things out, rushed into A&E who stabilised me. My wife's a nurse and daughters a trainee paramedic when they looked at my ECG they knew it was a heart attack. No beds in CCU so spent a night in AMU. That night I was so tired but couldn't sleep due to what I thought was musclular back pain. After hours of discomfort my daughters asked staff to help me and I was given morphine, which didn't touch the pain. Was eventually given GTN and I sleep like a baby. Again I didn't realise the pain in my back was due to my heart attack.

Next day into CCU where I had GTN intravenously, the care I had in CCU was amazing.

3 days later I went for an angiogram. I was asked if I would participate in a stent trial, to which I agreed. However post process I was told I would require a CABG, 3 grafts. Had my op 11 days later on a Friday afternoon and left hospital on the Tuesday. My post op recovery has gone well, I am 11wk post surgery tomorrow and looking to go back to work..... soon'ish.

I have to reiterate comment posted previously. The NHS isn't perfect but it is a wonderful thing, the Doctors, nurses and other health professionals

are truly amazing... I believe we are all so luck.

I have a few question about meds and other issues but will post separately. Thx👍

[Chappychap]

You'd be surprised how many people arrive on this forum with very similar experiences to yours. Nothing in their previous medicals or general health to suggest they were at risk of a heart attack and then...wallop!

It's worth bearing in mind that the life style issues that can cause heart disease/atherosclerosis aren't always the obvious ones. Yes, poor diet, smoking, obesity, no exercise, etc are the usual suspects; but there are others.

For example gum disease is a fairly common cause, as is broken sleep (ie shift work or sleep apnea which is often discovered because of excessive snoring); anything that causes long term inflammation, such as arthritis or background air pollution, is a risk factor; and of course there's chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels.

Then there are subtle genetic effects which make some of us extremely susceptible to certain life style or environmental issues which others can happily deal with. For example about 17% of the population carry the APO E3 gene which makes them highly sensitive to even tiny amounts of red meat or alcohol.

It's important to consider all these and more, and try to eradicate them. Because the hard fact is that bypass surgery doesn't actually cure us, it just buys us time for life style changes and medication to reduce our risk profile.

Welcome to the forum and good luck!

[Bingo88]

Hello and welcome to this friendly forum. So sorry to hear you have had such a rough time recently and hope you're on the road to recovery. As the first reply said its surprising how many fit and active people are suddenly having heart problems. Some point the finger at the corona virus jabs the majority of us I think had. But we will never know. Just hope you make a full recovery and get back to a new normal for you. Just take your time and don't rush. Brian

[Esentepe]

Matt g1875 what a shock that must have been. It sounds like you are coping really well. These issues come as a bolt out of the blue. They take time to absorb and adjust to mentally.You have had great care by the sound of your message.

Unfortunately we are not all so lucky, sometimes the nhs and the staff can be amazing. Sometimes they are far from amazing and the recipients of this poor care are not very lucky. I think it is OK to talk about your experience and perspective but not on behalf of others. I have been a nurse for almost 40 years so speak as a health professional and a patient. I accept that no organisation is perfect, but for those of us who have received very poor treatment these are not just imperfections!

I hope you continue to experience great care and wish you well with your ongoing recovery.