Fatigue and aches following triple by-pass.

Hi,

I'm new to this site having had a heart attack in February 23 and a by-pass in April 23 I'm 66 years old and was fairly fit prior to the attack. I followed the "manual" for recovery and am on 11 meds. I attend wellbeing sessions for, Mindfulness, The gym once a week, a cycle (5 miles) and go on 1 walk of 5 miles and a couple of shorter ones. I built up to these activities in July.

The problem I am facing is fatigue and a general feeling of aches and pains. For at least the first hour each morning I can't get going so if I'm going to do something that day I have to get up extra early to come round.

My blood pressure is often through the roof and can be 180's so I've been prescribed Amlodipine but that seemed to make me feel sick and have a headache so I got no exercise for a week. When I started exercising again I felt like I was starting from the very beginning.

From reading accounts on the forum there are many types of reactions and affects. Does anyone else feel like this?

Thanks

Meds Amlodipine ( replaced by Indapamide), Aspirin, Atorvastatin, Bisoprolol, Metformin, Omeprazole, Ramipril, Sitagliptin and Ticagrelor

[PaddyRedVan]

Amlodipine and bisoprolol really fatigued me after my 3 stents. I was super fit, marathons etc and was really not able to do anything. That improved really well when the doctor took me off them. I also had an ongoing issue with avortastatin, rosuvastatin and finally simvastatin. I was ok for about 4 weeks aftercstarting but then would have 1 or 2 weeks of feeling exhausted, particularly after i did some exercise. I have been off the statins for a few months now and to be jonest i still have periods of fatigue interspersed with periods of fitness. I did my parkrun on saturday in 22:27 so was pleased with that. Its hard for me to understand whats going in but i felt a million times better after i came off the amlodipine and bisoprolol!

[Hidden in reply to PaddyRedVan]

Thanks for your reply, I'm thinking some of these are probably making me feel tired. The cardiac nurse I have been assigned said she wants to get me on the maximum of everything! I'll try speaking to my Dr and see if I can substitute some of them. Good luck with your recovery.

[Grassmower in reply to PaddyRedVan]

I am very fatiqued after a stent was inserted in late July. Before that I worked as a gardener and cycled to jobs. Now I am exhausted most of the time and had a period a few weeks ago of feeling faint at the least exertion. I also developed hot tingly feet which is a symptom of peripheral nueropathy. I stopped the statin after talking to the cardiac nurse after three weeks of taking it, the feet improved as did the faint feelings and the fatique was slowly lifting. Tried another statin last week and my feet became hot again so I stopped after a couple of days. Feet still hot, still easily exhausted. Nurse great, GP not so good.

The cardiac nurse is recomending a referal to the lipid clinic to look into alternatives to statins.

I am on other drugs, the ones to stop clotting, aspirin and ticagrelor, and two for blood pressure, felodipine and ramipril. The fatique is not the rampipril as I have been on it for five years and probably not the felodipine as I started it a month or two before the stent was inserted.

I will keep nagging the GP and see if they can identify what is causing the fatique if it doesn't lift soon.

[PaddyRedVan in reply to Grassmower]

They gave me an alternative to statin called ezitimibe. I have no problems with it. I know exactky how you feel with total fatigue, and it also brings your mood down. Take care.

[Hidden in reply to PaddyRedVan]

Thank you for that I will make a note of that substitute and ask my Dr and yes my mood has changed over the last weeks. Hope you keep on improving.

[Hidden in reply to Grassmower]

A friend of mine has been through most of the statins after feeling side effects and is now on Rosuvastatin which he says has no adverse side effects. It seems the only way is to keep in touch with the GP and alter med's slowly. I hope your fatigue goes away it's one of the most difficult side effects to deal with because it demotivates you and when you do make an effort it makes things that much harder.

[Noodlesalad]

I'm on ramapril, Atorvastatin, Clopidrogel, amitriptyline, paracetamol and fed up with old age. If I have to go anywhere of a morning other than shopping I too have to be up 2 hours before appointment time because it takes me ages to get going. No help to you sorry and if I could do a tiny bit of your amazing fitness regimes I think I too would be tired. Your doing amazingly well, well done.

[Hidden]

Thanks, it's all relatively knew to me and I'm probably being impatient. I'll try to get the Dr to reduce some of the meds if possible. Getting old is better than the alternative 😉

[Wooodsie]

Hi Bhrt, I'm no expert, but it sounds to me like a cocktail of drugs. I had a bypass a couple of years back and since then only take aspirin, bisoprolol and rosuvastatin (probably miss spelt). Although I do get tired, nothing like you. May be worth having a review of those drugs with the cardiac team. Steve

[Hidden]

Hi Steve, I think that has to be the way forward. I had really high blood pressure and some of the meds are to counter that but yes I need to see the Dr.

You sound to be doing well, keep up the good work,

John

[Grassmower in reply to Hidden]

My cardiac nurses are brill at looking at the drugs to see if they are causing side effects. They mail the GP and consultant and try to look for alternatives and ways to assess if the problem is one of the drugs.

I have been very fatiqued after a stent was inserted in late July. I will keep nagging the GP to look into why and see what they come up with.

[Grassmower]

I tried Amlodipine once. I took it in the morning and after 40 minutes I was so tired I went to bed and got up 8 hours later. The GP swapped it for ramipril which was fine.

[RailRover]

I'm over 3 years on from HA and 2+ years after triple bypass. I'm still here and pretty active. I complained about symptoms to the surgeon days after the bypass, and he laughed, saying it'll be at least 2 years before you know what you'll finish up with. Those 2 years later, and I still don't really know. Some sporadic chest pain, troublesome palpitations etc, but I'm a lot better than I was. Playing badminton, going to gym, walking miles etc. I came off bisoprolol because they were also making me tired and dizzy with a "not here" feeling. My blood pressure wasn't as high as yours though, at least not routinely. They often prescribe bisoprolol to bring pulse rate down and rest the heart. Problem for me was that my pulse rate is normally about 52, so it was taking me down to 40 and under and giving me these issues. Unless your heart rate is very high, perhaps discuss the rationale for the bisoprolol with your handlers?

[Hidden in reply to RailRover]

The heart rate was one of their concerns as it wouldn't go below 70 but it's always been high. 2 years sort of puts it into perspective but I will slowly try and chip away at the meds and find alternatives if I can,

Glad you are doing well you seem pretty active. My blood pressure is coming down with the mindfulness.

[Dossy]

Hi I'm no expert apart from having a heart attack 3 years ago but reading about all the exercising you've been doing am wondering if its too much too soon!I don't do anything like that amount but I do get tired quicker than I once did.

Your blood pressure goes extremely high especially when taking meds to lower it.

Perhaps you should see your GP to discuss that and how you're feeling generally

[Hidden in reply to Dossy]

Yes my friend who I go walking with suggested that. A lot of the replies report similar feelings and varying reactions to meds, I'm arranging a review so all the information I have got off this site will help.

[Pnut]

Hi amlodipine I had a reaction too went back to Gp or consultant and tried others tabs for blood pressure the plan now is to up the dose of bisoprolol in increments to get my blood pressure under control. each are fearfully and wonderfully made and each react differently to the meds best to talk to specialist nurse/GP there is no quick way of doing things, slowly build up your stamina and take rests,

[Hidden in reply to Pnut]

I've now stopped taking the Amlodipine and will slowly look at the others. I'm arranging a review soon too. Good luck with your recovery.

[Dannysnan]

Thank you for raising this. I had a stent fitted 2 weeks ago and am permanently tired and lacking energy. I know it's early day, but even to go for the prescribed 5 minute walk is exhausting. I was fit before the HA in August and took no meds at all. Now I'm wondering about those I'm taking (all mentioned above) and will be sure to get them reviewed regularly having read these comments.Can I ask how people were assigned to cardiac follow up/cardiac nurses? My GP is virtually impossible to see for any reason!

[Hidden in reply to Dannysnan]

Hi, I'd post your question as a separate question in case people don't see it in amongst mine. It's good that you find out now , it may prevent you getting some of mine and others above's concerns. I was contacted by the Cardiac team when I was discharged which was 8 days after getting out.

I would contact them first as your GP will probably follow their advice initially. Sounds a bit fussy but I would keep a file or folder with all the relevant info in it to refer to because there will be a lot I would imagine.

Good luck with your recovery.

[Dannysnan in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. This is very helpful. I'll do as you suggest. Very good luck with your own recovery.

[Grassmower in reply to Dannysnan]

I was like that too after a stent and still am. My cardiac nurse thinks it is one of the drugs or something else. Things vary from area to area but if you have a phone number I would phone the cardiac nurses and ask to speak to them.

[Dannysnan in reply to Grassmower]

Thank you. I'll start with the cardiac rehab team and take it from there.

[Beith]

Hello Bhrt - I had a TIA back in 2014 and was put on atorvastation, clopidogrel and losartan. I've been on them now for nine years. I had a triple bypass four years ago when I was 68 and after a few months, came off all meds except the three original ones. The cardiologist said that the GP might consider bispoprolol but I resisted taking anything in addition to the three. I'm doing very well - good blood pressure (around 125/78), regular pilates and walking/cycling. As others have suggested, talk to the GP and cardio team about reducing the pills - are they all REALLY necessary? Best wishes, David

[Dannysnan in reply to Beith]

That's very encouraging. Thank you.

[Hidden]

Thanks David, what seems to be the policy is to get you on the maximum dose of meds like Ramipril and Statins which seems to be at odds with what your GP's are saying. Preferably I'd like to be on a lot less because there will be side effects. I will talk to the GP about reducing them.

[Zzr93]

Hi Hidden.

I had a Triple bypass 3years and 3 months ago. Recovery seems to be a bit of a rollercoaster for many people. My earliest biggest issue for me was my donor leg. I had so much pain from it I could barely walk. Things are now much better with lots of twinges. Surgeon said this was just nerve damage and would reduce after time. At this moment in time my energy levels have hit rock bottom for some reason, firstly I sleep amazingly well!!! My medication in the morning was:Aspirin 75mg, Ezetimibe 10mg, Bisoprolol 1.25mg. I have now stopped taking the Bisoprolol (5weeks ago)( on doctor’s advice) and I’ve felt better for it, a bit more with it.

In the evening I take Rosuvastatin 5 mg and Ramipril 7.25 mg and that’s it. Feeling knackered seems to be on and off all the time, interesting someone mentioning the weather. I was in Florida this year and it was cooking (102) and I felt pretty good, no aches and pains and energy levels were reasonable.

Everything seems to be a constant trial and error with meds and what we can and can’t do. What I have found really helpful for me is keeping a diary of what changes if feel because it can play tricks with your mind!!!! Just for reference I’m 61 now.

All the best, I’m sure things will get better for you.