I out of absolutely nowhere got told I had had a Heart Attack following what I thought would be a routine blood test and a day that started 5weeks ago to meet my friend in the pub for the usual Quiz night ended with me being told I had quite severe CAD and required an urgent triple CABG. Here I am 4wks post operation and not coping well with what happened so fast and I had no warning sign. Being just 46yrs old has made this that much more difficult to come to terms.
Is there anyone on here that has been through a triple heart bypass and come out on the other side better for it? Anyway close to my age would be great.
ThankYou.
Dee
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Dee717
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I was also 46 when I had my quadruple heart bypass. There have been some ups and downs throughout my recovery but overall it saved my life and continues to do so.
I had a long wait for my surgery even though it was meant to be urgent so had a lot of time to process it beforehand and I didn't find that time useful or constructive. I spent a lot of time thinking about not having the op but very glad I did.
The mental recovery is probably as hard as the physical one. Every time there's a pain or something doesn't feel right it's easy to attribute it to the heart. Getting out of that cycle is hard.
Two years on, I'm in a good place health-wise but it's taken a bit of a kick up the backside to get myself doing more and I recently had an MRI stress test that reassured me that things were still ok.
My advice is to not rush your recovery and part of that is to do things when you want and not when you think you should, like sleeping and eating. Also, do the rehab if it's offered to you. It's good to be able to push yourself in a controlled environment.
It does get better, it's not an overnight fix but, it is a fix. It's taken me 2 years to get to a good place. Hopefully for you that will be much quicker.
ThankYou for your reply I think it’s just nice knowing I’m not the only one as it’s been quite a lonely and isolating experience. I’ve heard about people having to wait for the Op and there’s pros and cons to it I guess whereas I went from being told I needed the Op to having it in 6days so my brain didn’t get a chance to process it.
I appreciate the advice particularly to go at my pace vs when I think I should as I am sleeping a lot but I’m just exhausted a lot of the time so feel bad that I should be awake and doing things so that was great to read.
I’m glad you see the benefits post Op - hopefully I will too at some point!
Can I ask if you experienced the burning, stabbing sensations in your chest? Ive had various theories as it being nerve damage related to nerve healing and just general operation healing?
Appreciate it was 2yrs ago but hoping you may recall it?
The burning and stabbing pain for me is so severe in my chest and left hand that I can’t sleep.
I don’t remember specific pain but my wife says there was a lot of it. I was told that because of my age that I would feel it more. I don’t remember anything in my left hand though.
I was very good at keeping up with the pain meds and that really helps. Paracetamol every 4 hours regardless of any pain seemed to help. Sleep though was a problem. I couldn’t sleep and couldn’t get comfy. I’d wake up gasping for air. I hated sleep.
I bought a bed that raises up and down and that did help but my best sleep was downstairs sat on the sofa. Usually an hour or two at a time. Eventually I got back into being able to sleep but it took a long time.
I found rehab a great place to ask the nurses questions. Other than that I seem to remember you can call the hospital if you’re worried. Sorry I can’t remember specifics but it will take a long while to get back to normal so try not to overdo it in the meantime.
That’s interesting that due to age you’d feel more?
I was advised that recovery would be fast due to being young!?
I hear you on the sleep front it’s an absolute nightmare I just can’t get comfortable no matter what.
I’d have assumed they took an artery or 2 out of your arms for the bypasses? If you got no pain from it then you’re lucky as my entire left arm feels like it’s burning.
I’ve actually been back to hospital twice now and they are slightly confused as to why I seem to be in so much pain but no answers to the solution?
I start cardiac rehab in 2wks so hopefully that will help me to progress but I have to say I really do feel like I’m very tired and unwell from the surgery itself.
I just hope this thing turns a corner for the better soon mate.
They only used my leg for my arteries which would explain maybe why I didn’t have the pain that you have. The leg aches though. Even now I have areas where I have no feelings in it and it’s numb and I struggle to sleep a lot of times because of it. In the early stages, it kept swelling up and the nurses said it was because I have no vein to remove the water. I still get problems if I sit for too long and I can’t work in an office chair for long periods.
Don’t get me wrong, the leg seemed to heal really well but it does have it’s niggles, even now.
That must have come as a real big shock to you and I bet your brain is still trying to catch up with everything that has happened so quickly
I was more or less 10 years older than you when I had my triple heart Bypass and at first you do think or I did I feel worse than before they did it but this is early days and it takes time and you as already said have to go at your own pace
Remember what your body has just been through so for a while you will be feeling it but you can and will slowly get back to possibly fitter you
My Dad he had his quadruple Bypasses I think when he was about 52 and after recovery he was one of the fittest people I knew it was hard to keep up with him !
So if you look after yourself you will feel so much better eventually
Thanks so much for your reply. Yes you got it the shock of it is still being processed yet I’m already 4wks post Op.
Wow yes I’ve heard of others that have had bypass’s in their 50’s and after recovery it’s like they are new people super fit and fast. As you’ll know right now I honestly feel terrible so to think I could ended up being fitter than ever isn’t something I’ll believe until it happens!!
Sure will do right now I’m just resting and sleeping loads and go for short walks. I’m due to start cardiac rehab in 3wks so I’m looking forward to what that entails.
Your age helps, but 4 weeks post operation is nothing. Wait 6 months for the full effect and do the exercises suggested. The mental aspect is a notable feature of a heart condition judging by the numerous posts here.
Not realsing there was anything wrpng to having a full blown operation is not easy to cope with but think of the alternative....
Does that mean I’ll be 💯 pain free and able to sleep all night in 6mths or there’ll be a marked improvement in my overall health and fitness?
As you gather I wasn’t in bad health or pain or anything before finding out I need a massive operation so I guess I don’t really know what my new normal will be but I’d expect it to be way better than before where I was obliviously walking around with 3x 90% blocked arteries and still felt relatively ok??
I am saying that 4 weeks post op is a very short time. Your youth helps but you have had a mental and physical shock. With exercise and due care and the correct medications you should feel pretty normal within 6 months.
Read the leaflets in your meds as you may find they may affect such aspects as sleep.
Many people feel pretty normal before they are diagnosed so hopefully you will get back to that at the least. Others have been deteriorating for a long time but didn't realise.
See your GP if you have problems with sleep that may be related to medications. As for anxiety there are others on this board better equipped to talk on that than me, but trying to cope with what has unexpectedly happened often needs a lot of processing, but your problem was caught and hopefully you should be able to live a normal life
Hi,I was also same age as yourself when I had my heart attack, went to hospital thinking I had pulled chest muscle..didn't have obvious symptoms. Cut a long story short ended up being rushed into operating luckily for a single heart bypass.
It's coming up to 12 months now and agree with comments below that it's the metal recovery that the hardest part, but with your friends and family I'm sure you'll get through it.
Hi wow you must have been shocked too. Are you finally sleeping ok? I find I can’t naturally sleep on my back all night and end up twisting and turning as I can’t ever get comfortable yet I also hear that’s bad for the wound to heal as it’s all wired together. I just feel like I can’t win no matter what I do.
Try a v pillow, I found it was a great help together with other pillows, however every body is different, I had a double by pass on January 18th this year I can now run/jog 5 1/2 miles 3 times a week.
I am 56 years old and I would say that it gets better slowly but it really is slow.
Emotionaly and mentally I still struggle now. However keep cheerful and remind yourself it could of been a lot worse
Hi, Sorry for rhe late reply, took around 2 months before I could finally sleep properly. Its a slow process don't rush back to gym like I did ..went back 5 months in should have waited at leastc6.
Hi- I was 51 so a little bit older but I still feel that it was all a dream- well until I notice the scar!!! So a little heart attack that saw me being taken to hospital (I was in London for the day) & I came out 17 days later having had a quadruple bypass! I figure I was lucky to have a minor event to alert me to what would have ended up being a major problem- so a fizz rather than a bang!!! I had been running the day before was considered fit, strong, well etc. physical recovery is easy compared to the mental one- but that’s just extra time needed for your head to catch up. I’m 4 1/2 years post & feel good. Good luck
ps- it didn’t take 4 + years to recover! Physically I’d say 10 weeks I was starting to build on things with the help of a personal trainer. Within a year my head had caught up! Just talk about it- one of the problems I found was not knowing anyone young having had it! This forums is good for that!
Hello. Wow must have been quite the shock, were you on holiday in London, that’s so crazy to end up with a quadruple!
Our story sounds similar one day nothing to within a week you’ve had a massive life changing Op and your heads saying hold up give me a second what’s going on!?
I came onto this forum following advice from the BHF; until then I’d not heard of it. I’m the same I don’t know anyone whose had a bypass let alone someone in my age range so this forum has been excellent to know I’m not the only one even if we’re the rare bunch! Lol!
When you say you feel good would you say better than before you Op or back to where you were as this delta is not something I’m going to understand for a while yet.
I was in London at a football match!!! I think I’m better than before- although didn’t feel unwell etc at time or before- but things like I’d get migraines occasionally, had a funny fizzy feeling in chest sometimes, was trying to improve my cardio but always felt I had reached a limit. None of these at time I had linked to my heart- I had a complete all clear on an nhs health check a few months earlier. I think that’s why my head took longer as I wasn’t unwell- but feel good that a potential big problem has been avoided. That was my focus to get my head around it- but it takes time so be kind to yourself & reach out. I remember going to the excellent rehab thinking brilliant I’ll get the chance to speak to others but they were all 20+ years ahead of me & the nurse said I’d be “lucky” to meet someone face to face my age.
I am so sorry you feel the way that you do. Having such a series of life changing events takes it’s toll on your body and your mental wellbeing. You are only human. Give yourself a break!
What you feel is perfectly normal. But you will be ok. Your life may be different for a while as you recover mentally and physically, but recover you will. Just think that those amazing surgeons and nurses have given you the best gift ever, a chance to live a fulfilling life. What a gift. Just think how many people are never given that chance. You are one of the very lucky ones.
Having had a very unexpected heart attack, when like you, I didn’t even know I was ill, followed by a stent, thought I was well again then developed angina and have just gone through a double bypass, I still think I am one of the lucky ones.
A surgeon said to me, I can extend your life by doing a bit of plumbing for you, but it’s up to you to look after your new pipes and keep them clean. My response has been thankyou, I will wholeheartedly accept your wonderful gift and always treasure it.
But always remember Dee, you are not alone, there are many of us who truly understand how you feel and are here to listen and help. It’s a tough journey, but good to have some travelling companions.
I was 54 when I had a series of 6 heart attacks. This was back in 2019. I had a quintuple bypass a few days after the last heart attack. It was a shock to me as the heart attacks didn't seem like heart attacks. But my recovery went well, I followed all the guidance given, took the meds, attended cardiac rehab etc
Last year I spent the summer hiking Canadian mountain trails and kayaking across Canadian mountain lakes...
Just because you've had bypass surgery, which is not pleasant and very uncomfortable, does not mean the end of life as you know it. Changes in lifestyle, maybe, but you will be able to get on with life as you did before.
I’m not your age bracket , was 61 and had Nstemi heart attack on 13th July (thought it was trapped wind 🤦🏼) and quadruple bypass on 25th July this year. I was extremely fit! Out of the blue heart attack, frightened the life out of my friends and family, I was the last person they considered to have one. Even the doctor at hospital on the day thought he was sending me home , I was in shorts and vest from a yoga class , spent from 1pm-11pm in the corridor of A& E waiting for results of blood tests. Thank the Lord that the ambulance crew insisted on me going in to get tested !
In less than 2 months post op I was back riding my motorbike! The early days are a learning curve both physically and mentally. The mental side is probably tougher than the physical for me. I understood implicitly what was happening but I couldn’t understand what had happened. I’m making ab excellent recovery , I’m back into my dynamic yoga class , finished phase 3 rehab classes ( way to easy) working with a coach to get back running and lifting weights . I’m sure you’ll be making a full recovery 👍 new pipes /plumbing , a few tweaks on meds , keep walking /active and prioritise your own health and well being , own it👍 Wishing you all the best , Wizza
How this echos my situation. For nearly two years I was told my strange shoulder pains, chest pains , was muscular. Well I suppose I can’t blame the doctors because all my tests came back negative : cholesterol was low , blood pressure fine, I had six passive ecg’s . My weight was normal and I played tennis 3 times a week . In fact I was very fit . I t was only until the last 3 months that I felt something was wrong . I started to have tight pains in my chest and slight breathless when I exercised . However as I progressed the feeling went away. However one night I had very bad indigestion in bed and I felt I had enough and drove myself to A&E . The tests they took said I had a slight heart attack . Further tests showed I needed a triple bypass. Asap. I also had anemia so they had to investigate why before they could operate so further tests . Well four years on aged 81 I am back to playing tennis my shoulder and chest pains have gone. You will feel better but be patient .
I was nearly 60, and just had a week when I occasionally felt that I needed to stop on corners when cycling around the place. I've been a club cyclist all my life, so resting on a ride of a couple of miles to a meeting or work is not normal for me. On the Saturday it happened, so I called 111, and next thing I knew I was having a double bypass. Everyone's always thought of me as the fit cyclist, so that was a real surprise.
Recovery was a bit slow because I got an infection in the wound, so it was back into hospital for about six weeks to clear that up. But, combined with the instructions to lose weight, the result is that I've never been better and am doing events such as last year's RideLondon 100 miles.
Even four years on, I'm aware every day that my chest has been pulled around, but it doesn't affect normal life.
I had a quadruple bypass last December at age 67, which was originally planned to be a triple. I had two 100% blockages and one 94%, yet, like you, had no great discomfort-just a moderate chest pain similar to indigestion on walking a few hundred metres. For a long time GP’s thought it was a non-cardiac pain. At the hospital, doctors told me that the level of discomfort from the angina pain doesn’t correlate well with the degree of blockage, i.e. you might have severe blockages and little pain or minor blockages and severe pain.
Recovery time-again according to doctors and cardiologists -varies greatly from individual to individual. Some people are quickly up and running , metaphorically speaking, whilst others, like a taxi driver who told me about his bypass said he “couldn’t get out of bed for six weeks afterwards”. In my case I was able to walk a few hundred metres a few days after the operation and it was recommended that I build up by adding an extra 100 metres every day. Walking and swimming were advised as the ideal form of exercise. Studies show that those who do rehab programmes recover more quickly, so this was strongly advised. It can take a year to recover fully, but you should feel relatively well after a couple of months when the chest has healed. There are a lot of videos on YouTube detailing the recovery process. This one, by a cardiologist, I found the most useful when I was recovering as it is so comprehensive, answering many of the questions I had in detail. It’s long, but worth watching in full.
Hi Dee - I’m 59 and 7 weeks post op CABG x3. Today I start my cardiac rehab journey at Bedford Hospital but I’ve been walking 2 miles a day for the past couple of weeks to start the healing process. I’m yet to believe that I’ll feel a ‘new man after the op’ but I’m giving myself every opportunity both physically and mentally. It takes time to recuperate and I suspect we all recuperate at different speeds and in our own ways. I was pretty fit pre op which had really helped but I’ve suspended my gym membership until 1st January so as not to rush back and damage what’s been done and I’ve stayed away from any upper body exercises until I start cardiac rehab in a supervised environment. However, after 7 weeks I’m now starting to feel that if the current recovery trajectory carries on, I’ll not only be fit by January but I’ll be fitter than I was pre op - but you need to go at your own pace. I’m lucky that I’ve retired and can dedicate time to my recovery but slowly and surely you’ll improve. Eat sensibly and exercise to your level (every day) and I suspect you’ll start to feel the benefits shortly.
Hi Dee 717, Iam 58 and had a heart attack in April 23, CABG in May. All went well but it does take time, try to do as advised the Cardio professionals are great. I worked hard at cardio rehab and excerised at home every day. I personally feel fully healed physical and have been told to go back to what I did before my HA. Don't under estimate the shock to your body and the mental told. Hopefully you'll make a full recovery and will be in a better place than that before your CABG. stay strong all the bext
I had triple CABG on the 14th July this year, following an unstable angina diagnosis in May. My family and I were very shocked as I thought I was fit and healthy. I feel much better in myself but still get pains across my chest which I am led to believe is caused by the nerve endings repairing. I am not sure how long this lasts for. Emotionally I think I am ok - I do have the odd wobble but am mostly positive.
Age 71 here, 20 weeks post op. Unlike you I had PCI (2 stents), AVR and 1xCABG.
I was fit for my age until my problems manifested themselves a year ago. I wasn't diagnosed until May though and was under the knife within 5 days of diagnosis.
I'm fitter now than I have been for some years, jogging/running 5k a couple of times a week (doing my local Parkrun as one of those), swimming and walking.
What I am having a little bit of trouble with is the mental side, been very strong throughout my time in hospital (5 weeks) and also since discharge up to about 3 weeks or so ago. My chest is still a bit painful (muscular definitely) and I guess that is frustrating hence the occasional bout of the 'miseries". We need a bit of a break from our post op routine and the next 10 days should provide that with two weekends away ...
Hi Dee. Sorry to hear what you have been through, its not easy. I had a double CABG after just turning 46, three and a half years ago. I was also on the urgent list but it took about 5 months after being told to get my op. I remember my head was all over the place for the first month, it's a lot to come to terms with so I am not surprised you are feeling the way you do. The op is completely life changing, it's a long recovery and, to be honest I am still feeling pain and having issues post op. The main being one of my bypasses failed and I had to have a stent put in earlier this year. For all the issues and discomfort though my life is better for having the op and I don't regret it and feel better for it.
Give yourself time to recover and get your head around what has happened to you and please, if I can help in anyway give me a shout.
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