KernowMal

[KernowMal]

61 and fit, healthy, within BMI but still had a heart attack. Clot removed and stent fitted (in 30 minutes - incredible work !). As I now sit at home I have to ask about driving. The DVLA website; gov.uk/heart-attacks-and-dr... , simply says talk to your doctor and wait four weeks. Nothing else ? Obviously I will have to inform my car insurance but other than that, talk with my doctor within the four week wait ?

Thank you for any advice

Mal

[aardvark68]

I might be wrong so you should still check with your doctor but I’m pretty sure that if you have had a stent fitted you can drive after just one week. That’s because they consider you “cured” once the blockage is removed. When I had my STEMI and stent that was what I was told.

[KernowMal in reply to aardvark68]

Thank you for this. My insurance were not really interested, they simply said as long as your doctor is OK with it. I'm waiting three weeks and then just do small trips.

Thank you again for taking the time to help me in this

[MountainGoat52]

Hi KernowMal,

Sorry to hear that you've had to join the Hearties Club. The same happened to me some years ago... fit, healthly, hill walker taking regular exercise. A period of stress combined with a previously unknown hereditary condition (high homocysteine level) to produce a clot and I had the customary blue light ride to the local cath lab. As you say, half an hour and I was sitting chatting with my son in the recovery area being offered lunch.

As regards driving, yes you need to comply with the DVLA requirements otherwise it invalidates your insurance and you could I suppose be prosecuted if you had an accident. It is a nuisance and inconvenient, but necessary to protect both you and others. Being self-employed I was actually back working from home within the week and had to get my wife to drive me to various places to see clients. A return to work will of course depend on what you do for a living. If it involves physical work, then I would definitely speak to your GP. You may need to be signed off for a period.

One thing I would say is that it is important to stay positive and look to the future. I went on to have a bypass as it was the best option for me in the long run. That stopped me driving for another three months, but again it was a very sensible requirement seeing my sternum was recovering from surgery. I was told to listen to my body which I found to be an accurate description of what I needed to do. I kept building myself up bit by bit to regain my former level of health, starting small, then taking longer and longer walks. I eventually bettered my previous level of fitness. I tell people I now climb mountains, not hills. 😀

With my very best wishes,

Gerald

[KernowMal in reply to MountainGoat52]

Hi Gerald,

Thank you for kind message of support. The links from the BHF site to the DVLA website are really good and very useful. I have contacted them and my insurance; now waiting another week until I can start making small driving trips.

Thank you again for your upbeat supportive message - I was wondering if anyone had managed to get back to ab active lifestyle !

[MountainGoat52 in reply to KernowMal]

Well I must admit that I am starting to feel my age a bit, but I'll be putting off hanging my boots up for a while yet. I still manage to climb Munros up in Scotland at the age of 71. The problem for me is that being fit is not the same as being hill fit. I would need to do more hills and mountains to achieve proper hill fitness... as it is, I just have to take it steady.

When you get back behind the wheel, it will be another milestone. I found my first lengthy drive alone rather daunting... now I don't think about it. Setting out for the hills at 3 a.m. with a 4 hour drive ahead of me before I start climbing a hill could be an issue, but I don't let it. Keeping positive and focussed is essential.

Keep looking forwards and enjoy life. 😀