At home feeling positive now, resting well, doing my allowed little walks up and down the street, I'm 53 and found one of my old games consoles so being a big kid for the moment.
Went to supermarket with my wife to get a few items, it was literally a 10 minute job, and felt really fragile, like some child.
Even in the car as a passenger I felt the same, found myself covering my chest with my hand, an odd psychological mental shield.
Always considered myself as strong, a protector of my family , someone who will be there for anyone who needs help but just being in a supermarket made me feel tight in the chest, anxious, incredibly aware of my weakness.
It will pass, I definitely know, especially when i do the cardio rehabilitation , but it did knock me for six.
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baly_2023
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Hi, sorry to hear you have had a HA at such a young age. You will get through this and the anxiety does pass. I am in my 70's now had my MI Stemi back in 2021 in a covid lock down. Very scared when I first got home. I have heart failure too. You will be amazed as time goes by just how much you can do and how well you will feel. Life may be a little different going forward so be kind to yourself, don't over do it, don't push yourself too hard. Accept all the help you can get. If you have a local heart support group go along and see if it is for you. I find my local group very supportive. We are all hearties and our partners on a journey together.Take it steady now. Here if you want to talk. Jo
You are strong, you're still here, it's very early days. Your body has had 2 big shocks so you will feel it.Just slowly day by day try to get stronger but don't rush it or you'll set yourself back (as I have once or twice) .
Your absolutely right it will pass. What's your favourite game? I actually find brain games or reading very relaxing and takes my mind off any health problems. I do set a reminder on my fitbit though for every hour to get up off the sofa and go for a walk for five minutes or so some exercise otherwise before I know it I've been sat for over two hours and start to get pain in my joints.Try not to worry you'll be wearing your Superman outfit again before you know it.
I'm 10 months down the line from my unexpected heart attack. The subsequent anxiety journey has had its ups and downs, so I think what you are feeling is natural. Time really is a great healer, along with being kind to yourself. Best of luck.
Acknowledging these feelings of vulnerability will help you process them. Treat yourself with compassion. You're allowed to feel a bit shook for a while, and it may change how you feel about life permanently but hopefully it's the sort of thing that also makes you wiser and gives you another insight in to what others might be going through. My heart nightmare 2023 has definitely gifted me more empathy (along with anxiety, but I'm working on that). Keep talking. It's very early days. X
Oh my word, that is so normal. The mental effects of a HA can be much worse than the actual attack. Yes it will pass and you will get much more confidence once you start rehab but for now why not ask your GP where you can get some counselling. The hospitals seem to think "We've fixed your plumbing and that's it" They give no advice at all on how to cope with suddenly facing your own mortality. I'm now 5 years on from mine and I now rarely think about it and life is pretty much back to normal but it took around a year to get my confidence built up. I didn't have the luxury of rehab because they refused to take someone in a wheelchair. Trey thinking of it as being given a second chance to make the necessary changes and extend your life way beyond what it was. It wasn't a disaster but a warning.
I am really sorry that you had a HA. It upends our world—-you lose confidence in your abilities, feel weak like a kitten, wonder how things will change going forward, and often remain anxious about future health issues.
You are in early days—just 10 days post HA. Give yourself time to adjust to this new life and to get stronger again. Be patient with yourself.
I had a HA in March 2022. I was so scared and weak. I couldn’t believe that this had happened, and I wasn’t sure about how to move forward. At the time, I felt exhausted if I simply raised my arms to comb my hair. For several weeks, I also coped with a racing heart rate. I could walk from my living room to my bathroom, and my heart rate would jump from about 85 to over 120 bpm—basically doing nothing. It was scary and confusing.
It took time to get the meds sorted correctly and to get to walking some, but, eventually, I did feel stronger and more confident—-but give yourself enough time for you to improve. We are all different and improve at different rates of time.
You sound like a brave, strong person to me! You should make good progress—especially with rehab. Just remember to be kind to yourself. You know best how you feel.
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