Heart Attack Recovery

[Fulstoneflyer]

I am 74 years old. I had a heart attack 5 weeks ago. I had an angiogram in hospital which showed a blockage in the LAD artery which was successfully unblocked using a balloon. The echo test was clear. I was in the hospital for just 4 days. I am now on a significant number of medications. Before the heart attack I have had problems with leg weakness since a fall from a ladder in Feb 2019. However following the heart attack the leg weakness has become significantly worse. Can anyone please confirm this normal following a heart attack

[theonethatgotaway1]

Yes I would say leg or body weakness is pretty normal following a HA. I was wiped out for weeks and months following mine but everyone is different so it's a big maybe.

[Lowerfield_no_more]

As above, we are all different and the type of heart attacks and their severity could also vary. However you will hopefully be invited to a cardio rehab course which take place a few weeks after your discharge and that is the sort of question to ask the rehab team. If you haven't been invited chase up the cardio team through the medical secretary. But in the meantime you could discuss with the BHF Heart Helpline nurse linked below.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[devonian186]

At our sort of age you lose muscle strength very quickly so not surprised that a spell in hospital combined with enforced inactivity when coming out would result in leg weakness.

Hopefully, walking or carrying out any exercises prescribed will get you back to where you were. Was there a specific reason for the leg weakness prior to the HA?

[Fulstoneflyer in reply to devonian186]

Thank you for your responding to my post.

In Feb 2019 I fell 10 metres from a ladder. I was taken to Leeds Trauma Centre where they discovered a rupture in my aorta which required a Tevar stent. This procedure dislodged a blood clot which travelled to my brain causing a stroke. I woke up with no movement in my left arm and leg. I also suffered an “open book “ fracture of my pelvis which required another operation to fix metal plate and screws. I also suffered damage to L1 and T7 spinal vertebrae. No treatment for this whilst in hospital. I was 10 weeks in hospital where I resumed movement in my left arm and leg. Physiotherapy taught me to walk again. After discharge I had physio 3 times a week and exercised every other day. In the following 8 months I made an excellent recovery apart from severe lower back pain whilst sitting upright at the table. In October 2019 my physio had me do a “side plank “ to strengthen my core muscles. The following day I struggled to walk. This was the start of my problem with weak upper leg muscles. I have seen numerous consultants and the only diagnosis I have received is Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). There is no treatment available to me in our local NHS area. I have been denied treatment in all other local NHS areas that have treatment for FND. I cannot find any private treatment locally for FND.

I find it difficult to comprehend how my recent HA can cause my leg weakness to become so much worse. My fatigue level has deteriorated significantly. I find the local Cardiac Recovery Team to be very limited.

Any advice from the BHF community would be most welcome

[devonian186 in reply to Fulstoneflyer]

It won't be much of a comfort, but last year we came across a woman we knew who worked locally and she looked rather down.

We asked what was wrong and she said the previous week her husband had gone up a ladder to clear some leaves from their gutter-despite her protests- he fell and was killed instantly. Ladders are very dangerous things as are steps.

So it MAY be FND or it may be something else entirely? Have you been to a sports physiotherapist and failing that a qualified acupuncturist?

Surely in a place as big as Leeds there must be someone privately who can look at your problem with fresh eyes? As regards walking, I use Hiking poles. I don't need them for stability but to help me walk faster and swing my arms. Might they help to get you moving and assist your exercising?

[Fulstoneflyer in reply to devonian186]

Hi. Thanks for the reply again. I fully realise how lucky I was not to die when I fell from the ladder. If I had not made such a good recovery in the 8 months following my discharge from hospital I could probably accept my current situation. Everyone has discounted the plank exercise as being the cause of my leg weakness/fatigue. I am not convinced that FND is correct. Until I get treatment for FND it seems impossible to get any medical person to consider another cause. I have looked over the whole North of England and cannot find a private treatment centre.

I have seen several sports physios and acupuncture specialists. Nothing has helped. I’m seeing my GP next week about my excruciating lower back pain. Hopefully he will not blame FND or my recent HA.

Thank you again for your advice.

[devonian186 in reply to Fulstoneflyer]

Good luck. Hope the GP can come up with something.

[Montana77]

Its the meds too. Did you go to cardiac rehab? Walk .. walk. slow them more, then faster, walk walk .. just around the house at first is good .. little by little its gets better.

[Fulstoneflyer in reply to Montana77]

Thank you for your reply to my post.

I have been to cardiac rehab , but I’m not seeing any improvement in my fatigue and leg weakness. I’m trying to strengthen my muscles by exercise and walking but nothing seems to work. I can’t comprehend how to HA could have had such a disasterous effect upon my muscles.