Still pain

[Lcat1]

Hello, My husband had a stent and double bypass following a heart attack 8 months ago. He's doing incredibly well with rehab and getting fit again. He's still getting pain around his pecks and tightness across his chest when exercising. This goes when he relaxes, so short-lived . I was wondering if this is normal 8 months on? Many Thanks

[CyclingTime]

Yes very normal, I'm two years past and still occasionally get pain as i do something that my muscles etc haven't done for a long time.

Key thing is differentiation between physical pain which is normal and any other pain which may be heart related. Thankfully I haven't had the latter at all

[Lcat1 in reply to CyclingTime]

Thank you , that's very reassuring. He says it feels like muscle pain and the tightness has no pain. Think I've got to try and relax and let him get on with his rehab. Thank you

[CyclingTime in reply to Lcat1]

Yes it's difficult though. I was in pain the day after a bike ride as my body was shaken around quite a lot with much of the ride being off road.

My wife made me go to A&E even though I knew it wasn't that. Tests at A&E were fine, but remember that option is there if your worried

[DWizza]

Hi, I had Nstemi heart attack and quadruple bypass 8 months ago . I still have some muscle tightness across the sternum and pecs, also a left shoulder internal rotation deficits that I have worked on (saw a private’s physio 1 session and he gave me exercises and video links to follow). None of it prevents me from doing activity , I do a challenging yoga class twice a week and lots of physical work around my small holding (heavy barrow walked .5km to dung heap , lifting hay bales , feed bags , water buckets etc). The tightness and strength have all improved in that time . My surgeon told me after surgery that he knew I kept myself fit and strong as there was lots of chest muscle and very strong bone for home to cut through 🤢.. he added that as a consequence , the healing might take a little longer due the amount of nerves and damage compared to someone who didn’t weight train. I just keep working at the mobility and strength.

[Lcat1 in reply to DWizza]

Hi , Thank you . Its so reassuring to hear people going through and feeling the same. My husband was 48 and playing cricket when he had a heart attack. Like you he was very fit and also a rugby player, so it was a massive shock. I try and remember what the surgery involves and the amount of healing with not only the heart but all the muscles etc. Thank you I feel very reassured and won't panic when his chest is tight or pecks hurt. Hope you're doing well with your recovery aswell. Thanks

[DWizza in reply to Lcat1]

Sounds like he’s doing fine 👊🏻. I played rugby too , up to county U23s back in the day . Lifetime of sports too . Just posted my 8 month update to my Instagram account , it’s great to look back on the last few months , still training 🤣

Transformation of the last few months

[Lcat1 in reply to DWizza]

Those scars look familiar. Pleased you're doing well. It's so hard, I know it'll get better. We're both coming to terms with what's happened. No one tells you of the psychological damage it causes. The panic attacks when there's chest pain and the fear of it all happening again. Theres no further check ups , which i find difficult but i guess its carry on. We're doing a walk in aid of the heart foundation in May to say Thank you.

[DWizza in reply to Lcat1]

I absolutely agree with you Lcat1. I’ve treated the physical stuff like any other sports injury , applied all the protocols and got on with it. During my time in hospital one of the medics asked me “ do you understand what’s happening?” I said “ yes , I understand exactly what’s happening, Nstemi heart attack , followed by angiogram , no stents , not suitable , probably triple bypass , CABG , with open heart surgery , I’ll be transferred from Maidstone to St Thomas’. What I don’t understand is how it happened” and I still struggle with that bit , but I can see that over the decades I have led a full and active life and no doubt set the foundations for this heart attack over a long period of time. Even though I was fit and strong , I wasn’t paying attention to some key elements. Stress , 41 years law enforcement, retired 18 months and boom. Nutrition , I only started to transform myself in 2017 aged 56 , so glad I did . Lockdown, 🤦🏼.. what nightmare. My family moved to our current farm in 2016, my wife and I lived in a caravan for nearly 4 years , my parents and our adult know ds lived in the bungalow .. we did beast from the east and all those storms in that caravan … I’m sure things stacked up . I feel that talking and sharing it , owning it really helped me. I have come to terms with it. It’s frighted my mates no end, I was the fit bloke , but I kicked the back doors off of life too. I’m not Tee total but, will have a couple of beers on a social , I make my own bread to cut sugar and salt , I’m food police now 🤦🏼🤣, no ultra processed stuff .. no ham , bacon , sausages , factory produced stuff.. love cooking though . Meds have been the most difficult thing to get right, could be on my 3rd statin soon . Found that it was dropping my blood pressure and making like a zombie, cognitive impairment, aches /pains , dizziness..

please keep us updated , we are on similar time lines and don’t hesitate to keep asking questions on here 👊🏻👊🏻. Please give him my best

[andrew290171]

I had stent and still get some pain. Twice gone to gp who has immediately sent me to a and e, who have done ECG and blood tests and said nothing wrong. Apart from that doing ok, back running and cycling. Perhaps those pains are just one of those things

[Lcat1 in reply to andrew290171]

Thank you. He's trying to build his strength back up with swimming and walking. His main job is removals so that's not helping . He's trying not to lift anything heavy and can only manage a few days. Takes alot out of him. Hope you're doing ok now. All about keeping going.

[Nelson71]

if you can touch the pain, ie if you press under the arm pits or shoulders or chest it’s muscle pain. Don’t worry

[Lcat1]

Thank you. This group is so helpful and reassuring. The pains only happen when exercising. Soon goes when he stops.