It will be coming up to a year soon of having my HA & Stent fitting.
I will get a review of all medication I currently take, I would like not to be on any! But I feel anxiety of coming off them and having another HA. I guess this is normal.
I’m just looking for any advice or your experience of alternative supplements/vitamins, I am quite keen on using as an alternative if I can! I have had blood tests religiously every 3 months on my current medication and all results are on the lowest side of normal, I did not have high blood pressure or Cholesterol before my HA. I’m 40 had bad side effects of a few of the medications I am on so if it’s safe to I would like to feel back to me! I have a couple of months to do some research, not sure where to start, so here I am! 🌟
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Hjb83
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Hello Hjb83, I’m sorry but I can’t offer you any advice. I’m in virtually the same position as you regarding my HA and medication. I’m a natural worrier and fear what the future holds for me. I too have side effects from the meds, mainly statins. I still attend rehab classes and find this a great help talking to other people in our situation. If you’re still going to these classes it may be a source of help or advice for you. I’ll be interested to see what replies you receive. Sorry I couldn’t be more of a help to you, take care and look after yourself.
I can't offer any advice, but I can share my experiences. I react badly to most meds. I never used to but my health was seriously harmed by antibiotics, which in part set me on a path to my heart attack and stent in 2020.
The cocktail of meds were causing me serious problems, and because of the global event that cannot be discussed here, help and support was none existent.
Two weeks after my HA, I took myself off all meds except aspirin and clopidogrel. These were causing me great problems but they were important due to my stent. I took myself off clopidogrel after 6 months, and aspirin 18 months after the HA and have never looked back.
I made lots of changes to my lifestyle mainly focused around diet - a diet that many would describe as extreme. I'm doing the best now that I have done in several years. I do not supplement because I generally have similar bad reactions to supplements as I do most meds.
You may wish to research Chondroitin Sulphate. It is a supplement often used by those with arthritis or joint problems, but you will be able to Google a growing body of research papers that suggest it might reduce risk of HA and particularly among those who have already had a HA. Possible that it is useful for endothelial cell repair.
look at NICE guidance they have guidelines on medication after a heart attack. Like you I had normal blood pressure and cholesterol but as I had muscle damage from the heart attack and reduced ejection fraction I’m on ramipril for life ( a blood pressure medication but I’m on it as it helps scar tissue not to become stiff hence improving ejection fraction).
Hi , I had Nstemi and quadruple CABG july 2023, usual cocktail of drugs . Artovastatin at 80 mg did a great job , along with small lifestyle changes , in keeping my cholesterol figures in great order . Sadly I also had a longblist of side effects . Stopped for month and felt great! Trialled Pravastatin 40mg and within a week got the side effects back. Now on Rosuvastatin 10mg and waiting on lipid and blood sugar test results to see if dose needs increasing . My stats on artovastatin (below) we’re fab, however they went up after stopping Even though they were still well within general guidelines I was told (GP and BHF on line nurse and BHF website) that if on secondary help (from statin , post cardiac event ) the numbers need to be lower than that general guidelines. I didn’t have high cholesterol before heart attack.
Serum cholesterol 2.4 mmol/L ( 5 or below)
Serum triglyceride 0.9 (2.3 or below )
Calculated LDL 0.7 (below 3)
Serum HDL cholesterol 1.3 ( 1 or above)
Se non HDL 1.1 (4 or less)
Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 1.8 ( below 3.5)
I also hope that I can stop some meds at 12 month mark , hopefully 1.25 mg bisoprolol and half a 1.25mg Rampiril. My resting heart rate was already around 50 bpm and used to set the alarm off reguwgen I was in hospital. It’s now around 45-48 bpm…
Personally, I’m happy to take the meds if they are helping and not causing side effects as statins help to reduce the instability and build up of arterial plaque which contribute to cardiac events. It’s not all about the cholesterol 👍🏻
The general advice is that you can stop some of the medication after one year, as I presume your GP will agree, but it’s strongly advised to continue with the aspirin and statin for life. Although not necessarily the same high dosage or the same statin if it doesn’t agree with you. Mine was reduced from 80 mgs atorvostatin to just 10 after the first year.
Both of them are given to prevent further problems. The aspirin prevents platelets clumping together by making the blood less “sticky” and the statin helps to stabilise plaques.
As far as I know there isn’t a “supplement” which can give us the same protection.
I’ve been fine for almost 10 years so I’m glad to keep taking the tablets and seldom even think about it anymore.
Thank you for your advice. I’m currently on 20 mg of rosuvastatin with minimal side effects compared to the 80 atorvastatin! I don’t have an issue with the asprin really either.. I’d probably be happy to continue with those..I’m probably looking for a magic pill that doesn’t exist which will prevent it happening again. 🤣
Hi Hjb 83, I am in a similar situation. Just past a year since my stents, had cardiac rehab and phased back to work. Then in winter new problems! Some new meds and changes to existing ones. Quite by accident I ran out of one of the medications, had been without it for a week now-gues what, no changes to my condition! This led me to arrange a GP phone cosultation to discuss if I really need to continue on this medication and possible reduction in doses for others? I will get answers next week.
Had a quick read of your posts. So sorry this happened to you at 40. So tell me, did you get Cardiac Rehab? Any phased back to work? Is your weight back to normal?
Yes I did go to rehab, it was great! I would highly recommend it to anyone who is in the same unfortunate situation. Physically and emotionally it helped talking to people in the same position and physically it stopped me worrying about limitation. Yes I also returned to work phased over 3 months which I’m grateful for. I am starting a new job on July 1st which I am hoping will ease a lot of workplace stress I have currently . It’s all about learning what is important and unfortunately I have let work be a main priority for too long!
I’m writing this with the same pains I’ve had all along in my back and stomach when I wake up! I’d like to say it’s coincidental but I’m sure it’s the medication! I still get the odd cramps in my legs but I can feel when it is happening so try and shake it off before it fully comes on🤦♀️. All things to weigh up with the GP I guess. Thanks for your reply 😌
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Heart attack, 6 month on
Heart attack 
Sudden heart attack 
Recent heart attack
incredibly lucky
