Hi all, New to this... Heart attack out of nowhere on the 26th Sept. Possibly due to the road traffic accident that happened the same day. Not sure.. Seems it was going to happen regardless. LAD blockage, stent fitted.
This has knocked me about a bit mentally to say the least.
Really wasn't prepared for this mental battle, thought once I got home from hospital. I'd be OK.
I get how lucky I've been in that "fingers crossed" I should make a full recovery, I also get that no-one knows how long they have on this planet. Regardless of how they feel or how many medications they take to help.
I'm just so overwhelmed with 100 different emotions all coming at once. My mind is going so fast I'm struggling to stay in the here and now.
Does this get easier. ????
Also, we're due as a family to go on holiday on the 15th. The idea of being away abroad with what if this happens or what If that happens. Is really pulling me in all directions.
Can anyone relate or share experiences. I'm very stuck.
Thanks.
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Fraz3
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Welcome to the club you didn't want to be in. Well, one things for sure, worrying about it won't help, that's for sure. You need to find something to focus on, two good ones are diet and exercise, if they are areas with room for improvement? For me I decided to get back into running after a ten year lay off, trust me you really have to fight the gremlins at the local parkrun but after a while it gets easier, if you are not up to it what about couch to 5K? Of whatever floats your boat exercise wise. Most peoples diet could stand a good tweaking usually. Standing in a group of people made me realise that a good number of them could well have the same as me but not even know it, which puts you at a certain advantage in a weird way, as you are now "on the radar" if you wish, with a second chance. Just concentrate on not wasting it especially at a young age and try to stop worrying, it's not good to think "why me", you could just realise "why not me", like I did. Good luck anyway!
Thankyou for getting back. I'm really trying not to worry, it won't do any good. Keep trying to tell myself that. The mind can be a pain in the ass at times.
you mentioned a holiday - am I going to throw a spanner in the works? Travel insurance! In your policy you may have something in the small print about letting them know of changes to your health.
If you are having a European holiday, make sure you’ve got the European health card.
Please do check your travel insurance..You will now have to answer extra questions which will add a lot to your premium. Please also seek clarity from your GP about travelling so soon. We can all associate with your emotions. Give yourself time and go with the flow. I'm back playing football and running... The fear is always there but that's natural
First be assured you will have all sorts of emotions to deal with following what is a major unexpected trauma in your life. However your medical situation is now being managed by the medical team responsible and you should be in good hands so the risk factor will have been reduced. If there are any detailed medical issues you want to discuss try your cardio team or alternatively the BHF Heart Helpline nurse, bearing in mind that this a forum for people to ask for and give heart health support but the vast majority are not medically qualified. As for the way forward you may be invited to a cardio rehab course in the coming weeks organised by your local hospital, and if so I encourage you to take up the offer. Next as far as the holiday is concerned that is a personal decision for you to consider, but you must certainly tell your travel insurer of your recent incident should you decide to go, since that will affect your health risk profile and if you do not tell them you may invalidate your policy cover. You may also find they decline to cover or your premium goes up significantly, especially if you are to undergo further investigations. But finally the good news is there are many people with heart health issues, who have, and with respect, worse conditions than your situation, who live long and happy lives, and so at your age you have plenty to look forward to.
It seems very soon to be going on a holiday. As you say health insurance is a must but the destination is also key. A short journey to France is one thing but an epic 8 hour flight to somewhere with poor medical facilities is another.
aww bless you same happened to me of July 25th but not road accident I was out shopping with my daughter and granddaughter I felt worse when got home also I was pissed off with everything and everyone two months later anxiety is sky high and I’m still unable to work or be independent I glad to be alive but hate myself for smoking so many years now I don’t smoke at all xx get well soon xx
I’ve walked the road you are on having experienced a LAD blockage and stent fitted on Sept 11th. Mine occurred while playing a very sedate game of golf and like you it came as a bolt out of the blue. It was a very frightening experience and one I am so grateful to have survived. I do therefore fully understand your concerns.
By way of encouragement I have found that after taking things slowly for the first 4/5 weeks my anxiety and levels of worrying about ‘what if it happens again’ really fell away. I found that as you get back to doing normal things you increasingly forget about thinking about your heart.
I would encourage you to call the BHF helpline. They are just brilliant at listening to your worries and help you by giving the reassurance you need. I would also encourage you to attend the Cardio Rehab program you will be offered. This will really boost your confidence to get back to ‘normal’
Finally don’t forget that having undergone the stent procedure your arteries would have been checked and if there were any concerns the Cardiologist would have fitted further stents. You know the condition of your heart now and are therefore in a better position than so many people who may be walking around with an unknown ticking timebomb in their chest!
Hi, sorry you've had to endure this too.... Its been a journey I'd rather never venture on ever again. Thank you for replying, thats a good way to think about things. Really apprecaite your thoughts..
Hi there. It is a horrible shock when it comes out the blue and it takes a while to get your head around it. My husband had a cardiac arrest out the blue 2 and half years ago, then had stent fitted to 2 arteries. He is really good now and was back at work after a month and considering he was gone for 13 minutes, we could not believe how quickly he recovered.
However, the mental health side was much harder on him and all the family, but he has had some counselling after they said he had PTSD - tried various things, EMDR, CBT and hypnotherapy. Only a few sessions of each which we did pay for as the NHS list was too long, but they have all helped and he is in a much better head space now.
Consider some counselling, as it does help for the shock side of things. He does also take Rescue Remedy when we fly as he is a still quite claustrophobic which they think was due to the induced coma he was put in, but that seems to calm him.
As long as the GP/consultant has said you are ok to fly there should be no issues, other than making sure your health insurance is adequate as other people have already said. We went to Greece about 4 months after my husbands cardiac arrest and he was fine.
Hi. I had an unexpected HA at the beginning of August and have really struggled mentally knowing and understanding what has happened on one level but everything feeling surreal on another level. Thoughts about the HA are constantly on my mind, keep me awake at night and I re-play everything that has happened. I have had amazing support from family and friends but yesterday I had an assessment for counselling and the counsellor was so so helpful. She talked about disassociaton as the minds way of coping with a massive shock and getting stuck in the event rather than moving on. It was a real lightbulb moment for me and I feel that by exploring this further through counselling there's some light at the end of the tunnel. It's not for everyone but it might be worth exploring
Not really the same but 18 months ago at just 52 I suffered out of the blue mini stroke.Yes like you completely overwhelmed with emotions.The what if’s are also normal BUT the way I see it you are here you must carry on with your life I assume you will have follow ups with hospital and gp. Go on your holiday the relaxation will help you switch off and yes as someone mentioned you must check out the insurance.Life throws us some real challenges doesn’t it but im positive you will come through.Take up a hobby something positive that distracts your mind.Pick yourself up dust yourself down big breath.I wish you all the best.
To answer your question - yes, it gets easier. You've had a huge shock and you're living with the 'what iff?' questions. Others have offered useful advice so I won't add to that. It's early days for you and you need to come to terms with the event and any changes you need to make but at some point it will stop being the major focus of your day to day life. As you've discovered there are lots of us here - all happy to offer support.
The mental side of things can be really hard... I know I found, and still find it, the hardest part. Have you tried looking for a local support group? We have one in Nottingham that has been a great help to me... just being able to chat with others in an open and supportive way has been very helpful. Stay strong, but don't be afraid of asking for help. It does get easier.
Hi Fraz, I’m sure I had PTSD following my nstemi and quadruple bypass July 2023. I absolutely cried to myself a couple of times . I was fit and strong and it came out of the blue . It frightened my whole family, my ex colleagues and my all of my mates . I was considered the fit healthy one aged 61. I really felt that somehow I’d let everyone down. When I was rehabbing I found it very difficult to watch certain scenes on tv programmes /films , I went through a very agitated period , loud unexpected noises made me scream but then it turned into that they didn’t make me flinch . I had a couple of very close incidents in a car and a motorbike, I was completely calm and peaceful both times and avoided serious collisions. It didn’t phase me in the slightest . My turning point came at a 3 day music festival the June this year. I had to prepare mentally , to camp out , big social occasion , make food choices (I’d turned into food police since heart attack) and wondered if I’d enjoy myself and maybe have a beer etc . There was one day when I was on my own and wandering around and I saw The Orange Circus Band playing on a side stage , their music really lifted me, it was wonderful . I went up to the stage to thank them and the lovely singer banjo player belt down and started talking to me and I became so overwhelmed that I couldn’t talk through my tears 😭. I think it all came out , she gave me a hug , I tried to explain how happy I was with my rebirth but said I couldn’t talk . Luckily they spotted me in the crowd the following day when they were walking around and we had a better chat . That was my turning point, almost a year later , doing something that challenged me in a number of ways. I felt normal after that , compared to how I was feeling. Obviously, I am constantly reminded of what happened, I everyday I see my 4 scars . Quite proud of them now . 👍🏻
as the song says life is a roller coaster. And so is recovery. My stent is 3yrs older 😂. And whilst I still have some wobbles here and there on the whole I am enjoying life. Be patient with yourself and find the new version of you, take your meds and go to rehab you will get there. Good luck
As you would have seen from the replies, you're not alone. I just turned 54. End of May this year, I took myself to A&E after suffering from intense pain in left arm, nausea and heart palpitations. I didn't think to call 111 but looked it up on Google. It did mention I could be having a HA but I didn't believe it. I hadn't been suffering from shortness of breath, or chest pains. I'm 5'3", around 50kgs, went for occasional runs (did stop about 6 weeks before my HA due to knee pain), have never smoked, enjoyed a glass of cocktail some weekends. Anyway, I was in disbelief when cardiologist told me my RCA was 100% blocked. He blamed my family history!! Had a stent put in. Was told there are also blockages on my left artery but that's to be managed with medication. Blood tests then revealed another condition. A benign blood cancer called Polycythemia Vera. Bone marrow producing too many blood cells, meaning my blood is thick and sticky and prone to clotting. Have had 5 blood withdrawals so far but for now the cancer is being managed with a chemo drug. Although I was very upset when told I had suffered from a heart attack, I was fine after that until I started the chemo drug. I then bawled my eyes out for 2 days thinking about how my health had changed. Every now and then, when I think about it, I get very upset. I attended 6 sessions of cardiac rehab which was very useful but when I looked at the other patients, I kept thinking how unfair that I was there among them as the others were much older, overweight, clearly looking unfit. No one I have mentioned to about my HA can believe it. I get easily breathless now when I bend down to do chores. Otherwise, I try and carry on as normal. I'm not afraid of death but I just pray that I'm alive at least till my youngest graduates from uni (he's in Y9 now).
Oh, I forgot to mention. I went on holiday to the Far East in August. I did a series of one way flights and 1 return flight, and in all, I took 7 different flights. I had a follow up with my cardiologist before my holiday and asked him if it was okay for me to fly, and he said he would have allowed me to fly the day after I was discharged from hospital! He also didn't see a problem with me going snorkelling, which I then did. My travel insurance was more than GBP300!
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