Hi everyone hope your all having a good week. I don't know if you guys remember me posting about having an appointment on 26th September after I had come out of hospital. Well anyway few days ago I got some letters it was my results from check up! The cardiologist at my local hospital is happy with my progress but because of valve problems and family history of heart problems and I've been having what they call atypical chest pain they want me to have a stress echo in 6 months so I'm on the list for one and another Cpex aswell so there being thorough which is reassuring. I've also had my check up at my specialist hospital in London couple of weeks ago I had my echo, obvs done, consult with cardiologist and exercise test aswell so I will update when I get results of all these tests. Hope your all keeping well as uoj can x ❤️
Stress echo : Hi everyone hope your all... - British Heart Fou...
Stress echo
That's great news!
You don't need to worry about that for 6 months now but it's shocking how quick the 6 months come round isn't it?
Yeah so true I should mention they said six months in September so I think its more like 2 months now but I could be wrong.
That is great news. At least you are getting looked after and in the meantime don't suffer ring them and tell them
Hi Yumz.
That's really great news to hear of your positive progress!Sounds like your Cardiologist is being very thorough and your are receiving excellent and prompt care and attention.Keep up the good work!
I had a stemi in Dec 2020 at 45 years old. Obviously I lived with anxiety everyday thinking I was doomed. I missed physical exercise. I walked only. Heart rate never above 100 whilst on bisoprolol and ramipril. Dont get me wrong I was told that I can exercise but unfortunately I wasn’t ready for it.
One day I just had enough. I wanted to return to normality. To live as a normal human being. Seeing people in their 60 and 70s out running filled me with envy and I couldn’t quite wrap my head around why they can do it and I couldn’t.
Anyway, my son suggested an echo stress test. I did my research so I ended up booking one privately. It ended up being the best £950 I had ever spent.
I was extremely nervous but the 2 cardiologists I was with were so reassuring. At first they take pictures of your heart then they move you onto the running machine. 3 minute intervals which increase in intensity each time. They are checking your blood pressure and blood oxygen throughout the process. I got to 13 minutes (so level 5) and my heart rate was 177 bpm!! My blood pressure reached 170/100.
As soon as it’s over you are whisked back onto the table and onto your side. More pictures are taken.
My heart rate took a good 10 minutes to return to normal. When it did I was relieved.
And so for the results. My ejection fraction was 66%. No signs of any previous MI damage. No indication of high blood pressure or coronary heart disease. The cavity size and wall thickness were all normal. I do have mild mitral valve regurgitation which they can keep an eye on every 3 years.
I was advised originally that I could stop bisoprolol and ramipril after 1 year. I didn’t unfortunately. The cardiologists both said I can come off of them. So I’m now weening off of bisoprolol first. I’m down to half of a 1.25mg tablet. Slowly slowly with that and eventually I will then stop the ramipril.
I will continue with the ezetimebe and 20mg atorvastatin as I do have high lipids without and also lipoprotein A (167nmol). I’m contemplating stopping 75mg Aspirin too as I’ve read many recent trial studies on this. It does affect my stomach.
And for the record it transpired that the likely cause of my MI was the fact that the night before I did a recreational drug which was the reason that my troponin level was 5092. I always knew this could have been the reason but they told me that a troponin this high is text book recreational drug abuse.
Add to that my high lipids and it was a recipe for disaster. I was very lucky and I appreciate a healthy lifestyle now. The NHS saved my life and I will be forever grateful.
Dont fear the stress test. It’s an unbelievable way of seeing how your heart is performing. It also dismisses any fears that you may have had 👍
Good luck 🤞
I forgot to mention that I now run and lift light weights again. Starting off on a running machine doing 30 mins max at a slow pace. And lifting light weights getting my heart rate up to 130.
Slowly I will increase this. I also have learnt with their advice not to worry about heart rate. I now focus on the Borg scale.
The echo stress test has definitely given me my confidence back.
Echo results
Stress echo EF
Stress echo test
stress echo
Stress echo 
