Life after a heart attack

[Ukpaulj]

Having been fit and healthy and into sports my whole life I had a heart attack aged 55. Did not see it coming at all. That was 5 years ago. Since then I’ve been through periods of a lack of confidence and anxiety that if I did not see it coming once…. I have regained composure and with (now lighter) exercise regimes and the prescription meds I am ok but there is an undercurrent of doubt. I’m thinking I am not alone in this so joining this community to see if there are others like me that don’t mind sharing their experience.

[TasteLessFood4Life]

hi - sorry to hear about your experiences and feelings. I believe many of us 'hearties' are in the same boat and experience the same. The fact that we have a major issue combined with anxiety that something could go wrong, makes it so much harder. Mentally, it is important to switch off and relax, otherwise all of this can drive anyone insane and cause anxiety 24/7. Off course, these feelings are not unique to heart patients - anyone who has a major disease probably experiences the same. Suddenly, you face death head on and you become vunerable...thinking this could be the end.

I have my ups & downs too - but thankfully - much better than before. I have accepted my situation, heart issue and lead this part of life with this issue.

At the end of the day - try to enjoy life as much as possible and avoid thinking about doomsday scenarios, e.g. what could happen tomorrow or in the future. What has happened is water under the bridge - lookahead with a positive mindset. Spend time with people that give you positive vibe and live a life that is worth living. We only one life and time is not our friend.

[DWizza]

Hi, I had nstemi heart attack 23rh July 2023, after a yoga class I felt really strange .. then developed what I thought was a searing pain of trapped wind 🤦🏼. Had quadruple bypass 25th July 2023. I was 61 and fit and strong , my family and friends thought I’d be the last person to have a heart attack. A lifetime of sport and training , I looked a picture of health on the outside. The shock of the diagnosis ( ECG was fine , troponin count confirmed HA) , then angiogram confirming that arteries blocked and no stents possible 😔.. it was a huge shock. Took me about 10 months to really shake off ptsd type symptoms and get my head truly around the fact that I had been given another chance and a rebirth. I focused on rehab, found a coach online willing to help me achieve my 5k and weight training goals ( an ex nhs cardiac rehab coach that specialised in weight training) , took bike lessons to pass full license , bought Harley Davidson, attended music festival weekender camping, went to Spain to visit an old school chum that had had a Cardiac arrest a few months prior to my HA. Ran 5k park runs with my eldest daughter . Made slight changes to my nutrition , made my own breads and rolls , became a bit Food Police 🤦🏼.. still enjoyed a pint or two at rugby matches. Thoroughly enjoying my rebirth , swimming , running , cycling, working physically round our small holding and challenging strong yoga and understanding that I don’t have to busy my balls for PBs anymore , just the consistency of being able to take part and improve from where I was when I came out of hospital. I posted monthly updates , the rehab wasn’t all linear , couple of blood on the way ,meds and a dodgy hip ( total replacement last October 🙌🏻). Here’s to keeping on keeping on 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻

Rehab from nstemi heart attack and quadruple bypasd

[Jackdaw44 in reply to DWizza]

I’m afraid I’ve not done quite so well after my HA in 2016. 😞

Lack of confidence to exercise and anxiety every time I go out with the “what ifs” .

[DWizza in reply to Jackdaw44]

What if you don’t exercise, go out , live ?

Sounds like a proper negative chimp voice you’ve got on a loop Jackdaw. Sounds like you are “afraid”. Of course I had that voice but I know that’s it’s trying to protect me .. from sabre tooth tigers etc. it doesn’t always rationalise what’s best for us , just st what’s safest which can be detrimental to progress. Then we use it as an excuse. I learned to not give it another thought and just take the action. So many times I didn’t want to go in my freezing cold brick barn to train, sit in the warm .. don’t go out on a 125 motorbikes with L plates , dint go to a bike meet with real bikers ( they told me they all started on L plates and were thrilled to have me along) , don’t go running you might burst 🤦🏼🤣🤣.. shut that chomp voice up and do a little of the opposite , start saying yes and take a little action. Doesn’t have to be extreme, just create a habit and make small changes. Otherewise, sit back in the sidelines and watch life go by ..👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻

[Mitchum in reply to Jackdaw44]

Sorry Jackdaw but don't be offended. What you are doing isn't living, it's waiting for dying sir! I am similar to DWizza I think in outlook. I am almost 77 and even with (quite a lot) health and body problems I refuse to give in to whatever force has given me, and not my neighbour, these chains around my neck. The thing is, there are many people out there much worse off. That still doesn't help you though does it? Just do as much as you can to stay healthy and fit whilst doing the normal day to day trivia that typifies normal living.

Good luck!

[Kasabian1 in reply to DWizza]

Hey up, at 61 went in for a quadruple but settled for a triple. Like you no one saw it coming. My mates who smoke and live on bacon sandwiches could not believe it.

However op and rehab has gone well and now working on stamina and resilience.

Think you’ve got to look at positives where you can. Getting a new m/bike and gonna do some touring (track days will be cut down to a couple a year). Blessed with fantastic family and amazing friends. See it as a second chance and an eye opener that time is very precious.

Good luck to you and everyone here with their personal challenges. Kick the bad days into touch and embrace everyday you can to be as great as possible.

Crispin.

[BTC1997]

I had a heart attack (and stent) last August, aged 64 and following cardio rehab assessment I was cycling again just under a month after being discharged from hospital.

I've had some aches and pains along the way, but I take the view that if I'm alive there's really not that much to worry about, and if I'm dead there's considerably less.

For what it's worth, I treat worrying as a waste of imagination that could be better used elsewhere. And I also think that worrying is a bit like borrowing grief from the future and as far as I'm concerned that grief can stay where it belongs, which isn't in the present.

[Ukpaulj]

Thanks to all for your insights. There is a lot of sharing of positive thinking here which is powerful. I think there’s room for us all to think of the positives our stories have enabled and not dwell in fear, uncertainty and doubt. I also take from this that doing something, even if a small thing, every day that enhances that positivity will build to something significant over time. I also did a couch to 5k after the HA and have an exercise regime that’s based on little and often (i no longer throw weights around in a gym) which really helps me maintain a level of fitness and confidence. Not all of our goals need to be big hairy ambitions. Doing something each day is important. The sum of the little positive things we do build into habits and habits are hard to change. For me anyway. I guess there will always be the potential for doubt to creep in but maybe the trick is to reduce its opportunity!