Hello
I have joined this community in the hope of possibly giving and receiving mutual support from and with others who have heart conditions like me, or have experience of those conditions in any capacity.
I have only recently been diagnosed so are very much a newbie here.
Firstly, a hearty and heartfelt welcome! I have to say that the fine folks here have contributed to my health -- especially my mental health -- just as much, sometimes more than, my medical advisors. We never asked to be part of this "club" but together we are stronger! (BTW, I am in Canada and have no equivalent community in my home country.)
Hello
Many thanks for your welcome and reassuring comments Emoryrich. I'm glad you have found this site so helpful and I hope to share in its benefits in due course. You are right we never did ask to be part of this club, but now we are, we can make the best of it and benefit from the contacts we make here. Thanks again for getting in touch.
Welcome to the forum.It's a good idea to look up old posts about your condition to see advice and tips , and post as often as you need to ask questions or get a bit of mental health support if things are getting you down.
Take care , Bee
Many thanks for your the welcome Bee. I will take your advice and explore the forum for advice and tips as I begin to settle in. Hope things are going well with you today. Best wishes, Rob
Just ask what you want to know and about any worries you have . You will be answered and no you are not alone . No worries or question is to silly . As I have asked some weird things but people have always been so kind..
Thanks for the advice and reassurance. I will explore the forum as I start to settle in but I am already discovering how kind and supportive people here are like yourself. It is much appreciated.
Hi, I to am new to this site literally a week ago, same reason as yourself I was diagnosed with Afib last Monday, bit of a shock as always thought my heart was strong. Now been put on tablets, blood thinners and Beta blockers, which am not best pleased about. So feeling really fed up about it, waiting for more tests. You will find this community very kind and helpful. Cate
Hi Cate, many thanks for your message. I can identify with your shock and concerns about the medication I feel much the same myself. I hope the tests you are waiting for throw more light on your current health needs, in my view knowledge is power, the more info I have about my condition the happier I am. I'm quickly discovering how kind and helpful the community is thanks to people like yourself. I wish you all the best and hope the benefits of your ongoing treatment increase as you settle in to this new situation, however strange and disconcerting it may feel at the moment. Best wishes. Rob
Thanks Rob, I agree knowledge is power, I have been reading up on Afib and the medication, trying to understand what's happening. It's very difficult suddenly feeling rubbish when you have been so active, but I am fighting back on this, it's not the end just a setback. Echo cardiogram in a couple of weeks hopefully will make me feel bit better and not show any big problem. You keep safe, Cate
Good for you fighting back with such positivity Cate. Good luck with the echo cardiogram, another piece of the jigsaw will fall into place, you keep safe too. Rob
Hi, totally acknowledging that none of us asked to be here. But hey-ho, there we go. Along with most, I am taking a 'cocktail of drugs' as people say, or 'oh you must rattle!' Yep!
However, I had a think, and absolutely believe I am so lucky. What a time (and a place) to be alive. To have these life saving procedures and drugs 'freely available' at source. To be picked up by ambulance, diagnosed, treated, with a stent in my case, and prescribed readily available and affordable drugs for the rest of my much extended life.
I don't underestimate how distressing a heart diagnosis is for many (and myself of course on less good days) but thought I'd just put this out there.
And also this group is great.
-Annee-
Good morning and welcome to a very supportive forum. I'm sure you will get lots of support from people on here should you need it or want to ask any questions . X
Good morning, thanks so much for your welcome and reassurance. I am already discovering how kind and supportive people like yourself are on this forum and greatly appreciate it. It seems from your bio that you have really been through the mill, I hope that things are improving now and continue to steadily do so in the future. Best wishes. Rob X
One of the reasons I replied to you is because I found this forum invaluable when I was poorly. Lots of kind reassurance from those who had gone through similar and I am sure you will get the same. I am good thank you....doing my best to help myself with diet, fitness and well being and am staying in reasonable health at the moment. Take care x
Glad to hear your health has now improved and you are actively helping yourself in all those various ways, that seems very iportant to me. All the best Rob x
If you get your cardiac rehab assessment try and go on the course....it's a good way to gain more confidence with exercising after a cardiac event. They'll tell you what you should and shouldn't be doing. I was very fit before I became poorly but found exerting myself after my surgery a bit daunting, as have a lot of people, but now I don't really think about it and enjoy my daily fitness routine. Always nice to update the forum with how you are doing too 👍
I have my face to face rehab assessment tomorrow, I'm looking forward to it, thanks for your advice and support I'll report back to the forum when I know more.
Hello,
Welcome!
I'm sure you will find everyone here very friendly, supportive and helpful.
I had always been fit and healthy until I got covid and my heart/lung problems began and suddenly I felt scared and alone. I couldn't think of the questions I needed to ask, I didn't know who to ask, and it was such a relief to find this forum.
I've learned a lot, had loads of support and I hope I have given the same to others.
One of the most valuable things I've gained from the forum is the confidence to ask my cardiologist and GP to fully explain anything I don't understand. It sounds obvious, but I used to listen and agree - if that makes sense. Now I question.
And sometimes by questioning I realise they don't have the full picture so I can give more information.
Without the support from others here I would still be floundering and possibly not getting the right treatment.
So a big 'thank you' from me to a great bunch of helpful people. I'm grateful to be amongst you ❤️
Many thanks for your welcome and the details of the help and reassurance you have received from people on this forum. I am, as you know, new here and to my diagnosis following a heart attack last month, but I have already experienced the benefits and the positivity of some of those people who post here, so, I can even at this early stage, I can identify with your comments and thank you for making them. I think your point about actively seeking answers to your uncertainties and concerns rather than passively listening to the professionals is a very important one. Being a central and active partner in your treatment as opposed to a recipient is in my view, a positive attitude which I think in itself has some health benefits all of its own. Best wishes, Rob
The early stages are the toughest to get through and it definitely helps to know you're not alone.
It takes a bit of time to accept that you have a heart problem. But we can all help ourselves by watching our diet, exercising within our capabilities etc.
I sometimes think we're the lucky ones. We're alerted to our problem and can do our best through our lifestyle and with the right treatment to keep ourselves safe; some don't realise they have a heart issue, don't have that wake up call and sadly meet their fate. You sound very positive, keep your positivity and be proactive. We have a lot to look forward to.
All the best x
I am from the USA.
I looked but did not find a good online forum in the USA. The one in Facebook did not seem to have enough traffic and it was difficult to join anonymously.
This groups is great. People are very helpful and the forum is very active.
You will find a lot of support here.
Welcome.
Hi Pundit thanks for your welcome. I'm glad you have found a forum that is useful and supportive here. I am new here but already I have discovered how helpful the forum really is. Best wishes, Rob
I’ve found Health Unlocked and the people on here, to be very helpful.
Thanks Sixtychick I am beginning to discover that myself after just a day. Best wishes x
Hope you find it helpful too
welcome and the best of wishes. You could wish form a more friendly, supportive,,encouraging and knowledgeable group of people than those on here. I’ve found it invaluable before during and after my surgery…
Many thanks for the welcome and kind wishes Mancunian1, I am discovering how friendly and supportive people are here and I'm glad you have found it so encouraging too. I hope you are doing well today, your message is very much appreciated.
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