Introduction and Question.

[Paraman7]

Hello, I’m new here but would like to introduce myself and a little of my history, so apologies if it’s a bit long winded! Three years ago I had a suffered a cardiac arrest, no symptoms, no health issues, a fit, slim non smoker with low cholesterol, age 67years. Thankfully my wife had taken me to A & E with stomach pains which she thought was masking something else, so when I crashed I was resuscitated quite quickly. I was flown to a cardiac unit where it was discovered I had three quite serious blockages, which they have put down to ‘genetics’ and my body had adapted to the situation over about twenty years. I was unable to have stents due to position of the blockages and had to wait two weeks for my condition to improve as I had also developed arrhythmia, which did not resolve so I am also on medication for that. My surgery went well and recovery also, after discharge I had a follow up appointment with my cardiologist and was informed my heart function had improved from immediately post CA when it was 35% to now 45% which she was pleased with, but she also informed that will be as good as I get and given the alternatives so am I! I have adjusted to a slower pace, whilst still keeping active, bowls, walking, swimming. I do things when I can but also know some days I tire easily and need a nap! Now I have one big bug bear.... I have a couple of friends who cannot grasp why I get tired or breathless sometimes, one even tells me to take deep breaths to improve my lungs, which incidentally are fully functional, I swim underwater easily! So here is a question does anyone else have friends who do not grasp basic anatomy, I have tried to explain, and if so do you have an analogy I can use please. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

[arty_sax]

Hey welcome!! I totally get what you are feeling. No one understands.... Unless it happens to them!! We all cope in different ways... I get horrible feelings that im going to die when my heart races or i get that sick tight feeling around my throat... Silly I know but it happens. Did you have a bypass? I was lucky... 1 stent on left arterial descending.

[Paraman7 in reply to arty_sax]

Hi there, yes, I had a triple bypass, in the great scheme of things I’ve been vey lucky. I hope your anxiety attack calm down soon, they can’t be pleasant. Take care.

[sca2013]

Maybe a you could use this explanation - My energy and ability to breath is like a cell phone battery. I start out fully charged, able to breath and function mostly normal. As the day goes on my battery goes lower and lower. At some point along the way my breathing becomes more difficult and I have less energy to do things. Until I recharge, basically sleep overnight, I am unable to do certain things the rest of that day. At least that is how it seems to go for me. Hopefully this can be of assistance for you to use.

[Paraman7 in reply to sca2013]

Hi there, thank you for taking the time to respond and my apologies for my delay in replying. It sounds a good analogy in part, but unfortunately my energy levels can be substantially depleted during the day too, so I often have to resort to a short daytime nap! It’s a difficult thing for healthy people to grasp for sure, and possibly I would not have appreciated the difficulty we face until it happens. But for the most part I am able to do the majority of things I want to, so that is a bonus. Take care and thanks again.