3 months post stents : Hi everyone... - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

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3 months post stents

Felixstowe profile image
23 Replies

Hi everyone looking for a bit of advice if possible. On 3rd May this year my husband went into hospital and had 4 stents put in. First 10 weeks great, he felt like a new man. Was attending cardio rehab and on the last but one session started getting the old symptoms. On the last session they wouldn’t allow him to use the gym and told him to go back to the hospital.

Since then he gets the symptoms if he walks fast for less than 300 metres.

He has had to be Re referred and is currently waiting to hear if cardiology will see him.

Has anyone else had the same thing happen?

I’m just worried as when he had angiogram in January the plan was to put stents in one artery but on the day of the op they found the second artery had worsened considerably since January and had to stent that one too.

Any advice/information/tips gratefully accepted.

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Felixstowe profile image
Felixstowe
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23 Replies
Healthyheart1 profile image
Healthyheart1

I think if you try and phone the bhf nurses they may be able to help. Good luck

Felixstowe profile image
Felixstowe in reply toHealthyheart1

Thank you Healthyheart1, he did speak to them and was advised the same (go back to cardiology) . We’ll have to wait and see if they’ll accept the referral. Thank you again.

Healthyheart1 profile image
Healthyheart1 in reply toFelixstowe

Hopefully they will. It's a waiting game, that's the hardest thing. Keep well.

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2

Has he changed his diet?

Felixstowe profile image
Felixstowe in reply toIanc2

No, 18 months ago he changed to a low carb diet, went to an NHS group as he was borderline T2 diabetic. Lost 11 kilos, 10 inches off his waist and cholesterol etc came down to good levels. Still keeps to it. Trouble is you get really conflicting advice, we try to keep a healthy balance. He had to cut down his fruit consumption because of the sugar/carbs but still ensures he has some within his daily limits.

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2 in reply toFelixstowe

Congratulations. In my opinion the medics tend to size you up as you enter, and the better you appear the more they are likely to treat you. More power to you

in reply toIanc2

Hi,

Sorry, could you please explain this a little more, may I ask?

Thank you.

Felixstowe profile image
Felixstowe in reply to

Hi autumnsonnet, what would you like to know? Sorry I think someone else has my brain today.

in reply toFelixstowe

"the better you appear the more they are likely to treat you"

I wasn't sure what that meant.

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2 in reply to

Hi autumn sonnet

In 2014 I was in a hospital bed ready for heart surgery. Across the way a very obese man seemed to be being passed from one doctor to another, no doubt thinking of their success rates.

if your doctor tells you to make lifestyle changes and you do, you tend to get a better response.

in reply toIanc2

Oh, I see. Thank you.

I assumed what you meant was "Doctors can tell which heart diseases you have by looking at your appearance." How wrong was I?

KEN65 profile image
KEN65

Go to A&E with not feeling well symptoms and once they look at his record I would expect him to be admitted and checked out as this is what happened to me in my early days, thankfully I was okay just changed my meds. good luck.

Felixstowe profile image
Felixstowe in reply toKEN65

Thank you, he won’t go to a&e unless he absolutely has to, he’s so stubborn. If Cardiology won’t see him maybe he’ll go then (I hope). Otherwise I’ll break open my penny jar and see the cardiologist privately. Happy to read you’re doing well now.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

I agree, go to A&E. It is possible for stents to fail and they will check much quicker than any waiting list.

SomersetJo profile image
SomersetJo

I had 2 stents in May, and like your hubby felt a lot better and did well at the cardio rehab programme. Last week I was at a routine hospital blood check (I have lots of other stuff going on) and had to use my GTN spray. My haematologist was concerned about this so sent me over to A&E. I ended up being admitted to the Bristol Heart Institute for several days. Lots of tests. Thankfully the stents were fine, but they could see some other stuff that could be causing the problem. So meds have been adjusted, including the addition of a nitrate/GTN tablet and my diagnosis has changed from stable angina to unstable angina and Acute Coronary Syndrome. I haven't had any symptoms since coming home a week ago so here's hoping. Because of the existing stuff - including the stents - the A&E team were really helpful and thorough so it could be a good idea for your husband.

Felixstowe profile image
Felixstowe in reply toSomersetJo

Gosh thank goodness your haematologist was on the ball. Thank you for your reply and wishing you the very best.

Benzman profile image
Benzman

The same happened to me. Went in for 2 stents, came out with 5 and then didn't feel any better - collapsed inside of a week. The problem with A&E is that they are reluctant to refer you to Cardiology - I was told by then. 'Our job is to patch you up and send you home. It's for the GP to refer you"! Useful that eh? Finally I was given another angiogram and they discovered I needed another stent. That was three years ago and now feel great. My suggestion is ring the cardiologist's secretary. It worked for me.

Good luck

Felixstowe profile image
Felixstowe in reply toBenzman

Thank you, so sorry to hear of your problems and very happy you’re now feeling great. That’s a very good suggestion and if we haven’t heard by 2nd September I’ll call the cardiologist’s secretary myself.

I see that it's not uncommon to have more stents that may be needed i.e. missing some narrowed areas. Worrying time for you, both.

Good luck.

Felixstowe profile image
Felixstowe in reply to

Thank you.

Dickyticker26 profile image
Dickyticker26

I lived at Felixstowe during the war years and early 1950's

Still have vivid memories of barrage balloons, search lights, anti-aircraft guns and the drone of heavy bombers going out from Martlesham and Lakenham Heath-the whole sky would be black with them. The cheerful American airmen on the promenade and on the pier

Buying doughnuts with grandmother at Cordy's and walking out to Felixstowe Harbour on the River Orwell to see the motor torpedo boats (MTB's) and a captured German U boat

At the end of the war the German Navy formally surrendered under Rear Admiral Breuning at the harbour. Military vehicles were going all day down Langer Road and Garrison Lane

Lawrence of Arabia had been stationed at Felixstowe as Aircraftsman Shaw before the war and Mrs Simpson lived at Beach House pending her divorce in Ipswich County Court

The beach was heavily mined and had barbed wire and we went down to Felixstowe Ferry with Bawdsey Manor across the River Deben where radar was developed- rumour had it as invisible rays that brought down enemy aircraft

A young lady from the convent took us for walks out to Peewit Hill and Martello Lane and we watched Suffolk play minor counties cricket at the county ground and were devoted to Ipswich Town in Division 3 (South) in the days before Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson

Harwich & Parkstone played Bishop Auckland (or was it Pegasus?) in the FA Amateur Cup Final at Wembley

Speedway was big after the war with Split Waterman and Sprouts Elder, Barry Briggs and Jack Young (who introduced the "Armchair Ride.") The big teams were New Cross, Haringey and Wembley where they would close the doors on crowds of 70,000 on Thursday nights

We saw Johnny Weismuller as Tarzan at the Odeon and read books by Arthur Ransome "We didn't mean to go to sea" where the children take a boat by accident in the fog from Felixstowe Harbour across the North Sea to Flushing in Holland

There were convalescent homes and a cottage hospital where my older brother and I had our tonsils out We had night nurses sleeping at our house in Princes Road during the day

In 1947 there was a very cold winter followed by a very hot summer when we struggled up Bent Hill and South Hill after swimming in the cold North Sea

There was a large house overlooking the sea known as the Keiser's House and I believe that the Keiser himself stayed there before the war

We went to a children's party at the Felix Hotel and came back during an air raid

I have been back since to stay at the Orwell Moat House and relive the atmosphere-but not in recent years

Hoping all this helps in some way-what was the question?

Felixstowe profile image
Felixstowe

Thank you, really enjoyed reading this, beautifully written. You’ll laugh (hopefully) when I tell you why I use Felixstowe. It actually came about because of predictive text. I thought I put Felix (after my cat) and didn’t notice it had changed it to Felixstowe.

Dickyticker26 profile image
Dickyticker26 in reply toFelixstowe

Thanks so much for the response!

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