Post Heart Attack Breathing issues

[ClegJase]

Hi all - heart attack on the 12th of October - 3 stents and 2 angioplasty later - back at home but have a terrible dry cough and breathing is a little laboured - any ideas or concerns?

I am a British Citizen and had the attack whilst in South Africa - stuck here for a while, with no insurance so had to pay out over £18,000 so far - so lesson learned, take out travel insurance!

[BeKind28-]

Hello

Sorry to hear about your heart attack and especially you had no insurance a lesson learnt at a very high price but worth it to get treated as you have

Not sure if you are taking any medications they may have prescribed as some medications can have a side effect of a dry cough

Medications can also affect our breathing again not sure what you or if you are taking any

But if this continues or gets worse the best advice I could give is you contact or visit the Hospital or Doctor and get it checked out

I hope things settle down and let us know how you get on x

[Tos92]

I’m very sorry to hear about your heart attack. I also had a heart attack last year whilst abroad. Despite having travel insurance, it took me a long while to get reimbursed when I got back to the U.K. as it was initially declined.

With those symptoms, I would contact your GP or cardiologist at the first instance to make sure there is nothing to be worried about. If it is a case of medication causing this, then I’m sure they will make you aware that it is side effects from the tablets you are taking. Alternatively, to put your mind at rest for the time being, it may be worth reading the patient information leaflets that come with the medication to see if a dry cough and breathlessness is listed as a possible side effect as you haven’t mentioned what you are taking in your question.

If you experience severe breathlessness or any chest pain, please call 999.

All the best for your recovery.

Tos

[Blearyeyed]

Are you out of hospital but still in South Africa?

[fishonabike]

sorry to hear about your heart attack and i hope that you go on to make a good recovery

dry cough might be because of your breathing problem or it could be a side effect of a medication - ACE inhibitors like Ramipril are commonly given after a heart attack and are well known to cause a nasty dry cough, there are alternatives - so see a doctor soon and discus tyour issues with them

breathing problems are also fairly common with any heart condition because the heart and lungs work vey closely together - if one is struggling the other may suffer the consequences - this is something you should tell your doctor about