Any survivors on here, cardiac arrest, heart attack, cancer....

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classic33

Leg End Member
I found out one day that I had a codeine allergy.
Had a migraine, tried Migralieve for first time.
Within half an hour I had palpitations and a heart rate that wouldn't go below 250 and went as high as 300. Cue blue lights and sirens, large syringes and a nice lady repeatedly jamming her finger into my carotid artery. I was given the all clear after a week of vague meals and tests.

Not up there with many tales on here, but scared the crap out of me for a long time.
It's the simple stuff that can catch many out.
Can't be given a local anaesthetic due to a rapid reaction to it. Stopped the heart.
Penecillin put me in the number one spot on the ward.
 
Its humbling to read the posts on here and gives you hope as well. Triple by pass, last October, age 71, Got my bike a few days ago, such excitment, fell off the first time lol, embarrassed more than hurt. Did .7 of mile on the flat, in one way nothing at all but in another when I look back a few months I am pleased. At the moment chugging round the park getting familiar, better to tumble on the grass lol. Even if I don't get very far I am really enjoying the feeling of optimism that buying the bike has brought.
 

Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
Its humbling to read the posts on here and gives you hope as well. Triple by pass, last October, age 71, Got my bike a few days ago, such excitment, fell off the first time lol, embarrassed more than hurt. Did .7 of mile on the flat, in one way nothing at all but in another when I look back a few months I am pleased. At the moment chugging round the park getting familiar, better to tumble on the grass lol. Even if I don't get very far I am really enjoying the feeling of optimism that buying the bike has brought.
Where there's bike, there's hope!
 
OP
OP
Colin_P

Colin_P

Guru
Its humbling to read the posts on here and gives you hope as well. Triple by pass, last October, age 71, Got my bike a few days ago, such excitment, fell off the first time lol, embarrassed more than hurt. Did .7 of mile on the flat, in one way nothing at all but in another when I look back a few months I am pleased. At the moment chugging round the park getting familiar, better to tumble on the grass lol. Even if I don't get very far I am really enjoying the feeling of optimism that buying the bike has brought.

It doesn't matter what you do as long as you are out there doing it.

Most of my rides are less than 5 miles and are not fast. Despite that I set a target of 2,000 miles last year and ended up doing about 2,150 miles.

It really makes a huge difference not only to your physical well being but to your mental well being as well knowing and understanding you are not made out of eggshells.
 

Yorksman

Senior Member
At the moment chugging round the park getting familiar, better to tumble on the grass lol.

You have been far more adventurous than I was a two or three years back when I started again. Before I went a few hundred yards on the flat, I did many 5 min stints on a turbo trainer in the shed, to regain a bit of balance as much as build up a bit of strength.
 

DaveGM

Well-Known Member
Location
Merseyside
Its humbling to read the posts on here and gives you hope as well. Triple by pass, last October, age 71, Got my bike a few days ago, such excitment, fell off the first time lol, embarrassed more than hurt. Did .7 of mile on the flat, in one way nothing at all but in another when I look back a few months I am pleased. At the moment chugging round the park getting familiar, better to tumble on the grass lol. Even if I don't get very far I am really enjoying the feeling of optimism that buying the bike has brought.

I took up cycling in August last year, 12 months after having an ablation for atrial fibrillation. Started very slowly (and with some apprehension) with rides of about 3 -4 miles initially. I gradually built up in distance to about 20 miles by the end of last year. I think pootling around the local park is a great way to start. Its generally safe and there no pressure to press on.

Well done, and keep at it. I think slow but sure progress is the best way to go.
 

Yorksman

Senior Member
Its generally safe and there no pressure to press on.
......
I think slow but sure progress is the best way to go.

Very important for people with heart problems to avoid the temptation to 'push on'. It's easy to get carried away once one gets fitter too. Pootling is such a nice word.

And cycling around the park can be much more interesting than main roads..

01-ra-gs-gesundes-radfahren-dpa-100412-jpg.jpg
 
Yorksman, were we live it is all hills plus we have days when its been either to windy or very wet. It never even occurred to me to look into getting a turbo until I read your post earlier, not sure if such things where available generally in the 60s/70, anyway got one on order and spent the day clearing out the shed ready.. These pieces of info from contributors are a godsend for the novice. By the way, great pic of the German shephard.....
 

Yorksman

Senior Member
@strollby I later got a towbar mounted bike carrier and drove to cycleways which use disused railway tracks. Again, just nice and gentle. Turbo trainers have the advantage that, since everything is set up in the shed, you can easily slot 10 or 15 mins in without bothering about clothing and the weather etc. You miss the outside when it is a nice warm sunny day though. However, a good radio or even DVD is nice or if you have a laptop, there are cycling videos on youtube. They don't link to the turbo trainer like some do, but you get a changing view and you don't have to pay any attention to the training data displayed. That's for those who really do use them for training.

 

Yorksman

Senior Member
@strollby If you like the idea of video, I just remembered Real Life Video from the Netherlands, not to be confused with reallifevideo from germany. I have a Tacx TT and the dutch company do videos which work with that set up. However, they also provide the same videos with what they call their Cadence Video software. A copy comes with the video but I have never used. This software works with the video of your choice. It's basically a player but has a little extra functionality like showing you where you are on a map. There are plenty of good videos to choose from. They have now a separate site:

http://www.cadencevr.com/en/
 
Started the ball rolling towards having a prostatectomy yesterday, probably in the autumn. My consultant is investigating the additional precautions they need to take because of my history of pulmonary embolisms, and I've asked if we can wait till the end of the TT season...
 
Turned away from heart rehabilitatuon due to BP, although I tried to explain that the problem occurs when stressed or visiting hospitals, but asked to go to docs and get more tablets. Doc suggested keeping a log for the week with three daily readings. They turned out to be averaging at 133/80 rather than the 200 at the rehab centre. So I would keep a log for a week just to see whats going on, as someone mentioned earlier the 'white coat syndrome' can really throw readings out.
 

Yorksman

Senior Member
So I would keep a log for a week just to see whats going on, as someone mentioned earlier the 'white coat syndrome' can really throw readings out.

It can yes plus, they shouldn't be talking to you and asking questions whilst they take the BP, but most of them do.

I can do 2 x 30 mins on my Turbo Trainer without getting breathless now, just pootling along, not racing or pitting myself against challenging hills, but I am looking forward to some warmer weather so I can get outside.
 
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sarahale

Über Member
My dad had a heart attack, luckily he recognised the early warnings and managed to pull his bus over, offload the passengers (airside) and get an ambulance on scene. He then had the cardiac arrest in the ambulance.

My mum had breast cancer, double mastectomy and chemo. Hers was quite aggressive and was a very scary time.

My dad is now pretty much back to normal and about to retire. My mum got the all clear about 3 years ago and is living an active life! I feel so lucky to still have them both here.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
October 25th I had a heart attack followed by an angiogram, angioplasty and two stents being fitted. Pretty routine stuff and sounds more dramatic than it is. I posted about this a few months ago.

I know I've been very fortunate and this post is really for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation. Within hours of the diagnosis I determined I was not going back to hospital, would make a 100% recovery and follow all the advice from medical and rehab professionals.

Two weeks ago I felt ready to get back on the bike. I did 30 miles with my legs complaining at 20.

Yesterday, five months to the day, I was back out with the club for a 50 miler which I rode without feeling any discomfort - heart or cycling related!! Most of the ride was completed with an HR of 110-115 going to 135 on the climbs - well within the limits I have been set for the next few months.

Today I'm feeling very pleased and relieved I made it back to this point.

People ask me how I feel about the attack? Mainly I'm very fortunate, a problem existed which was found and fixed before it could kill me.

I was completely unaware of the indicators of a heart attack. The cardiac rehab nurses tell me this is a real problem as there is relatively little publicity on this. I now realise I've probably had the warning signs for 10 or more years but dismissed them as every day aches and pains.

There were a surprisingly high number of women at most of my rehab classes dispelling my view of heart attack bring a primarily male issue. Apparently the warning signs are harder to spot in women than men.

My next target is 75 by end June and then the Manchester 100 in September.
 
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