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

[bladesman73]

thanks for the feedback all. ive been told by my rehab nurse not to go near my bike for at least 2 months, despite me being really fit before the attack. i have also been told not to go back to weight training for a couple of months..i used to do 2 weights sessions pw, 2x 40 miles rides plus cycle to work and back daily..its hard getting used to being more sedentary. interesting to see others have got back on the bike 4-6 weeks after the attack. were you advised against this like me?

 

[PaulSB]

@bladesman73 I would never question what others decided to do but 4-6 weeks seems very early. If the rehab nurse says two months stick with it. My physio said to me, after I'd asked about the bike for the nth time,"if we don't get you back to where you were before the attack we've failed. Be patient."

Today I was out with some of my club's tougher riders. 64 miles, 3609 feet of climbing, average 15mph, 4 hours 7 minutes. Not too shabby for anyone of 62 years let alone a heart attack survivor.

If you want to get back quickly do what the professionals suggest. For extra exercise I really do recommend mile after mile of walking.

 

[DRM]

I have only done about 6 or 7 miles on road with a café stop, and did 13 steady miles on the MTB, in about 1.75 hours, prior to the heart attack I would do about 32 miles in just over 2 hours on the road bike, so I am basically starting from scratch, plus I am doing more walking than I used to as well the rehab, they did say not to rush into it but I absolutely hate sitting and vegetating in the house.

 

[Yorksman]

thanks for the feedback all. ive been told by my rehab nurse not to go near my bike for at least 2 months, despite me being really fit before the attack. i have also been told not to go back to weight training for a couple of months..i used to do 2 weights sessions pw, 2x 40 miles rides plus cycle to work and back daily..its hard getting used to being more sedentary. interesting to see others have got back on the bike 4-6 weeks after the attack. were you advised against this like me?

They have to play it safe with the advice because they have no real idea of what you mean by cycling. I have been cycling for a few years but have never cycled 40 miles. The max has been 20 miles and its more like 10 miles and even then, it's on the flat, no hills at all. At the start I spent 2 - 3 months on a turbo trainer with the power set at 60% only . Keep the muscles used to the movement but don't try and build up your stamina by hard work. Also walking is a good start to the recovery process.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I think its about time I wrote down what happened to me, I've mentioned it on several posts in Mundane news but I've not told the full story. Out on a Sunday at the beginning of November and had a lovely ride to the Charlecote Garden Store, on the way back on the climb between Snitterfield and Norton Lindsey I had what felt like a recurrence of a shoulder problem I'd had, it was actually a major angina attack, the first one I'd had since I had stents fitted in 2008, I finished the ride slowly and then it settled down and I wondered what was going on but carried on as normal. On the Thursday I set out on another ride but it was obvious I had a major problem so I turned back and went down the doctors, they couldn't fit me in so I went down the Walk In centre, they rushed me into A&E who admitted me into hospital. After tests I was told I'd had a small heart attack and they were going to do an angiogram to see what was going on, the angiogram showed up a blocked artery so they cleared it and fitted another stent, I've now got 5 fitted. So I'm home and have my first cardiac rehab session on Monday, no driving no cycling. I've got mixed feeling at the moment, I'm extremely frustrated at being grounded, but grateful I'm still here. I find myself thinking about a cycling friend of mine, he was 75 and had been stented like me, in the beginning of October He'd collapsed and died on the way back from a ride.

 

[Colin_P]

It is difficult @dave r , I have been through two lots of six months off from driving on medical grounds. It is also difficult to internally compartmentalise heart problems as they can be so sudden and with no second chances.

Glad you are ok Dave and sorry about your friend.


To anyone who has any doubts as to what to do when it comes to any kind of chest pain, that is to get it checked out immediately and even call 999. Don't do the blokey, i'll be alright and fight through it thing as this isn't something that can be shrugged off like a cold.

 

[mjr]

To anyone who has any doubts as to what to do when it comes to any kind of chest pain, that is to get it checked out immediately and even call 999. Don't do the blokey, i'll be alright and fight through it thing as this isn't something that can be shrugged off like a cold.

I agree with that advice. Call 111 or go to a walk-in or a good pharmacist if you really can't bring yourself to call 999. They'll tell you to go to the doctor if they've any doubt. Even if it turns out to be nothing to worry about and the doctor looks at you funny for worrying (as I feel happened to me recently - but they must have thought there was something wrong after all, as they've given me a short course of a drug sometimes named in doping bans! ), the reduced worrying once you've been checked over is worth it - and it's far far better than if you don't act and it is something serious!

 

[PaulSB]

It is difficult @dave r
To anyone who has any doubts as to what to do when it comes to any kind of chest pain, that is to get it checked out immediately and even call 999. Don't do the blokey, i'll be alright and fight through it thing as this isn't something that can be shrugged off like a cold.

Absolutely 100% this. When I had my heart attack I'd no idea what it was. My main thought was I'd bonked. After getting home I told myself look Paul, you're 61, something doesn't feel right, get to hospital.

I now know, because I experienced them for 3-4 months during rehab, the little twinges I had for years were in fact my heart. Get it checked out! Apparently it's more difficult to detect early signs of heart attack in women so ladies should be even more aware.

There's no need to feel embarrassment. Couple of years ago I found a pea sized lump in my groin. Phoned the surgery at 8.00am and was offered an appointment three days hence. I said to the receptionist I'm 60, I have lump in my groin. Oh, can you get here by 10.15!

When my GP pronounced it was a.cyst I first laughed with relief and second felt very embarrassed. She was quite clear, any symptoms of major issues see the GP immediately.

 

[Alan O]

To anyone who has any doubts as to what to do when it comes to any kind of chest pain, that is to get it checked out immediately and even call 999. Don't do the blokey, i'll be alright and fight through it thing as this isn't something that can be shrugged off like a cold.

Yep, thumbs up to that from me too. I got my first sign of trouble when I was walking round town doing a bit of shopping, and I suddenly found that walking 100m or so made me feel exhausted and produced a strange tightness in my chest - it was a sudden step-change, and I knew something wasn't right. I happened to be very near a taxi stand at the time, so I got right in and went straight to A&E.

 

[The Jogger]

Yep, thumbs up to that from me too. I got my first sign of trouble when I was walking round town doing a bit of shopping, and I suddenly found that walking 100m or so made me feel exhausted and produced a strange tightness in my chest - it was a sudden step-change, and I knew something wasn't right. I happened to be very near a taxi stand at the time, so I got right in and went straight to A&E.

Did it turn out to be a heart attack Alan?

 

[Alan O]

Did it turn out to be a heart attack Alan?

Ah, I thought I'd said earlier in the thread, but it seems I didn't. Yes, a heart attack, followed by a quadruple bypass. It was 10 years ago, and I've been great ever since.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

My assesment this morning went very well, I'm in good shape, my first gym session, cardiac rehab, is set for Friday afternoon, could be back on the bike in a couple of weeks.

 

[JtB]

Great news there @dave r

 

[Deleted member 1258]

First cardio rehab session this afternoon, laps of the gym to warm up, six minutes on the bike, rower and treadmill, working light and steady, then more laps of the gym to warm down. I'm not a gym bunny but I enjoyed that, it was nice to do some work and stretch myself a little. Downside was putting on a pair of cycle tights and a short sleeved top for the session, first time in cycle gear for three weeks, and I appear to have gained a belly from somewhere, hopefully it will vanish as I get more active. The good news is I've been OK'd to start using the turbo trainer again, short steady sessions but its a start.

 

[Slick]

Well done. The gym just bores me to tears, but compared to watching TV, I would take it, especially in the absence of anything else.

Is there a group, or one to one?