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

[Colin_P]

I've suffered panic attacks,work related depression,now through the worst, historical marathon runner in my thirties now 57,bought road bike two months ago,now up to steady thirty thirty fine miles aweek,having bike near patio doors,purchase cycling rain Cape help me get over reluctance,inertia to get out,also has a door to door one mileostomy circuit with stiff half mile climb,...jUstinov do three four slow circu it's if,unmotivated on days off work. Check booked by Dr claire weekes essential help for your nerves,publisher Angus and Robertson for your panic issues,she also wrote self help for your nerves,has short vignette interviews on u tube.good luck keith in england

Anxiety and panic once it gets a grip is really hard to shake. With me though I'm never sure if one of the 'rushes' is going to continue to something more sinister. That adds fuel (adrenaline) to the anxiety fire.

Those Claire Weeks books are very good, I have two of them I think.

I find however bad you feel and however reluctant you are to get out, on the bike, that once you do almost all problems wash away. I'd also recommend getting Strava and or Veloviewer to view the stats once you get home (and in ride if needs be) as a further distraction. Bikehike is also very good for planning new routes (however short they are in my case). Me, I'll never break any speed, climbing or distance records due to my heart and only race against myself. I do however love the ride stats and can spend a lot of time pouring over them.

 

[PaulSB]

Just had my review before i get kicked out tomorrow, glad to see that my discharge status is "alive"

Had a bit of a laugh when the doc asked how much i excercised (650 miles running and 1600 miles cycling so far this yesr). Have been told that due to my current fitness ans if i feel ok i can skip the first week of the 4 week recovery and start with 30 min flat walks every day for a week as soon as i get home, then walks with hills, then i should be ok to start back with gentle running and short rides.

Have a load of drugs to take but these will be checked over my my local doc.

Clearly I'm not medically qualified but your situation sounds very similar to mine. October 2015 I was 40 miles in to a club ride when I felt as though I had bonked. This was my only symptom apart from some discomfort in my lower left side towards my back. We'd only been out of the cafe for 10 minutes!

Anyway to cut a long story short after getting home I decided to go to A&E because, and this is genuinely what I thought, "Paul you're 61 and something doesn't feel right." I had none of the classic, to me, symptoms and A&E were unsure but treated me immediately.

Within 40 hours I'd been stented, home 24 hours later. I felt a bit tired but otherwise great. If you're similar can I advise be careful as you have been ill.

At the time I was riding 120-150 miles/week, about 4000 that year. The medical staff say this helped me survive.

I did the full rehab programme, exercise, diet, the works. I put in a lot of additional miles walking, and developed a love of walking, on a daily basis. Like you will I did everything asked of me.

Despite this I feel it was a full six months before I was really better. It's only when one truly is better one realises how unwell you've been. I waited 3 months before getting on the bike and a familiar 12 mile circuit left me knackered for 24 hours. I waited another two months before trying again.

Today I'm fully recovered, lost weight, riding faster, climbing further and quicker and feel fitter than for perhaps 20 years. I did Ride London in 5:20 at an average of 19. If I want to I can kick the backsides of club mates 20 years younger, I've lead several to their best times, distance etc. Unheard of two years ago.

Please don't think I'm asking you to ignore medical opinion but I do urge you to follow all advice, do not be impatient and listen to your body not your brain. The physio told me after I'd asked about cycling for the 100th time, "you're very fit, if I can't get you back to at least 100% of where you were I've failed" - he succeeded.

I now know I had years, probably 15-20, of tiny warning signs which I dismissed as getting older day to day stuff. I had a slow, slow build up to a blockage. The little twinges I felt for months after my attack were identical to those I had felt and ignored for years because they were tiny.

I'd urge everyone reading this, no matter how small the sensation don't ignore it, get checked out.

flatflr - good luck. You'll do it, take time though and you'll feel better than ever in a few months. Stenting changed my health and the heart attack was good news as it gave me time to change my life before it was too late.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Clearly I'm not medically qualified but your situation sounds very similar to mine. October 2015 I was 40 miles in to a club ride when I felt as though I had bonked. This was my only symptom apart from some discomfort in my lower left side towards my back. We'd only been out of the cafe for 10 minutes!

Anyway to cut a long story short after getting home I decided to go to A&E because, and this is genuinely what I thought, "Paul you're 61 and something doesn't feel right." I had none of the classic, to me, symptoms and A&E were unsure but treated me immediately.

Within 40 hours I'd been stented, home 24 hours later. I felt a bit tired but otherwise great. If you're similar can I advise be careful as you have been ill.

At the time I was riding 120-150 miles/week, about 4000 that year. The medical staff say this helped me survive.

I did the full rehab programme, exercise, diet, the works. I put in a lot of additional miles walking, and developed a love of walking, on a daily basis. Like you will I did everything asked of me.

Despite this I feel it was a full six months before I was really better. It's only when one truly is better one realises how unwell you've been. I waited 3 months before getting on the bike and a familiar 12 mile circuit left me knackered for 24 hours. I waited another two months before trying again.

Today I'm fully recovered, lost weight, riding faster, climbing further and quicker and feel fitter than for perhaps 20 years. I did Ride London in 5:20 at an average of 19. If I want to I can kick the backsides of club mates 20 years younger, I've lead several to their best times, distance etc. Unheard of two years ago.

Please don't think I'm asking you to ignore medical opinion but I do urge you to follow all advice, do not be impatient and listen to your body not your brain. The physio told me after I'd asked about cycling for the 100th time, "you're very fit, if I can't get you back to at least 100% of where you were I've failed" - he succeeded.

I now know I had years, probably 15-20, of tiny warning signs which I dismissed as getting older day to day stuff. I had a slow, slow build up to a blockage. The little twinges I felt for months after my attack were identical to those I had felt and ignored for years because they were tiny.

I'd urge everyone reading this, no matter how small the sensation don't ignore it, get checked out.

flatflr - good luck. You'll do it, take time though and you'll feel better than ever in a few months. Stenting changed my health and the heart attack was good news as it gave me time to change my life before it was too late.

I had angina in 2008 and was stented, like you I'd been having warning signs before that but didn't realize what they were, I'd even been investigated by my GP without them finding anything. It'll be a year since my heart attack in November, I was riding the climb from Snitterfield to Norton Lindsey when it happened, I thought It was an angina attack, I hadn't had one since I was stented. I just treated it as I used to when I was having angina, I stopped let it pass then continued at an easier pace with regular stops when I felt uncomfortable. When I had no reoccurrence the following day I thought it was a one of, I'd had a cold a couple weeks before and just thought I'd just ridden too hard too soon, but when I tried to ride a few days later and couldn't without pain I went straight down the hospital where I was investigated and had another stent put in. Now with the anniversary looming I'm almost back to where I was before the attack, getting plenty of miles in at an average of 13.5 -14mph and enjoying my cycling.

 

[slowmotion]

I was in a very similar position to @PaulSB, riding about 80 miles a week and about 4000 miles a year. The doctors had sent me for a variety of tests over a five month period after my GP found something odd with his stethoscope, but it was only when the cardiologist sent me for an angiogram that things happened rather fast. The only wake up call I had was when I felt absolutely dreadful only ten miles into a night ride, about three weeks before the angiogram. That was five years ago, and I feel absolutely fine. I've no idea what the future holds but I'm happily enjoying the present.

 

[PaulSB]

I think lack of obvious symptoms is a common theme. The cardiac nurses definitely told me the lack of public education on what to watch for is a big problem.

If I pee and it stings I go to the GP. I find a lump I go to the GP. Before my heart attack I wouldn't have known of a symptom to send me to the GP.

 

[slowmotion]

I think lack of obvious symptoms is a common theme. The cardiac nurses definitely told me the lack of public education on what to watch for is a big problem.

If I pee and it stings I go to the GP. I find a lump I go to the GP. Before my heart attack I wouldn't have known of a symptom to send me to the GP.

Very good point. I assumed that my occasional breathlessness was due to having been a fairly enthusiastic smoker in the past. I never knew that it was a classic feature of angina.

Edit: What I meant was that I thought my lungs had been screwed up, not my heart. Smoking does both of course.

 

[NickNick]

My other half is going for angiogram and angioplasty at crack of dawn tomorrow, bit nervous but have good faith in QE after their Stella life saving performance 18months ago when she had a triple heart attack and emergency stent fitted (most terrifying experience of my life when she collaps d in front of me) .

 

[slowmotion]

My other half is going for angiogram and angioplasty at crack of dawn tomorrow, bit nervous but have good faith in QE after their Stella life saving performance 18months ago when she had a triple heart attack and emergency stent fitted (most terrifying experience of my life when she collaps d in front of me) .

All best wishes to you both.

 

[NickNick]

All best wishes to you both.

Thanks!

 

[DRM]

Just had my review before i get kicked out tomorrow, glad to see that my discharge status is "alive"

Had a bit of a laugh when the doc asked how much i excercised (650 miles running and 1600 miles cycling so far this yesr). Have been told that due to my current fitness ans if i feel ok i can skip the first week of the 4 week recovery and start with 30 min flat walks every day for a week as soon as i get home, then walks with hills, then i should be ok to start back with gentle running and short rides.

Have a load of drugs to take but these will be checked over my my local doc.

I too didn't recognise the symptoms, I thought that I had just got really cold down to the bone or had bonked, just couldn't understand why I felt so bad, with an ache under my armpits,& no energy, I was halfway round a 32 miler when it started, but like a fool rode all the way home as I didn't put 2 & 2 together till I had got showered at home.
Don't be surprised if a 30 min walk is a tad ambitous, I was told to go for a 5 minutes walk on release, 2.5 minutes got me to the end of our street, to say i was knackered was an understatement, to add insult to cardiac injury, a woman came past on a bike puffing & panting, I could have actually cried at the thought i used to sprint up there, but couldn't hardly walk to the end of the street now, however I upped the walk time till I was easily doing 3 to 4 miles, then got back on the bike, did about 3 miles at first & steadily upped the distance till i'm now doing 46 milers, with about 960 meters of climbing at an average of 15.5 mph, but it's taken 12 months of hard work/dieting/gym work, if you get the chance do the cardiac rehab it really helps, all the best for your recovery take it easy

 

[DRM]

My other half is going for angiogram and angioplasty at crack of dawn tomorrow, bit nervous but have good faith in QE after their Stella life saving performance 18months ago when she had a triple heart attack and emergency stent fitted (most terrifying experience of my life when she collaps d in front of me) .

Best wishes to both of you

 

[PaulSB]

My other half is going for angiogram and angioplasty at crack of dawn tomorrow, bit nervous but have good faith in QE after their Stella life saving performance 18months ago when she had a triple heart attack and emergency stent fitted (most terrifying experience of my life when she collaps d in front of me) .

Hope this went well for you both.

 

[classic33]

Full body MRI scan and bone density test(s) now been set up for Saturday. Two weeks after I was told the scan would be done. Being done at a not so local private hospital.

CSF leaks may be linked to bone thinning, caused by long term drug mis-use. I got put on it in March 77, to try to help control the epilepsy. Getting classed as a drug abuser is the only way they could start treatment.

 

[NickNick]

Hope this went well for you both.

The angiogram came back clear so they didn't need to fit another stent which is really good, but it still leaves us with no explanation for the unusual ecg readings that gave them the concern in the first place. On an intellectual level I'm very much relieved as they have really taken it seriously and ran every possible test possible (perfusion test, chest xrays, bloods, angiogram...) and have found nothing of concern, but on an emotional level I'm still a bit unnerved.

I think what doesn't help is the experience we had when she had the initial heart attacks. She'd been getting all the symptoms (shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling in arm...) for a few days, it got worse after a dog walk and we called an ambulance when we got home. The paramedics were lovely, ran some tests and found she had an extremely low heart rate but ecg looked ok but on balance thought best to run her into the hospital. In the QE they ran some more quick tests and said that there was something unusual but that they were fairly sure she hadn't had a heart attack (harder to diagnose in women apparently), instead of doing an angiogram there and then they booked her in in a fortnights time.

3 days later while walking a dog she was looking after she starts to feel really unwell, as it was a dog she hadnt looked after before she forced herself to walk home instead of sitting down to rest as she would have done if it had just been our dogs that she could trust not to dart off. I'd had a job cancelled so by chance was at home, she flew through the door, dropped the dog in the back room and collapsed in front of me. The paramedic who came out was absolutely horrible to her, she'd obviously taken one look at the old hippy wagon on the drive (bedford tk horsebox/camper conversion) and at us and at my partners age and assumed she was having a panic attack/time wasting/being hysterical. Accused her of wasting their time, told her to stop being silly and get up and walk (she was to weak to even get up by herself let alone walk down the drive unaided) to the ambulance and then tried to convince us not to go into hospital. Thankfully I put my foot down and insisted they took us into the QE, as within 5min of being in there, they'd carted her away from me, her heart stopped 3x and had to be resuscitated & emergency stent fitted.

The whole experience was so traumatic, especially the wait for the ambulance when she was loosing consciousness, then the attitude of the paramedic + knowing that if they'd done the angiogram on her first visit to hospital they would have fitted a stent and she would not have had the heart attacks. Its brought back all those emotions and not having a conclusive answer has left me a bit on edge. But the important thing is that its put my partner's mind at rest at least (she has no memory of the event, so has different emotional baggage from it).

Its been surprisingly cathartic and helpful just to write all this down, as its not something I've really discussed in any detail with most people/

 

[Deleted member 1258]

The angiogram came back clear so they didn't need to fit another stent which is really good, but it still leaves us with no explanation for the unusual ecg readings that gave them the concern in the first place. On an intellectual level I'm very much relieved as they have really taken it seriously and ran every possible test possible (perfusion test, chest xrays, bloods, angiogram...) and have found nothing of concern, but on an emotional level I'm still a bit unnerved.

I think what doesn't help is the experience we had when she had the initial heart attacks. She'd been getting all the symptoms (shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling in arm...) for a few days, it got worse after a dog walk and we called an ambulance when we got home. The paramedics were lovely, ran some tests and found she had an extremely low heart rate but ecg looked ok but on balance thought best to run her into the hospital. In the QE they ran some more quick tests and said that there was something unusual but that they were fairly sure she hadn't had a heart attack (harder to diagnose in women apparently), instead of doing an angiogram there and then they booked her in in a fortnights time.

3 days later while walking a dog she was looking after she starts to feel really unwell, as it was a dog she hadnt looked after before she forced herself to walk home instead of sitting down to rest as she would have done if it had just been our dogs that she could trust not to dart off. I'd had a job cancelled so by chance was at home, she flew through the door, dropped the dog in the back room and collapsed in front of me. The paramedic who came out was absolutely horrible to her, she'd obviously taken one look at the old hippy wagon on the drive (bedford tk horsebox/camper conversion) and at us and at my partners age and assumed she was having a panic attack/time wasting/being hysterical. Accused her of wasting their time, told her to stop being silly and get up and walk (she was to weak to even get up by herself let alone walk down the drive unaided) to the ambulance and then tried to convince us not to go into hospital. Thankfully I put my foot down and insisted they took us into the QE, as within 5min of being in there, they'd carted her away from me, her heart stopped 3x and had to be resuscitated & emergency stent fitted.

The whole experience was so traumatic, especially the wait for the ambulance when she was loosing consciousness, then the attitude of the paramedic + knowing that if they'd done the angiogram on her first visit to hospital they would have fitted a stent and she would not have had the heart attacks. Its brought back all those emotions and not having a conclusive answer has left me a bit on edge. But the important thing is that its put my partner's mind at rest at least (she has no memory of the event, so has different emotional baggage from it).

Its been surprisingly cathartic and helpful just to write all this down, as its not something I've really discussed in any detail with most people/