Welcome Heart attack Survivor,

Well I'd like to give you a 'cure all' for all your post op complications but on the whole you sound pretty damn good. BP will run low with the meds. Probably a Beta Blocker, Ace inhibitor, daily regimens of Plavix and aspirin. Your heart follwoing a stenting undergoes natural changes to compensate for this invasive procedure. Cardiogenic shock often complicates recovery for a short time as they monitor your post op- cardiac reactions to meds. Your erratic heart beats, probably PVC's (premature venticular contactions) are normal when first on these meds, post op. You may be even on carvidilol. In time as your heart recovers these complications should disipate.

Cardiac re-hab is a wonderful way of getting your cardiac muscle back in shape and allowing you to resume a more normal, and yes better, activity every day.

Not knowing more details, I would say the majority of us would say this is rather a welcome post op diagnosis. They will wean you up to the medication levels which optimize your heart function and overtime as you progress you will begin to wean from these meds. Supplements are also in your future. Omega-3 fatty acids, Chia seeds, flax seeds, kelp and some healthy salmon will start to be daily routines for you. A glass of wine daily won't hurt either. It helps raise your good HDL and a crestor (Rosouvastatin) drug will help lowrer the bad LDL and Niaspan will greatly lower your tri-glycerides. A heart healthy diet and lifestyle, no doubt will greatly reduce your chances of recurrence. Lose weight, stop smoking, ease up on your stress levels, Be a new you and family members will see the change and team with you in your recoveries.

You are a survivor and it is time to feel and act the part and allow yourself to team with your cardio team to optimize your chances of a full recovery and a better you. A new you. You have been given another chance by Giod to become a better you. Than you can give back to other new fiolk who come onto this site with similar if not worse situations.

Your anxiety issues could increase your chances of angina like symptoms which shouldn't be taken lightly. Stress and inflamation are key intangibles which often result in sudden death from subsequesnt HA's. Get your anxiety under control like many of us have done with anxiety reducing meds such as in the benzodiazapine family (Xanex, Klonapin, ativan etc.) Depression will no doubt raise it's ugly head and I would advise you keep plugged in here to learn how we all learned to cope with these other intangibles which the cardiologists often don;t tell us about.

Family members will tend to treat you with kit gloves thinking you are knocking on deaths door but you are, as stated a Survivor not a victim. They often suffer the psychological effects as much if not more than the Ha survivor. 1 in 2 die from this event. You didn't. Now get up, give thanks to God and find out what he has in store for you as you have been given a wonderous second chance at a new life. Often a much better fullfilled life full of hope, joy and opportunity.

Many of us seek out therapists to deal with the emotional turmoil following this harrowing event. We are still here, some of us years post "Cardiac Event" keeping current with new procedures and listening to the newbees, like yourself, artculate their inner most fears, intrepidations and more importantly, their hopes and gratitude for living again.

I am so happy that you are with us to help us help you and return help us.

Welcome Allimacdee,

You are among learned, understanding and compassionate folk like yourself,

My Best Regards to you in your continued recovery,


Just Joe

Thank you so much for your wonderful advice and help. I went to the doctors this morning and he put me through a barrage of tests which all came back just fine. My ECG is continuing to evolve which Is to be expected. As a precaution, he has given me some Diazepam to take the edge off of the anxiety. My goodness, they work! I feel better, able to continue my recovery.
This is a wonderful site and I have been reading it since I came out of hospital. You can feel like the only person in the world, especially when family members think you're overdoing it simply because you're doing what your cardiac team have told you to do.
Thank you for being there and putting me at ease. Your support has been invaluable and I feel like crying just because you understand the car crash of emotions that's ripping into my head.
Thank you and God bless.

Welcome Allimacdee,

Well Ive been awake since 4am.Cant sleep either.Stress and Anxiety going on.Yesterday I was faced with the person who triggered my heart attack.Not directly but indirectly `` welcome to the wonderful world of computers``.
I had to do alot of talking to myself.I could feel my heart racing again. I could feel it pumping hard again.I ran and took my BP but I wasnt taking it for that reason I wanted to know what my pulse was.Sure enough it was at 99.I got really scared.Now I knew I had to calm myself down.There was now way I was going back to what happened to me a month ago! (2 heart attacks)
So to make a long story short which I should make it long to get this all off my chest..Yesterday was a very emotional day.I cried,I was stressed and very scared.
Some how I got myself through yesterday.Its wasnt easy but if we want to be able to spend more time on this earth we have no choice to learn our boundries and control them.And I am very thankful I did.

Thank you Joe for answering Allimacdee question because it was going to be my question this morning.

Welcome again Allimacdee, I know this group is helping me and I know it will do the same for you. I always find my answers.

Take care friends
Tanya

I believe, being a candidate for stress. Tending toward "Type 'A'. that I have learned to familiarize myself with situations that cause me stress, or I would better say I allow to cause me stress. After all stress is merely a "State of Mind" which has secondary physical ramifications which are harmful to all of us. I needed to learn to recognize those situations and like in pain management, I medicate before the event. This way my psychological frame of mind better prepares me to deal ratioanally with irrational thinking. Seems a trite response, but it has been very successful in many cases for me. We must also remember, stress is a normal response to a stimulus. "Fight or Flight" sort of thing. Being Irish I tend to Fight which is just as stressful.

Getting to know and understand our bodies reactions and more importantly our bodies voice enables us to better "Cope" with what historically has put us over the edge. Homeopathic excersises were beneficial to me in tandem with therapy and medication. I will soon hope to master some of these natural techniques tro wean off of the meds and deal with life by coping inteligently to situations that would have put me at risk previously. I am on the right track. This is because I use this multi-disciplinary approach to my overall health. Please use DS and all other avenues for new and novel approaches to our heart health.

Cardiology is ever evolving and it is incumbant upon us to learn and research all developments to make us better survivors. Both of you are a breath of fresh air to us all. Because you seem to be asking the right questions and descerning advise as it fits your particular situations.

It is OK to be sad, stressed, afraid, worried. It's just not healthy for us to stay there. Learn to become a new normal you. It takes practices as all disciplines do but it is our new found second chance at a new life that is at stake here. How you chose to develop, nurture and maitain that is totally up to each individual. I chose life today, and more and more each day. This stuff is contageous. That's why I stay tuned into DS and do my homework.

Being OK is not good enough for Just Joe. I want to be better everyday. I use my developing attitude to foster that mentality. But it takes fortitude and determination. Something we all help each other with daily.

I for one am proud of our newbees.

Best Regards,

Just Joe

Thank you, TanyaMay! How wonderful to know that I am not alone. You understand so well what is happening and it's such a relief. I know that I am physically fine and, as my doctor says, probably in better condition than most - after all , we KNOW what's going on and as for my arteries, they are now clear unlike many others who have no idea what may be in store for them. I just need to keep on with my goals and targets in a gradual way in order that I continue to be healthy. Finding and joining this group has been a massive relief. So much information that a survivor needs but is lost or ignored in the system as the initial emergency is dealt with.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have put my mind at rest. That and the diazepam!!

God bless and continue your fantastic recovery

Allimacdee
Xxx

Ladies,

Oh Jese, I almost forgot to metion this. Given our cardiac artery condition there is a greater than 75% chance that other arteries in our bodies are in similar or even worse condition. Leading to TIA's(Transient Ischemic Attacks or Mini Strokes) or PAD, Pulmonary embolisms, thrombosis etc.up to including major life altering or fatal stokes or ischemic tendencies elsewhere in other vital organs. I chose to get a complete body arteriogram to see and thus monitor over time the condition of these vessels. What infuriated me was when I querried my cardiologist over the chances that other arteries in my body may be in the same if not worse shape. His retort was, "About 80% chance) my response was what are "We: going to do about this. His response was that "We" would wait until I was symptomatic. I hit the roof at his reactionary posture and curt repsonse.I immediately sought out additional cardiologists and PCP's who commended my ownership mentality, completed the study and found other arteries in advanced state of calcification, namely my left carodid at 65% occlussion. Now we can, on a timely basis monitor it's condition and act proactively and preventively rather than reactively. Made sense to me. This advice is in our best interests to stay and continue to improve our overall health.

Also schedule an Echogram to see if and how much infarction occurred. Ona regular basis demand a complkete CBC to include cardiac enzymes, lipid profile, kidney and liver function and NT-pro-BNP analysis to see the actualge of our hearts.Having had an MI these numbers would indicate that our hearts may be much older than our actual years. EFGR and EF% is also advisable to see sugar, sedimentation rates and ejection fraction % which is the % output from the Left Ventrical. All these you will want to see move in the right direction over time.

Just a byline Ladies,

Best Regards,

Just Joe

Hello, Just Joe

Crikey, and what a by line. Who knew? Wow, when I next see my Doctor, I shall have a little discussion although at this point, I don't know how much more info I need to know before I go quite potty :-) This is something that I need to investigate.

Once again, you are a star. I feel better just knowing you're out there, Just Joe.

May God bless you,

Allimacdee x

Hello Allimacdee,

Welcome to the group, I see you've met our good friend Just me Joe ("Dr. Feelgood" ;) Lol! He definitely knows a lot and can definitely make you feel good with his words.

All kiddin' aside you have come to a good place to get some sound advice from a lot of knowledgeable people. I am a survivor of 5 years having mine at 34. I didn't deal with the anxiety and panic right away so your actually a step ahead of me, cause I relapsed emotionally when I thought I was all good physically. It is a balancing act but as long as you know you can do it

Mind, Body, and Soul
Louie

Thank you, Louie. I appreciate your advice always

Alli
X

Hi Allie,

after my Dec 2010 attack I had daily anxiety which showed up as tightness in my forehead and dizziness.

At first I didn't know it was anxiety because pre-heart attack I was pretty low-key and not at all anxious.

So I thought these symptoms were heart-related and in the first 6 weeks I called the ambulance twice to be taken to the hospital only to be told I was okay and sent home.

My doctor prescribed Lorazepam which at first I took 5 - 7 times per week.

By about 5 months post-attack I was able to cut back on the regular use of Lorazepam.

In the past 7 months I have taken about 6 Lorazepam pills.

When I begin to feel the onset of dizziness or tightness in my chest I now have relaxation exercises to calm down.

As Tanya said, talking to yourself can help. And meds can certainly assist.

regards

Jay

Many of us here, no doubt share the same metabolic conditions, up to and including psychological profiles which are condusive to cardiac related disorders and other vascular issues. We keep reading about our DS folk ans stres related issues. To remind us, 30 % of the American population fit into what cardiac sciences states are the risk factor group for Cardiac related illnesses. That leaves 70% of the population who suffer and or die from cardiac or stroke related death.

Stress and inflamation are the intangibles that are not readily visible at an office visit or ablood test or a stress test. There are folks here who will never forget this fact. Some have passed blood and stress tested with flying colors, only to succumb to major MI's days or weeks later.

So absolutely, discover, in you, these intangibles and manage them with the care of, most importantly "You" and other professionals who are educated in these disciplines. It can only increase our chances of twarting off additional cardiac events.

Knowledge, faith in "God" and attitude to be the best survivor we can be are palatable tangibles which we have direct control of. Faith in God's will and the hope that our wills align with his is paramount in how quickly and readily we are able to recover to become better people, "All Around"

Thanks for listening,

My Best To You al,

Just Joe

Well said Joe!

Hey All,
Boy do I remember the stress after my heart attack! I couldn't sleep, couldn't rest, couldn't calm down. Everything made me wonder it the next heart beat would be my last. After a week and a half like this at home, my MD gave me an anti-anxiety med, and for the first time I slept through the night. It was wonderful! After a while I weaned of fthem on a regular basis. I still take 1/2 tab occasionally. However, I try not to rely on them. You sound perfectly normal to me. :)

Hugs and prayers,
Pam

Hello, all you lovely people,

I can't say how much I have appreciated your help, advice, support and knowledge. You see, I don't know anyone that has has a heart attack -it just isn't in my family so there is no-one to ask. Of course, I daren't discuss anything with my family because theyre all freaking out about this as it is.

I did go to the doctor in the end. He was brilliant and just said it was to be expected, gave me diazepam which has certainly taken the edge off of it. Thank the Lord because I thought I was going crazy! I don't take them every day but I'll knock them back when I'm feeling vulnerable. They're like a safety net and two weeks post HA, I feel I need anything that will restore some normality in my life.

This site has been a God send. All you wonderful people who will just respond to a strangers need - I am more than grateful.

Bless you all,

Alli
X

Reading about everyone else, and how their day to day is and what helps other is helping me.

I am only 20yrs old and I had a heart attack October 24, 2012, which was caused by a blood clot, and they have no idea where it came from. I have so much stress, anxiety, depeseeion and everyday worrying if it will be another heart attack. I already take an anti depressant so it must not be helping, Or maybe i just need something to take for when the moments hit. I cant sleep much at all since this happened. I guess the fear of not knowing why it happens makes it worse :(

All the advice would mean so much :)
Praying for all of you