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Heart Disease/Issues?
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King's at Denmark Hill performed my bypass so witnessed first hand how fantastic they are, certainly in my experience.
The cardiologists did not pass much comment on my diet, only to say eating in moderation, and to not worry about having treats every now and then.
The one consistent thing I heard was, and since then, that life is a lottery. Particularly when talking about our health.2 -
This thread has pushed me into action, appointment tomorrow with GP got a sense something isn’t quite right together with occasional arm pain, ankle swelling and bouts of extreme tiredness. Have high BP, kidney and liver probs at the moment so could be related but will see what gives - not very good at waiting to hear and end up fearing / assuming the worst
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With the former, possibly angina?Jon_CAFC_ said:This thread has pushed me into action, appointment tomorrow with GP got a sense something isn’t quite right together with occasional arm pain, ankle swelling and bouts of extreme tiredness. Have high BP, kidney and liver probs at the moment so could be related but will see what gives - not very good at waiting to hear and end up fearing / assuming the worst
Either way, you have done the right thing and gone to the GP to get the ball rolling with rectifying things. Hopefully all will be well.
Take care.2 -
Just picked up on this thread after ages. A couple of questions and a comment.
Tel how easy was it to give up salt? Maybe because I am from an Asian background I have reduced somewhat but found everything is really tasteless and know i should give up completely.
Is beetroot juice readily available.
On the point of sternum pain whilst it repairs itself, Barts provided me with a chest support which was really effective and we purchased another at the time from Amazon, a bit pricey at around £90 in 2019. So for anyone facing this in the future it is really worth exploring this option.
https://www.qualiteam.com/products/qualibreath-sternum-and-thorax-support?variant=4719706570793
Not sure how easy it is for women to wear.
Once you have had this procedure on your sternum always take some care, I recently had serious pains down my sternum which felt (to be dramatic) like the two sections were pulling apart. Rest and ibuprofen over 6 weeks sorted it.0 -
Regards the pain in the sternum, three years after my op regularly it feels as if I am being stretched.Kap10 said:Just picked up on this thread after ages. A couple of questions and a comment.
Tel how easy was it to give up salt? Maybe because I am from an Asian background I have reduced somewhat but found everything is really tasteless.
Is beetroot juice readily available.
On the point of sternum pain whilst it repairs itself, Barns provided me with a chest support which was really effective and we purchased another at the time from Amazon, a bit pricey at around £90 in 2019. So for anyone facing this in the future it is really worth exploring this option.
Once you have had this procedure on your sternum always take some care, I recently had serious pains down my sternum which felt (to be dramatic) like the two sections were pulling apart. Rest and ibuprofen over 6 weeks sorted it.
My cardiologist in Brazil two months ago confirmed what King's had said that this was normal.
PS,
My check up six weeks after op confirmed both bypass and sternum were a 100% success.
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It would mate, I'd still be oblivious had I not insisted on the stress test in 2017.hoof_it_up_to_benty said:Both Trevor Francis and Chris Bart-Williams lost to heart issues.
I do wonder if more checkups might catch stuff.However it was sad to hear my cardiologist saying in the event of things worsening, stents are not an option. Wasnt really expecting to hear that, but at least I know.0 -
You get used to no salt really quickly, now if something gets served up unknowingly with salt, it makes me really thirsty after eating.charltonkeston said:
On Frank Boughs LBC daytime show back in the 90's he had a doctor on from St Thomas's. He said do not put any salt in your cooking whatsoever, cut out red meat, eat fruit, pulses and fish. Frank replied, "surely a bit of salt on the table cant harm you?" The doctor replied he considered it "the killer on the table."JohnBoyUK said:
but how do you cut salt?TEL said:My cardiologist said cut salt out of your diet and your blood pressure will reduce... I did and it worked. Just saying.
Everything but everything has salt in it.
What foods do you avoid?
I tend to avoid Bacon by having a Bacon sandwich once in a blue moon now.
I told my dad about this, naturally he thought I was talking my normal nonsense. My dad a few weeks later ended up seeing the very same doctor. He repeated what I had said and he gave my dad a book that he had written on blood pressure and other stuff. Food can taste bland, apparently, while you adjust to not using any salt but it might be worth giving it a go.The upside, on the rare occasion I order fries from McDonalds with no salt, they have to cook a fresh batch that's piping hot 😊2 -
Good luck and brown points for doing something when you don't feel right. Hope it proves to be nothing serious.Jon_CAFC_ said:This thread has pushed me into action, appointment tomorrow with GP got a sense something isn’t quite right together with occasional arm pain, ankle swelling and bouts of extreme tiredness. Have high BP, kidney and liver probs at the moment so could be related but will see what gives - not very good at waiting to hear and end up fearing / assuming the worst1 -
Mate I used to have lashings of salt on everything. The sobering thought was just how high my blood pressure was, so it was relatively easy. I remember as a kid making tomato sauce sandwiches with a thick layer of salt... now I don't miss it at all. Your taste buds adapt.Kap10 said:Just picked up on this thread after ages. A couple of questions and a comment.
Tel how easy was it to give up salt? Maybe because I am from an Asian background I have reduced somewhat but found everything is really tasteless and know i should give up completely.
Is beetroot juice readily available.
On the point of sternum pain whilst it repairs itself, Barts provided me with a chest support which was really effective and we purchased another at the time from Amazon, a bit pricey at around £90 in 2019. So for anyone facing this in the future it is really worth exploring this option.
https://www.qualiteam.com/products/qualibreath-sternum-and-thorax-support?variant=4719706570793
Not sure how easy it is for women to wear.
Once you have had this procedure on your sternum always take some care, I recently had serious pains down my sternum which felt (to be dramatic) like the two sections were pulling apart. Rest and ibuprofen over 6 weeks sorted it.
You can do it. Just tell yourself it's only going to be good for you.2 -
What to say? For the last year or so my brother has been treated for Parkinson's and I've been travelling regularly up to London to take him for appointments and stuff. Last Thursday evening as I was dozing on the sofa I received a call out of the blue from the landlady of his local saying they'd called an ambulance for him. Then a call from the hospital telling me he was "in resus" and that I should come up, and another half hour later, as I was on my way out of the door, a further call to tell me that he'd passed away (aged ĵust 68). And so now I'm on the train to London en-route to Kingston Registrar. His arteries were clogged up and his heart couldn't pump the blood it needed.
I guess the takeaways are, first, there were some warning signs, like pain and breathlessness, but he (and I) did not give them the necessary level of attention. I feel that even if he'd seen his GP just a week earlier surely something could have been done to treat the condition.
And secondly, the benefits of trying to live a healthier lifestyle if we can.5 - Sponsored links:
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Thanks Tel, this is inspiring me to do better .... and stay alive.TEL said:
Mate I used to have lashings of salt on everything. The sobering thought was just how high my blood pressure was, so it was relatively easy. I remember as a kid making tomato sauce sandwiches with a thick layer of salt... now I don't miss it at all. Your taste buds adapt.Kap10 said:Just picked up on this thread after ages. A couple of questions and a comment.
Tel how easy was it to give up salt? Maybe because I am from an Asian background I have reduced somewhat but found everything is really tasteless and know i should give up completely.
Is beetroot juice readily available.
On the point of sternum pain whilst it repairs itself, Barts provided me with a chest support which was really effective and we purchased another at the time from Amazon, a bit pricey at around £90 in 2019. So for anyone facing this in the future it is really worth exploring this option.
https://www.qualiteam.com/products/qualibreath-sternum-and-thorax-support?variant=4719706570793
Not sure how easy it is for women to wear.
Once you have had this procedure on your sternum always take some care, I recently had serious pains down my sternum which felt (to be dramatic) like the two sections were pulling apart. Rest and ibuprofen over 6 weeks sorted it.
You can do it. Just tell yourself it's only going to be good for you.2 -
GP thinks it’s non related and advised signs to look out for. Put mind at easeTEL said:
Good luck and brown points for doing something when you don't feel right. Hope it proves to be nothing serious.Jon_CAFC_ said:This thread has pushed me into action, appointment tomorrow with GP got a sense something isn’t quite right together with occasional arm pain, ankle swelling and bouts of extreme tiredness. Have high BP, kidney and liver probs at the moment so could be related but will see what gives - not very good at waiting to hear and end up fearing / assuming the worst4 -
So sorry to hear about your loss, best wishes to youGoldthorpesHeel said:What to say? For the last year or so my brother has been treated for Parkinson's and I've been travelling regularly up to London to take him for appointments and stuff. Last Thursday evening as I was dozing on the sofa I received a call out of the blue from the landlady of his local saying they'd called an ambulance for him. Then a call from the hospital telling me he was "in resus" and that I should come up, and another half hour later, as I was on my way out of the door, a further call to tell me that he'd passed away (aged ĵust 68). And so now I'm on the train to London en-route to Kingston Registrar. His arteries were clogged up and his heart couldn't pump the blood it needed.
I guess the takeaways are, first, there were some warning signs, like pain and breathlessness, but he (and I) did not give them the necessary level of attention. I feel that even if he'd seen his GP just a week earlier surely something could have been done to treat the condition.
And secondly, the benefits of trying to live a healthier lifestyle if we can.2 -
Mary is now doing "proper" walks after a couple of nasty infections, 5k steps plus. She is also now telling me how to cook but not quite recovered enough to do it herself. So almost back to normal.ElfsborgAddick said:
Coughing and sneezing, oh gosh I remember that, I was told to hug a pillow or a cushion to suppress the pain.IdleHans said:good news, @Wheresmeticket? . Recovery will take time, but I encourage her to be very patient in not putting any strain at all on her breastbone for several weeks as it heals. I picked up my laptop at an awkward angle way too soon and it hurt like a devil for ages. You'll be scurrying about for her for a good while.Be sympathetic if she coughs or sneezes - thats a bugger too. I found pulling a dressing gown cord tightly round my chest for the duration of the cough or sneeze helped a lot, but the recommendation is to hug yourself to minimise strain. Best of luck to both of you!
For the first few weeks I was limited to boiling a kettle BUT holding it as close to you as possible, ie not stretching.7 -
That's a very sad read. Hope you're OK.GoldthorpesHeel said:What to say? For the last year or so my brother has been treated for Parkinson's and I've been travelling regularly up to London to take him for appointments and stuff. Last Thursday evening as I was dozing on the sofa I received a call out of the blue from the landlady of his local saying they'd called an ambulance for him. Then a call from the hospital telling me he was "in resus" and that I should come up, and another half hour later, as I was on my way out of the door, a further call to tell me that he'd passed away (aged ĵust 68). And so now I'm on the train to London en-route to Kingston Registrar. His arteries were clogged up and his heart couldn't pump the blood it needed.
I guess the takeaways are, first, there were some warning signs, like pain and breathlessness, but he (and I) did not give them the necessary level of attention. I feel that even if he'd seen his GP just a week earlier surely something could have been done to treat the condition.
And secondly, the benefits of trying to live a healthier lifestyle if we can.2 -
Your beloved seems to have a lot of strength, I'm loving to hear thatWheresmeticket? said:
Mary is now doing "proper" walks after a couple of nasty infections, 5k steps plus. She is also now telling me how to cook but not quite recovered enough to do it herself. So almost back to normal.ElfsborgAddick said:
Coughing and sneezing, oh gosh I remember that, I was told to hug a pillow or a cushion to suppress the pain.IdleHans said:good news, @Wheresmeticket? . Recovery will take time, but I encourage her to be very patient in not putting any strain at all on her breastbone for several weeks as it heals. I picked up my laptop at an awkward angle way too soon and it hurt like a devil for ages. You'll be scurrying about for her for a good while.Be sympathetic if she coughs or sneezes - thats a bugger too. I found pulling a dressing gown cord tightly round my chest for the duration of the cough or sneeze helped a lot, but the recommendation is to hug yourself to minimise strain. Best of luck to both of you!
For the first few weeks I was limited to boiling a kettle BUT holding it as close to you as possible, ie not stretching.
Get yourselves THE holiday of a lifetime when you have come through this very difficult time.1 -
Wheresmeticket? sad:That's a very sad read. Hope you're OK.Hope going OK for Mary and yourself too
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Just revivng this thread to ask a question of anyone who may have had an ICD fitted. I had an MRI in early January which revealed a mural clot and an LVEF of only 22%. Despite this I actually feel reasonably physically capable and can walk a good few miles with the hound at a steady pace. However, I've been put on warfarin to stop the clot getting worse and the consultant has told me I'm a good candidate for an ICD. Ive read the bumf but theres nothing like personal experience Can anyone give me the benefit of their experience of having had one fitted and what difference its made to daily life? Please feel free to reply by DM if you'd prefer. Any thoughts very gratefully received.
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My daughter had one of these fitted in 2021 post cardiac arrest. The op to have it fitted was relatively straight forward, although because she was a child and they don’t fit very many in children they brought in an adult cardiac surgeon to work with the paediatric cardiac surgeon to fit it. Apparently they fit a lot in adults and are very used to the procedure.IdleHans said:Just revivng this thread to ask a question of anyone who may have had an ICD fitted. I had an MRI in early January which revealed a mural clot and an LVEF of only 22%. Despite this I actually feel reasonably physically capable and can walk a good few miles with the hound at a steady pace. However, I've been put on warfarin to stop the clot getting worse and the consultant has told me I'm a good candidate for an ICD. Ive read the bumf but theres nothing like personal experience Can anyone give me the benefit of their experience of having had one fitted and what difference its made to daily life? Please feel free to reply by DM if you'd prefer. Any thoughts very gratefully received.My daughter recovered amazingly quickly from the op, though it’s hard to say when she would have regained full fitness after she’d just had the surgery because it took her a long time to recover from the cardiac arrest and being in an induced coma in intensive care. The device is fitted at the top of the chest just below the clavicle and is visible externally. We were told they create a kind of pocket in the chest and hers was glued together as this makes replacing the device later easier. The leads go from the device down blood vessels into the heart so they can administer a direct shock where needed and also on her device pace the heart if required. The leads only need to be fitted once and unplug from the device when it is replaced. You do have to be carful after it’s been fitted with things like raising left arm so as not to pull the leads out before they have healed in place.
Her device is quite amazing and has Bluetooth so that the settings can be checked and an activity download done on an iPad at the hospital, she also has an iPhone with an app that connects to it so live signals can be sent and checked if needed. After she had it fitted we spoke to one of her consultants about whether to have one put in our other daughter as she has the same heart condition, he said if it wasn’t for the cost you could probably make a case for everyone having one fitted as they are such a great life saving device. They certainly give us peace of mind.
Since having it fitted she hasn’t had any problems with the device or the scar. The only issues she has had is at hospitals when needing an MRI and surgery on her knee where the medics were very cautious in how to deal with the device, which I think was largely due to them not seeing them in children before.@jonseventyfive has had one in for a while and was really great at giving me advice and may be able to give you a more personal view.
I hesitate to recommend any medical procedure to anyone as we are all different with different health issues. But this does seem to me as one with low risk / side effects and potential life saving benefits. What ever you do best of luck.5 -
Many thanks, I appreciate you taking the trouble to write a reassuring reply. It's good to hear your daughter has coped so well, and your response is very helpful. Cheers!
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Evening from Tenerife, I say that because I'd like to say having an ICD hasn't stopped me travelling, IdleHans I'm currently on my second device and have had no issues, Gary is correct and everyone has different medical conditions and unfortunately I'm certainly no expert , I found no difficulty in having the devices fitted though just the normal recovery period, I also had a cardiac arrest and the device has been described as my insurance policy, currently my device has raised my heart rate a couple of times, to my knowledge, I also monitor it myself and send all the information to papworth hospital, I had my first one in 2009 and never really forget it's with me as I have a small bulge on the left side of my chest , if it is considered your best option please make sure you research it fully and take your doctor's advice, very best wishes, Jon.3
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Evening GP hope you and your daughter are very well.0
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Many thanks to you too, @jonseventyfive. I'm giving it careful consideration and will discuss further with the experts, but this is really helpful
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Cheers mate, we’re all good thanks. Hope you are too and are enjoying your holiday!jonseventyfive said:Evening GP hope you and your daughter are very well.1 -
Hi
About 20 years I was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.In 2017 my condition had worsened and my specialist decided I needed to have an ICD fitted.
The ICD is fine, and I am really pleased with it.
I have a bedside monitor which continually monitors the ICD. If there is a problem with my Heart, the bedside monitor sends a reading back to Barts Hospital.This has only happened once in 7 years
Before I had it fitted I researched it, and found that there was an ICD that was MRI compatible.
When it was fitted I asked whether it would be possible to have the MRI compatible version fitted.The surgeon agreed and I have since had MRI scans with the ICD in my chest.
If you need one have it fitted, I have never regretted it.4 -
Thanks to all for your considered and helpful responses. Peak Charlton Life!I have recently discovered this forum for anyone dealing with heart disease. It's obviously not quite as useful as CL, but there's a lot there.https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/our-online-community
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Apologies for the bump. I've mentioned this on the running thread before but last year I was diagnosed with AF and underwent a cardioversion in May. Which was initially successful in getting me back into rhythm, albeit I never felt 100% right afterwards tbh.
They changed my meds but this didn't help and unfortunately the cardioversion hasn't held and I've been back in AF since before Christmas.
Saw the consultant this week and, given how debilitating I'm finding it, he's recommended we go for an ablation now (waiting time is around 6 months which is a bugger, but at least something is happening).
Just after some feedback from any Lifers who've had it really. Anyone care to share their experience? Painful or not? Recovery time? Did it blummin' work, because I'm fed up having the energy levels I have and wheezing like an 90 year old asthmatic?0 -
Got my ICD fitted three weeks ago in the Royal Berks, and the scar is healing well. The operation was quick and painless, just a local anaesthetic so I was awake all the way through. Spent most of the hour or so talking about food, films and holidays with the surgeon and nurse.
I now have a slightly raised patch on the left on my chest but you'd need to know it is there to see it really.
It's blue tooth compatible with certain phones so you can be remotely monitored, but it's just iPhones, Samsungs and pixel phones so no good for my Motorola. A bedside unit is on order.
It's good to know it's there.
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Recently diagnosed with atrial flutter. Left ventricle only working at 20% capacity. Heart rate approx 140 bpm. Started meds yesterday to hopefully bring it down. If not then Consultant said I'd have a cardioversion too. Didn't/don't have any symptoms, was picked up only because I decided it was time to buy a smartwatch. Consultant said the watch may have ultimately saved my life.
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My wife had an ablation done to treat an irregular heartbeat caused by the condition wolff parkinson white syndrome - seemed to work okay and boosted her energy levels. Quick procedure and short recovery time.Bournemouth Addick said:Apologies for the bump. I've mentioned this on the running thread before but last year I was diagnosed with AF and underwent a cardioversion in May. Which was initially successful in getting me back into rhythm, albeit I never felt 100% right afterwards tbh.
They changed my meds but this didn't help and unfortunately the cardioversion hasn't held and I've been back in AF since before Christmas.
Saw the consultant this week and, given how debilitating I'm finding it, he's recommended we go for an ablation now (waiting time is around 6 months which is a bugger, but at least something is happening).
Just after some feedback from any Lifers who've had it really. Anyone care to share their experience? Painful or not? Recovery time? Did it blummin' work, because I'm fed up having the energy levels I have and wheezing like an 90 year old asthmatic?3
