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support from fellow heart patients

JoanS
3 Recommendations

i would like to correspond with women with heart disease but have not heard from anyone. i'm not sure how to find any responses if i got one. coule someone please tell me how this new thing works

Explore topics in this discussion:

Exercise Heart disease Heart failure Surgery Aspirin Heart attack Stent Imdur

18 replies

smokefreeme

Basically you do what you just did. If you have questions or just want to talk to someone you have come to the right place. Heart disease is pretty broad. If you want to know something specific, look at other posts, ask questions, give feedback. All you have to do is click on the reply icon after their message and you are able to send them a message. Usually the women here are quick and respond right away. At any rate... Welcome... I would love to correspond with you. My e-mail address is smokefreeme1@juno.com. Have a great day. PS. you can look around this site and find people who live near you, people with the same heart issues, drug interaction, and any number of things as well as getting info about particular members. Take care, Diane

Katz

Most everyone here has heart disease of one kind or another. Do you have specific questions? Just ask and someone (maybe many someones) will reply to you. We have all been down that road and have experiences we would be happy to share with you. Stay well and good luck with whatever your problem may be.

martzj

Hi JoanS,

According to your journal entry, you didn't feel sick before heart attack and don't feel bad now. That is fantastic!!! And pretty rare. Whatever you are doing must be working for you. Do you feel confused about anything or is there some information you would like to put out here for specific responses?

Women's heart health is fairly complicated so please feel free to bring up anything and everything that isn't quite making sense to you. Or share tips with those of us who haven't felt good in many years. I like this forum because it is open and since almost none of us seem to be getting usable, helpful 'getting through daily life with various forms of heart issues' from our doctors, all sorts of great questions/answers pop up here. We need a place to share info without any agenda....recovery, prevention and adapatability strategies come through here daily. The medical community is still for-profit so their foremost agenda is self protection and the system is mostly closed to patients.

martzj

coni150

Hi Joan.
I would love to talk with you and share. I am 49. I am a registered nurse. I had a heart attack at 47. Bare metal stent at 47. Then robotic cardiac bypass at 48. I have small vessels which has been a problem. I thought I was in "perfect" health before the heart attack. I was a runner. My father has had 2 MI's. and my mother has small vessels. Long journey with healthcare HMO's, finding the right physician, etc.
At first I did not want to be in a support group, etc. I just did not what heart disease to "own me" However, this site was recommended to me by the cardiologist I see, and has certainly been a blessing. It has been so wonderful to share and meet others. I would love to talk.

Coni

kwinner

Hi - when your post gets replies you should get an email sent to your home email address, if not, come back and check your post, you can click on it and read the replies! The great thing about it is there's always someone who has been there, and we're always willing to chat and lend an ear!
Hugs,
K

JoanS

thank you so much ladies. i needed to hear from you. i just finished babysitting my youngest grandchild one year old. i said i don't feel sick but i get more tired after i babysit any of my seven grandchildren. i love them so much but i hate to admit i cannot watch them for very long. does anyone else go though this?

martzj

Yes actually,

5 months after massive HA at 41 and 2 stent angioplasties within 8 weeks, I began a relationship with a scientist who was a divorced father of 5 children (ages 2-15). I could barely pick up my purse much less hang onto and run after toddlers and yet I managed somehow and they were the most wonderful distraction from how ghastly I felt inside. The first year and a half I could only keep down Ensure and white rice, crackers.

Children are thriving life to me...the best kind of exhaustion to have. But you need to tell family when you've hit that exhaustion wall tha you literally cannot force your body to take one more step. The 'wall' after HA is non-negotiable. If you can only last 30 minutes tell their parents like it is. Heart attack tired is very different from normal healthy tired. No comparison really.

7 grandchildren!!! Congratulations , eek and stay well.

martzj

gracie62

Joan:
I know exactly where you are coming from. I had triple bypass 12/30/07 followed by a heat attack 1/17/08 caused by blood clot in new bypass. My first grandson was born 08/07/07 3 weeks premature. I knew back then I was having blockages and no one would listen. In any case, I have been thrilled just to be here for this. I babysat and helped my daughter whenever I could. My surgery and subsequent heart attack stopped that. I am a little over 3 months post bypass and about 2 months post MI. I have sternum inflammation and just can't babysit. Alex weighs almost 18 lbs. at a little over 8 months. He wiggles and kicks and I can't feel comfortable yet. He has hit my sternum more than once. He has so much energy it just exhausts me. I adore this baby and I am grateful to be alive to be a part of his life. I feel guilty that I cannot spend more one on one time. Unless someone else is around, I can't handle him. I get tired after 30 minutes with him and I am afraid to hold him for long. My chest starts aching and I fear his movements. Bad Nana! In any case, I love this little guy and wish I could do more. But, I have to heal - and I have to focus on staying alive. Let's let go of the guilt and enjoy just being here to enjoy them - okay?
Hugs -
Dianna

brokenheartmama

I too have 7 grandchildren and I am called Nana . I haven't seen any of them since my 2nd cath. and stent #2. They live 2 to 31/2 hrs. away. I have not felt like making the trip to Va. from Tn. yet. And my home will not accomadate small children for long. ( it is very small ) I also get tired. I have indoor stairs I can hardly climb and therefore avoid them as much as possible. I am getting out more and find walking a delight now, where before I would just drive or not go. To answer your question on how to find messages, just scroll down and here we are. All your heart sisters care and want to talk,as well as listen to you. Take care of yourself for you, and you will be there for everyone, regardless of age or size. Always, K

LubDub

Hi Joan,

Welcome, I hope you anjoy this sisterhood it is one no one wants to be in but are glad it is here if we need it. I am 42, an 11 year survivor. Currently in heart failure. But still fighting. If you ever want to talk just drop me a line.

Misty

Terric

Hi Joan

I'm new here myself but would love to be in contact with you. I met online heart sisters by joining in disucssions and posting discussion questions. I think we are all in such shock when we learn we have a serious problem that we really need other's who have similiar experiences.

This is a great site to get info, just crab about the Cardiologist's in our lives, etc.

Tell me about your condition. I have not had heart bypass to date (and would love to never have that experience) but I fear that is in my future. I had a cath on April 3 rd and they could not but stents in my RCA as my artery was to small and curved. I'm on lots of meds and this is a great site to find out about side effects.

I think I've learned more here than from my doctors. I feel really blessed to have found this site.

Let me hear from you. Hugs and Blessings Terric

JoanS

terric, i am sixty two yrs old. i had a heart attack last june and three stents were put it. i am doing well with my medicines now but they did have to do some adjustments when i first took them. i coughed for a month on lisiprinil. i thought if my stents could be coughed up they would have for sure. i coughed around the clock. thank God they changed that. i try to go to an exercise class three times a week. i try to watch my diet but that is the hardest for me. i just don't know how to eat and what. i guess i need to ask for help in that area. thank you for writing, write back joan

Gamma5

Hi Joan, My name is Barbie....I to have Heart Disease...and have survived the Big One...Just sebd me a message and I'll help ya as much as possible.
Have a Great Day...
Best Regards, Barbie

JoanS

hi barbie, thanks for writing. i am doing okay trying to exercise and eat right. tonight my husband and i ate too much when we went out to dinner but most nights i try not to overeat. that is the hardest part, eating right. i joined a exercise class and try to go three times a week. i like talking to other people who have had the same thing happen to them, like the heart attack. did you have any stents put it. does the doctor talk like everything is okay now. my doctor does not seem too concerned even though i had one hundred percent blockage at one point, and had three stents put it. it leaves me a little perplexed. how serious is my situation. sorry for rambling just thoughts going through my head. write back if you have time joan

Gamma5

Good Morning Joan !

I had a 98% blockage, I have 1 stent placed. I was lucky in a sense, I was actually in the emergency room when I coded...they brought me back twice, once manual and then shock, they rushed me to a bigger hospital and took me right in to surgery, I woke up later on that evening, wondering where in the heck I was....I stayed in ICU for one day and asked to be moved to a regular room, went home altogether 3 days later ! I walked around with a telephone in my hand for 3 years or better..I still catch myself doing it, My doctors have told me I suffered No Damage to the Heart Muscle...I was lucky they said. They have me on 1 81 aspirin a day, Imdur and Toprol. I feel pretty good most of the time, it wasnt until recently that I really started getting serious on my health, diet and excercise, I was actually terrified to do anything thinking it would bring on another one. So if they dont seem to concerned(the doctors), is more then likely you are doing great ! One thing for sure is tho..if you ever go back to the er or to an urgent care and tell them you have had a previous MI, you go right in.
Message me anytime sweetie..I'm usually around!

Best Regards...

Barbie

Ava

Hi Joan... I had my heart attack last November and I have one stent. You mentioned help with food and eating. I found a list of heart healthy foods and most of the foods I buy come off of that list:
Blueberries
Salmon
Oatmeal
Spinach
Black beans
Almonds
Walnuts
Tuna
Brown rice
Carrots
Broccoli
Sweet Potato
Red bell pepper
Asparagus
Oranges
Tomatoes
Cantaloupe
Dark chocolate
Wine
Good luck to you,
Ava

JoanS

thank you so much for your reply about food. it will help me while grocery shopping. maybe my main problem is pulling away from the table joan

bettyboop48

hi Joans.,
I am new to this site too and I am here if you need someone to talk to as well. I am 48 and have had 2 stents put in recently in feb of 08 I had to go back in to the hospital in mar. where they did another angio thats where they found out that one of my stents is blocked the one in the little artery so they are gonna try to help me out with meds and exercise and eating healthy I too have that problem with food choosing the right food and stuff so if you ever need someone to listen I am here for you. Thank God for this site and for all of you. Take care God Bless

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