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Have you had a heart attack and survived ...

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Posted 11/7/2008 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone ...

a year and a half ago I joined the club and got some experience at what its like,  I survived yaaaay ! I smoked 33years very heavily the entire time , well the morning I had the MI I became smoke free and will never smoke again but it was a little late for me as I also developed COPD emphysema so mortality seems a bit like a coin toss when I look for number of years. It took this long to gather enough courage to pop the mortality question to my doctor and well surprisingly it could be a very long time so setting my sights well into the future is my objective here and well I think those people who are visiting cardiologists for the first time or worried about chest pains or other heart disease symptoms could learn from this question or thought ....

Have you had a heart attack and survived for any length of time maybe a decade maybe two maybe more ? and what is the one thing which helped you reach so far into the future and was it rough at times and did you follow strict rules to deal with it ? what would you like to tell people as a survivor ?

personally I would say I've heard my heart,  it has needs I have no regrets including the smoking , thats all too late for that ,  but there is alot I can do from here on ...one of those things is getting advice and another is passing it on and if its related to smoking then I would say never punish yourself for failing to quit even if you failed a thousand times because that would be more times than I tried in the 33 years and I even went as far as to defend the smell and taste ...if there is one slight embarrassing thing about my quit then that would be WOW is it ever easy to stay quit .

Post Edited (Johnny Knee Bone) : 11/8/2008 8:08:38 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/7/2008 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
I had a heart attack in 2003 had 2 stents put in, then in 2004 had another stent put in. just had a stress test a couple weeks ago and it came back positive so I have some more blockage but not bad enough to do anything yet. I have high cholesterol and cant take any of the meds so I try to stay away from most fatty foods and I try to exercise but I also have exercised induced asthma so I get out of air when I do that. And like you I had smoked for 30 years but had actually quit before my attack. havent smoked for about ten years now. But I think eating healthy and exercise is probably a good way to help. good luck to you.
Posted 11/8/2008 4:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hello, its been a long time since I have been to this site. I miss talking to everyone that used to come here. I hope some will come back again. I had a heart attack in 2002 and had quadbypass surgery. I have had 8 caths done, and I have 1 balloon placed. I am doing fine, except I still have angina from a blockage that can't be fixed and now I have other small ones as well. I'm learning to live with the angina, but it does effect how I live it alot. I am just so thankful that I am still here , and have lived long enough to see all of my 6 grandchildren being born. I feel so blessed! I had my heart attack when I was 44 yrs. old, i am now 50 and proud of it lol! Thank you for letting me post and I hope everyone is doing well!
Posted 11/8/2008 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
hi selmer...

Selmer wrote :Look, I hate to begin to sound like a Johnny-One-Note on this board but addressing something you stated...

I'm not sure what you mean but I really don't understand cruel people on health boards maybe I just need to stay away from forums. As a rule I usually do but trading help for help is why I came here . I just need to move on ,sigh.

its very hard getting on the right track of eating properly I'm not super over weight but 230 lbs 6'1 tall is getting there most of the weight is non digested food from all the Meds I take which not only block cholestrol but stops everything from happening . I was 200lbs before my heartattack and quickly after my weight jumped to 230 and just stayed there for about a year and a half now . I do pretty good but cheat a little too often now I'm getting scared into doing it right all the time

... thanks for your scolding.

see ya and peace

Post Edited (Johnny Knee Bone) : 11/8/2008 7:52:52 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/8/2008 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
its really hard to just change your diet in a day but I would think any thing bad you cut out would be a plus. it would have to be better then not changeing anything at all. So just keep trying to cut down alittle each day. That is like I try to stay away from sugar because of having ulcerative colitise, but I also have had low sugar all my life so when I cut the sugar out I get all light headed and weak and dizzy. But dont feel as if you cant post here. No one is perfect. No One.
Posted 11/19/2008 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Johnny Knee Bone
Am new to this forum-came aboard yesterday looking for info to help me make a decision for av ablation.
Y
Posted 11/19/2008 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
Johnny Knee Bone
Sorry don`t know what happened with last posting.
Will continue-you asked for replies about life after a heart attack.I had a heart attack in 1976 which resulted in open heart bypass.Was able to have fairly normal life after
with medicines and doctors .Always had high chloresterol and triglycerides(sp) until statins came on scene.I also smoked for 35 years(2 packs a day) until my MI.Diet was some different but I had to decide what was important-some foods or some living.
In 1993 I needed another open heart bypass- due to blocked arteries.
In 2007 I had another heart attack-a stent and a pacemaker.
Now they want to do an ablation for my atrial flutter and fibrillation.
I am now 81 yrs. old and live an active life with my wife.SO-THERE DEFINETLY IS LIFE AND A GOOD LIFE AFTER HEART ATTACK.
Best to you
Posted 11/19/2008 3:20 AM (GMT 0)

Hello univac1

hey 32 years from the first and still hanging in there now thats true inspiration I'm going to follow your foot steps because I really want to meet my sons wives and their kids . I don't care if I go through surgery like you did as long as I am around for awhile and it doesn't beat and torcher my psyche too much with long spells of suffering ...my body just trembles and shakes sometimes because of this current bout with chest and abdomen pain as I patiently await a two day cardiac perfusion test on the 25th and 26th of this month  thanks for your post it really means alot because hearing a 32year and still going mortality story to me is like a an inspirational christmas gift ...thanks soooo much and keep going ...I'll be 48 Dec- 2.

Post Edited (Johnny Knee Bone) : 11/18/2008 9:40:49 PM (GMT-7)

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