So that's what a heart attack feels like?

[JaxSon]

Yeah, glad to hear you're still with us!

As for "so that's what a heart attack feels like," I had a narrow band of pain that went all the way across the top of my chest that woke me up in the middle of the night. I got up out of bed and walked around the house for a bit and it went away so I tried ignoring it and went back to bed. But it woke me up again as the sun was coming up. I called 911 and they came and took me to the hospital. They stuck that little sensor on my finger to measure the oxygen level and I was sitting at 88%; they want high 90's or even 100.

They went to put a stent in and the doc said, "I can't fix this. We'll need to do a bypass." Ended up doing a quadruple bypass. Afterwards, my oxygen level was at 99% so we all felt confident. That was back in July, 2014 and everything's been fine ever since. Knock on wood! I now take medicine for afib but that's it.

And yeah, don't ignore what your body is telling you. It's smarter than you think.

[Gazzak]

They went to put a stent in and the doc said, "I can't fix this. We'll need to do a bypass." Ended up doing a quadruple bypass. Afterwards, my oxygen level was at 99% so we all felt confident. That was back in July, 2014 and everything's been fine ever since. Knock on wood! I now take medicine for afib but that's it.

Wow. Really glad to hear you're doing well since the operation. Did it make you change anything about your life?

[JaxSon]

Did it make you change anything about your life?

I'm not a smoker so that's not applicable. I had a good 2 hour discussion with a dietician specialist and she said that this didn't happen over night. It happens over a period of 20-30 years of bad eating. She says to throw away your salt shaker; it's alright to cook with salt and other spices but don't add anything once the food reaches the dinner table. I'm supposed to limit myself to 2 egg yolks per week; realistically, it's closer to 6. I'm supposed to stay away from ice cream and milk shakes as they are loaded with sugar and fat. Supposed to stay away from cheeses too. She says BBQ meat is OK but it's the side dishes like potato salad and macaroni salad that causes the problems.

So, the short answer is no, I haven't changed hardly anything. I have cut down on the salt intake but that's about it. I still love bacon and eggs and coffee in the mornings. I still eat Mexican food and pizza (loaded with cheese and fat) and ice cream. I just figure that since I'm 59, going on 60, that I don't have a whole lot more time on this planet and I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can.

How about you? Any changes in your life?

[Gazzak]

I just figure that since I'm 59, going on 60, that I don't have a whole lot more time on this planet and I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can.
How about you? Any changes in your life?

Well I admire your stance, good on you, as they say what's the point of living if you can't live?

For me? Yes, my diet is going to improve considerably, I'm still learning exactly what I need to improve on apart from the obvious. I also intend to gradually up my exercise routine and learn to swim long distances which I've always meant to do but never have.

[NooNoo]

OK that's a nasty scare. It does seem to be lately those who try to be fit and do mostly the right things get the wrong reward.

As a swimming teacher in a previous life, I did giggle at your wanting to learn to swim long distances... I assume you can swim say 50 metres?
There is no trick to swimming long distances other than a steady rhythm which you can increase as your stamina increases. The biggest problem is the boredom - 72 lengths is a mile of a 25 metre pool should take you an hour in the beginning, but you need to give your brain something to do, there is no nice view to enjoy unless you like looking at grouting! If you get down to 72 lengths in 40 minutes join a swimming club and get some coaching.

[Tekboy]

Sorry I'm late. Four months ago, I had a massive heart attack, and was dead for 17 minutes, before they could get a "shockable rythym" I lost a week in the hospital (I don't remember any of it), and my wife said that when I came out of the come, I had no idea who she was. She also said that was the hardest she ever cried in her life. Fortunately, when they put in the second stent after five days, I regained most of my memory, and faculties.

I eat less now. At first, I had NO appetite, and I was down 30 pounds. I have gained about half of that back.

Glad yo are still with us, Garry!

[Gazzak]

Sorry I'm late. Four months ago, I had a massive heart attack, and was dead for 17 minutes, before they could get a "shockable rythym" I lost a week in the hospital (I don't remember any of it), and my wife said that when I came out of the come, I had no idea who she was. She also said that was the hardest she ever cried in her life. Fortunately, when they put in the second stent after five days, I regained most of my memory, and faculties.

I eat less now. At first, I had NO appetite, and I was down 30 pounds. I have gained about half of that back.

Glad yo are still with us, Garry!

Likewise!

I went for a walk a few days back and went past where the first chest pain happened. The gravity of what could have been caught me off guard and I almost cried, which was almost as shocking! The mental side of having a heart attack is only just sinking in, I can see why people are off work for so long afterwards.

[ilovetheusers]

I try to keep fit, OK I like a beer and a bag of popcorn, but I've always thought I did enough to stave off any heart problems. Until last Monday..

So I took my mountain bike off down to local canal path last Monday evening, it was bitterly cold and dark, and I didn't have enough layers on top and my chest got cold. After a mile I started to get chest pains and though "you idiot" for not wearing enough layers. I had to stop as it hurt bad, no arm pain at all, and just blamed the freezing cold weather. Same after mile 2, mile 3, 4 etc up to mile 8 when I got back home.
Through the week I walked vigorously for 2 miles each lunch break, no pains.
Saturday morning taking my son to soccer practice I had the pain again and had to sit down, after a few minutes it went again. Now I'm worried. When we got home I did a gentle run around the yard and more pains so that's when I decided to visit the local hospital, luckily 2 miles up the road.

Turns out I had a coronary artery in the heart which was 95% blocked, so on the bike ride I'd had a warning shot, on the Saturday I'd had a minor heart attack. Been in the hospital acute assessment unit for 5 days and went for an angiogram yesterday where they found the issue and put a stent in there to open the artery again. I'm now on pills for life, and lots of them.

The surgeon who did the procedure said that by not coming in after mile 1 of the bike ride "I'd walked to the edge of the cliff and had a look over the side". I know some on here have already been there, but please guys, if you get any chest pains don't be an idiot like me.

Wow. Sorry bud. :-(

[JohnyBravo]

I hope that you're okay. I've witnessed a man having a heart attack and it is really terrible thing to see. You feel helpless in that moment...

[slgrieb]

I hope that you're okay. I've witnessed a man having a heart attack and it is really terrible thing to see. You feel helpless in that moment...

Yeah, I basically watched my old man spend 11 years dying from a bad heart and lung cancer. Now, a surgeon can put in a couple of stints in day surgery. Even if you have some basic first aid training, you can only do so much, and just pray that EMS gets on site quickly.