Originally Posted by
Fredster
I'm 65 yr old male, mostly a read only forum member. Last month (July 5th) while out for a bike ride I had a serious heart attack. I got to the hospital fairly quickly and received a stent is what was described as 99% blocked right artery. Another artery the was 70% blocked was stented about 3 weeks later. I was put on a suite of drugs to lower BP, reduce lipids, thin the blood etc.
Before the attack I had been very active with regular jogging, cycling (in warmer months), walking and resistance work. I pretty much have done nothing physical since the event except some light walking. I just had an echo stress test and it had to be stopped at 6 minutes because my BP was high and EKG showed abnormalities. Not sure what the echo looked like - probably not good. Non stress echo they have said looked normal.
In general I feel pretty good but I really miss the active lifestyle. Is the anyone who has had similar experience? I'm supposed to go for cardiac rehab soon. Given my performance (or lack thereof) on the stress test I can't imagine there's too much I can do. Does one's performance get any better after rehab?
Welcome to the post AMI club. I had a heart attack last December. I was lucky and thanks to my PA making an outstanding catch and a great team overall, I suffered very minimal damage. Recovery varies greatly with the individual and the location and extent of damage done. Having been active before your heart attack is in your favor, my cardiologist said it may have made a big difference for me.
The only advice I can give is to listen to your physician and cardiologist, go to cardiac rehab and work with them to set goals for yourself. Stick to the plan and don't give up. You are only a couple months out from your injury and recovery takes time. It may be several months to a year before the full extent of recovery can be determined. Obviously, your situation is unique to you but I do know of a number of cyclists who have returned to or even taken up cycling after a heart attack. Some have limitations but still enjoy the sport on a regular basis.
Be aware that depression is a common response following heart attacks. Don't take it lightly, let your doctor know. With my minimal damage and quick return to work and a "normal" lifestyle I didn't expect it, but it hit me fairly hard a few months after.