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Heart attack and Severely damaged heart muscle

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abi05945
abi05945

Recently my dad(70 yrs old) had a heart attack (STEMI). Because of late admission his heart muscle is severley damaged. LAD is fully blocked and his Ejection fraction is 32%. Angiogram shows that he also having other blocks too. What kind of excerise he can do in early stage/ later? is taking mulitivitamins advisable (wellman)? Anyone come across same sittuation. Any advises ??

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • lyn1951
    lyn1951 abi05945

    Posted

    Husband diagnosed with dialated cardiomyopathy, or heart failure 5 years ago, probably from a virus, not expected to survive more than 30 days, have letter copy of letter stating that,from world renowned heart hospital, and GP instructed not to sign his death cert if he does die.

    Came home, as we were advised because there is no more they could do.

    His ejection fraction was 23%, needed help to go to toilet, but not a person who could sit and wait to die.

    He said I need to move, and he was also craving oranges, so I organised both, from day 1 he was eating about 5 kilos of oranges a week or more, and started walking 10 or so steps to front door, for a week, where i provided a chair for him, then to the front letter box, again where I provided a chair for him, each week, he extended his walking by 1 letter box in our street, eventually walking 7 kilometers after about 18 months.

    Dr's amazed his ejection fraction came back to 51%, and then started falling again, down too 36% ejection fraction, he is in end stage heart failure, he is not going to get better I'm afraid.

    A month ago had a pacemaker installed with a defib, as the electical activity in his heart failed, I thought it might have been the end, but has bounced back, and his heart beat was at 23 beats per minute, laying flat on his back and unable to move at all.

    The pacemaker has been a huge help in regulating his heart beat, and he is doing very well, but they did warn us it sometimes doens't work so well for patients, no guarantees, I'm afraid.

    Echo cardiogram in a few months will tell us if his ejection fraction has improved.

    As you can see i am rowing the same boat as you, different cause, but same result, make the most of the time you have, get fit as you can, get onto a good diet, if you are not already on one, being overweight is the land of disaster's.

    Keep a diary of daily weight, if your weight suddenly changes over a couple of days, pull the plug and go back to the hospital with your diary in hand to show them the change, it is a warning sign, of congestive heart failure, your body filling up with fluid because your heart is sooo damaged.

    I have become very good at pulling the plug on my husband and returning him to the hospital, the last 5 years, even been told by the Dr's they could do with me on the heart wards.

    Hopefully this some help.

    • abi05945
      abi05945 lyn1951

      Posted

      Thank you so much for taking time to reply. I pray for your husband and your happiness. My dad also was very active man. Now he easily get tired. He cant even walk short distances. Advising us to do bypass surgery but it is risk too 50:50. So we dont really know what to do, we are very confused. You know it is very hard to lose/ even thinking of losing someone we love. 
    • 68survivor
      68survivor lyn1951

      Posted

      You have been a true support and Champion for your husband. Just "keeping going" and gently extending abilities along with the type of care you provide is just what is needed. Well done, you are a natural!
    • lyn1951
      lyn1951 abi05945

      Posted

      Abi - Ask questions of your Dr's, is there anything else other than a bypass surgery. I don't know, maybe there are some medications out there that can clear up all those blockages.

      I have found the Dr's love my interest I have taken in my husbands condition, very fast learning curve when he first got sick 5 years ago, and the Dr's are very helpful when you are genuine in that interest.

      I have researched his tablets and side effects, have been in there with questions about why this tablet and not another one that has less problems for some heart patients, my research has paid off, Dr's changed his medication. Also  discovered an unexpected side effect of some meedication for reflux, reported to chemist a, he wrote up an article article for their in house newsletter, a few months later back a heart hospital for check up, and usual question what new medications have you changed,  the hospital Dr's reported back to me, they had read about this reflux meidcation that was helping patients in a chemists magazine, and it was working wonders in their heart wards. Not claiming I found it, but I doooo wonder.

    • roy27
      roy27 abi05945

      Posted

      Dear Abi, I too was 50:50 and without surgery i don't think I would be here today 2 years on. It has taken some time to get used to a slower pace and I can't do everything I used to but at 71 thats also part of the deal. I suggest you get your Dad to reconsider and go for it.
    • abi05945
      abi05945 lyn1951

      Posted

      Thank you. What you did and what you are doing to your husband is really amazing. It is inspiration to all of us
    • abi05945
      abi05945 roy27

      Posted

      Wish you to have happy healthy long life. First we are trying to bring him out from the shock. He keeps saying how did I get this attack. Actually he was very active no drinks no smoking. He couldn't accept what he going through now.
    • lyn1951
      lyn1951 abi05945

      Posted

      Abi - Ohhhh I can relate to where he is coming from. I didn;t know what to do, to help him with his black dog, depression,  then I thought he knows nothing about how his body works, really works, so we hit the local  library and borrowed all the books we could find on heart problems, many of the issues were repeating the same theme, but between all of the general information we found the gems that helped us with our understanding, of why me. 

      I think its perfectly normal to feel this way after a life changing event, I felt the same way after being diagnosed with cancer.

    • abi05945
      abi05945 lyn1951

      Posted

      What!? Oh no, God bless you. Is it in early stage? Is it curable? You are strong person I think. I wonder sometimes why this really happening and I don't understand the God's creations. Do you have any kids?
    • cheryl16499
      cheryl16499 lyn1951

      Posted

      I've had a pacemaker for over a year with no issues. I had surgery for Hocm and after my heart had a total block so was going below 50 with a temporary pacemaker installed after alcholo septial ablation was done. A permanent pacemaker was put in a few days later. I've had other issues related to this heart disease which is hereditary but have had them taken care by good specialist.

      Hopefully with the pacemaker his heart will start doing its job again and test will be good news.

    • lyn1951
      lyn1951 cheryl16499

      Posted

      Cheryl - Two points - my cancer was many years ago now, maybe I din;t make that very clear, I had really big problems coming to terms with the diagnoses as it was very unexpected, I had been seeing Dr's and all had been assuring me there was no problems, but a lab test said otherwise. My feet didn't touch the ground after that, they really pulled their fingers out, and got me into the big state hospital, where I had a full pelvic clearance 10 days later.

      Husbands heart failure he has dialated cardiomyopathy, cause unknown, he is in the final stages of heart failure, I am only tooo aware but hospital and specialists here in australia have been wonderful.

       

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