ice hockey after heart attack

[caveman27 208]

Ha ha, 2020 has turned out more awful than usual.

I had a mild hear attack on Wednesday early morning, like 1 AM. I though it was heartburn. Not knowing what a heart attack felt like, I didn't think it was one. I had a burning sensation in my lungs, but no heavy chest pressure, like I read about. It wasn't going away so I googled it. It was a symptom of angina, so I went to the emergency room. So, I ended up getting a stent in one of my arteries that was blocked off by plaque.  I got in soon, so there wasn't heart muscle damage fortunately. 

I got released yesterday after a getting a test on other arteries they thought might be clogged. 

Anyway, my left hip pain has come back, but I find out from talking with the cardiologist that I can't get any major surgeries done for at least six months because I am on this anti-coagulant medication that prevents blood from clotting, and you have to get off those kinds of meds before getting a hip replacement or you could bleed to death.  

Anyway, hockey will now be a sport to watch. Not sure if I can play in the future.

Anyone have a heart attack and later got back into ice hockey?

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

First off, thank God you are ok.  I didn't have a heart attack but I had three stents put in on March 2nd so I kinda dodged that bullet. I never felt symptoms but I had 3 90% blocked arteries.  I was supposed to take about a month off and then Covid hit so I haven't been on the ice.  Even though I am on some pretty heavy duty thinner the doc said I could play as long as I am careful.  I'm down over 20lbs and walk and ride and roller blade every day so I can't wait to see how I feel on the ice!!!!!  

I dont think there is any reason you cannot play.  To be honest once you get your get your diet and weight in line you'll be as good as new and hockey will help you.

 Just got news today that I am invited to a very small and safe skate on Friday so I will let you know how it goes.  

If you want to talk diet, recovery, etc send me a PM.

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by dkmiller3356

[caveman27 208]

18 hours ago, dkmiller3356 said:

First off, thank God you are ok.  I didn't have a heart attack but I had three stents put in on March 2nd so I kinda dodged that bullet. I never felt symptoms but I had 3 90% blocked arteries.  I was supposed to take about a month off and then Covid hit so I haven't been on the ice.  Even though I am on some pretty heavy duty thinner the doc said I could play as long as I am careful.  I'm down over 20lbs and walk and ride and roller blade every day so I can't wait to see how I feel on the ice!!!!!  

I dont think there is any reason you cannot play.  To be honest once you get your get your diet and weight in line you'll be as good as new and hockey will help you.

 Just got news today that I am invited to a very small and safe skate on Friday so I will let you know how it goes.  

If you want to talk diet, recovery, etc send me a PM.

 

Wow, three stents. Well, the one they put a stent in was 100% blocked. 

I read through these handouts they gave me. I know what I can't eat anymore and what I should be eating. I'm on blood thinners too, and now, I can't get hip surgery or cortisone shots because of it. 

Hope you have fun at your next game. 

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

On 7/18/2020 at 4:50 PM, caveman27 said:

Wow, three stents. Well, the one they put a stent in was 100% blocked. 

I read through these handouts they gave me. I know what I can't eat anymore and what I should be eating. I'm on blood thinners too, and now, I can't get hip surgery or cortisone shots because of it. 

Hope you have fun at your next game. 

Thanks.  Hopefully with the thinners, Lipitor and Vespeca and the fact the my LDL is down to 30 I wont have to worry about the stents blocking....  

[chippa13 1844]

I'm on my 11th year of playing hockey post-stent placement. I had what the cardiology world refers to as the Widow Maker back in December of 2008. I wasn't on a traditional blood thinner like Cumidin but I did take Plavix for a while. I had to be careful not to get cut just the same and bruising was pretty bad if I took a puck to a soft area.

Here is what will happen. For at least the first few months you will strictly adhere to your dietary recommendations. If you were a drinker then you'll most like cut yourself back to no more than 2 adult beverages on a given day. I began mixing the non-alcoholic beers into my routine and still do even though I have become a little more lax in that regard. You will become acutely aware of every new sensation in your body and experience many anxious moments when something feels "strange". Relax, most of them are just normal aches and pains that you never thought twice about before your diagnosis. That said, be mindful of the warning signs and don't be embarrassed when you overreact with a trip to the ER only to stay overnight and be told you're fine. It will happen and better safe than sorry. I was about 11 months past getting my stent when I felt weird and disconnected one morning. Spent a night in the hospital followed by a stress test the next morning to find that it was nothing.

You may also become obsessive with taking your blood pressure at home. I would do it every morning and if I didn't quite like the reading then I would do it again. Sometimes up to 4-5 times in a row. This is counter productive for 2 reasons. First, you'll make yourself anxious which will increase the readings and second because taking so many within a relatively short amount of time may also do the same. I've relaxed about taking the readings so often but now I can feel what a tester is listening for and if I can see the dial or monitor screen am able to tell what the reading will be before they do.

One thing that I always keep in mind and keeps me from panicking is this; if you can recreate a pain or ache with touch or movement then it is most likely exoskeletal or muscular.

You will get back on the ice. For me, it was 3 months after my cardiac event and going thru 12 weeks of cardiac rehab (basically 3 weekly sessions of increasing effort exercise under the watchful eye of  trained specialists). There was no better feeling than getting back out there. You will check your heart rate on the bench and will be more aware of your breathing recovery. It is all part of the process.

[Miller55 333]

Wow, keep up the good fight guys. Glad you're doing better. This is heavy stuff. Before covid I was planning to play my first 30+ league this spring, and this gives a whole different perspective of what some of the guys in that league may be dealing with. Definitely appreciate my health and look at it differently from reading this.

[Dave P 18]

Haven't checked this site in a while...

Had a heart attack in 2013, killed about 10-15 percent of heart muscle.

Over a total of 6 caths I now have 7 stents, last ones placed in 2015.

Still skate and play and also started running....I suck at running but have now

done six full marathons a bunch of halfs and one 50K ultra.

Take care of yourself

Dave