Any survivors on here, cardiac arrest, heart attack, cancer....

[david k]

Funny you should mention that.

I'm on bisoprolol, but only a very low 1.25mg daily dose now - higher doses in the time after my surgery zombified me too, and it had to be reduced several times.

Acutally, when I say I'm on it, I've been trying without it recently. The reason is the effect it has on me when I start any exercise, like cycling. My heart is very slow to respond to the effort, and I feel like I'm hitting a wall at first - it takes about 20 minutes to get through and then I feel better, and it is pretty much one of the desired effects of it, but I was finding it quite demotivating.

After several weeks without it, I'm feeling physically better when I get started on exercise and it makes it more enjoyable. But a surprise effect is that I feel mentally sharper now, as if a sort of mist has cleared - only a thin mist, but there's certainly something gone that was clouding my mind a little. I've been keeping a check on my blood pressure and heart rate, and I'm seeing no adverse effects.

I'm going to stay off it for a few more weeks and see how it goes, and then have a word with the doc.

Alan

Sounds just like me. It wasn't just my body was slow but my mind, everything was an effort, it was horrible, I was on it twice and it was the same each time.
They tried me on other things but only this worked, but with big side affects. I cthink nsidered taking it only when my heart went out, had they not fixed it I probably would have

 

[Inspectorspock]

Really glad I found this thread!

I'm 26, have had 7 pacemakers already and now have an artificial triscupid heart valve.

I'm currently taking propanolol as well.

It's encouraging to hear I'm not the only one with a pacemaker/health problems.

I spend the majority of my time being over taken by everyone, but I'm happy just plodding along.

 

[Colin_P]

Really glad I found this thread!

I'm 26, have had 7 pacemakers already and now have an artificial triscupid heart valve.

I'm currently taking propanolol as well.

It's encouraging to hear I'm not the only one with a pacemaker/health problems.

I spend the majority of my time being over taken by everyone, but I'm happy just plodding along.

You know I have to say it Spock.... "Live long and prosper" !!!

Sounds like you are paced 100% if you have had that many unit swaps? Or is it the fact that you have most likely had them since a child and they had had to move and adapt them?

As for going slow, bet you are faster than me but it doesn't matter, what does is the fact that we are out there at all.

Are you on Strava by any chance ?

 

[Inspectorspock]

I am 100% paced. I think when I was younger I was less paced but as I have gotten older I've had more of a need to be paced.

The unit changes as a child were having them moved and adapted and then the last few have been because they've gotten low on battery.

I am afraid I don't have strava but will look into getting it.

 

[classic33]

Just remember, the cycling is supposed to be fun. You don't have to be as quick as anyone else out cycling.

You find you're slower, there's aways someone who'll fly past you, seemingly with no effort. So what, maybe they're racing to get home before their favourite soap starts. You, you've only yourself to beat, no-one else.

 

[Inspectorspock]

Just remember, the cycling is supposed to be fun. You don't have to be as quick as anyone else out cycling.

You find you're slower, there's aways someone who'll fly past you, seemingly with no effort. So what, maybe they're racing to get home before their favourite soap starts. You, you've only yourself to beat, no-one else.

This is very true!

I think it's quite hard when you start because it's quite easy to compare yourself to others and be a bit gutted when you're constantly over taken.

I just take solace in the fact that I'm out there doing it and it doesn't matter how fast I go.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

It's the drop of in pace that's happened as I've got older that can irritate sometimes, seeing friends who haven't slowed as they've aged, having them slow as they come past so they can have a chat then disappear over the horizon, I sometimes have to remind myself I'm still here and peddling despite the heart problems and that things could have been very different.

 

[Colin_P]

The fact is that many people, having been through (and continue to go through) what many us have in this thread have, would not be out there at all. And we are!

We should all be proud, where ever possible continue to stick two fingers up to illness and support each other as and when one of us falters a little.

 

[Colin_P]

How about this for slow, last night, started at about 8pm did 6.2 miles, climbed 292 feet at an average speed 4.3mph. That is slow and I don't give a dam!

 

[classic33]

This is very true!

I think it's quite hard when you start because it's quite easy to compare yourself to others and be a bit gutted when you're constantly over taken.

I just take solace in the fact that I'm out there doing it and it doesn't matter how fast I go.

So long as your brakes work!

 

[Alan O]

How about this for slow, last night, started at about 8pm did 6.2 miles, climbed 292 feet at an average speed 4.3mph. That is slow and I don't give a dam!

It's a lot faster than sitting on your bum all evening!

 

[Yorksman]

Are you still on the Amio? How long were you on it? It is my new obsession to find any and everything out about it.

I was on the 200mg dose for nearly 18 months but there has been an improvement, from severe to moderate, so they put me on 100mg on the basis that the lower dose is sustainable over much longer periods. The ICD hasn't been needed and hasn't even had to pace me. I'm looking forward to taking the bike abroad. This is a river route I want to cycle a section of:

 

[Colin_P]

I was on the 200mg dose for nearly 18 months but there has been an improvement, from severe to moderate, so they put me on 100mg on the basis that the lower dose is sustainable over much longer periods. The ICD hasn't been needed and hasn't even had to pace me. I'm looking forward to taking the bike abroad. This is a river route I want to cycle a section of:

I've just settled onto the 200mg maintenance dose (after the 600mg initial then 400mg) but am breaking the pill in two, so 100mg AM and 100mg PM, I don't know if this makes any difference as I know the drug has quite a long half life.

I've got a history of having sudden cardiac arrests and am now up to shock number five. The Flecainide I was on previously didn't do the job in the end and I'm thinking the Amio is the last stop shop. There isn't a better anti arryhthmia drug out there, it is just the potential side effects. I'm not sure where things will go if I start to suffer any as as far as I know there isn't another drug. I'm concurrently on a massive dose of beta blockers.

The worse part this time is that I'm really struggling to shake the anxiety and low level panic attacks. I don't know if you (or anyone else on here) has suffered but once that get ahold of you it is all consuming.

As for off road adjacent to river cycling I'm very lucky to have both the Thames and Jubilee River on the doorstep. There is a very pleasant 20 mile loop I do which also takes in a lap of Dorney rowing lake. I'm very lucky to have this on the doorstep.

Jubilee

The Thames at Maidenhead with Brunels famous sounding arch which carries the Great Western line.

Dorney Lake, a lap is three miles of super smooth tarmac.

 

[Yorksman]

As for off road adjacent to river cycling I'm very lucky to have both the Thames and Jubilee River on the doorstep. There is a very pleasant 20 mile loop I do which also takes in a lap of Dorney rowing lake. I'm very lucky to have this on the doorstep.

Looks gorgeous. It's always worth remembering, it's cycling for fun. I also go swimming. I am generally too tired to be anxious. My brother gets panic attacks but he too has noted gentle exercise is calming and he now sees a daily walk as topping up his endorphins. Laughter too stimulates production. There is no need to jog miles to get a 'runners high', just enough to have a calming effect. For me, cycling in traffic would make me nervous and I'd get het up with the motorists, so I avoid that.

 

[Colin_P]

Looks gorgeous. It's always worth remembering, it's cycling for fun. I also go swimming. I am generally too tired to be anxious. My brother gets panic attacks but he too has noted gentle exercise is calming and he now sees a daily walk as topping up his endorphins. Laughter too stimulates production. There is no need to jog miles to get a 'runners high', just enough to have a calming effect. For me, cycling in traffic would make me nervous and I'd get het up with the motorists, so I avoid that.

Indeed.

I've been out on the bike every day since coming home from hospital, I only do about six miles at a time but it clears the cobwebs out so to speak.