Cycling: Post Angiogram and Stent

[pedal menace]

So..I am a pretty avid cyclist, 52 years old,  do 4- 5 rides a week, 800+ km/month and participate in as many events as my pocket allows. Mostly MTB (i.e TransBaviaans, Sani2C etc) but did the 94.7 this weekend (my 22nd) just to keep the stats running.  So went for my annual body check earlier this week that included a CT Angiogram (just dot t's and cross i's as I have BIG family history). My cholesterol is 3.3 (think that is pretty OK) but was then informed I have LAD 50%+ blockage and need to undergo physical angiogram today with a possible stent to be put in (PS rest of my heart is 100%). Quite a shock and I am nervous as hell!! Never had any symptoms whatsoever on bike - feeling healthy as a horse.  If I end up with a stent - any effect on my training and event riding post this? Will I still be able to ride as usual with the odd hard heart rate push to max? Or..shoudl I look at tuning thinsg down and reside myself with much more relaxed riding? 

Edited November 23, 2023 by pedal menace

[Jewbacca]

2 minutes ago, pedal menace said:

So..I am a pretty avid cyclist, 52 years old,  do 4- 5 rides a week, 800+ km/month and participate in as many events as my pocket allows. Mostly MTB (i.e TransBaviaans, Sani2C etc) but did the 94.7 this weekend (my 22nd) just to keep the stats running.  So went for my annual body check earlier this week that included a CT Angiogram (just dot t's and cross i's as I have BIG family history). My cholesterol is 3.3 (think that is pretty OK) but was then informed I have LAD 50%+ blockage and need to undergo physical angiogram today with a possible stent to be put in. Quite a shock and I am nervous as hell!! Never had any symptoms whatsoever on bike - feeling healthy as a horse.  If I end up with a stent - any effect on my training and event riding post this? Will I still be able to ride as usual with the odd hard heart rate push to max? Or..shoudl I look at tuning thinsg down and reside myself with much more relaxed riding? 

Ask your Doctor.

Seriously, all cases are different and run different risks.

You will get many anecdotal 'My dad did this, I didn't have a stent but had a bla bla, my mommy did this and that etc' but they are all different cases.

You will not get a medically definitive answer here.

The Dr will know and he will advise on YOUR specific situation. 

The end

[Spirog]

I can give you my real-world experience...

I'm a 7,000 km per year cyclist and 1,500 km per year runner. I was training in the Karoo for Kilimanjaro in July last year, when I experienced pain in my chest and down my left arm into my hand. I was fortunate to be hiking with a specialist nurse, who quickly identified what was happening. I drove for 4 hours back to Bloemfontein, where the ICU informed me that I had a 100% blockage on one of my arteries. The following morning, I had an angiogram followed by inserting a stent. Three days later I was back home and advised to take it easy for two weeks.

Sixty days later, I summitted Kilimanjaro!

I continue to ride and run. Last month I completed the Cape Town Marathon and qualified for Two Oceans. 

In my case, the blame lies squarely in my genes... I was never going to avoid the heart attack as every male in my family had experienced one by the age of 50. I was lucky, having gotten to 58...

You, like me, have the great advantage of being fit. That should mean that your heart muscle is going to thank you for helping it get more blood to pump. It's the guys who've done no exercise and are 30 kg's overweight who struggle to get back to a normal life after having a heart attack.

Trust your doctor and be grateful that you've been diagnosed prior to feeling that awful pain!!!

Feel free to DM me if you'd like to chat. 

[The Ouzo]

1 hour ago, Jewbacca said:

Ask your Doctor.

Seriously, all cases are different and run different risks.

You will get many anecdotal 'My dad did this, I didn't have a stent but had a bla bla, my mommy did this and that etc' but they are all different cases.

You will not get a medically definitive answer here.

The Dr will know and he will advise on YOUR specific situation. 

The end

10 000%, First point of call would be your current doc, second point of call if you dont like what your doc says is a second doc.

But I'm sure you know this and are just looking for some reassurance from people that have had similar.

 

My un educated thumb suck opinion is that you should be fine. But i know sweet F-All about these things so dont take my opinion as anything but crap.

 

 

[Shebeen]

24 minutes ago, Spirog said:

I can give you my real-world experience...

I'm a 7,000 km per year cyclist and 1,500 km per year runner. I was training in the Karoo for Kilimanjaro in July last year, when I experienced pain in my chest and down my left arm into my hand. I was fortunate to be hiking with a specialist nurse, who quickly identified what was happening. I drove for 4 hours back to Bloemfontein, where the ICU informed me that I had a 100% blockage on one of my arteries. The following morning, I had an angiogram followed by inserting a stent. Three days later I was back home and advised to take it easy for two weeks.

Sixty days later, I summitted Kilimanjaro!

I continue to ride and run. Last month I completed the Cape Town Marathon and qualified for Two Oceans. 

In my case, the blame lies squarely in my genes... I was never going to avoid the heart attack as every male in my family had experienced one by the age of 50. I was lucky, having gotten to 58...

You, like me, have the great advantage of being fit. That should mean that your heart muscle is going to thank you for helping it get more blood to pump. It's the guys who've done no exercise and are 30 kg's overweight who struggle to get back to a normal life after having a heart attack.

Trust your doctor and be grateful that you've been diagnosed prior to feeling that awful pain!!!

Feel free to DM me if you'd like to chat. 

I'm guessing this is the feedback/reassurance you were hoping to get - great work hubsa.

 

I feel the important thing in this scenario is to have a GP who both knows you and has current experience with cardio issues and athletes (yes you're an athlete). You're looking to manage the balance between staying fit, active and not keeling over at km26 on a kerkbazaar prettrap

If you don't think your current doc has experience in managing this sort of thing, then look around.

 

but like Ouzo says, that's my thumbsuck too!

 

 

 

[Bike Dewing]

1 hour ago, Jewbacca said:

Ask your Doctor.

Seriously, all cases are different and run different risks.

You will get many anecdotal 'My dad did this, I didn't have a stent but had a bla bla, my mommy did this and that etc' but they are all different cases.

You will not get a medically definitive answer here.

The Dr will know and he will advise on YOUR specific situation. 

The end

Absolutely a terrible idea to ask the internet for medical advice.!😳

[pedal menace]

Thank you all. Appreciate the feedback. Tx @Spirog for sharing your story. As said not looking for any medical advice. Just other real world experiences 😁

[ChrisF]

Anecdotal feedback -

 

My mom had 13 stents in just over 20 years.  NOT fit.  NOT active.

 

2018 she had another stent put in, and spent a week more in ICU before being discharged.  SLOW recovery at home.

 

The gent next to her  (cardiac ICU has been co-od for decades) had 2 or 3 stents, same day.  Older gent, but fit and active.  He was discharged 2 or 3 days later and looking fit as a fiddle.

 

 

THIS is when your lifestyle catches up !!!

 

I would like to believe as a healthy active person your road to recovery will be a quick one.

 

 

EDIT - early detection, as always, makes a big difference.  Thos times my mom had a stent after a heart attack her recovery was MUCH slower.  Picking up an issue during a routine checkup, then doing a stent her recovery was "better", though still slower than active fit people.

 

 

As to when you will be back on the bike, and when you will be back racing ... as the rest said: "Speak to your doctor"

 

 

Wishing you all of the best !!

Edited November 23, 2023 by ChrisF

[NotSoBigBen]

Can't give advice specific to this but over the years I've come to realise that recovery is very specific to every different human being ... a good example to me was I've just been through something relatively 'innocuous'

Our GP told me 2-3 days (as usual I only really heard 2) after starting medication I'd be good to go, he knows I want to ride!

It's quite a common thing i had, especially amongst women folk I'm told anyway, all and sundry gave their 2c and just 2 or 3 days I'd be fine

Well no bloody way 😕  .... 5 days sitting around moping and today was the first day I could go out 😁

Saw him yesterday as I popped in to his rooms to pay a bill .... he asked how it's going,  i explained ... he said

'like I told you before Ben at your age you don't need a diet fad or plan or something to lose weight, you're old enough to know what and how much you should or shouldn't eat. Similarly after riding and training for as long as you have you know your own body better than I do so you will know when it's OK to ride. You also know not to do stupid stuff!'

TL:DR listen to what the experts and 'googlers' say but LISTEN TO YOUR BODY and don't do anything stupid .... simple nė?