"Heart Attack"

I unexpectedly had a heart attack whilst out walking whilst on holiday.

I experienced a feeling like a weighted bar on my chest and my left arm went extremely weak ,not knowing what was happening I drove to Causeway hospital just about 3-4 miles away .

I was taken immediately and they done blood tests which proved I had had a heart attack. Within 1 hour I was bluelighted to Altnagelvin Hospital and had a stent fitted with a 2nd 1 fitted 2 days later.

The service was excellent and very quick response .

The only thing was on the discharge from Altnagelvin was the lack of information about tablets the side effects, and what happened as regards follow up with hospital and doctors 

I was not anxious or afraid during the stent procedure as the staff and doctors were very reassuring.

About a week later I experienced shortness of breath and on phoning my own GP didn’t get a lot of information. It was only a couple of weeks later when I was referred to the Cardiac Rehab in Whiteabbey hospital that the Nurses there - Roisin and Joanne - explained the reaction to the Ticagulor tablets and side effects of the tablets prescribed. They are excellent and have been very helpful during the whole Rehab course .

The classes have been very informative and Alan from Ballyearl the physical rehab classes have been excellent .

I have to say I have been feeling much better and much more confident since attending the classes .