Discomfort while playing after a Heart Attack/Stents

Colin_D · #1 06-08-2011, 02:29 PM

I was wondering, I've no doubt that some of you are in the had a heart attack or are now sporting stents club, and maybe you have experience with this as well.

I had a mild heart attack 3 months ago, but was apparently really close to the fall over dead heart attack, luckily I managed to have it stented (2 stents) and am doing pretty well. I'm not fond of the side effects of the meds, or the diet, giving up smoking is nothing to giving up tasty food.

The main problem I have is when I play, the weight of my bass on my shoulder is really uncomfortable, I play an MIM J, and a Highway 1 P, neither of which are "porkers" but arent featherweights either. So I am thinking of picking up a lighter bass, looking at a Foundation right now which I like well enough, despite the fact that is has a neck as skinny as John Waters' mustache.

The other, worse effect that I notice is that when I play sitting down, if I let the upper horn touch my chest the vibrations that get transmitted through my ribcage to my chest are *really* uncomfortable. And they become worse the longer I play. To give you some idea, it's not painful, but it's not unlike some physical version of fingernails on a chalkboard, that gets worse the longer I play, leading me to become stressed, which leads to all that, and my first experience with Nitro tablets. The only way I have found to avoid it so far is to play without the body of the bass touching my torso, which leads to really bad left and right hand positioning.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? I've talked to my cardiologist, and he didnt really have any answers for me other than to say there didnt seem to be anything "wrong" with my heart, or the stents. So it's not really a health danger it seems at this point, it's just a quality of life thing.

Relic · #2 06-08-2011, 02:52 PM

I don't have stents but I did go through open heart surgery a few years ago and have some nice twisty titanium wires permanently embedded in my sternum.
For a good year or two, I definitely felt "weird", like I couldn't find a comfortable spot when I was playing bass, sometimes I still do, but over time it gradually got better to the point now where I barely notice.
I don't know for sure of course, but I'm thinking that it may be the same for you - where over time it gets better and less noticeable. Yeah but maybe try picking up a lighter bass, that might be easier?

El Barbero · #3 06-08-2011, 08:52 PM

Hi Colin

Really just to reflect what others have said. Give it time.

You have to realise that you´ve had a big physical shock and you body needs time to repair itself.

You´ve also had a big emotional shock, and your mind is no longer comfortable that you can do just what you want when you want.

11 years ago I had a quadruple by pass in the UK. At the time the surgery was followed, after a 12 week wait, with 12 weeks of physiotherapy. That physiotherapy is as much psycological as physical because years ago a great number of patients suffered from believing they would not be able to live usefull lives anymore. The physiotherapy shows them they can.

john grey · #4 06-09-2011, 08:51 AM

My father had one and most of the males in my family had one (heart attack, by-pass, whatever)....I know I'm on the "list" to get one (or something genetic as I'm diabetic and Indian (not East Indian...American Indian: I just can't stand PC crap). I glad you posted this because I'm honestly f^*&ing scared, as my father did a great job telling me all the nuisances of what's going to happen. He was a fun guy that way.....
Since it's a very genetic thing, I'm fairly resigned to it - if it's going to happen; it will happen.

He told me that it IS depressing, etc. but - IF I don't die, at least I'd still be alive. Perhaps that's the best way of dealing with all the side-line crap. Just being grateful for still being alive. Anyway I'm appreciative that you folks are talking about it. I've thought about it a bit since I turned 56 some time back.

The nice thing about the internet is one can say that one is afraid & not have to deal with the neighbor yanking your chain every few days. I sincerely hope you all feel better; I honestly do.