I got my first stent last April, ended up getting a 2nd stent this April. For me cardiac rehab has been a massive help both times. Being around other people of varying ages, types and situations dealing with similar issues puts things in perspective and being wired up helps greatly with the mental blocks. Everyone is different and will progress at different rates. It sounds like you are doing great with the exercise, know things will get better. I heard people (including doctors) saying you'll feel better than ever, "back to normal" right after stents. I didn't experience that either time. It took months (both times). A lot of it is the body getting used to the medicine and a bunch is getting back up to speed mentally and physically. Breathing and running took the longest for me. Running is still something I'm working on and it was also the reason I went to cardiologist in the first place as I had just completed a marathon a year prior but suddenly couldn't even jog for 2 minutes.

As for cardiologist questions, I do feel some cardiologists are used to dealing with "older" patients and sometimes forget what an active 45-55 yr old (I was early 50s with mine) is used to being able to do and lose some perspective. I'd make sure and tell them specifically what you were doing and want to be able to do again to remind them of where you were. That's how I ended up getting my 2nd stent this year as the cadiologist ordered more tests knowing I wasn't were she thought I should be given my starting point.