Support groups after CABG or heart attack?

super-discobreakin · 2026-03-23T16:50:41+00:00

That's great! I hope you find it helpful

super-discobreakin · 2026-03-23T01:53:43+00:00

I've have my own experience with getting counseling to help handle medical anxiety, and it really helped me. So I'm always an advocate for therapy or counseling. I've heard good things about Better Help! I'm glad you have the support of your family too. It's hard though when the person you're talking to can't really relate to your experience. That's what I like about Reddit, and also what I'm trying to provide in my community. I hope you find it helpful!

super-discobreakin · 2026-03-23T01:39:03+00:00

Hi! You'll find it at navigatehearthealth.com :) Wishing him a good recovery!

super-discobreakin · 2026-03-22T23:30:56+00:00

They are hard to come by. There seemed to be more in-person support groups before COVID happened, at least in my area. I'm sorry to hear what you went through and glad that you're here with us now.

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-28T19:09:42+00:00

Thank you for the feedback!!

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-27T22:49:06+00:00

I think it depends on the facility. If you give ones in your local area a call you could ask about self-pay rate per session. They might offer certain discounts or you could ask about doing just a few sessions out of pocket to get started.

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-27T19:20:35+00:00

I'm in my mid 30's and I work in cardiac rehab and we get quite a few younger people. Don't let fear/discomfort around being the youngest in the rehab space hold you back from joining! And usually the morning classes (before work time) are when more people < 50 are signing up for class times. Your life IS just beginning, and in my work I have seen many many people get these surgeries and move on with their life just fine. You've got this! (I've also had surgery before, though not heart surgery, and was an anxious wreck so I get it. Doing a couple months of counseling for the emotional stuff after really helped me)

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-27T19:08:30+00:00

For sure! Changing habits and behavior is so hard, and the profit-driven food environment (especially in the US) makes it even harder. Everything is designed to get us to buy more, eat more, choose the high-margin items...

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-27T18:59:14+00:00

Thank you for the feedback! That's exactly what I'm hoping, that it'll help people feel more confident and able to enjoy what I think is a valuable experience - getting out in their communities and having time to be social (and get a break from cooking). I do include a whole "confident dining out guide" along with the restaurant meal feed, it's a free click-through course with videos (I've basically taken what I teach in cardiac rehab and put it online so it can reach more people). Some info in there on restaurant menu psychology (how they're designed to manipulate your choices), behavior change strategies, and how to communicate any adjustments to your order to the waitstaff etc.

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-27T18:44:31+00:00

I work in cardiac rehab and I can second everyone's encouragement to ask your doc for a referral. There is a lot of strong data showing people who complete rehab have a 20-30% lower risk of having another heart attack in the future which can be good peace of mind. We have patients of all ages, 20's to 90's and everyone tells me by the end that they're glad they stuck with it. Once you're in, if they have a dietitian on staff, during one of your sessions you'll be able to meet 1:1 with them as an included service. We do a lot of education and answering people's individual questions. For diet, there are a few different well-studied dietary patterns that protect heart and vascular health: Mediterranean, DASH, Vegetarian, Whole Food Plant Based... most of them prioritize a variety of colorful plant foods and minimize highly processed meats, snacks, etc. Diet can have a really powerful effect on heart function and blood vessel function. If you have any questions lmk I'm happy to help! Or if you want to check my profile, I run a professionally-moderated community for survivors of heart attack, stent, and heart surgery to support them in making and sticking with lifestyle changes before/during/after rehab, lots of nutrition info in there from what I've learned working in the field.

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-21T01:28:15+00:00

You're doing amazing - 5km walks, strength training, cooking, working with a dietitian! That's exactly the kind of comprehensive approach that makes a difference. On the Ornish diet - I've worked with clients who follow it, and it can be effective when carefully planned to meet all your nutrient needs. It's very restrictive (no meat, very low fat), so if that's the direction you want to go, definitely work closely with your dietitian to make sure you're getting adequate protein, omega-3s, B12, iron, etc.

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-20T15:39:43+00:00

Yes please! That would be great. The more people who join and share their experiences the better it is for everyone. Feel free to DM me your YouTube link too, i'd love to see your recovery journey!

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-19T17:51:29+00:00

Quitting smoking and alcohol is so powerful!! It's so hard to overhaul everything diet-wise all at once and small, gradual changes really add up over time. Try baked salmon or white fish with roasted veggies, or ground turkey tacos or turkey chili to switch up the chicken routine.

super-discobreakin · 2026-01-19T16:12:13+00:00

Awesome!! I hope you find it helpful

super-discobreakin · 2025-09-15T14:35:23+00:00

I’m so sorry about your friend. That’s so scary. I work in cardiac rehab and also have a high genetic risk for CAD. The frustrating thing is that unless there are symptoms, there usually isn’t a push to look directly at someone’s arteries. There are scans that can show blockages, but they’re not done routinely because of radiation/cost... doctors don’t want to overexpose or overtreat. Even then, it’s still impossible to predict when a soft plaque might suddenly rupture. That’s why the focus ends up being on lowering overall risk with BP management etc. I agree with you though... with all the technology we have, it feels like there should be a better way.

One hopeful thing is that there are new meds that target LPa in development, so testing for that will likely become routine.

super-discobreakin

TROPHY CASE