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Will I feel better after a stent?

Author

Emily Ross

Published Jan 23, 2026

After receiving a stent, it is normal to feel tired or a bit weak for a few days, and it's not uncommon to experience some pain or soreness at the catheter site. If you received a stent because of a heart attack, you will likely feel tired for several weeks, Patel says.

How long after stent Do you feel better?

If you had a planned (non-emergency) coronary angioplasty, you should be able to return to work after a week. However, if you've had an emergency angioplasty following a heart attack, it may be several weeks or months before you recover fully and are able to return to work.

Will I have more energy after a stent?

Angioplasty widens or opens your narrowed or blocked arteries so that your blood can flow through your body normally. Your symptoms of heart disease, including trouble breathing and chest pain, will improve and you should have more energy.

What to expect after having a stent put in?

You generally should be able to return to work or your normal routine the week after angioplasty. When you return home, drink plenty of fluids to help flush your body of the contrast dye. Avoid strenuous exercise and lifting heavy objects for at least a day afterward.

Do and don'ts after stent?

Don't lift heavy objects. Avoid strenuous exercise. Avoid sexual activity for a week. Wait at least a week before swimming or bathing.

19 related questions found

What foods to avoid after getting a stent?

Limit your consumption of high-fat foods, such as red meat, cheese, and baked goods. Reduce your consumption of bad fats, which can increase the amount of harmful LDL (bad) cholesterol in your bloodstream and reduce the amount of beneficial HDL cholesterol.

Can I live a normal life with a stent?

It's important to remember that you can live a full and active life with a coronary stent. You can find some general guidelines about returning to working, resuming your everyday activities and making some heart-healthy lifestyle changes below.

Do stents shorten your life?

Summary: While the placement of stents in newly reopened coronary arteries has been shown to reduce the need for repeat angioplasty procedures, researchers from the Duke Clinical Research Institute have found that stents have no impact on mortality over the long term.

Can you feel a stent in your heart?

Will I feel the stent? No. You will not feel the stent inside of you. (Though you will probably feel better after it has been implanted and blood flow in your coronary artery has been restored.)

What are the signs of stent failure?

Sometimes heart problems return after a stent procedure. If that happens, you usually have symptoms—like chest pain, fatigue, or shortness of breath. If you do have symptoms, a stress test can help your doctor see what's going on. It can show if a blockage has returned or if there's a new blockage.

Is it normal to have chest pain after having stents put in?

U.K. sources add that it's common to experience this new chest discomfort in the first few days and weeks following a stent procedure. “This is because your artery has suffered some trauma and bruising from the stent being fitted. You can have episodes of pain or discomfort as the stent settles into place.

Why am I so tired after stents?

After receiving a stent, it is normal to feel tired or a bit weak for a few days, and it's not uncommon to experience some pain or soreness at the catheter site. If you received a stent because of a heart attack, you will likely feel tired for several weeks, Patel says.

How long do you stay on blood thinners after stents?

It has been common practice for patients who have had a stent placed to clear a blocked artery to take an anti-clotting drug (such as Plavix, Effient, or Brilinta) plus aspirin for 12 months after the procedure. Taking these two medications, called dual anti-platelet therapy, reduces the risk of forming blood clots.

What are the disadvantages of stents?

damage to the artery where the sheath was inserted. allergic reaction to the contrast agent used during the procedure. damage to an artery in the heart. excessive bleeding requiring a blood transfusion.

What is the average life of a stent?

Stents are made to be permanent and will continue to keep your artery open once they've been placed. However, stents don't cure the underlying condition that caused the buildup in your artery (atherosclerosis). You'll still need treatment to prevent future artery narrowing.

What is the life expectancy of someone with a stent?

It depends primarily on the underlying heart disease, age, and medical condition of the patient. A younger patient, for example, who has a strong heart and has never experienced a heart attack, will be expected to live a full and active lifespan.

Can you drink alcohol with a stent in your heart?

Comments: These results, which support previous animal and human research, strongly suggest that moderate alcohol intake protects against restenosis in patients undergoing angioplasty and stenting.

How often should a heart stent be checked?

The timing of follow-up. As recommended in the German National Disease Management Guidelines, patients with CHD and those who have undergone stent implantation should be followed up regularly (every 3 to 6 months) by their primary care physicians.

Why do I have to carry a stent card?

Can I travel with a coronary stent? Patients with a stent can feel confident and safe when traveling. It's important to carry your Medical Device ID card when traveling as it will alert medical and security personnel that you have an implanted stent.

How do you feel after a heart stent?

Sometimes, you could feel a type of discomfort, localised to your chest, which feels sharp and niggling. These feelings may come and go. They're thought to be caused by the angioplasty/stenting procedure and aren't an emergency. This will feel different to the chest discomfort that brought you into hospital.

Is having stents considered a disability?

Having a heart stents alone, won't qualify you for Social Security disability benefits, but that doesn't mean that you won't be able to get disability.

How should I sleep after angioplasty?

Upright: The recommended sleeping position for the first few weeks after the surgery is an upright position, while the chest bone heals. You can sleep in a recliner or a foldable bed as they are quite comfortable. Use a neck pillow to support your neck and spine.

Which type of stent is best?

A drug-eluting stent is the most common type of stent used to treat a blockage of the heart arteries. Many people with heart problems have been successfully treated with drug-eluting stents, preventing the need for more-invasive procedures, such as coronary artery bypass surgery.

What percent of blockage requires a stent?

“For a cardiac stent procedure to qualify as a medical necessity, it is generally accepted that a patient must have at least 70% blockage of an artery and symptoms of blockage,” Justice Department attorneys wrote.

What is the best blood thinner after stent?

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), which includes both aspirin and a second blood thinner, is recommended for nearly all patients after receiving a stent. This drug regimen helps prevent clots from forming around the device and reduces risk for future heart events.