DIS LADIES, please read...

[Jeafl]

A very good friend and neighbor of mine had a heart attack on Saturday. She is only 38 years old, a size 4 and she exercises 45-60 minutes every day. She is also a vegetarian (although she does eat fish).

Anyway, she never really had chest pains, but she started feeling very dizzy and lightheaded. She also had some pain in her jaw, and some slight pressure between her shoulder blades. The doctor in the ER told her that heart attack syptoms can differ greatly between men and women. You don't necessarily have to have chest pains to have a heart attack. So. if you ever feel any of these symptoms, PLEASE GET TO THE ER RIGHT AWAY!!!--your life may depend upon it. Fortunately, she got to the hospital in time. and is doing ok. She needs to have an extensive cardiac workup today, along with a stress test, and she may need to have surgery depending on what else they find.

As a side note, they did some bloodwork on her and found that her cholesterol was 468! She had it checked a couple years ago and it was only around 180. I never would have guessed that she had high cholesterol because of her strict diet and the fact that she exercises regularly. From what they told her, stress and heredity have more to do with bad cholesterol than diet.

 

[Serena]

Oh no! I am glad to hear she'll be alright.

Thank you for telling us, I know it will help someone.

 

[dizneenut]

I'm glad she is going to be OK! Thanks for letting us know.

 

[AMClvsMKY]

Thanks for the heads up.

Glad she is doing better!!

 

[browneyes]

Thanks for the info. I hope your friend is doing well now.

 

[Robinrs]

Yes, that heredity factor can override the best of healthy lifestyle intentions...

A co-worker of mine told me his great grandfather and his grandfather both died in their early thirties. His Dad had a mild heart attack in his 30s and was found to have a cholesterol count in the 400s! He was put on medication immediately. My friend, the coworker, a healthy boy of 21 gets tested regularly and his is two much higher than normal.

On the other hand, my family has extremely LOW cholesterol levels. The average in my family, even with the WORSE habits is 175. Those with the good habits have a very low number.

Your friend was blessed she found out before the worse could happen.

God bless...

 

[Disney Doll]

It has always been my untested theory(after 19 years of nursing)that diet actually has very little to do with cholesterol, and it is more heredity. I have recently expanded that theory to include that a diet that severly limits fats and cholesterol actually increases a person's cholesterol count because the body, once it realizes that it is not getting enough cholesterol from external sources, pumps upor hangs onto its internal cholesterol. Sort of a take-off on the starvation diet thing.My best wishes for your friend to heal well.

 

[mamajoan]

Thanks for the reminder Jill. Hope your friend recovers quickly.

 

[JAP]

Thank you for the heads up. I hope your friend does ok. So sad only 38 sheesh! To be so physically fit and have this happen to her must be devasting.

I will now go back to eating my snickers bar.

 

[glo]

TY...I hope that she recovers completely.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I have a stress test order in my possession I need to use. BTW I will be 38 in Feb. I keep saying I need to get that done and put it off.
Thanks for the info.

 

[caitycaity]

i hope your friend comes out of this ok.

I agree that heredity seems to have a lot to do with it. my mom's side of the family has very low cholestorol. even my grandpa who eats literally like a brick of cheese a day have below average cholesterol.

 

[Jeafl]

LOL about the Snickers bar, JAP. My husband is taking me out to dinner for my birthday tonight, and I doubt I'll be heading to the salad bar! I know what I SHOULD be doing, but it's so hard to do it...

 

[catsrule]

thanks for the info.

 

[epcotfan]

Yikes...I have those same symptoms from time to time. Glad your friend caught it in time.

 

[helenabear]

Thanks Jill for that info Glad to hear that your friend is doing okay too!