Embarrassing moment at the ER....

cheeringmom

<font color=teal>Out of the mouth of babes<br><fon
Joined
Sep 27, 2001
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Has anyone ever went into the ER thinking they were having a heart attack and having it only be bad heart burn?? It happend to me yesterday. spent almost 5 hrs running tests. They even gave me an IV of Tagement. I felt so dumb. The doc was pretty reassuring that this happens often and I did the right thing. Only had HB 1x during pregancy so wasn't sure. Oh well. Anyone else????
 
You did the right thing. Just think what could have happened if you were having a heart attack? Good for you.

Welcome to the world of heartburn.
 
Don't feel silly at all! I had a gall bladder attack last July - thought it was a heart attack, the pain was so bad and came on so fast. Within minutes I was vomiting and not able to speak well due to the pain. In the ambulance, the dorky EMT kept telling me that I should take Mylanta for my heartburn. I wanted to kill him.

Anyway, my point is that my symptoms must have been very similar to someone having really bad heartburn for him to say that to me. You were lucky - it could just as well have been your gall bladder.
 
I believe you did the right thing. There are a lot of people out there that ignore any symptoms and they are actually having a heart attack.
 

Dont be embarrased, you did the right thing. You never know if it could be something worse so its best to be on the safe side.
 
It's better to be safe than to dismiss it.

My dad thought he was having a heart attack and it was just muscle pain from lifting something too heavy.
 
If you think you having a heart attack get to the hospital. You are not an expert nor are the EMT’s (I am one) grant you the better EMT can once in a blue determine the difference between cardiac and non cardiac chest pain. But the only certain way to determine a heart attack is buy the 5 hours of test. Even the paramedics who have a heart monitor are not 100% sure. I have even seen people in the ER that were like yea it's just gas or heartburn up in ICU waiting to go to the cath-lab. When in doubt go to the ER. :sunny:
 
I'm sorry you were embarressed, but nobody ever died from embarressment.

You absolutely did the right thing.
 
Thank you all for the kind words. I know I did the right thing but it was a little embarrasing taking up a bed for a non emergancy. I really think they kept me b/c my BP was high everytime they took it 155/98 160/105 etc. Stress?? Who knows. I had pre ecclampsia with #3 in 1999 so they thought there might be some heart damgae too. Now they are monitoring my BP for two weeks to see what the trend is. Thanks again!!
 
this is funny because last month (on the same weekend) my bestfriend, myself, and my mother all had a similar experience. I started with a asthma attack. I couldn't seem to get control of it all day and was starting to freak out. I called the doctor and was about to go to the emergency room. I layed down and felt this huge air bubble move across my chest, then I could breath. Turned out that my inhaler caused the air bubble and for some reason it just stuck there. Now my mother and friend both had heart burn. My mother was about to go to the doctor and my friend did go to emergency. Later when we all talked, I told them there pains must have been sympothy pains from my experience. It was just weird that it all happened the same weekend and none of us ever had anything so basic be as painfully intense before.

never be embarrassed about your health - who'd be laughing if you did have a heart attack
 
You definitely did the right thing! Good for you for risking the embarrassment to find out what the problem truly was.

If nothing else, they've identified your possible high blood pressure which might need to be addressed to prevent any other problems down the line.

Glad everything turned out fine! :sunny:
 
Don't feel embarrassed - you did the right thing. I remember about 17 or 18 years ago, DH was moving some heavy wood in our yard. That night, he had awful chest pains and thought he was having a heart attack. Took him to the ER and it was just muscle strain. What really made us mad---one of the doctors actually told him "what are you worried about - you're too young for a heart attack"!! This from a doctor!!!! DH's sister's husband had a massive heart attack and almost died when he was only 29, so no, you're never too young for a heart attack. Symptoms like that are nothing to mess around with; better safe and embarassed than dead!
 
cheeringmom--don't feel badly--I did the same thing except it wasn't heartburn. I had pain up my arm and across my back and chest. I went to the ER and I must say, when you have chest pain, they get you right in! My BP was very low, though. Plus I'm underweight and a very young looking 40. They did all the tests and turns out that my chronic back pain had inflamed the muscles in my chest making it feel like I had a heart attack.

They were very kind and said you should always come in if you aren't sure. It was nice to know that my heart was ok--I had a heart murmur when I was young and sometimes I worry.
 
You absolutely did the right thing. i work with a women that was having what she thought was reflux and she went to her dr. he did an ekg and that showed she had a silent heart attach in the last 2 years to 6 months. So it was off to the hospital for her where she underwent a stress test, that showed nothing and her blook work was ok, but they had a moniter on her and it showed some glitches, so then they did a catherization, that was ok too. But while she was there several of the md's she had explained that they are finding women's symptoms mimic heart burn, so a women should never ever ignore heartburn symptoms. Better to get things checked out. She was scared to death, she is used to being in control of things and thisshe had no control over. but she is very glad that she went and everything chckec out at least she knows now, she is 66.
 
Don't EVER feel embarrassed about getting chest pains checked out.

From the other side of the story...my father was 81, had two previous heart attacks, and was having severe left shoulder pain, and his doctor DIDN'T do an EKG, nor tell him to go to an ER (and my father wouldn't listen to me :( because he trusted his doctor so much :rolleyes: ); the Dr diagnosed "arthritis". After WEEKS of on and off pain that became severe enough for my mother to call 911, he was diagnosed at the hospital with a heart attack, and after all that time, the damage was severe. He died 2 years later.

Two years ago, my BIL's sister went to the Dr with chest pains. No EKG. He diagnosed indigestion. She died that night.

Don't fool around with chest pains. You did the right thing.
 
Originally posted by MaryAnnDVC

Two years ago, my BIL's sister went to the Dr with chest pains. No EKG. He diagnosed indigestion. She died that night.

Don't fool around with chest pains. You did the right thing.[/COLOR] [/B]
Oooo I'm so sorry. The doc did tell me even though the tests were done and they showed no signs I should still be careful. He said sometimes people get a clean bill of health from the doc and die that same day. To scarey. Sorry for your loss.
 
That's frightening, MaryAnn! :eek:

I've been to the ER with chest pain a couple times. Did all the bloodwork, the EKG. Eventually had a Holter monitor, stress tests and dopplers up the kazoo in the doc's office, finally thallium stress test and nuclear scanning at the hospital. Didn't find anything...thank goodness! Doc said the only thing left to do was a cath. :scared: No thank you! So here I think major stress will do it...widowed, young child. Haven't had any problem the last couple years. Maybe I've chilled! :)

My husband used to complain of indigestion and took Pepto like it was candy. He had a massive heart attack at 38 and that was it. You're definitely better off going to the ER! Glad you're okay!!!!! :)
 
Heart disease is the #1 killer of women. And as others have said, sometimes the symptoms are much more subtle in women than they are in men.

You absolutely did the right thing. :) As you can see, MANY people go to the ER with symptoms and "take up a bed" who later turn out to be okay. Nothing at all wrong with that, that's what they are there for. And much better to be OKAY than be "justified" in taking up a bed, right? :)
 
dont be embarrassed!

I was rushed to the ER in an ambulance. I went to a doc in the box and they did and EKG and it was showing realy weird Twaves so they called the ambulance, rushed me to the ER ( with lights and siren blaring I might add), and kept me all night long. They never did find out what was wrong but it wasnt a heart attack. Now 9 months later my new doc looked at my EKG and said " hmmm guess thats just the way you are" :rolleyes: please dont ever be embarrassed by doing the right thing! It could have been something A LOT worse and then where would you be?
 














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