One year ago today

[phorsenuf]

Was a Friday, just a regular day. I got my kids up for school and went along on my normal morning routine. One of the boys got picked up and the other was was lagging and missed his ride. He asked me if I would drive him in. I said yes and headed upstairs to get dressed.

As I got upstairs my back, between the shoulder blades, started to ache. Figured I'd somehow twisted me back going up the stairs. I tried to stretch it out but no luck and it kept getting worse. After maybe 10 minutes my arms started to ache but just down to the elbows. This to started getting strong so I woke my other son up and asked him to come upstairs. By the time he came up my left arm hurt really bad and I started having pressure in my chest. I figured I'd better go to the ER. I was hesitant though because I do suffer from anxiety and panic attacks that have landed me in the ER before. I've always felt like such an idiot when that happens.

So I decide yes, we need to go. As I was walking to the car I kept thinking maybe I should call an ambulance. But the hospital is pretty close by and if it got too bad we can pull over and call from the side of the road.

By the time I got there I was bent over in pain. They brought me right to the back and hooked me up and gave me some nitro. Then another dosage, and then another. That started to help. After a bit they gave me more and again that seemed to help. So they ended up putting a nitro patch on me and that really helped so much with the pain.

They did the usual tests and the ER Doctor came in and said everything checked out fine. BUT because you are a woman and woman present differently with chest pain I'm going to admit you and rerun your blood work in 6 hours. There is an exeyme that your heart releases if you've had a heart attack but it can take up to 6 hours to show,

So after 6 hours they reran my blood work. The Doctor comes in and says "you've had a heart attack." Well you could have knocked me and my husband over with a feather. I was 44. I don't smoke, very very rarely drink, maybe 15 pounds overweight. I have no significant risk factors.
I had to stay in all weekend and on Monday they did a cardiac cath. The results from that showed no blockages. I didn't need any surgery or even any stents put in. There was a little blockage, which is normal, but nothing that would cause a heart attack. Thankfully my heart only suffered minimal damage.

They still, one year later, do not know why I had my heart attack. It's possible a piece of plaque broke off causing a temporary blockage of blood flow. I could have had a spasm that cut off my blood supply. They just never found anything conclusive. I've only had to go back 2 times with issues and both turned out ok. The Drs don't think it's anything that will happen again, but it's unnerving that it even happened in the first place. I mean it happened one time for no reason, why not a second?

So after my long tale here I want to say to say to all the women here if you go to the ER with chest pains and they run your blood and it checks out, ask to have it rerun in 6 hours. Whether you go home and come back, go home and then see your PCP or just get a lab slip, whatever, just do it. Insist on it. If they didn't rerun my blood I would never had known I had a heart attack. I would have brushed it off as a panic attack and again felt foolish. It probably would have prevented me from going back next time it happened and who knows how that may turn out.

If you stuck through this long long post, thank you. And if this helps even one person than what I went through was well worth it.

 

[merrily]

Thanks for sharing that. It is so important that women know that the signs of heart attack can be different for us than for men. I'm glad everything turned out ok for you.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Thank you for sharing that, and thank Heavens you are still doing well!

 

[MermaidsMom]

Thank you for writing such a detailed explaination of what it felt like and how you dealt with it. You will help someone by having done this. I am so glad you are well today and pray you never have this happen again. Take care!

 

[SeaSpray]

Thank you very much for sharing that experience. It's reading things like this that alert the rest of us as to what types of actual symptoms we should be aware of. It's quite possible that someday this post could save a life. Possibly my own, because while I knew that women presented differently with heart attack symptoms, I did NOT know that the pain could be in your back. This is quite useful information.

I'm so glad that everything worked out for the best for you!

 

[Mermaid02]

Thank you for this post!! Women often ignore their symptoms.... I'm so glad everything turned out well for you!!

 

[golfgal]

Thankfully you got an aware dr in the ER that understands women present with different symptoms too or the outcome could have been very different. I can't believe it has been a year. It is amazing how fast time goes when it is someone else. I am glad everything is going well for you!

 

[momrek06]

Wow, phors, thank you so much for sharing your story with all of us.

You may have just saved a life with this thread!!! We are so busy with our lives that so many of us women tend to IGNORE life's "health" warnings UNTIL it is TOO late. JMHO.

So very glad you are doing well.

 

[Tink888]

Thank you for sharing that and I'm glad you are okay .

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Phors, thanks for the reminder. As a sufferer of constant panic attacks and stomach issues it is very easy to talk yourself out of going to be checked out. No one should be ever feel embarassed to go get checked out!! Once again, thank you for the reminder and I for one am very grateful you are here today!!

 

[tigercat]

I have been worried about my heart but they did a stress test and said everything was fine. I keep getting a back ache at the top as well as it is hard to breath. I can't even wear a necklace because the weight of it against my chest causes me to lose my breath. There has been many other things but everything is just fluffed off. Right now I may have shingles, a swollen foot as well as the loss of breath.
tigercat

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

Thanks for sharing. That's very good information to know. I'm glad you're okay!

 

[dismom2]

Was a Friday, just a regular day. I got my kids up for school and went along on my normal morning routine. One of the boys got picked up and the other was was lagging and missed his ride. He asked me if I would drive him in. I said yes and headed upstairs to get dressed.

As I got upstairs my back, between the shoulder blades, started to ache. Figured I'd somehow twisted me back going up the stairs. I tried to stretch it out but no luck and it kept getting worse. After maybe 10 minutes my arms started to ache but just down to the elbows. This to started getting strong so I woke my other son up and asked him to come upstairs. By the time he came up my left arm hurt really bad and I started having pressure in my chest. I figured I'd better go to the ER. I was hesitant though because I do suffer from anxiety and panic attacks that have landed me in the ER before. I've always felt like such an idiot when that happens.

So I decide yes, we need to go. As I was walking to the car I kept thinking maybe I should call an ambulance. But the hospital is pretty close by and if it got too bad we can pull over and call from the side of the road.

By the time I got there I was bent over in pain. They brought me right to the back and hooked me up and gave me some nitro. Then another dosage, and then another. That started to help. After a bit they gave me more and again that seemed to help. So they ended up putting a nitro patch on me and that really helped so much with the pain.

They did the usual tests and the ER Doctor came in and said everything checked out fine. BUT because you are a woman and woman present differently with chest pain I'm going to admit you and rerun your blood work in 6 hours. There is an exeyme that your heart releases if you've had a heart attack but it can take up to 6 hours to show,

So after 6 hours they reran my blood work. The Doctor comes in and says "you've had a heart attack." Well you could have knocked me and my husband over with a feather. I was 44. I don't smoke, very very rarely drink, maybe 15 pounds overweight. I have no significant risk factors.
I had to stay in all weekend and on Monday they did a cardiac cath. The results from that showed no blockages. I didn't need any surgery or even any stents put in. There was a little blockage, which is normal, but nothing that would cause a heart attack. Thankfully my heart only suffered minimal damage.

They still, one year later, do not know why I had my heart attack. It's possible a piece of plaque broke off causing a temporary blockage of blood flow. I could have had a spasm that cut off my blood supply. They just never found anything conclusive. I've only had to go back 2 times with issues and both turned out ok. The Drs don't think it's anything that will happen again, but it's unnerving that it even happened in the first place. I mean it happened one time for no reason, why not a second?

So after my long tale here I want to say to say to all the women here if you go to the ER with chest pains and they run your blood and it checks out, ask to have it rerun in 6 hours. Whether you go home and come back, go home and then see your PCP or just get a lab slip, whatever, just do it. Insist on it. If they didn't rerun my blood I would never had known I had a heart attack. I would have brushed it off as a panic attack and again felt foolish. It probably would have prevented me from going back next time it happened and who knows how that may turn out.

If you stuck through this long long post, thank you. And if this helps even one person than what I went through was well worth it.

Sorry for your experience. It's nice that you shared that advise--thanks!

 

[Handbag Lady]

Gosh, how scary and thank you so much for sharing!

Did you have any jaw pain? I heard from someone else that jaw pain also shows up in women during a heart attack.

 

[S. C.]

Thank You.

 

[swald91]

I'm glad you are here to tell your story! My brother (age 43) never made it to the ER. He lost his life in the ambulance. I hear many stories of different symptoms to having a heart attack. I have HBP & I need to hear POSITIVE stories like yours. Thanks for sharing it with all of us & hopefully this information may save another life.

 

[BirdLegsRed]

Thank you for sharing your story. My mom and dad had heart disease so it runs in my family. I will remember that.