Having a heart attack? And you're alone? Now What?

She's better, they kept telling her it was heartburn. Had she not been in the hospital recovering from the prior day emergency ankle surgery she probably would not be with us now.
That actually happened to my best friends wife. She had been seeing Drs, they kept telling her it was heartburn, for months it went on. One morning she tells my friend 'take me to the ER', she had bad pains. He was putting on his shoes in the bedroom, she was combing her hair in the bathroom, he heard a 'thump', it was her hitting the floor...dead at 49.
 
That’s unbelievable. It’s common for a person (vs trained medical professionals) to confuse heartburn with angina. Not so with medical people. The first thing they teach in any CPR class are the symptoms, person denial, and how heart symptoms can be confused w other ailments.
 
That’s unbelievable.


In this case I truly wish you WERE right.

Unfortunately, women are frequently not treated (both medically and respectfully) by the medical profession.

Saw(and see) it regularly in the community hospitals I worked in, as well as with Grandmother, Mother, and wife.
 
Had a female friend. She was skiing with her family but felt like she had the flu, so she went home to take a nap. She was having a heart attack and passed during her nap.

I have heard that women usually do not realize they are having an infarction compared to men. Is that true?
 
Oh no another vax thread :( …..lots of stories of dead people and other people questioning expertise…. Wonderful :rolleyes:
 
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Had a female friend. She was skiing with her family but felt like she had the flu, so she went home to take a nap. She was having a heart attack and passed during her nap.

I have heard that women usually do not realize they are having an infarction compared to men. Is that true?
Steve,
It’s funny you should say that. There is a lot of truth to that. Women tolerate pain far better than men. It’s a generalization but seems to be true. Women will stay in denial longer than men before reaching out nor help. We truly are NOT the stronger gender…..lol

I have seen burly 250 tattooed biker guys with kidney stones crying like a little bitch for more morphine. I’ve also seen 90 lb girls decline any pain meds for kidney stones.
 
those biker guys want the drugs more than likely sir.
 
Had a female friend. She was skiing with her family but felt like she had the flu, so she went home to take a nap. She was having a heart attack and passed during her nap.

I have heard that women usually do not realize they are having an infarction compared to men. Is that true?
Two friends of mine wives passed away in their sleep over Christmas, mid 40s, both had heart attacks. Both perfectly healthy prior.
 
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Had my heart attack(s) last August. I share this because I had no indication that this may happen to me. First, I’m 57 and have always had great test results when seeing my doc (e.g., low cholesterol, low resting heart rate, blood pressure good). Prior to Covid and other life events down sized), I stopped going to the gym and reduced my cycling activities greatly. I replaced all my time to jump into the boating world and was on my boat ALL the time. A few beers here and there, grilling great food, and I found myself lounging more than ever. I had complete FOMO about boat outings!

So, my first sign that something could be wrong was when I was boating south on the Potomac River by Mt. Vernon. I was at the helm with my wife at my side. We hit another boats wake that put me into an oblique spasm…the cramps were incredible and wouldn’t go away until they did. I hid this fact from my wife by pretending to be looking at a gauge or a wake behind me. Cramps subsided.

Few days later, pulled out my power washer and cleaned my stoop and sidewalk in front of the house. Everything looked great and thought, my neighbors would probably appreciate the same so I did the area in front of their houses for a total of five houses and surrounding sidewalks. Our half of the block looked dynamite.

Next day, walking to my boat experienced tightness in my chest, a sensation in the back of my arms (tricep area) as if someone was grabbing them, then felt what I would think putting a sword down my throat would feel like. Lasted 5 minutes and went away. I wrote it off to the power washing I did. Went home. Next day, same thing. On the third day, same cramps but this time, it would not go away. Still blamed power washing effort and maybe age. What did I do? Went home and took a shower, thinking that if I just ran cold water I’d shock myself out of it. I was not in pain, just very uncomfortable.

Nothing worked, so I asked my wife for help…long story short, first cramps by Mt. Vernon was my first heart attack. The smaller cramping events were gearing up me up for the second one which I tried to wash away in a shower! Later that evening, I had a third! Turned out, I had severe blockage in all my arteries, I was having a Stemmie heart attack. Dr’s informed me that probably because of my cycling, my pump was good but they had to bypass the blockages…so, I experienced triple bypass in August of last year. Doing great now and looking forward to cycling in the spring, doing some lifting and some boating…I think I can get by with boating late afternoons…

For those reading this, my heart did not hurt. Everything felt like muscle cramps and was away from my heart. My wife kept asking where I hurt and I kept a saying, I don’t hurt. Just very uncomfortable like someone put on an extremely tight shirt that was squeezing the back of my arms.

I always thought that if I had a heart attack I would feel this immense pain in my heart. Since I didn’t, I was trying to write it off as cramps. Anyway, I hope that if anything, someone reads this, they may be able to catelog my experience and recognize earlier than I did that they may be having a heart attack and seek medical attention. I got lucky that I’m still here, recovered incredibly from the surgery, and am ready for spring to enjoy all the things I love, especially being out on the water!

All the Best,
Kevin
 
First, I’m 57 and have always had great test results when seeing my doc (e.g., low cholesterol, low resting heart rate, blood pressure good).

Turned out, I had severe blockage in all my arteries, I was having a Stemmie heart attack. Dr’s informed me that probably because of my cycling, my pump was good but they had to bypass the blockages…so, I experienced triple bypass in August of last year.

Kevin - any idea on what caused the blockages? Glad you made it out alive and thank you for sharing!
 
Kevin - any idea on what caused the blockages? Glad you made it out alive and thank you for sharing!
We are not sure. They did say it was calcium deposits. We have no known history of heart disease in the family. All my siblings (6) have gotten checked out and all are clear.
 
Had my heart attack(s) last August. I share this because I had no indication that this may happen to me. First, I’m 57 and have always had great test results when seeing my doc (e.g., low cholesterol, low resting heart rate, blood pressure good). Prior to Covid and other life events down sized), I stopped going to the gym and reduced my cycling activities greatly. I replaced all my time to jump into the boating world and was on my boat ALL the time. A few beers here and there, grilling great food, and I found myself lounging more than ever. I had complete FOMO about boat outings!

So, my first sign that something could be wrong was when I was boating south on the Potomac River by Mt. Vernon. I was at the helm with my wife at my side. We hit another boats wake that put me into an oblique spasm…the cramps were incredible and wouldn’t go away until they did. I hid this fact from my wife by pretending to be looking at a gauge or a wake behind me. Cramps subsided.

Few days later, pulled out my power washer and cleaned my stoop and sidewalk in front of the house. Everything looked great and thought, my neighbors would probably appreciate the same so I did the area in front of their houses for a total of five houses and surrounding sidewalks. Our half of the block looked dynamite.

Next day, walking to my boat experienced tightness in my chest, a sensation in the back of my arms (tricep area) as if someone was grabbing them, then felt what I would think putting a sword down my throat would feel like. Lasted 5 minutes and went away. I wrote it off to the power washing I did. Went home. Next day, same thing. On the third day, same cramps but this time, it would not go away. Still blamed power washing effort and maybe age. What did I do? Went home and took a shower, thinking that if I just ran cold water I’d shock myself out of it. I was not in pain, just very uncomfortable.

Nothing worked, so I asked my wife for help…long story short, first cramps by Mt. Vernon was my first heart attack. The smaller cramping events were gearing up me up for the second one which I tried to wash away in a shower! Later that evening, I had a third! Turned out, I had severe blockage in all my arteries, I was having a Stemmie heart attack. Dr’s informed me that probably because of my cycling, my pump was good but they had to bypass the blockages…so, I experienced triple bypass in August of last year. Doing great now and looking forward to cycling in the spring, doing some lifting and some boating…I think I can get by with boating late afternoons…

For those reading this, my heart did not hurt. Everything felt like muscle cramps and was away from my heart. My wife kept asking where I hurt and I kept a saying, I don’t hurt. Just very uncomfortable like someone put on an extremely tight shirt that was squeezing the back of my arms.

I always thought that if I had a heart attack I would feel this immense pain in my heart. Since I didn’t, I was trying to write it off as cramps. Anyway, I hope that if anything, someone reads this, they may be able to catelog my experience and recognize earlier than I did that they may be having a heart attack and seek medical attention. I got lucky that I’m still here, recovered incredibly from the surgery, and am ready for spring to enjoy all the things I love, especially being out on the water!

All the Best,
Kevin
Thanks for sharing. I am 58 now, and in really good health for a guy my age. 5'10" about 200lbs. Don't drink to excess. Still play ice hockey in a young man's rec league. Don't lift enough anymore and don't do much other exercise. And I get an annual comprehensive annual medical that includes a cardiac stress test. My physical health/strength ratings come in well above average for my age at that annual medical. Same for VO2. Looks great. Resting heart rate is 55ish and goes down to the 40s overnight. My blood pressure has creaped up though so now I am on a pill. Basic low dose. Could be stress/work related.

Seems great. Except..... the odd time my heart "gets angry" (the Doc's term) in the stress test, and has an odd beat skip that concerns him. Not every time, but a couple of times, the cardiac stress test had to be stopped because my BP got too high. So I have had a holter and BP monitor for 72hrs. All came back normal. They have done a few cardiac ultrasounds and Echocardiograms, and they have only noted a small enlargement (within norms).

But I just had a cardiac MRI last week, and meet with a cardiologist next week to see if that showed anything that could fully explain the strange cardiac stress test results. At least my annual medical highlighted whatever this issue is early enough that if I felt symptoms, I would not ignore them. But, I would probably have ignored the same things you talked about. I think reading your post opened my eyes that heart attacks don't hurt like we think they do.

So thank you!
 
Thanks for sharing. I am 58 now, and in really good health for a guy my age. 5'10" about 200lbs. Don't drink to excess. Still play ice hockey in a young man's rec league. Don't lift enough anymore and don't do much other exercise. And I get an annual comprehensive annual medical that includes a cardiac stress test. My physical health/strength ratings come in well above average for my age at that annual medical. Same for VO2. Looks great. Resting heart rate is 55ish and goes down to the 40s overnight. My blood pressure has creaped up though so now I am on a pill. Basic low dose. Could be stress/work related.

Seems great. Except..... the odd time my heart "gets angry" (the Doc's term) in the stress test, and has an odd beat skip that concerns him. Not every time, but a couple of times, the cardiac stress test had to be stopped because my BP got too high. So I have had a holter and BP monitor for 72hrs. All came back normal. They have done a few cardiac ultrasounds and Echocardiograms, and they have only noted a small enlargement (within norms).

But I just had a cardiac MRI last week, and meet with a cardiologist next week to see if that showed anything that could fully explain the strange cardiac stress test results. At least my annual medical highlighted whatever this issue is early enough that if I felt symptoms, I would not ignore them. But, I would probably have ignored the same things you talked about. I think reading your post opened my eyes that heart attacks don't hurt like we think they do.

So thank you!
Well Sir, you need to loose some weight. You are to heavy for your height.
 
20 years on the medic, 5 as a CT.

EKG can tell you a good bit but it has its limitations It looks at the pump and the EKG can give you how well your pump is working. Now try to read what your seeing in the back of ambiance bouncing down the road.

Aspirin under the tongue can buy you some time. It thins the blood and get more O2 to important parts.

Take it from someone that survived a widow maker and has had quadruple bypass. Everyone’s symptoms can be completely different. Mine? I never felt a thing. It felt like a panic attack. Even drove myself to a fire station just to see. Scared the living life out of the medic.

You can’t hide from a heart attack, it will find you. Take good care of yourself, see the doctor, and try to follow his directions.
 
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Be careful here, could be some useful info in the future.
Don’t quote me…. It brings me back

If you're 50+ and doing physicals, seeing your doc regularly… eating right exercising…. That’s all you got what more do you want to do?….now if you didn’t know that and are learning it here…. Then by all means have at it…. All I learned by a few of these posts is it sounds like sleeping is number one cause of heart attacks
 
Don’t quote me…. It brings me back

If you're 50+ and doing physicals, seeing your doc regularly… eating right exercising…. That’s all you got what more do you want to do?….now if you didn’t know that and are learning it here…. Then by all means have at it…. All I learned by a few of these posts is it sounds like sleeping is number one cause of heart attacks
I thought I was good to go all so. Sir you just need to stay on top of it, we are not bullet proof, including your pot stirring ass. :rolleyes:
 

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