Heart Attack signs - DON'T IGNORE THEM

[mynameistoby]

Originally Posted by Momplus4

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/...kely-to-ignore

Especially the sudden shoulder pain. It could be a pulled muscle....or it could be much worse. Don't shake it off, don't wait "to see if it gets better", just call 911.

My DH had sudden shoulder pain today. No other symptoms -- a little twinge in his chest. He drove to the ER (after I INSISTED ...he wasn't home, he was on the highway). 10 minutes later they were shocking his heart to get it back to normal rhythm.

He is alive, he is okay. Lots of tests still to run to find out WHY and how to prevent this.

Had he waited...and he almost did because it started feeling better...I would be a widow right now.

Education is your best friend when making any decision- medical included.

Not withstanding - and without the help of hindsight - I would be hard pressed to conclude I am having
a heart attack because of shoulder pain - if I did not have any other history.

Always going to the ER at the first sign of trouble absoluety reduces your risks of serious problems. However
many people including myself have lousey insurance so the cost of high deducatables, uncovered treatments and the cost to society as a whole on the insurance rates can be high if these people guess wrong.

Lacking any other signs I am a life long proponent of waiting a day or two.

I don't wish anyone harm but our decisions have to be balanced. This is just one of the factors at the root of the
greater health care debate that occurs in a non-socialist economy.

[Sticky Davis]

Any cardiologists that anyone would recommend in Frisco? (Centennial or Baylor would be great.) My last exams were in Plano (I don't remember the doctor - men are not good at these things) and before that in Memphis while I was working at FedEx.

I try to get a more detailed heart examination every 5 years or so. (I've put it off for about 10 years now.) Some minor off and on symptoms lately. Heart disease runs in my family - my mom passed away within two hours of her heart attack (she looked 10 years younger than her age - people were surprised at her birth date in the obit - she had no symptoms and had gone on her two daily walks that day as usual) and Dad passed away from his heart attack before he hit the ground while reaching into his pockets to get his keys to open his truck (his hand was still around the keys in his pocket when the lawn guy found him.) Again, zero symptoms/no warnings and he had been dancing at a Christmas party the night before with his girlfriend. (Still not a bad way to go - no lingering illnesses in hospital beds - we miss him but chose to celebrate his long and happy life instead - that's the way he wanted it.)

Glad your husband is okay Momplus4

[Tooleman]

I need to get checked out too.. I visited the Doc last week to get meds for this bronchitis I have and she said my BP is very high.. im only 32..

I also have some of the early symptoms too..

It doesn't run in my family though, everyone drops dead of old age..

But iv been having this weird neck pain on and off.. And before that I was having weird leg pain and had the doc check it out and they put me on a crazy amount of motrin for a while.. and fixed it..

No one in my family has had a heart attack.. But there has been strokes, but they all lived through it..

[Momplus4]

Originally Posted by mynameistoby

Education is your best friend when making any decision- medical included.

Not withstanding - and without the help of hindsight - I would be hard pressed to conclude I am having
a heart attack because of shoulder pain - if I did not have any other history.

Always going to the ER at the first sign of trouble absoluety reduces your risks of serious problems. However
many people including myself have lousey insurance so the cost of high deducatables, uncovered treatments and the cost to society as a whole on the insurance rates can be high if these people guess wrong.

Lacking any other signs I am a life long proponent of waiting a day or two.

I don't wish anyone harm but our decisions have to be balanced. This is just one of the factors at the root of the
greater health care debate that occurs in a non-socialist economy.

Your welcome to your opinion. My husbands trip to the ER -- over severe shoulder pain - saved his life. He didn't have the normal chest pains one would think. It was sudden severe shoulder pain. The staff at the ER (in Plano) recognized the symptoms and quickly acted.

The cardio nursing staff have told me several times that he is very lucky. It wasn't a blocked artery or the traditional issues...it's called vtach (spelling??). It' the type of "heart attack - not really a heart attack" that kills healthy people with no other symptoms. Basically - in very simple terms - your heart has a pacemaker that sets the pace. Suddenly a cell - or group of cells - decides it wants to be a pacemaker and make the heart go nuts....beating so fast that it shuts things down. Many people have some form of v-tach. Most of the time it's troublesome and controlled by medications or sometimes a pacemaker. Other times it's serious and fatal. My husbands kind is the latter. There are a few reasons why. The #1 cause is congenital....most likely what caused his. Often these aren't noticed until you are older (or it's too late). Another is low magnesium (why it sometimes affects healthy athletes) and another is blocked arteries (they ruled this out today).

[Momplus4]

Originally Posted by Tooleman

I need to get checked out too.. I visited the Doc last week to get meds for this bronchitis I have and she said my BP is very high.. im only 32..

I also have some of the early symptoms too..

It doesn't run in my family though, everyone drops dead of old age..

But iv been having this weird neck pain on and off.. And before that I was having weird leg pain and had the doc check it out and they put me on a crazy amount of motrin for a while.. and fixed it..

No one in my family has had a heart attack.. But there has been strokes, but they all lived through it..

My side of the family is strokes -- and BP factors into that big time. Leg pain, etc.... I've got to get mine under control...

What happened to my DH isn't because of diet or lifestyle....not saying that can't be improved. His blockage was minimal and very low for a slightly overweight middle aged guy. It's a wake up for a lot of things on our side.

[Sticky Davis]

Time to see a doctor Toolie. I know you're a gambler by nature - but don't put this kind of stuff off too long. (And do as I say, not as I do - LOL.)

Could be a circulation issue - and a thorough heart exam (by the time of your age) is a good place to start.

[Tooleman]

Yeah it is probably a good I idea I check into it.. probably wouldnt hurt to lose weight..

[friscomatt]

Originally Posted by Tooleman

Yeah it is probably a good I idea I check into it.. probably wouldnt hurt to lose weight..

Please don't lose any weight!
Every time someone loses weight I manage to find it!

[MomTo5]

On the cardiologist front, we like Dr. Gray. He's not in Frisco but is close. He has an office in Plano at 4716 Alliance Blvd Plano, TX 75093 (469) 800-6100 and another on 380 about 5 minutes west of the tollway in front of Savannah- 26795 US Highway 380 E. Aubrey, TX 76227 (940) 382-8080. He's been DH's cardiologist for the past 2 years and he's been great!

http://www.everydayhealth.com/doctor...do_md-13729947

[interactive]

Originally Posted by Tooleman

Yeah it is probably a good I idea I check into it.. probably wouldnt hurt to lose weight..

Eat healthier and get more physically active. Made a tremendous difference for me.