When and where did your heart attack occur?
priv8life
Posts: 24 Member
I was at my office on Feb 27 (3:00 PM) giving a presentation to a team of executives and lawyers. I began to sweat profusely and pressure was building up in my chest. I also felt pain in both my arms. I made it out of the boardroom after the final Q&A session, went to the lobby's front desk and asked security to call 911.
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I was working on a train. Took some t1's and asperin and worked home for 12 hours. Went to hospital when I got in and they said I had or am having a heart attack. they flew me to a bigger city and one day later, put one non-drug stent in me. When this was going on I thought I was just tired and the locomotive seats were just bothering me as usual. i did my work OK but when you are having a heart attack you don't think right. I should have went to the hospital when I at my away from home terminal[the night before]; not go to bed and work home. I learn't one thing; NEVER BE AFRAID TO CALL 911!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a nice day, priv8life.
Bob0 -
I was at work and my chest kept hurting and my arm would go numb and cold and also my jaw would hurt! finally i hit the floor with such bad pain and went to hospital. But because of my young age they were not thinking heart attack they were thinking blood clots. they ran a bunch of tests and sent me home!! I later returned that night because i knew something was wrong because all the symptoms came back but much worse. they then decided to tell me i had had several heart attacks! It was 8 days before my birthday. They took me to another hospital were they put stent in my heart and i feel alot better. I will never wait again if my chest hurts the feeling is awful....Just lucky to be alive!!!!!0
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Hope you are doing well! Boy that hospital staff missed somethings at first? Have a good day!
Bob0 -
Glad you all made it thru the attack. I'm in Cardio Rehab and the many of the other patients tell me of those who did not make it.0
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April 10 2011. I was at Walmart picking up those mulch bags. I went to the dollar store and when I got that done I started planting some flowers in my hanging basket and was sweating really bad. i went inside and was really hot and started to get sick. I kept telling my husband to pat my back for me to burp, he finally talked me into going to the hospital. He drove me there and i kinda remember walking up some steps into the er. I was holding on to my arms they was hurting pretty bad when i finally sat down that is when i coded. I'm 32 years old I would have never thought I was having a heart attack. I bet it was 2 or so hours til i got to the hospital. They type I had is called the widow maker. I'm just thankful to be alive.0
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Wow, that was close. Hope your feeling much better. I'm learning that women's heart attack symptoms are harder to detect.0
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April 2, 2011. I just started waxing the floor in the basement when I got a sharp pain in my jaw. (I knew right away it was my heart because I had gotten 3 stents when I was 47 with an 80% blockage) I went upstairs chewed an aspirin and put a nitro under ny tongue. Within a couple of minutes I had chest pain that was extreme. I dialed 911 (I was home alone) when I hit the second 1, I collapsed to the floor. I was sweating profusely and the pain was now in my jaw, chest and arm. The ambulance arrived with 5 minutes and my heart attack was diagnosed in the ambulance. They could not stop my heart attack, 45 minutes into it they rushed me to the Cath lab and removed a clot. My right artery was 100% blocked. I really thought I was going to die, but the care from the ambulance and hospital staff saved my life.
I now go to the gym 5 -6 days a week, have lost 30 lbs, eat a vegetarian diet, and haven't felt this good in 20 years!!!0 -
November 9, 2011 I was at work and feeling odd. I was fatigued in a strange way and knew there was something that just wasn't right. I decided to go to the E.R. but on my way home (smoking as i was driving) I started to feel better so I thought I would stop by my house and check on things. After 2 hours of watching CSI I decided I better just bite the bullet and see what was going on inside of me. The E.R. doc ran all sorts of tests and said I was fine but he was going to touch bases with the on call cardiologist. When the cardiologist came in he said all my tests were fine and he should send me home but he had a feeling and he wanted to keep me over night and do an angiogram the next day. While on the table having my angiogram I had a heart attack. I had an artery that was 99% blocked and 2 others also in the 90s. First thing the next morning (Nov. 11, 2011) I went in for a triple bypass. Not something I imagined happening at 39 yrs of age! One week before I was to return to work I lost my job. I was unable to go through cardiac rehab because I no longer had insurance.
I had done well for awhile with weight loss but since I have had to move back home with my parents (i have lost pretty much everything and am starting my life over) I am back up to my pre surgery weight. But today is a new day and I am looking forward to a new healthy adventure!!
Krissy0 -
Amazing story... Rely on family. That is what family is for. Walk. Walk everywhere if you can. Good luck.0
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wd61... thanks for sharing. Are you liking the vegetarian diet? My doc has me watching bad carbs and glycmic index.0
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@priv8life - Yes, I really have adjusted to a vegan/vegetarian diet. I like to cook so that helps. I use to be a meat and potatoes lover and also enjoyed the occassional fast food meal. I now eat mostly scratch cooking. I enjoy hearty salads i.e. Spinach, lots of fresh veggies, fresh fruit or cranberries, some type of bean (chick peas, black, kidney or pinto beans), artichokes, etc... I rarely use dressing becasue I put fruit like blueberries, strawberries or oranges right in my salad.
I also do a lot of roasted veegies and stir fry's. I use to crave the occassional hamburger or steak, but now if I do have meat, I'm usually disappointed.0 -
Hi I went to the doctors last week about my creaky knees and just mentioned to her that I had a fluttering heart a couple of weeks ago so they booked me for a ECG. I thought I had nothing to worry about, I have lost 6 stones (84 lbs) in the past 18 months and go to the gym 5 days a week. I was stunned to be told that I had had a heart attack, I just could not believe it. I now have a cardio appointment on 6th June, worrying times.
I had not realised that anything was wrong, I have had a silent heart attack. As I am going through the change I may have mistaken a hot flush foe the symptoms. Now I keep on imagining that I am feeling pains on my chest.0 -
Simp666, 've heard that symptoms can be missed in women because they don't always get the typical chest pain. Did you get any other symptoms apart from the fluttering and hot flush? I did get the pain, but I also had a feeling of uneasiness. I hope you manage to get your medication and everything sorted out. It took me months to get the right medication and the right dose, but I seem to be stable now. It's worrying, isn't it? At the time I contacted the British Heart Foundation (I'm guessing you're in the UK as you mentioned stones) who were very helpful with information. And please feel free to add me as a friend.0
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Hi Vailara, I should find out on Wednesday when I go to the hospital. Problem at the moment is that when I go to the gym my heart rate keeps on spiking, only for a minute or so, today it went up to 230. Must admit I have a feeling of uneasiness at the moment. Hopefully the doctors can sort me out. I have added you as a friend, thank you.0
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22-May-2012 at about 5:45 AM I parked the car on base, finished my last cigarette, and went into the Gym to work out. About 45 minutes into the session I just felt like I couldn't go on, but with some encouragement from my friends and peers I muscled through and finished the session. Walked over to a friend from work and told him I wasn't feeling right, he walked me to the front of the gym, said I was probably dehydrated and called an ambulance.
In the ambulance they told me I was having heart attack, at the hospital they they put in a stent and sent me off to Portsmouth Naval Hospital where 2 days later I had a triple bypass at 38 years old.
I'm currently in Cardiac Rehab so my "workout" is not what I'm used to, but I'm feeling so much better than I have in years, even with the extra weight I've put on. I haven't smoked since my heart attack, but I've been gaining weight since I left the hospital and it needs to stop. The food diary was something one of my doctors said to do, and that's how I got here.
I am lucky that I'm in the military, they've really taken care of me, including a month of leave after I left the hospital, and 6 months of limited duty and no problems making it to appointments.
As of this morning I was 232 lbs, and I'd like to get down to the weight I was when I joined the navy 10 years ago, 180lbs, it's been awhile.0 -
Jcol, thanks for sharing. The Cardiac rehab worked for me too. I lost 30 pound since mine in Feb, so no worries about the weight lost journey. Even if the weight jumps up a few pounds, just get back on track or resume what works for you and let time do its thing.
Glad you are alive. Don't let that feeling go away.0 -
Hi new to the group.... glad you all are here.... On 8/4/2012 while visiting my youngest daughter and talking about plans for her upcoming wedding I began to feel a bit of indigestion... which in no time began to worsen and result in heavy pressure on in the middle of my chest... then began sweating profusely and pain in my left shoulder.... my future son-in-law is a cop and recognized the symptoms immediately called 911 and they got me to the ER in no time I was immediately taken to the Cardiac Cath Lab where they found I had had a major heart attack because the largest artery on the right side of my heart was totally blocked. They inserted 2 stints and now report that there are no other blockages or other heart disease. My last cigarette was about 10 min before this all started that has not been easy along with changing my diet totally. I am now out of the hospital for 5 days staying with my daughter but so very fatigued. Not due to start cardiac rehab till I see the doc again in a week. Even the shortest walking causes my limb to feel filled with lead. I cant believe how I tire very easily . Is this common to anyone else's experiences...0
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New here as well.
Had my Heart Attack on June 1 , was home watching TV after being on vacation all week and decided to just take it easy for the day. Had severe chest pains, that just kind of came and went for about 20 minutes before it became so severe I I knew something was up, sweating, pain in my arms. I finally broken down and called 911, was still in the middle of the HA when the paramedics arrived. The ER was unsure if I had a HA as all my symptoms had subsided by the time I got there but my blood test confirmed. RCA was blocked in 2 places 99 and 95% but I only have 1 stent that covered both blockages.
I am half way thru the 24 week Cardiac Rehab that was offered to me and doing much better but still a long way to go.
@ BlestBliss yes the fatique is horrible for the 1st month or so, your body took a major hit, add in all sorts of new meds for your body to adjust to, give your self plenty of time to recoup and get back on your feet. I couldnt walk to the end of my drive with out getting winded, now I walk 2 miles a day in just under 35 minutes on my lunch hour plus the rehab 3times a week.0 -
I was sitting on my bedroom floor last Saturday wiring a network connection. I had run 2-miles with my daughter two hours earlier. It was my first run in six weeks due to an injury. Had I not been injured and stopped running, I would have been on a 20-mile run with my running group training for my eighth marathon. Luckily I was at home and close to a hospital. I was also very fortunate that there was very little damage to my heart.
Less than two hours after the pain began I was recovering in my hospital room with a stent in my left anterior descending coronary artery (a.k.a. "The Widow Maker"), which they found had a 90% blockage.0 -
@KCRunnerSteve That's very recent. I hope you have a good recovery. Sounds like you had very quick treatment. Thank goodness you were at home and near the hospital!0
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I was on vacation visiting family on June 31, 2012. Luckily I started feeling bad at night and at my mother's house. I did not have any of the typical symptoms. It started with the muscles in my shoulders, chest and arms hurting like I just finished some major weight lifting, which I hadn't done. Then my jaw started hurting and I thought all of this was very weird, so I looked up the symptoms on the Internet. I checked a few sites and they all said it could be heart issues, so I decided to go to the ER.
Once there they did an EKG, which actually came back fine with one minor flag. To be safe, the drew some blood and sent my for chest x-rays. The x-rays didn't really show anything of concern, but he blood had the cardiac enzymes that are only released when you are having a heart attack. In about six hours, I had a stint put in and found out I had a 99% blockage in one of my arteries.
I was very lucky I caught it early and didn't have much heart damage, and what little I did have would heal. I also caught it early enough and I am able to skip rehab. Every doctor and nurse has said that I was very lucky that I came in and caught it so early, because most people ignore those symptoms and come in after it gets much worse.
Now I am closely watching my diet and exercising regularly and already lost 29 pounds. I had been trying to exercise more and loose weight for over a year and always felt fatigued, so I never really could get in a good workout. Since then, I have been making great progress and have been able to increase the how much I push myself every week.0 -
My story is similar to KCRunnerSteve's, except I've never been in shape enough to run a marathon. But it sounds like we had the same kind of attack.
On 7/25/12 I had just finished a lunchtime workout on the elliptical (36 minutes at max heart rate) and had just started my cool down when I felt chest pains. I hoped it was reflux, so I finished the cool down, had some water, and the pain lessened. After showering I went up the long staircase at the gym and the pain came back, then lessened again. I drove back to work, then walked up the stairs to my floor when the pain returned, a bit harder. I called our emergency number at work. They came, ECGed me, and there was no heart attack signature at that point. With the chest pain on exertion though, they strongly urged me to take an ambulance to the ER. I knew that was the right thing to do even though my pain was only mild to moderate. However, while in the ambulance the pain became intense as a blockage in my left coronary artery became complete. I went straight up to the cath lab and the blockage was gone 20 minutes or so later and a stent was placed.
I've been moderately overweight most of my life (I'm 56) and have a strong family history of cardiac disease. But I'd been trying to prevent this for a long time. I've been on statins and aspirin for over 10 years with my cholesterol reasonably well managed. I've been doing semi regular exercise for all that time as well. I have had regular checkups thru the years, including stress tests. My diet had been fairly clean--my problem wasn't that I ate junk, it was portion control. Still, I had a blockage in the "widow-maker" artery (the LAD) that wasn't large enough to cause symptoms on its own but apparently ruptured, leading to the formation of a blood clot that completed the blockage. (This was a "vulnerable plaque" heart attack.) I am very lucky to still be here and to have had a good outcome.
Two months later I've lost almost 15 pounds since before the attack (10 lbs since I started MFP), and am working out harder at cardiac rehab than I ever have before. I feel great. It was my rehab nurse who suggested MFP to me, and with the help of my wife (who's a clinical dietitian) I use MFP to track calories and sodium and fat intake. I think it's helping quite a bit.
I hope everyone is doing well out there, and that folks who have had an attack recently are well on the mend. @BlestBliss--yes, I felt fatigued too. I think part of it was getting acclimated to the beta blocker and much higher dose of statin. After a couple of weeks on rehab though, things really turned around for me.0 -
I had my heart attack 10/8/12 at work. I was sitting at my desk and needed to burp and could not. Then I started feeling sick to my stomach so I went to the bathroom. Once I got sick then all the symptons started. Chest pain, shortness of breath and intense sweating. All I could think was please do not pass out and then be found on the bathroom floor......I managed to get my self out of the bathroom, make eye contact with the first person I saw and said please call 911.
EMS arrives at work, starts an EKG and then says you are having a heart attack right now and off I go to the hospital.
I arrive at the hospital (which by the way please cover heart attack patients) and in minutes I am in the cath lab. I had 100% blockage on one side and 75% on the other and 2 stents put in. The cardiologist said it was a massive heart attack and I was lucky to be alive. At that point shock set in and I was a blubbering mess. From the time my heart attack started and I was in the cath lab was 28 minutes.....a lot to accept in those 28 minutes.
I feel much better today. I never knew how bad I felt until surviving the heart attack.
Glad to be alive and on the mend.0 -
Welcome, CathyD! Hope you are feeling better physically and emotionally after having gone through it. Best wishes to you (and to us all!) as you continue through your recovery.0
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Hi Cathy. It's really scary, isn't it? It is a lot to deal with. It's great that you got treatment in 28 minutes. But it's such a huge shock. I started at work too. I've been trying to get healthy.
Joe_D, I hope you are doing well now. Congratulations on losing 30 lb!
Have any of you had changes in your medication as you've lost weight? I'm on the maximum dose of some of my drugs, but I'm wondering when or if the dose should be reduced as I'm getting lighter. I mentioned it to my doctor at my last checkup, but she said it to keep on the same dose for now.0 -
Vailara, you've been losing weight, too! Good for you!
As I've told folks who ask my about "my secret" for losing weight, there's nothing like a heart attack to put you off your appetite. :ohwell: But still, now that I've come to terms with having had one, it still takes work and discipline to lose weight, so I don't really mean to underestimate what we're doing here.
No med changes for me, at least yet.
My LDLs are right about where they want them, so too soon to lower the statin I'm taking (too bad on that one because the stinking pill is the size of a house).
They were going to up the level of beta blocker I'm taking, but my resting heart rate and BP are all fairly low at present--probably also because of all the exercise I'm doing. After losing a bit of weight, I find that for the first time in my adult life I'm prone to feeling cold, especially my hands, so I might try talking them into reducing the beta blocker a bit.0 -
That's great that your heart rate, BP and cholesterol are all good. My BP has always been low, but my heart rate never was even when I was fit. But now it's the lowest it's ever been.
I agree about a heart attack being good motivation!
. It didn't work so well for me, because I was scared of exercise after mine, and wasn't sure how much I could push. 0 -
Vailara - I am on 4 different medications now. I wasn't on any for heart related issues before. As soon I was home from the hospital I was scared "healthier". I quit smoking, no fast food and lower portions of everything. I did not lose a pound then once I faithfully started tracking my food I lost 3 lbs in the 1st week. I am determined to get control of this and hopefully off all the medicines, but my cardiologist said I would be on all 4 types of the medicine for at least a year. So that gives me a goal.....
joe_d - thanks for the welcome message and sharing your story.
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I would love to be off the medication altogether, but I don't think it's going to happen. However, it took quite a while (over a year) to sort out the "right" medication for me, as I had some intolerable side effects with some drugs I tried. Two of my drugs are for the side effects from the other drugs! But now, I seem to have minimal side effects. Some of my drugs have side effects of fatigue, but I find it impossible to separate what is a side effect of medication and what is just tiredness. I can accept staying on the meds for life if it means I don't have any further heart problems (although I know they are not a guarantee!). I think I will indefinitely be on some sort of statin and some sort of "blood thinner" at the very least.
Well done on stopping smoking, cutting portions, etc.! I did eat healthily after my cardiac event (actually, I ate quite healthily before), but didn't lose weight through healthy eating alone - in fact, I gained weight! What started me losing weight was not eating between meals, and then having smaller portions. I was eating good food, but just too much of it.0 -
On January 21st, 2011, I was doing a fitness test at my employers gym facility. I had finished the test and was talking with one of the trainers afterwards to review my fitness results. He had congratulated me on my “elite” cardio fitness since I completed the 1.5 mile run in 12:11 (not bad for 50 years old!). We were going over workout plan recommendations and probably 5 to 10 minutes after I completed the run, I just collapsed with no warning whatsoever. No pain, no shortness of breath – nada. Just talking and next thing you know, I’m in full cardiac arrest after having a major heart attack.
One of the other trainers turned out to be my guardian angel as she started CPR immediately and then used an AED unit to restart my heart. The paramedics told me she had my heart going again before they arrived at the building. I was transported to the hospital in was out of the cath lab within an hour of my heart attack having the left anterior descending and right proximal arteries stented.
I had lost weight and become physically active back in 2007 by becoming a regular participant in triathlons, half marathons and marathons. My cardiologist said that my underlying fitness level was key to my survival and recovery.
I went through cardiac rehab to resume exercise with monitoring and was quickly released to resume running as long as I agreed to keep my heart rate below a certain level. As a result, I was able to complete a half marathon only 58 days after my heart attack/cardiac arrest.
I was given an unrestricted release about 10 months after the heart attack and I have continued to run half and full marathons since then. I just completed the Goofy Challenge 2 weeks ago completing both the Disney World half and full marathon.
Todays meds and treatment allow a much better outcome and it is possible to resume an active lifestyle. All things considered, I am very lucky and aside from having a governor on my heart with the beta blockers and needing to stay away from sharp objects on account of the Plavix, life is good.0
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