Heart attack symptoms

[LadyGodiva]

They seem to be very vague. My father was treated for GERD (acid reflux) instead of being checked for heart problems. The day before daddy's heart attack he had seen a gastro doc who prescribed MORE stomach medication :bang:

Gerard has been to the ER twice in the last 8 months and was told it's his stomach. Yet he is not having stomach problems and can eat whatever he wants. The symptoms he's had are a nauseated feellng, tightness of the jaw and pressure.

An acquaintance died yesterday morning of a massive heart attack. He complained of feeling unwell. He was at his son's game practice the day before, and collapsed. They took him to the ER and he was treated for dehydration and sent home. Yesterday while taking a shower he collapsed again. This time he died before reaching the ER. He was 50.

I know doctors are just practicing on us, but for heaven's sake, with all the modern technology and tests going for them, can't they just do routine heart checks now? I know they don't possess common sense, and listening isn't something most doctors can say they do because of TIME constraints :uhh:

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[Dave Taylor]

worry about me, Lady G.

Remember Redd Foxx in "Sanford and Sons". He was always clutching his chect and saying... "Elizabeth... its the big one. Elizabeth, I'm coming". At least I think it was Elizabeth he was talking to.

Jest so's ya know... I feels fine and am still chuckling over Lady G's cherries, whip cream, bannanas and ice cream. :suspect:

[bml]

Lg,

Don't mean to scare you but GERD and angina (pain from lack of blood flow to the heart muscle) can be very similar. It is very likely that GERD is the cause of your husbands symptoms but I would hope that his doctor has ruled out a heart problem.

Has your husband been seen for these symptoms by any physician besides the ER doc? What tests did they do to make sure his heart wasn't the problem--EKG, stress test? Is the medicine helping his symptoms? When do the symptoms occur? Does your husband have other medical problems that could contribute to either GERD or heart disease? Have any of your husband's relatives (sibling and parents) had a heart attack? These are all questions that a physician should have asked him.

It would be impossible to diagnose the problem without examining him, but if your husband feels that his complaints have not been adequately investigated by his doctor then maybe he needs to get another opinion. Bear in mind that despite all of the technology available today, no test is perfect. Even a great doctor who orders all the right tests can still be wrong because the tests can be wrong.

Good Luck!

[Rich Beckman]

What Brooke said.

Don't rely on the ER (or people on the internet!). He should get a complete physical from a doctor at the doctor's office.

Rich

[stullis]

I'm sure you have done a search but here's a couple of sites that list symptoms of heart attacks, strokes and cardiac arrest.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053

http://www.heartinfo.org/hrtatkang.html

And has already been said, go see another doctor and have them check his heart out pronto.

[FireWrks7]

Miss Eli, it can be a coin toss when going to the ER. There are a bunch of tests and a host of symptoms which can lead to wrong conclusions. Not all on-duty personel know what to look for. Although, sometimes it is the particular medical coverage one has, or lack thereof, which can make the difference. While medical professionals and administrators may deny it, HMOs have a list of tests they will approve and some which they encourage not to use. I've seen it first hand during the times I've gone in to the ER.

To my good fortune the coverage I have allowed the Dr to take all the tests I needed. On one occassion, the ultrasound didn't show what a CT scan revealed - an appendicitis. The classsic pain in the side didn't show up intil an hour before they went in. What I felt seemed like a bad case of a stomach flu or food poisoning.

Another time I went in I felt the sysmptoms of a heart attack, but all the tests they gave me (blood, urine, EKG, x-ray, ultrasound, stress test) didn't show a thing. Oddly enough, the morphine and nitro they gave me didn't make the back stabbing pain go away. Some of the nurses thought I was faking it. Fortunately, as I started getting dressed to go home, the Cardiologist and Vascular Surgeon decided to take a CT scan. Sure enough, they found a disected aorta.

From what I've read, too many times people go in to the ER for a heart attack or indigestion and when tests show its "nothing", they get sent home without having had a CT scan performed. 75% of people who don't get treated for a disected aorta die within 48 hours. Not too many ER doctors bother looking for it because it is rare. Something like one per 10,000 people admitted to the hospital. Another statistic for incidence is between 5-30 people per million per year get it iin the US.

Besides a heart attack, it could be a stroke. A friend of mine went in to the ER and they basically told her she was nuts. It wasn't until her own Dr sent her in to a specialist did they find it. Unfortuenately not all places have an MRI machine.

Knowing you Eli, you can crack the whip and get them ER people to do the right thing. Don't take "no" for an answer.



Anthony

[bml]

Anthony,

I respect your position considering the experiences that you have had. However, if every patient who went to the ER with chest pain/indigestion was given a CT scan, health care would be even more enormously expensive. In your case, there was a clear indication for the CT scan because you had severe back pain unrelieved by the morphine and nitro with all other tests normal. For your sake, I'm glad the cardiologist and vascular surgeon were on top of things.

LG,

Based on just the symptoms you described, I would want Gerard to be evaluated further (if it hasn't already been done) if he were my husband or father.

[LadyGodiva]

Anthony, that's some scary stuff. I'm glad they figured it out.

Interestingly enough, I'm the one scheduled for a few basline heart tests next week. I'm having thyroid problems and probably will need surgery, so the doctor said he wants some stuff done on my heart since daddy died of a heart attack and my mother has heart problems. Both her parents died from heart attacks.

I had to stop the thyroid medication because I was being over-medicated and the doctors wouldn't listen. Once you start having palpitations and tremors it means something is wrong. Did my research, asked to have some blood work done 3 times, and each time I was told it's nothing to do with my thyroid. So I quit the medication on my own, informed the jackaces what I had done, took copies of everything I found on a medical journal to both the regular doctor and the specialist and guess what? The idiots said okay, we'll send you for blood work :complain: My thyroid levels were TOO high, and they told me that I had to quit taking the medication :D I couldn't help telling them both that I had already done so a week before ;)

I don't have too much respect for most doctors I come across here in the boonies.

Gerard is going along with his doctor who is an internist, but I told him that if he starts feeling sick or acting weird, I'm taking him to the ER and DEMANDING those tests! You know me Anthony, if I get seriously angry I'm a force to be reackoned with :D

[e3]

just got word that a good friend ,who I just spent time with at the NTCA show in vegas last week died of a heart attack! non-smoker,not over weight,didn't drink,..left the show with the rest of us over the week end had heart attack mon. died today!!One of the best guy's in the tile industry will be missed!

[John K]

" Time constraints"

That's because they are too busy working on the 20 million illegal aliens, for free! :bang:

You better take him to a specialist. If he has been to the ER twice, there may not be a third. Better safe than sorry. At least rule out the heart.

Good Luck

[LadyGodiva]

You think it's because of the illegal aliens? The people I've seen in the ER who say they don't have medical are usually Americans (black and white) :nod:

Also had to take a woman down to DHS office to get her food stamps fixed up recently. I do volunteer work for the city from time to time, and you wouldn't believe how many Caucasians were waiting for handouts. That was an eye opener for me. They get freebies for medical as well. Don't be too quick to blame it on the illegal aliens my friend ;)

Yeah, I'm hoping he'll agree to see a heart specialist seeing that we're 'foreigners' who have always paid taxes, and do our fair share to make life better for ourselves and others.

[miss piggy]

Let me give you all another take on all of this: My, hubby, Kermit, aka Roland, has had stomach problems for years, i.e, acid reflux, gerd, etc. He takes handfuls of advils for headaches, which the Dr. said was a no no. He had a bad headache back in jan. took advils, came home from work on Monday, sick as a dog with his stomach, etc. Went to the dr. tue, sent to hospital for test, found gigantic hernia and ulcers. Scheduled for surg. pre surg physical, i.e. stress test, he could NOT finish, sent directly to cardio, put in hospital, did angiogram, had open heart surg. next day,three by-pass. he was lucky, no heart damage, but also no warning either... so have the test done. piggy

[LadyGodiva]

Piggy, that was a close call! Imagine if he hadn't had those tests done. Heard today that someone else died of a heart attack (woman in her early 40s) and she had NO signs!

Scary stuff.

[tilesnake]

You think it's because of the illegal aliens? The people I've seen in the ER who say they don't have medical are usually Americans (black and white) :nod:

Also had to take a woman down to DHS office to get her food stamps fixed up recently. I do volunteer work for the city from time to time, and you wouldn't believe how many Caucasians were waiting for handouts. That was an eye opener for me. They get freebies for medical as well. Don't be too quick to blame it on the illegal aliens my friend ;)

Yeah, I'm hoping he'll agree to see a heart specialist seeing that we're 'foreigners' who have always paid taxes, and do our fair share to make life better for ourselves and others.


Greed and lawyers, Lawyers and greed,. Easy street for a few, shitstick for the rest of us.


Tile.

[John Bridge]

Just from a non-medical pro point of view, what I have read indicates that angina (pain caused by shortness of oxygen to the heart area) has very little if any corrolation to heart attacks. It is in fact when plaque breaks loose from the lining of arteries that heart attacks, massive and otherwise, occur. Sudden heart attacks happen with little or no prior symptoms.

In case you wonder, I was diagnosed with coronary artery disease about 14 years ago. A couple blockages. I experienced what I would term mild angina -- heaviness in the arms and shoulders -- but no chest pain to speak of, a tightness maybe. The cardiologist who attended me (still my heart doctor) would have gone in right on the spot, but he gave me the option of medication instead. I know he didn't think it would last, that he would be going in anyway.

I took the medication that was prescribed, a very low dose of a blood thinner, but I also got wind of some studies on Vitamin E that had been done in Great Britain to the effect that high dosages could delay or even abate the need for invasive surgery. I've been taking 800 I.U. of Vitamin E for many years, and guess what. I go to the cardiologist annually, and he always says the same thing, words to the effect that "we fooled 'em again." :) Recently, he told me to not forget that the blockages were still there. I've not had angina for a number of years.

Am I worried about heart attack? Naw. I'm 64, and I never figured I'd get this far anyway. :D

Eli, quit being so acidic. You seem to be down on the world since your dad died. You've got to get over it. ;)

[LadyGodiva]

Excuse me John, but what do I have to get over? Being acidic as you say? I've always been that way, and it's more sarcastic and blunt than acidic. Don't blame it on my Father's death. I see b.s. and I speak out against it.

Get over my Dad? You've got to be joking. 2 1/2 months is not enough time, and one never quite get over the death of someone they loved dearly.

Get real John. Coldness seems to run in your veins, not mine :moon:

[John Bridge]

You are referring to doctors as jackasses, all doctors from the way you say it. I call that "acidic."

I think you know coldness does not run through me. I won't get into a one-on-one with you, though. Hasta . . ;)

[Tim Mooney]

Ive done quite a bit of study on the same question.

Ive had Aunts , Uncles, Dad , Brother all die from heart attacks.

Ive had three heart attacks , a stroke , and open heart surgery that part of has failed that led to a second heart cath.

By records men dont normally complain and are the largest failures. I would think that men in construction are even worse as they get knocked around all the time and constantly live with pains. Some people dont regognize the symtoms as serious. Symtoms seem to be many different ones to none noted.I forget the percentage but its alarming to me that people die of heart attacks every day that never mentioned even feeling bad. The reports I read lists that as part mystery. Im sure youve heard of someone getting up to use the bathroom or geting up and dieing in a chair. My Brother died going to the bathroom . He fell dead with a massive heart attack and was found on the floor "blue". He however was in pain but thought it was somthing else that the doctor told him he had and was sent home. A bad chest cold. Another friend of mine was hurting in his arm and ended up in ER. The doctor prescribed muscle relaxer and sent him home . He died that night from a HA. Not to batter doctors , but they often miss it entirely and we trust them. Another friend of mine has had three same as I. He refused to see a doc the second time because it didnt "feel" like the first one . He continued to work feeling bad till he went down in his business. He lost 50 percent of his heart with that one . There are too many to mention , but one thing is certain; symtoms are missed . I had heart pain in the past and three times ended up at an er and was sent home . Once I was sent becuse I wasnt satisfied to a specialist that gave me a stress test and I "passed" it . A few months later I had my first heart attack which got me an ambulance ride to a major hospital where I revcieced a heart cath that determined I was 95 percent blocked. Finally proof , but almost too late as they near lost me . The clot blocker shot that cost 4700.00 given by the ER doctor is the reason Im still here . The surgeon told me that . He said thank them! My three heart attacks all came with differnt symtoms , but only because I was already "gunshy" , did I go to ER with the second and third. I could have easily bacame a statistic . Im not a doctor or know a lot about it , but the heart cath is the only truth given me of proof. The rest was a bunch of blunders.

[Davy]

I've had an uncle and two friends die this year from Heart Attacks. My uncle already had two heart attacks a few years ago and in March had one while sleeping. He lived alone and was found five days later.

A neighbor of mine was only 43, non smoker and not over weight. This guy is proof that any of us could fall over at any minute. He was in construction, built fences for a living. Tough as nails type of guy and hard working. Come home early from work feeling bad, thought it was heat related since it was July in Texas. Took a shower to cool off and died shortly after in his home. They might could have done something if he had gone straight to the hospital instead of going home.

Another friend, a painter had heart problems but never a heart attack. He fell over one morning on the job from a heart attack and never recovered.

[LadyGodiva]

Yep, it seems like some don't have any symptoms, or at least not what we might call 'classic symptoms.'

Do you all think it has anything to do with diet? You could be in good shape physically and be eating crap, couldn't you? Then there is the herediatary factor as well. Diabetes and hypertension puts you at risk also.

Are heart attacks more prevalent now than before? Quien sabe...

[Tim Mooney]

Lady,

It depends on a lot of things that a medical professional should be typing about but heridety seems strong. As you already know Im sure eating and exercize are printed to have a lot to do with it. Working is not listed as exercize. Ill never figgure that one out , except that we dont push our heart and air capactity like we could by walking or jogging. One lady walks by my house every morning and off the hill and back. [a steep one] She does this about five times attacking that hill. By the look on her face , she is saying yea I want some more of it ! Then she heads for home still walking briskly. Work doesnt do that . To my amazement there are some that have the classic pop belly but otherwise look to be in shape. They eat pizza 3 times weekly and what ever they want to pile the plate eating. They have grey hair and a doc thinks , "perfect suspect victim". They test fine and light up a smoke leaving the clinic. Smoking is another that makes perfect sense and caffiene. Not doing anything is a road down hill as many do retired. Stress is also heavily listed and your ability to handle it. One of the biggest in my mind is keeping blood pressure in check or "low". I ve heard once a man reaches 50, he should be on drugs for it . Plus a a half asprin a day.

Drugs are the only things keeping me from having another one and the doc comfirmed it . We are keeping my blood thin and my blood pressure very low. High blood pressure is a very dangerous condition for a heart patient and bad for everyone . I take my blood pressure daily.

[bml]

Tim and Davy,

I'm sorry to hear those stories. There is no doubt that sometimes mistakes get made in medicine. Doctors are only human. Also, like all field there are great doctors, OK doctors and not so good doctors. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for patients to figure out which doctors are which until its too late. (I'm not sure what the solution is for that.)

Like Tim mentioned, the cardiac catheterization is the undeniable best test for diagnosing CAD. However, the test itself carries many risks even when performed by the best cardiologists. Some of those risks include death, heart attack, and stroke. For that reason, doctors want to be very sure that it is necessary before putting someone through it. Consequently, doctors use EKG's and stress tests to try to determine in which patients the benefits of a cardiac catheterization outweigh the risks.

John was also right that large blockages usually cause angina whereas manytimes it is the smaller blockages that cause heart attacks. Usually the blockage breaks off and the clot that forms at the breakage point completely blocks the vessel and causes a heart attack. This is why blood thinners are given both to prevent and to treat heart attacks. They really do work. Yes, taking an aspirin every day is often recommended even for apparently healthy men to reduce the risk of a heart attack.

The biggest risk factors for coronary artery disease are well established but difficult to rate for importance. Heredity is a known very strong risk factor. Diabetes is another. Others include hypertension, high cholesterol--especially LDL (the bad one). High HDL (healthy cholesterol) may actually be protective. Smoking is another risk factor. Diet and exercise likely play a role. I'm sure we all know someone who eats crap and never exercises but is healthy as a horse while someone else is a marathon runner who watches their fat intake and still has a heart attack. There are likely many other risks that haven't even been identified yet.

Hope this helps and that I haven't upset anyone. This seems to be hostile territory for doctors.

[Davy]

Thanks Brooke, very good infomation.

Tim, tile work sure seems like exercise when you grab two buckets of mud and head up stairs with it, or 20 or 30 boxes of tile. I hear what you're saying. :)

[John Bridge]

This is not hostile territory for doctors, I hope. I for one understand that nobody is completely in the know on this. I've stuck with my cardiologist for years, and he's stuck with me. We talk about possiblities once a year when I see him. He gets me in there by refusing to renew my prescriptions. ;)

When I was five, my father (58) died of what they called "heart trouble." Two older sisters and a brother were diagnosed with CAD. Those folks have died but from other causes, partly to do with age.

I've tried to read what I can on the disease. I've narrowed my options down to a couple: medication (which has been working and continues to work); and possibly angioplasty if it becomes necessary. I've ruled out open heart surgery. To date I've never had a heart attack.

There are stents now that are not rejected as readily as they were previously. They are treated with the same anti-rejection drugs that are used in organ transplants. This is very expensive stuff, but that's as far as I'll go. Nobody's going to tear this old coot limb from limb to try to keep him around an extra few years. ;)

I've mentioned to Davy offline that I've taken high doses of Vitamen E for years, and that I attribute it with keeping me off the table. I take 800 units per day, along with my blood thinners and 1/4 asperin. I drink all the beer I want, and I don't watch my diet at all. I take a prescription drug to keep the cholestoral down. Probably don't get enough exercise. True confessions. ;)

[Tim Mooney]

"Hope this helps and that I haven't upset anyone. This seems to be hostile territory for doctors."

I dont think so . Not for me anyway. I appreciate doctors very much as I would not be here today with out them.

All I can imagine is that doctors get pushed by patients that are shceduled 15 minutes apart. I rarely get 15 minutes but I have clocked the nurse accepting them from the waiting room. So hence I figgure the 15 minute schedule. If you have a cold and need antibiotics , thats more than enough time . If a patient is complaining of chest pains I disagree. I believe they miss things by running patients through like doctoring cattle in a shute . Im sorry but thats been my experience. I was there when my friend went to ER . She is a very good doctor that was filling in for the ER doctor. Shes one of the most repected doctors we have here. She had me on EKG and four other rooms full by herelf. She was stitching someone and I saw blood on her . I saw her treat the friend with the arm. He was a speciman of health by looks. He was only 30 years old with 3 small children. They were all there. He didnt get an EKG and she made a judgement call. She didnt test his blood either . She was sued and lost a big lawsuit the family launched. That was the biggest mistake I ever witnessed except mine on me.

The reason Im not hard is because I know her . No doctor tries harder to work her patients. She works night and day and has for a number of years. If I go to the hospital at night , I normally always see her. She has a full time practice in the day time, plus is staff doctor for a nursing home. She didnt make that mistake on purpose I assure you.

After everything Ive been through Ive made up my mind on some things. If you arent happy or satisfied , dont accept it . If my body says somthing is still wrong then Im going to try to get a solid answer about fixing it or living with it . But it better make perfect sense if its an explanation. Every thing should so be rated . To tile layers or who ever. Ive seen the same thing in all walks of life . A perfect example is flood insurance with the Katrina victims. I wrote an atricle about it , but the jest of it is that a flood cerificate is only verification thats its corrrect that day. People got flooded out of the flood plain and now the insurance comany is telling them they dont have full coverage becuse after all it flooded. Whats wrong with is that they were not given a disclaimer. No one explained it to them. With out the explanation, they thought they had full coverage. Now they have nothing. Gotta watch those insurance boys too. Whats a shame is the normal person cant tall real estate, insurance , or medical with a professional. They arent capable , so where does the resposebility lie? The customer of course. Like the old saying the judge has , its no defense to be dumb. It doesnt appear to be .

Thanks for your response . It was a good one and let me off the hook. <G>

[LadyGodiva]

Tim, I have always found that I had to double check what the doctor said, or speak with the pharmacist when something was prescribed for me. I know doctors are busy, but there was no reason for my doctor to keep me over-medicated when the specialist had sent him the results in 2003. I had to take in copies again, and also go behind his back to get more blood work done and also take that to him. He's a nice guy, but I think he has over extended himself and his practice is now booming to the point where he's not able to give the care he should.

The other problem might have to do with where I live as well. If you live in big cities you probably have a better chance of getting a top class doctor. I doubt the real genius type doctors are going to leave fame, big bucks and whatever else to come live in Oklahoma. At least that's what some Oakies told me when I complained about the care in this state.

At any rate, I have fired doctors before (told them I was leaving and explained why). They didn't like it. I like my gynecologist. He's a very patient, well-informed, good listener who wants his patients to come with questions and to come educated about various female problems. I get a lot of respect and understanding from him. I also have a fabulous eye doctor who mis-diagnosed an eye condition 5 years ago and had me taking drops for glaucoma. I took that for one year, and felt deep down inside that it wasn't glaucoma, but not being a doctor I had to keep taking the drop. Went back to her and said that I didn't think I had glaucoma and the drops were making me sick, so I wanted a second opinion. Got the second opinion and she called me about 5 times (I was out of town) to tell me that I was right! It wasn't glaucoma but some kind of deformity in the eye that was hereditary. My son has it and my father as well. Just imagine being diagnosed with something that you didn't have and you're taking all this medication that could cause more problems.

I'm glad some of you found a good doctor, but like everything else, you have to shop around and more than anything else, EDUCATE yourself and know your own body.

BTW, I have told the present surgeon I'm dealing with that I do not have much faith in doctors at the moment, so I want additional testing before we go into surgery. He actually said he didn't blame me, and agreed to further testing. Some doctors cannot handle that, and would become offended.

If a doctor can handle my questions, see that I come informed, and not look away when I look him/her straight in the eye, then I know I found a confident person to work with.

That goes for tile guys as well :D

[bml]

Good for you LG. You have to protect yourself. If a doctor feels threatened because you take an active role in educating yourself and expressing your opinions they are not a doctor that you want. I hope everything turns out well for you and your husband.

No one is immune from misdiagnosis or mistreatment. Even as a doctor, I have been misdiagnosed by others. I have been prescribed medications before which I took exactly as directed but the physician didn't adequately monitor my response and I became very ill. I was in the hospital for a week, gained 40 pounds in 3 days, had kidney failure, had to undergo multiple painful procedures, and almost had to be put on a ventilator. Luckily for me, everything was reversible once the medication was stopped and out of my system. I can still remember how scary that was even though I knew what was going on. It is almost impossible for me to imagine how stressful and terrifying some of the ordeals that people here have gone through must have been for them and their families. I wouldn't give back my experience as a patient for anything though, because while it was a painful experience for me as a person, it was the best thing that ever happened to me as a doctor.

Goodnight.

[LadyGodiva]

My gyno was a patient himself having gone through skin cancer and chemo. I guess that's why he's so much easier to talk to, and he tends to encourage questions and isn't intimidated by how much his patients know about their own bodies. Perhaps medical schools play a part as well? Do you think?

You sure went through a lot there Brooke!

[tilesnake]

My gyno was a patient himself having gone through skin cancer and chemo. I guess that's why he's so much easier to talk to, and he tends to encourage questions and isn't intimidated by how much his patients know about their own bodies. Perhaps medical schools play a part as well? Do you think?

You sure went through a lot there Brooke!


I'm a freelance gyno from time to time if your ever in the Chicago area........... :devil2: :nya:

[Dave Taylor]

Oh well.... How does your hubby feel now, Eli, much better I hope?

Had a <former> hunny bunny who was a nurse and knew better.... ended up with congestive heart failure..... Ignored all the signs and kept fooling herself by administering her own angiograms. I know it wasn't me who did her in.... though she sure tried to make me feel guilty about her "condition".

Take care of you and yours and beware.... of them freelance healers with hot tubs around the big windy :--)

[bml]

That's pretty sick tilesnake. :D

Note to self--don't go to Chicago.

[flatfloor]

Snake, minimum age to post here is 16. :shake:

[tilesnake]

I have over five years real world experience on the stroke and heart attack subject that's why I steer clear of it, I was the primary care taker to my father and it was the most miserable thing I've ever done but if it happens to mom I'd do it again. If your judjing my character by my sense of humor you would be way off. I may be a jackass but at least I'm for real.

Tile

[Dave Taylor]

enjoy your humor TS... you always make me smile. Five years caring for a ailing parent is onehellofa accomplishment. Often wonder if my sons and daughter will do the same for me.

Never mean offense... maybe I should shorten it to TTTS (Tacky Tacky Tile Snake). Heck knows I'll git to use it again. :stick:

[tilesnake]

Keep and add as many "tackies" as you please!.....Because it's true...
Tile :sheep: :whip:

[Tim Mooney]

Wow!
Thats just another case of what we were talking about .
Even a nurse cant doing anything at home about that . Well small measures , but its like taking the law into your own hands because you are a cop.
[shakin head]

Sorry to hear it . All ya gotta do is call 911 and dont be ashamed of it if its nothin. At least a trip to ER at start of it and quickly. But , if I knew I was having symtoms of heart failure, Id just take three asprin and lay down with the phone calling 911. Id pee on my self before I even thought about getting up before help arrived. Once part of the heart is lost , its history. So is life if it all goes. If she knew it at all she should of had nitro too. Its only a few bucks per bottle for crying out loud. I hate to say it but people will give it to you. I dont take it normally and throw it away every 6 months. I can get a full bottle any time I want it .

Were probably makin people parinoid Dave.

[bml]

Tile,

I didn't think you were a jackass. It was actually funny. Sick...but funny. Maybe guys don't understand, but most women I know dread their gyno visits.

My hat is off to you for taking care of your dad. Too many people just drop their parents in a nursing home and forget about them. You sound like good people to me. :nod:

[LadyGodiva]

I'm used to Tile's interesting sense of humour. He loves me, that's why he behaves this way, don't ya Tile? :D

Dave T. that nurse friend should have had you play doctor with her :yipee:

Gerard is doing a lot better, but he knows I'm watching him. He's been easing up on the red meat, and exercising diligently. In fact, he started last year after that strange episode he had that sent him packing to the ER. I know we can't always predict a heart attack, but it's better to be a little paranoid than not at all. I would never have thought about heart problems if my father didn't die of one. I always thought a stroke would get him or maybe pneumonia.

The gentleman who died last week was only 50. I spoke to his daughter (high school kid) and the child was so upset that the doctors sent her father home the night before supposedly hydrated (since they thought he was dehydrated) :bang: How do you explain something like that to a kid? I think her family is going to make a racket at the hospital, and I don't blame them.

Now Tile, you're a dear. What you did for your father was beautiful even though it was difficult. I too couldn't walk away from my parents. Now about that gynecologist...we girls don't care for them, so pick another profession if you want me to visit....how about a cabinet maker? I need some new cabinets :D

[Tim Mooney]

I will be updating the thread I made a while back requesting help with Katrina . We have a project I will anounce soon but Im waiting on some tests.

Ive been having some chest pains and went to see card doc and Im supposed to go tomorrow for a CT Angiography. Anyone know anything bout that one ? <G> We talked before about different tests failing and Im wondering if I can trust this one . Looks like die and a scan.

Tim

[LadyGodiva]

I wish you well. I trust you have discussed the pros and cons with your doctor, and that you have a good heart specialist.

Coronary Angiography

Coronary angiography is an X-ray examination of the blood vessels or chambers of the heart. A very small tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel in your groin or arm. The tip of the tube is positioned either in the heart or at the beginning of the arteries supplying the heart, and a special fluid (called a contrast medium or dye) is injected. This fluid is visible by X-ray, and the pictures that are obtained are called angiograms.

Another name for this test is coronary arteriography.

What are the pros and cons of angiography?

The pros and cons of coronary arteriography vary for every patient. The physician and patient should discuss the specific situation. Often an angiogram is necessary before deciding whether coronary disease needs more treatment.

[Rd Tile]

I had the one where they went in through the groin, not fun I might add, maybe easier today, I had it 25 years ago to check an aneurysm in my right arm, which had to be operated on and repaired with a graff from my leg, also not fun.:)

[Tim Mooney]

Lady,
For some reason Im thinking you are talking about more than I am thinking . Are you talking about traveling up ateries to my heart or just an IV?

[jd77]

Thanks LG for starting this thread and to all who posted.

I was one that was having symptoms for a while and chose to ignore them. I was just afraid to face what I thought was certain to be bad news. While I was trying to ignore symptoms of heart problems - my mind went wild. I just tried to bury it further and told no one.

Then along came this thread. When I saw it I finally decided to go to the doctor. Scared to death - I went in for a full physical. The doc told me that my irregular heart rhythm was most likely due to adrenaline. Although it was comforting to hear, I was not persuaded. He referred me to the hospital for a stress test.

The results are now in and everything is normal. What a surprise. Now I have a new outlook.

If this is you - make the appointment. It could save your life.

[Tim Mooney]

Bravo!
Yes, thanks Lady!

[LadyGodiva]

Well I saw the cardiologist last Friday. My stress test came back fine, but the halter monitoring picked up on the racing heartbeats even when I was sleeping. He wanted to prescribe medication to slow the beats down (pulse is too high as well), but then decided that one aspirin a day might be sufficient for now. The thing that worries me but didn't seem to worry him was finding out that I have a heart aneurysm. He said not to worry.

Won't be using this doctor for my daughter.

[Tim Mooney]

I also got my test results back.
I took what was supposed to be a new test that insurancew wasnt even set up to pay yet. Just dye injected and ran through a cat scan machine that detected the dye. Quite expensive test but as we already decided whats too expensive ?

Anyway he found three arteries doing fine. One with "sufficient amount " of blood flow and one he coulnt really see which was a disapointment . DW thought the test results were a success but I think the missing artery is a incomplete test.

More drugs to swallow and try harder at being healthy.

:santa:

[DIY'er Greg]

Lady Godiva,

I have briefed through all of the posts and dont want to duplicate any of the information that has been listed in a long post. Heres the bottom line, Nausea, jaw tightness, and chest pressure need to be PRIMARILY treated as a heart attack and tested down from there. You should eventually end up with a GI doc, not start with one.

If your father hasn't been treated with a EKG, stress test, angiogram, get him to a CARDIOLOGIST and demand the above be done. After 15 years of being a paramedic, there are obviously inadequate hospitals with inadequate physicians, and as someone else stated they are human as well. They are going to make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes could simply be an ego that wont refer your father to the appropriate doctor. I know it sounds like I am doctor bashing here but I am not, I am just stating the reality of medicine. It sounds like for whatever reason no one wants to refer you father to a cardiologist. It needs to happen, enough said!

Just as a side note, I would get a second opinion on that aneurysm. Maybe it is nothing to worry about but with the way it sounds like things are going there I might even go for a 3rd and 4th opinion as well.

Good luck, and my prayers will be with your family

[LadyGodiva]

Lady Godiva,

I have briefed through all of the posts and dont want to duplicate any of the information that has been listed in a long post. Heres the bottom line, Nausea, jaw tightness, and chest pressure need to be PRIMARILY treated as a heart attack and tested down from there. You should eventually end up with a GI doc, not start with one.

If your father hasn't been treated with a EKG, stress test, angiogram, get him to a CARDIOLOGIST and demand the above be done. After 15 years of being a paramedic, there are obviously inadequate hospitals with inadequate physicians, and as someone else stated they are human as well. They are going to make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes could simply be an ego that wont refer your father to the appropriate doctor. I know it sounds like I am doctor bashing here but I am not, I am just stating the reality of medicine. It sounds like for whatever reason no one wants to refer you father to a cardiologist. It needs to happen, enough said!

Just as a side note, I would get a second opinion on that aneurysm. Maybe it is nothing to worry about but with the way it sounds like things are going there I might even go for a 3rd and 4th opinion as well.

Good luck, and my prayers will be with your family



Thank you for your post and helpful information. Sadly, it's too late for my father. How I wish I had brought this up months ago. My father passed away in early July. Day before his heart attack he was sent to a gastro doc. I don't even like thinking about the incompetence of the doctors here.

My daughter also has a heart problem but the appointment isn't until December 5th for her. My experience last week with that 'wannabe' a cardiologist (he was a cardiologist but I was not impressed), made me feel like he was not taking anything I told him seriously. Incidentally, his nurse thought it was cause for concern. Ego always seem to get in the way of SOME of these doctors. Why they think they're God baffles me. I'll get a second opinion, trust me.