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I've had a heart attack

55 replies

Stresstoimpress · 01/04/2012 01:05

I am 46 have no risk factors other than slight obesity and this week I had a heart attack. I am absolutely petrified does anyone else have any experience of similar

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TheFallenMadonna · 01/04/2012 01:07

Gosh. How terrifying. How are you?

Stresstoimpress · 01/04/2012 01:17

Ok can't sleep cos keep worrying! Very tired but otherwise ok

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giraffesCantDonateBoneMarrow · 01/04/2012 01:22

are you home or in hosp?

how scary

Stresstoimpress · 01/04/2012 01:25

At home. They think there was a blockage in a tiny artery on posterior of heart. So main arteries clear (Tfft). It could have been so much worse but so scared and frightened for ds 7.

OP posts:
giraffesCantDonateBoneMarrow · 01/04/2012 01:27

hopefully this will just be a horrid warning and you will be safe from now on with the reight changes/meds

Stresstoimpress · 01/04/2012 01:32

Hopefully [sAD]

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Tigerbomb · 01/04/2012 02:27

I had three heart attacks nearly 5 years ago at the age of 42. I now have 5 stents as I had some major blockages.

I still have some problems, angina being one of them and I have been hospitalised a few times but life is better. I am probably healthier now then I was before the heart attacks.

I had to have counselling for a couple of months as I was convinced I was going to die but after a while normality started to creep back in. Perhaps that will help you

You need to get plenty of rest, plenty of sleep. Attend cardiac rehab if it is available and take your tablets Grin

Minstrelsaremarvellous · 01/04/2012 04:17

Please please please enrol in and follow cardiac rehab and take all your medication religiously! It's not uncommon to have heart attacks at your age but it's Sad I know. Both rehab and medications have proven to reduce the risk of another event and a worth every minute/penny. I really hope you are feeling ok? People who have had Heart attacks are treated and discharged so quickly in can be a blur and you don't really get to ask questions etc..
There are often local support groups that I highly recommend. British Heart Foundation can provide useful info too.
Take your time to heal, really hope you are ok?Hmm

BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte · 01/04/2012 08:40

I've just has heart surgery... not the same, I know, because not sudden or unexpected, but yes... scary. Thinking of you. And do feel free to join the support thread on here...

Sylvana · 01/04/2012 09:16

Sorry to hear this OP, I wish you the very best in your recovery.

Could you tell me what your symptoms were ? You too Tigerbomb. I can get breathless at times, but I put it down to my asthma (I take a puff of my blue inhaler and I'm fine again). I'm 46 this year too but I'd like to be aware of what the symptoms of a heart attack are.

jasminerice · 01/04/2012 09:26

I'd like to know the symptoms too. A while ago I woke in the middle of the night with the most awful pain in my chest. I couldn't even speak to wake up DH. Eventually it seemed to pass and I was fine the next day.

I have always had high cholesterol and there's a strong history of heart disease in my family. I'm 42.

Stresstoimpress · 01/04/2012 10:10

Thanks all for your good wishes and advice. Funny how everything is more positive in the sunshineSmile.

Last year (this is a hindsight story) I was under a huge amount of pressure at work and for reasons out of my control 4 years of my work was being destroyed and I had to oversee it. At that time I had some intermittent chest discomfort which I initially put down to poor compliance with my asthma inhalers and stress. It felt like a knitting needle being put through my chest (much higher than my heart in line with my armpit) but not as painful as that sounds. At the peak of my stress, at literally the very worst moment it got momentarily sharper then stopped. Roll forward almost exactly a year later new job, more stressful (yes I know!) chest pain started again but again dull not debilitating in anyway and didn't happen on exertion. As it was a year exactly I wondered if it was an allergen or reaction to cold weather, although the snow didn't affect it but damp has always made my asthma worse.

It carried on sometimes disappearing for a while so I decided I would take my asthma inhalers at max dose (I take symbicort) after three days symptoms stopped. I put this all down to asthma and as have annual check up due decided to discuss there.

Then on monday got new feeling in mid chest not pain more like vague nervous feeling and left arm from elbow down felt like I had flu ( can't explain in any other way) was working in a&e at about minding ht and about to leave when mentioned it to nurse in charge who did an ECG then showed doc. Long and short is I had minor ECG changes and tropinon was slightly raised. (tropinon is a cardiac enzyme which shows in blood if you have had a heart attack however minor). Also cholesterol was fractionally over limit. I was admitted and had an angiogram which showed all major vessels clear and a tiny blockage on a small artery. Consultant thinks its due to stress as no other risk factors.

I am shocked, as I am sure everyone one is in this situation and actually glad that it was picked up so early. Other than reducing stress, easier said than done, i am not sure what else I can do I eat healthily am reasonably active last week ran the sporT relief mile then went for 3 mile walk. So as tigErbomb says guess I have to keep taking the tablets.

Freak and jasmine my strong advice would be to go and get yourself checked oUt. Heart disease is a bigger killer of women than cancer. If your checks are clear great news you can relax and ge on with life, if your tests show any concerns you are catching them early which has to be good

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jasminerice · 01/04/2012 10:18

Stress, gosh you poor thing. I'm so glad you mentioned it to the nurse that day. May I ask if you're on any medication? What are the side effects?

Do you know if that enzyme would show up months later? I've been under huge stress for years and years and years. I had a suicidal breakdown a year ago and only since then have my stress levels reduced due to making drastic life style changes. But perhaps the damage has already been done during the previous years.

Ok I will go to gp and get checked out. Thankyou so much for starting this thread and sharing your experience. I wish you all the best for the future.

ggirltwin2pinot · 01/04/2012 10:19

what tablets have you started?

I had a ?tia about 5 yrs ago , slight tingly feeling on one side
I am fairly positive it wasn't a tia ,
consultant fairly sure no tia but they can't rule it out so have to follow precautions
all tests were negative and I can reproduce the same tingly feeling when I lie in a certain position
however it was found that my cholesterol was high and I commenced on statin , diprydamole and aspirin as a precaution anyway

ggirltwin2pinot · 01/04/2012 10:25

jesus sorry, how selfish of me mouthing off about myself

stress hope you recover quickly , are you having a nice break from work?

stress is so hard to control
maybe we should all do some yoga

Stresstoimpress · 01/04/2012 11:09

Hi I am on aspirin, clopidigel (?sp) astorvastatin and a beta blocker.

Side effects aspirin and clopidigel - stomach bleeding but rare
Statin - muscle pain rare
Beta blocker - heart arrythmias v rare

No side effects so far.

Jasmine - enzymes do show but not sure how long for - your stress sounds horrendous - get a check it will put your mind at rest either way. You will either be all clear or early treatment

GGirl not selfish at all, it's good to share - although wouldn't wish it on anyone else

Yoga may well be the answer!!

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ggirltwin2pinot · 01/04/2012 11:11

stress..do you have hypertension?

jasminerice · 01/04/2012 11:19

Stress, thankyou for the information. Glad to hear you're doing well on the medication.

I found yoga stressed me out! I couldn't relax on demand.

I have drastically reduced the pressure on myself. I have got help with the DC's which I refused for years thinking I should be able to cope cos other mums can. I have had counselling and make an effort to do things just for me and try not too feel guilty and selfish about it (hard).

But I've always thought I'd have heart problems because it runs in the family.

OlympicEater · 01/04/2012 11:20

Stress how terrifying. No advice, just wanted to wish you well

sandycloud · 01/04/2012 11:21

Hope you are feeling better. A friend of mine had heart attack at 30. She admits she does get stressed easily. She struggled persuading gp that is what it was as he kept saying she was too young. I know that the enzymes that show that it is a heart attack are only in the system for 72 hours at the most. It may be less than this. She is fine now as far as I know. At least you seem to be getting good treatment now.

Stresstoimpress · 01/04/2012 11:47

Ggirl no hypertension in fact usually low and pulse too

My best friend just facetimed me -she lives a long way away and hadn't told her. We had long chat about all sorts - for me that's me time and cheered me up. sun is shining ds happy I need to chill !!

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funnyperson · 01/04/2012 12:06

Hello I had jaw and chest and arm pain and a raised torponin and an abnormal ecg. I feel really weird about it. The pain is something I had been ignoring for ages till it got bad and now its there much more, and I know its my heart its a strange feeling. At first I thought thats it I'm not eating and I'm going to the gym because I want to be there for my loved ones. I wanted to make my will, put my affairs in order- be prepared for death.
Then I went through a really weird eating phase of all the foods I had been avoiding for years just so I could eat them before I died.
The pain makes me feel jittery and stresses me out because of the implication that my heart isn't right. So I am trying to relax more. Its horrid though. Mens diseases affecting women with trying to juggles their lives.

Stresstoimpress · 01/04/2012 13:12

Hi funny are you getting treatment it is a .horrible feeling isn't it.

I

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funnyperson · 01/04/2012 13:20

hello stress sort of though it seems a bit half baked- my nhs appt isnt till june. no aspirin for example.
does your work?

funnyperson · 01/04/2012 13:21

sorry- does your treatment work?