I've had a heart attack

[Stresstoimpress]

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

Funnyperson, your post makes me feel really for you. There is a huge body of research showing that women's heart problems are not taken seriously by health care professionals.

I have recently had heart surgery, and have been fortunate that I have always had the appropriate level of follow up and treatment. This is only because my condition is genetic, and was diagnosed at birth, so I have been in the system for a long time. I still had to push very hard to get rehab, and will be starting 4.5 months after my op, not the recommended 6 weeks, because of delays. It doesn't sound like either you or Stresstoimpress have been offered rehab, but AFAIK this should be standard post MI.

On my surgical ward, there were 30 beds, but only one 6-bedded bay was for women. Normally, after surgery you spend one night in ICU (one to one nursing care) and then get transferred to a step down ward with one nurse to two patients for a day, and then to the normal ward with a 1:8 ratio. ICU is a mixed ward, because of clinical need. When I was admitted, it was decided that the step down ward should be single sex (ie. men) so I went straight from 1:1 to 1:8 nursing, and it was quite daunting.

Hellomadsometimes yes I do think my symptoms are and were not taken very seriously - even by nurses on the ward who would consistently say the wrong (lower- and completely innacurate!!!) troponin level to each at handover on the ward. They would decrease my actual level by 10 times at handover!!!!

Whenever my heart rate went up on the ward it was ignored for 2 hours, so all the other patients got really fed up at the constant alarms) and when one of the other patients finally called a nurse to look she said the leads weren't on correctly ( they were) and readjusted and silenced the alarm so my high heart rate just went on through the night. I think with women there is a reluctance to call a heart attack a heart attack, a reluctance to treat and (I am from an ethnic minority) I am sorry to say that I think this is worse if the lady is from an ethnic minority.
There is research showing that women are treated differently to men.

jezebel.com/5887175/when-it-comes-to-being-treated-for-heart-attacks-women-have-it-bad

partly because we vocalise our symptoms differently, but only partly.

Actually I was treated brilliantly by the ambulancemen and at my local angiography unit.
This is an interesting, and in retrospect useful video
ttp://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2012-02-21/Women-less-likely-to-get-immediate-heart-attack-treatment/53195656/1

Interesting link. And certainly, ethnic minority women have higher death rates from heart disease than white women... higher than would be explained by genetics alone.

I agree that it's scary how pushy and assertive you need to be to get treated. It took me a long time to be diagnosed because I kept putting the symptoms I was having down to stress, and had to be somewhat agressive with doctors to investigate the possibility that it wasn't. And I'm as white and as educated as they come.

my GP completely dismissed my chest pain and told me that I was too young for heart problems, this was after I told him I smoked, I was overweight, stressed beyond belief and had a family history of heart problems.

My chest pain felt like someone had punched me through the chest, right through to my back. I was also having random palpitations and breathlessness.

Because of his insistence that it wasnt my heart, I didn't call an ambulance when I had the first heart attack; I convinced myself that it was indigestion. It wasn't till I actually collapsed in a car p ark that my then DF said fuck this I'm calling an ambulance.

The ambulancemen, paramedic and cardiologist were fantastic, I couldn't fault there care. Afterservice was crap and I also didn't get the cardiorehab until 4 months after the last heart attack. (I had three over 2 days).

My GP didn't even say sorry for getting it wrong. I changed Dr's straight after.

I have discovered that I no longer worry about things I can't change (though betablockers may help with this) and I try to limit my stress. y diet has changed and on the whole I no longer smoke.

The other thing I have discovered is that if I have chest pain and I need my GTN three times or more then I call an ambulance

Hi all I have been to a lovely concert with my dh, ds, dps, including poor old dad with dementia. It was fab then had dinner feel very chilled.

I have been offered cardiac rehab but haven't read all the paper work yet. Tomorrow's job.

My care has been brilliant but I am in a very privileged position as I work in NHS and so know who what where etc.

What does cardiac rehab involve and how did you access it?

Cardiac rehab is a program of exercise and education for people who have recently had heart surgery or a heart attack. It is run by nurses or physios, supported by trained gym instructors, and is designed to build up confidence to exercise. It is usually a free service, with a high staff ratio (mine will be 5 staff to 16 participants).

I start my phase 3 class in two weeks, and it is going to be a circuit class in my local gym. My heart rate and bp will be monitored by the staff as I exercise, and the aim of it will be teach me how to push myself far enough to challenge myself, but not so far that I exhaust myself. Everyone has a different maximum heart rate which varies by age and medication. Mine is 151 bpm because I'm on betablockers and 39 (it would be 181 without the meds). I am not to exceed 80% of that during exercise, and should aim for 60% of my maximum.

I expect to be the youngest there, and there only to be a handful of women, but I don't care. The nurse said that progress through the circuits is totally individual, and the program is differentiated for every participant.

After 8 weeks, I can go onto phase 4, which is subsidised gym membership and access to special classes run by trained exercise specialists but not nurses.

madsometimes that sounds absolutely brilliant. Did your GP refer you or your cardiologist?

I was supposed to be referred by the hospital, but the letter got lost or was not sent. In the end my GP referred me, but the paperwork got mixed up again, which was why I had such a long wait. I think referrals from both GPs and cardiologists are accepted, so ask whoever is the easiest to get hold of.

I'm completely shocked by what I've read here about the variation in treatment for men and women .

How scary for you all but feel I must add an special note of sympathy and horror for Funnyperson .

Am so shocked ,was this recent Funnyperson ?
( remembers some of the stress you've had with student DS repeating a year ,getting mugged ...)

There's quite a few MNers with heart problems on this support thread. As posters have said, it can feel quite isolating being a young person with heart disease, and delays in being seen are incredibly frustrating, but also very common.

Omg just had called deputy who is covering whilst I'm off has had a massive heart attack and is sedated and ventilated in itu

stressed-did I read that right?

the person who replaced you when you went off sick has also had a heart attack and is in itu?

Hi Ggirl - that's right and poor devil is abroad too

God that is awful.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

sorry caps

Oh Stress :(

Offering hand to hold...

Thanks for the info on how to access cardiac rehab madsometimes I will ask my GP.

I am feeling so much better atm as I am back at work part time and have annual leave coming up anyway. I just want to get into an exercise programme and am determined to loose my weight risk factors. I dont want another episode!

DS is doing very well, though children are always a worry even when 'grown up'. I am so lucky with mine as they are healthy intelligent hardworking and loving as well as sociable and I cannot ask for better.

sorry, thats

stresstoimpress somewhat at your news. Your poor deputy. Your workplace must be a contributory factor. Perhaps it will lead to better changes.

bloody hell stress .... what kind of work are you in ?
Stress has got to be a factor .

Please regard as a rhetorical question if you'd rather not say .

funny hope you get the rehab programme soon .

Believe it or not I work for the NHS!!!! Bit stunned and didn't sleep v well cos worrying about him. Not good given my health but bloody hell. Funnyperson push for it with Gp I heard some programmes oversubscribed.