 I found out firsthand. I was having some chest pains, back and shoulder aches, nausea and dizziness. But I ignored the symptoms and continued with my busy schedule. Then one afternoon when I finally took a minute to rest, I felt tightness in my chest and back. For a tiny moment I considered it might be a heart attack. I sat and waited for the wave of pain and nausea to pass. My skin felt clammy. The pressure in my chest increased. It felt as though a huge wall of cement had fallen on my chest. Heart attack? No, I assured myself. No one in my family ever had serious heart problems. Suddenly, I knew I was going to vomit and I crawled into the bathroom. As soon as my stomach was empty the pain went completely away. I had three more of these events within the next two or three weeks. Like aftershocks that follow an earthquake, they were enough to finally get my attention. My cardiologist suggested a heart catherization. His diagnosis was "unstable angina at rest." The decision to do the heart cath made me more than a little nervous, but I assumed that these tests are simple. They do this procedure several times every day. But I still worried anyway... The cath lab seemed surreal to me. I was lying there on the table trying to hold my fear in check and be cooperative. They gave me an injection to calm me down. The doctor talked to me through the procedure as he examined my heart. He explained that my left artery was perfect and my heart was strong. "In fact," he said "I don't know why we are wasting our time. I am entering your right artery now" and that was the last thing I heard him say. Suddenly I was aware of the staff rushing around me. All I could focus on was the intense severe pain in my chest. I felt as if I had been slammed chest first against a brick wall. Tears slipped down my face and into my ears. I could feel them spill out of my ears and drip to the floor. The skin on my chest was searing with pain. I swear I could smell melted plastic. I was freezing and I felt like I was trying to crawl up and out of a very deep hole. "Do you know what happened?" I was asked. They were the experts and they were asking me?! The doctor spoke to me softly and slowly. He explained that I had a 30% blockage in my right artery. When they inserted the probe and the dye, the blockage increased to 70%. My heart stopped! Not once but three times! They applied the electric paddles to revive me. As they completed the procedure, a technician asked me what I was thinking. As the tears dripped silently to the floor, I whispered "I didn't get a chance to say goodbye!" The good news is that the blockage is only 30%. The great news is that it can be reversed with diet, exercise and medication. Today, my heart rate is perfect. My doctor assures me that with a healthy lifestyle I may live a long life. What is the most important thing I can tell you? If you think you may be having a heart attack, call an ambulance or get to a hospital as quickly as possible. And do your homework. Get all of the information that you can find about women and heart disease. Your doctor will give it to you or call WomenHeart or the American Heart Association. The scariest part of all is some women experience no pain or symptoms during a heart attack. I'm lucky. My experience wasn't fatal. I'm very fortunate and thankful that it will be a long while before I have to say goodbye. |
There's a funny little thing about death... |
IMPORTANT UPDATE. NOTE THE CHANGE IN MEETING TIME!!!
Please join us at 7:00 PM on the first Thursday of each month in 2010 at our WomenHeart Support Network meeting! We gather in the first floor conference room at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital located at 2601 Electric Ave., Port Huron, MI. It is absolutely FREE to join. For more information please contact me at WH-Bluewater@womenheart.org.
Know the Symptoms
The first step toward surviving a heart attack is learning to recognize the symptoms. The most common signs of heart attack in both women and men are:
Unusually heavy pressure on the chest, like there's a ton of weight on you
Most heart attacks involve chest pain or discomfort in the center or left side of the chest. It usually lasts for more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. It may even feel like heartburn or indigestion.
Sharp upper body pain in the neck, back, and jaw
This symptom can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper part of stomach (not below the belly button). Pain in the back, neck, or jaw is a more common heart attack symptom for women than it is for men.
Severe shortness of breath
This symptom can come on suddenly. It may occur while you are at rest or with minimal physical activity. You may struggle to breathe or try taking deep breaths. Shortness of breath may start before or at the same time as chest pain or discomfort, and can even be your only symptom.
Cold sweats, and you know it's not menopause
Unexplained or excessive sweating, or breaking out into a "cold sweat," can be a sign of heart attack.
Unusual or unexplained fatigue (tiredness)
Sudden and unusual tiredness or lack of energy is one of the most common symptoms of heart attack in women, and one of the easiest to ignore. It can come on suddenly or be present for days. More than half of women having a heart attack experience muscle tiredness or weakness that is not related to exercise.
Unfamiliar dizziness or light-headedness
Unlike in the movies, most heart attacks do not make you pass out right away. Instead, you may suddenly feel dizzy or light-headed.
Unexplained nausea (feeling sick to the stomach) or vomiting
Women are twice as likely as men to experience nausea, vomiting, or indigestion during their heart attack. These feelings are often written off as having a less serious cause. Remember, nausea and vomiting may be signs that something is seriously wrong, especially if you have other symptoms.
If you have any one of these symptoms and it lasts for more than five minutes, call 9-1-1 for emergency medical care. Even if your symptoms go away in less than five minutes, call your doctor right away—it could be a sign that a heart attack is coming soon. Don't waste time trying home remedies or waiting for the feelings to pass on their own. Remember, quick treatment can save your life