Hi Girlfriends-got this today and I'd thought I'd share (just in case)


I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is the
best
description I've ever read.


Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction)


Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that
men
have when experiencing heart attack...you know, the sudden stabbing
pain
in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the
floor
that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's experience
with
a heart attack.


"I had a completely unexpected heart attack at about 10:30 pm with NO
prior
exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might've
brought
it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my
purring
cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and
actually thinking, "A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my
soft,
cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up." A moment later, I felt that
awful
sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a
bite of
sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite


seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the
esophagus in
slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't
have
gulped it down so fast and
needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water
to
hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was my initial
sensation---the only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything


since about 5:00 p.m.


"After that had seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little
squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight,
it
was probably my aorta spasming), gaining speed as they continued racing
up
and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when
administering CPR). This fascinating process continued on into my
throat
and branched out into both jaws.


"AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening--we all have
read
and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI
happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, "Dear God,
I
think I'm having a heart attack !" I lowered the foot rest, dumping the
cat
from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I
thought to myself "If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking
into
the next room where the phone is or anywhere else.......but, on the
other
hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any
longer I may not be able to get up in moment."


"I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the
next
room and dialed the Paramedics... I told her I thought I was having a
heart
attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating
into my
jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She
said
she was sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front
door
was near to me, and if so, to unbolt the door and then lie down on the
floor where they could see me when they came in.


"I then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as
I
don't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto
a
gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they
made to
St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and
saw
that the Cardiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap,
helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was
bending
over me asking questions (probably something like "Have you taken any
medications?") but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was
saying, or
form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the
Cardiologist
and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my
femoral
artery into the aorta and into my heart
where they installed 2 side by side stints to hold open my right
coronary
artery.


"I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have
taken
at least 20-30 minutes before calling the Paramedics, but actually it
took
perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St.
Jude
are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to
go
to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had


stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing
the
stints.


"Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I
want
all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned first


hand."


1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body not
the
usual men's symptoms, but inexplicable things happening (until my
sternum
and jaws got into the act ). It is said that many more women than men
die
of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having
one,
and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other
anti-heartburn preparation, and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better
in
the morning when they wake up....which doesn't happen. My female
friends,
your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call
the
Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt
before. It is better to have a "false alarm" visitation than to risk
your
life guessing what it might be!


2. Note that I said "Call the Paramedics". Ladies, TIME IS OF THE
ESSENCE!
Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER--you're a hazard to others on
the
road, and so is your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking
anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road. Do NOT call


your doctor--he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you
won't
reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering
service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the
equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do,
principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.


3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal


cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated
reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high,
and/or
accompanied by high blood pressure.) MI's are usually caused by
long-term
stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly
hormones into your system to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw
can
wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we


know, the better chance we could survive...

Thank you, BBfam ....

I knew the symptoms were different but had never heard about the jaw etc. Am going to pass this on to all my other women friends who may be in the same dark that I was in.

What a great post. Thank you so much. I can actually see myself in this post because of the cat . And I can imagine having the same thoughts and symptoms. Over time you will probably save some lives for having shared this.

Ironic because I just was feeling so proud of myself, having lowered my cholesterol into normal range over the last year!

Good tips and pointers as usually from ther Ladies Lounge!!!....thank you!!! Staying informed is key!!

Thanks for posting!

I have forwarded to several friends esp as we daily discover more gray hair and joints that twinge

Well unfortunately I can now relate to this topic! I'm going to tell my story so hopefully more women will be informed about heart disease and how it manifests itself differently with women.

Monday night (after working my concession shift at the JV HS baseball game), I started having pain between my shoulder blades (like a knife in my back), both arms ached, my breastbone hurt, my teeth hurt, etc. and I could not get comfortable no matter what I did. I took Tums, Rolaids, Bayer Asprin, etc. with no relief. I had not eaten dinner so I was praying it was indigestion - was dreaming about that "purple pill" which I did not have.

My husband called our internist that morning and took me into see him. He did an EKG and that did not show any major changes - he thought that there was only a 20% chance it was my heart but he sent me to the ER and had a cardiologist meet me there. After viewing the EKG from the ER, the ER (male) and the cardiologist (male) also did not think it was my heart but wanted to keep me there to find out the results of the blood enzyme levels and to run a treadmill test the next day.

At this point, we are ready to check me out - son has a game that night, I was feeling a little better, then the ER doc comes in and says "I was wrong - the blood tests show an elevation in the enzymes that relate to the heart." Immediately to the ICU I go!! No baseball game for us! (they won by the way without us!)

I am one lucky gal! I had a heart cath the next morning - showed a blockage - had the angioplasty and a stent put in. I immediately felt better!

I got to come home the very next day (last night) and have already walked 20 minutes this morning due to the doc's orders! Technology is amazing!

So gals, my cholesterol levels were ok - my good cholesterol is low, I had already lost 30 pounds this year trying to get healthier (hurts my feelings that this happened), but years of abuse and family history I guess took its toll.

Only bad news is that my son was supposed to have his spring signing on April 11th at school that got cancelled due to me in the hospital - he is going to play D2 ball at Colorado School of Mines and study engineering. We are thrilled for him!

Another funny side note for you baseball moms - the ER nurse at our Texas hospital has a son that is playing D2 ball in Nebraska! They had just moved to Texas and were missing their son. He started out at a D1 school and since transferred to a D2 school and likes it better - felt going to a D1 was like having a fulltime job. Amazing how baseball ties people together!

So - don't ignore those symptoms! I am feeling so blessed today and thankful! I even get to go to my son's game tonight!

curveball07-Thank God you caught this in time! I am sorry it happened but glad you are okay. Sending prayers your way from Northern California. You are blessed.

curveball ..

Prayers of thanksgiving and praise from So Cal for the diligence of the medical staff and what appears to be (hopefully) a rather rapid recovery.

Please stay healthy and enjoy the rest of your son's ride.

Funny, the ER nurse said her son felt like playing baseball at a D1 was like a full time job with the academics and sports, can't even imagine what your son will feel like getting his degree in engineering AND playing baseball. Engineering students always amaze me because there is so much work. Best wishes to him as he pursues two very worthwhile goals. You and Mr Curveball must be doing a great job ...

curveball07,
Just curious-where in Texas are you? I know two families whose sons will be playing baseball at Colorado School of Mines as well. Just wondering if I know you

ORmom,

I have sent you a PM!

Curveball07

Curveball07 - So gald to hear that you're on the mend. Congrats too on loosing 30 lbs!! That's awesome and not easy to do!! EKGs, while a valuable tool as a piece of a puzzle, do not give definative information about "heart attacks" or heart disease. They can be a clue and it's good to have one as a baseline after age 40. So, very glad to hear that you were provided the appropriate care and follow up. Take care of yourself and let us know how you're doing!

Wow, curv07 that was a great life story.
Here's to all the many more bb games you get to see.
Take great care

Curveball,

Wow! Your post was shocking but very, very helpful. It is so important for women to be able to read first-hand accounts of real heart attack symptoms so we don't think "no, it couldn't be" when it really is!

Very best wishes to you for continued recovery and good health.

Julie

Curveball,...it happened to one of our own!! Oh my goodness.

Sooo glad you are ok. I really want to thank you for sharing your story with us. Brings reality into perspective.

Continue staying healthy & recovering,...and enjoy those baseball games!!
You are a true baseball mom from head to toe!!

Small world here on hsbbweb.com! I do know curveball07 and had not heard a thing about this-of course it just happened but usually I'd have known. Imagine hearing about it on a national website when we only live a few miles apart! Curveball07 was at her son's game on Friday.

Curveball07, I'll see you in a week at our game!