Heart attack and sneezing....

[brat155]

My father just passed away tuesday morning. He had a heart attack at work. He had some minor pains before goign to work but insisted it was indigestion. He was with a co-worker in the factories office area and sneezed.  Right after her sneezed, he fell over and was unable to be saved. Could the sneeze have been the fatal action? Curious as to if the sneeze had not occured, would it just have prolonged his chest pain and the inevitable were to happen anyways. was just wondering if the 'sneeze" expedited things?
One more question thats bothering my mother. When he passed, he wet his pants. I keep trying to tell my mother this is a normal occurence but am looking for somethign more "detailed" to explain to her. She feels bad that his friends at work saw his wet pants and felt bad for my father....Trying to reassure her its normal and not to be embarssed for him is hard. I told her that his friends didn't care!
Thanks for any response. I've never actually ever posted on any type of web board before so....

[Chris561]

sneezing does not cause a heart attack.  This is a myth.  Sorry for your loss, but its ok to sneeze your head off when you have to.  Trying to hold a sneeze will force the allergins or staph bacteria from your mouth into your eustation tubes, which goes directly to the middle ear and can cause infection.  Holding a sneeze can also cause a nose bleed.  What I am saying is sneezing is a natural, nonspecific or humerol (vertabrate) immune response and holding one's sneeze puts undue stress on surrounding systems of the upper respiratory system.  In addition, it usually releaves symptoms faster by clearing the irratant from the upper respiratory.  The longes sneezing attack on records is 977 days straight.  In this case, it was a nervous twitch in response to a high-stress situation.  There is no known damage caused by sneezing.  Relax, your father simply had to sneeze and as you said, his symptoms began prior to going to work.  

[alibasit1]

sir i have sneezed suddenly its stopped and my heat and nose is paining what happen with me

[Pointman]

All i can feebely say is i am sory of youl oosing  yorr dad.
May the Lord comfort you and your mother and rst of family.

[Momto3]

I'm very sorry for your loss.  

I was with a family friend who went into cardiac arrest and he also lost bladder control. I would imagine it's quite common under the circumstances. We all did what we thought was most helpful (911, CPR, blankets, etc) and weren't bothered by the loss of bladder control. Please tell your mom it is best that your dad was not alone and that his co-workers wouldn't be concerned over the loss of bladder control.  They care about your dad and will understand.

Again, my condolences to you and your family.  Take care of one another.
connie

[DeeCee257]

Dear Brat
I too, am sorry for your loss. I think loss of bladder control is fairly common (usually bowels, too) at death.  I am sure  the co-workers were not focusing on the wet pants, but were more concerned about your father.  The sneeze may have caused a valsalva response, but most likely it didn't actually kill him, he probably would have died, especially given his symptoms earlier in the morning.  Condolences to you and your family.
Take care.

[cmb6179]

Dear Brat------Sorry for your loss, My Dad died suddenly when I was 17 & the suddeness was so hard, I had lost my Mom to a 6 mths illness & I could justify her passing as she was suffering. Assure your Mom, that incontinence is common w/any type of a loss of consciousness-during seizures, while under anesthesia, or as was your Dads case a cardiac arrest. I don't know about sneezing, try googling it. Best of luck in the days ahead. Time is a wonderful healer.

[brat155]

Thank you Michelle for your condolences. I will pass them along. Unfortunately, my mother is 6 hours away from my family and 4 hours away from my brother and 3 sisters. I am 34 years old and have attended funerals but this was so unexpected, it was much harder.  
I thought the same about when he lost bladder control as his body was relaxing. It was just very hard for her to know that it happened and the embrassment...Thanks for the support  :-)

[momtofourboys]

First of all I am so sorry for your loss. please give my condolences to your family.

I have heard of people loosing bladder control when they pass. if my mind serves me best it is due to your body relaxing.
I can not answer your first question although I know that some people have passed away while having a bowel movement. they say it is the bearing down that causes the stress. I think they were symptomatic before even having a bowel movement
again I am so sorry for your loss
Michelle