I seriously think i had a heart attack!

[TIAhelp]

I was wondering if a doctor could help me answer some urgent questions i have. About 2 years ago i had an TIA/mini stroke. The cause of this was never found but at the time i had high blood pressure, smoked alot, diabetes, and possibley high clorestorel if i remmber correctly. Also before i had the mini stroke in my car there were also two previous episodes before that where i was walking and felt like i was falling to one side and it was difficult to speak, i am wondering if those two episodes were also mini strokes?  

but now this is why i am worried..... Last night when i was eating dinner i SERIOUSLY THINK I MAY HAVE HAD A HEART ATTACK!!!! THIS IS VERY SCARY! So basically i was eating a salad and i got this horrible curshing pain in my chest, this was NOT a dull/light pain this was a serious crusing pain. It felt EXACTLY like a 500 pound person was stepping on the middle of my chest on one foot!!!!!!!!!!! I could feel the crusing pain right through me into the middle of my back. It felt like a truck was flattening out the middle of my chest like a pancake!!! I could not sit up straight or lay down to relieve the pain, all i could do was bend over, hunch over. ALSO at the same time i was feeling the crusing pain in the middle of my chest, i felt a crushing pain down the right side of my neck that radiated into my shoulder, behind my coller bone and down the inside of my right arm to my hand. I thought it was strange that the pain was on the inside of my arm, almost like a line going down the inside of my arm? Yes the pain in my neck, shoulder, and inner arm happened at the same time as i was having the chest pain and the pain in my neck, shoulder, and inner arm was also a crusing pain. This pain lasted for about 15 to 20 minutes and i took two regular strength asprins. Afterward i felt a little nauseas and dizzy and started to get a headache.

Thank you for your time!

[Cleveland Clinic]

I hope you went to the local ER to seek emergent medical assistance. This is not something you ignore for almost 24 hours, this is something you need to seek emergent medical assistance.

[TIAhelp]

I really hope someone can help me answer my question because i am very concerned and will not have health insurance for another week, that is why i haven't went to the doctor yet, as i do not want to recieve a huge bill unless this is life threatening :(

[erijon]

I don't think I would be waiting on an answer from an internet forum, you should have gone to the ER immediately, I would still seek medical help ASAP.

Good luck,

Jon

[Flycaster305]

I agree with Erijon, chest pain needs to be investigated.  However, heart attacks have a variety of symptoms making it difficult for me to give definitive advice, even though I've had three.  One one silent, I just a heaviness in my chest and was greatly fatigued and out of breath.  One was constant, slight pressure, once again, out of breath, lots of sweating.  The last one was a heavy feeling again, in high heat, exercising hard, and again, I got out of breath.  That being said, I also have GERD, and when those attacks hit, they are far, far worse than my heart attacks.  They are just about what you described, usually when eating tuna fish, tomatoes or acidic salad dressings.

Either way, once on health insurance, I'd get checked out pronto.  GERD burned out my vocal chords, I talk like Louis Armstrong sang these days, and chest pain always should be investigated, especially after a TIA, I would think.  However, a trip to the emergency ward can drain the cash reserves in a New York moment.  Your post is a great one for the need of health care reform, regardless of what political stance one takes or whatever form it will take.  

Keep up informed.