I think I had a mild heart attack.

I am a 56 year old female. Last night I had an episode while riding in the car my daughter was driving. I began to have these symptoms: pain in the center of my chest that felt like a weighted pressure and I found it hard to breathe, the pain/pressure traveled to my throat, from my throat through my chin felt numb and tingling, this tingling traveled down the inside of my arms (like it stared in my underarm area and went down) and I seemed to feel it more in my left arm, I sweated a lot on my head/face/neck/between my breasts. This lasted about 5-7 minutes. I was on the verge of telling my daughter to go to the hospital when it ended as quickly as it began. She dropped me off at home in 15 more minutes and I've been OK since then with the exception of one brief feeling of tightning in my chest which was very light and only lasted a few seconds early this morning. Several times I have felt my heart beating in my chest and I can "hear" it in my ears.
I have Sjogren's symptoms and was recently diagnosed with Relapsing Polychondritis. I'm currently taking Celebrex, Evoxac, Flonase, Lexapro, Nexium, and Prednisone when I'm in a flare. I also use Ultram occassionally for my pain.
Is it OK to wait until my appointment in 2 1/2 weeks to mention this to my doctor? Should I call my doctor now and if so, which one as I have a GP I occassionally see, a Rheumy, and an ENT.








  

[CCF-M.D.-CA]

The symptoms you experienced are very typical for a heart attack, and you should not delay EMERGENT MEDICAL CARE. It is not OK for you to wait 2 weeks for a checkup, and in fact the ER personnel are better at dealing with this than a primary physician in the office. You will need EKGs, laboratory studies to rule out myocardial damage. If I hadn't made it clear before I want to let you know that This needs to be acted on immediately.

[MysteryChemist]

I don't mean to scare you, but I would go to the ER today to get checked out. It's better to be safe.

[erijon]

I have to agree, these are classic signs of a heart attack. I don't want to worry you either, but people generally have these kind of symptoms in the weeks leading up to a heart attack also. I would go to the ER, invest a few hours and get it checked out. I would in no way wait for 21/2 weeks to be told to go to the ER by your other doctor. It is simply not worth taking the chance, especially if you have any of the classic risk factors.

Do yourself a favor, get it checked out..................

Tony

[RNRita]

Yes, I will third this.  Better to get checked!

[lak]

I agree, it is better to be safe in this situation.  

Does anyone that is reading these posts been told the have a left and a right bundle branch block?

I recently went to the ER and was sent by ambulance by my GP.  She said I had no normal beats(mostly PVCS) on the ekg and I had left and right bundle branch block.  When I got to the ER the tests came back low potassium and magnesium.  They got that straighted out and raised coreg from 6.25 to 12.25.  I have not been right since.  I have now been home two weeks and have applied for short term disability from my work.  I also have cardiomyopathy but my ejection fraction was in the high 40's due to the coreg.  It is an amazing drug.  I have an appointment with a EP the 24th.  

I feel good for a day and then exhaused for next two or three days?  Does anyone else feel this fatigued.  Is anyone on permanent disability from these conditions?

I also have a host of many other problems: IBS, hiatal hernia, some permanent hearing loss in both ears, small ulcer, anxiety ( wonder why?)

I would like some comments and suggestions if anyone has any for my situation.

Thanks in advance, Lisa      My e-mail address in ***@****
Please comment on this thread or e-mail me  

[Carey01]

Gem,

Please go ahead and go and let us know what they tell you.  Good luck!

Lak,

Did you follow up with your Dr?  Usually if the ER adjusts medication, the Dr makes sure that is what he/she wants.  The Er just gets you out of any immediate danger.  What has the Dr said about this?  

[lak]

Well..........My cardio was out of town and I got one that had just entered her practice.  He was a real jerk and so I am in the middle of changing cardiologist. He acted like the PVCS were nothing and I should not worry about them.  He does not realize that mine are very symptomatic... they are painful and cause legarthy, confusion, and just generally wear me out. He was not listening to me.

My GP thinks it is more important at this point to get me to an EP.  

MY GP ran all kinds of tests this past week and I have not heard back from her yet.

Thanks for reply,
Lisa

[rasadi]

Definitely have it checked out sooner rather than later. You may have been lucky this time (as you now seem to be ok) but you don't want to take any chances. Good luck.

[Carey01]

Maybe the PVC's are "nothing" but NO normal heart beats???  And RBB?  Yeah, I would definetley see someone else.  I hope you start feeling better and try to get in to someone else tomorrow!

[gem825]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Lisa, I hope things improve for you. Sounds as if you have as many issues as I do.

[RNRita]

I have never heard of "no normal beats."  You do seem to have problems that warrant attention by a good cardiologist.  As for the lethargy and exhaustion, I have those as well.  I have a hemiblock which they say may or may not signify underlying heart disease.  I have a lot of PVCs right now, so I know how you feel.  Unfortunately, I doubt I could get disability for this so I have to continue to work.  I hope things get better for you.  

[ireneo]

You really should be seen ASAP. There are certain blood tests they can do, certain enzymes that build up after a heart attack and then drop off again. If you wait too long the blood work won't help. An EKG might show if there was damage done but that can be open to interpretation. At the least it sounds like you had some angina and that could be the warning you need to prevent a heart attack from happening. Go. . .

[HeartAttack]

I am 12 i have a heartrate of about 85 per minute
im very scared.Also im bigger larger than some 12 year olds
im to scared to go to a doctor someone please help me.

[PikaPika88]

I was told if heart attack, within 24 hours it can reverse the damage.  

I got RBBB when I was 15.  Now it is pacing at the right side then I got LBBB.  If the pacemaker on strike then I got complete heart block.

[marlinspike]

Gem 825 - go to ER or your doctor's please, just to rule out any problems. Better to be on the safe side where chest pain is concerned.

HeartAttack - typical heart rate for an 11-14 year old is 60-105 beats per minute (Wikipedia), or even up to around 120 beats pm. But - if you are worried tell your parents and go to your doctor. If you can't do this, tell someone at school about your concerns. Worrying about stuff just makes it worse. Let the doctor put your mind at rest.

[oatbucket]

Honey, why are you so worried about your heart?  I'm asking because I have a 12 year old who is always worried about hers.  Is there something else that is bothering you?  Are you nervous or anxious about something?  If you can tell us more about yourself we might be better able to encourage you.  Just remember that younger people's hearts beat faster than older people's hearts do.  You mentioned that you're larger than most 12 year olds. Do you know how much you weigh?  Do you excercise at all?  If you can get at least 30 minutes of excercise in a day, you will feel better.  Also, remember you don't have to do it all at once.  You can break it up into 10 or 15 minutes at a time.

[wmac]

Please go to the ER now!! It says on the forum just before you click to ask the doc its say if you areor  anyone one you know are having these symptoms to call 911 now!  I think that is what I would have done. Please go now. Please let us know that you are ok too. Good luck
we will be thinking of you
wmac

[heartofwisdom]

I had pain you described on Saturday and Sunday but waiting for by scheduled appt Monday.

Monday they did a nuclear and found a mild blockage scheduled me for Thrusday cath. BUT found a major blockage and did open heart surgery within 12 hours.

My dr said anothe few days would have kieed me. I am 52 average weight with no heart history.

[liz p]

I fainted two weeks ago and then the day after had fainting symptoms with fast heart palpitations. i got checked up in the er and they told me nothing was rong. two weeks passed and since then i get fast heart beats about 4 times a day with dizzyness and shortness of breath. i am 24 yrs old. has this happend to anyone/ i am really scared of been alone at home.

[wmac]

I really have room to talk. I told Gem to get to the er. well this morning at 2:44 am I awoke with chest pain. I do have costochrondritis though and usually a heating pad helps. So I got my heating pad and went to the couch and the heat made it worse. I was freaking out didnt wake my husband thought about thought about going to the er, but I was kinda dozing in and out. Last thing I remember was the cookoo clock cookooing three times. So this morning I call my dr and left message so then I called my cardio and talked to her assisant and then the cardio ordered a ekg and it was normal so thats good. But they said NEXT TIME GET TO THE ER. Im like freaking out. Its been hurting off and on all day. Im kinda scared. I have had alot workups over the last five yrs and supposably everything is good. But the pain was higher like along the top of the breast all the way across. Just above nipple area. Im assuming they can look at the ekg and tell if something did happen but now im alone all weekd and a bit nervous.
wmac

[wmac]

Are you gonna let us know if your ok??

[cindy1948]

A related discussion, I think I had a heart attack was started.

[nayriliz]

Hi I'm Liz. I'm 27 n 2 days ago I start havn palpitations n felt like I had like 5 different heart beats. I felt naunseas got dizzy. Next morning had lower back pain n abdominal pain.  Today still have abdominal pain on n off. I don't really feel any chest pain or radiating pain down my arm or jaw. I do suffer from anxiety n take meds 4 that. I've gone 2 ER several times in d past year thnkn I'm havn a heart attack n thy do EKG n evrythn seems 2 b ok. Is this really my anxiety? Or should I get chkd AGAIN?