Cardiac Symptoms

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Mamaof5

Guest
*NOTE* I am going to the ER tomorrow during the day after the kidlets are gone to school

I've been having issues for the last 6 or 7 months. Possible variant angina (it happens at rest instead of physical activity, usually no chest pain in most people but with all the lovely scariness of regular angina), difficulty catching my breath both in physical activity and at rest, the worse kind of random hiccups one could imagine, palpitations that feel like muscle spasms (not the kind that hurt, like the kind you get at the corner of your elbow just at the crook of it, twitching like), extreme fatigue and leg weakness, it's hard to move around. I am hating the two flights of stairs I have in this house and how many times I have to use them a day. I hadn't realized how many times I do use them a day.

About 4 months ago it got extremely bad, the palpitations were almost every day and last longer than the normal 5 to 10 minutes. Still no pain but I cut my caffeine intake when that started to happen and it has calmed down for that for the most part. I checked the symptom checker on webmd to get an idea of what I should talk to the doctor about at the local hospital when I go in tomorrow. It had everything from mycarditis\pericarditis (makes sense I have three teeth I can't afford to fix for 10+ yrs and I've had Scarlet Fever last year that can turn into Rhuematic fever and cause damage to the heart), Long QT Syndrome, PAT\SVAT, I do have MVP with regurgitation. It also said it could be extreme anxiety or a generalized anxiety issue (PTSD included? I'm not sure). It also brought up lung embolism (good gods remind me not to go checking google or webmd and scaring the **** out of myself). I know it's cardiac related. Yes, I know I shouldn't have ignored it for so long. We have a major lack of doctors here and the ER at the dinky local hospital is the only place I can go and I hate the wait times...4 or 5 hours just to get sent home and told I'm too young to be in any real danger (they have done this before, not for this issue at hand).

EL is starting to really be a **** hole town...especially in my age bracket. It stinks to live here and yet I will not move because I worked so hard to get the Special Education kids what they need. I refuse to start over and wait another 2 or 3 yrs for their needs...I'm frustrated with this town all the way around.
 

flutterby

Fly away!
I would go to the ER tonight. What you wrote in the first paragraph describes my symptoms exactly that went on for years before I had a heart attack. When it got to the point that I was becoming short of breath from just walking across the living room, I was actually having a heart attack. The weirdest symptom was the belching. I really thought I was going to end up getting a prescription of Nexium or something. I didn't have pain in my chest - it was in my shoulders, neck, throat and jaw, and later my upper back and left arm.

Go. Now.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
The weirdest symptom was the belching. I really thought I was going to end up getting a prescription of Nexium or something. I didn't have pain in my chest - it was in my shoulders, neck, throat and jaw, and later my upper back and left arm.

Go. Now.
Classical female symptoms of a heart attack... most of us are more familiar with the "male" symptoms.
Do not continue to ignore.
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
I concur with Flutterby and hope you'll go for a check at the ER. Have them test your enzymes and run a EEG. These are very similar symptoms as my aunt was having for ages and also she thought it was a host of other possibilities, and she only realized she'd had a heart attack a day later when she went to the ER, and it turned out to be a major heart attack. I totally understand your ire about the EL e.r., it is probably the same frustrations as here where I am. I know the waiting stinks and they don't always do the right testing based on age and assumptions etc. But advocate for yourself. Tell them specifically you are concerned at the list of symptoms you mentioned and then explain you are coming in now and not earlier than now because xyz is now happening and you realize that heart attack presents differently in women a lot of the time and your symptoms, while hopefully not heart related, are alarming you and are fully in line with cardiac issues. Tell them you specifically want your enzymes tested along with a EEG and anything else they feel appropriate. Often when being that descriptive and stating confidently what you need done, this leads to immediate care and testing due to the nature and their triage system. Heart issues tend to get done right away, thus ensuring you don't have that crazy long wait time. Even if you must wait, I think you're worth it and it wouldn't hurt to mention to them that better to be safe than to risk being unchecked now and have a heart attack tomorrow. That alone will get them moving.

Will keep you in my thoughts. Please update us. Don't take chances.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
Make a little list of symptoms to have with you so you don't forget anything. ER's are so hectic and tiring that you might skip over something important. I'm glad you're going to be checked out. Sending caring thoughts your way.
DDD
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Also waiting for an update and hoping for the best. Not sure what the best alternative would be... hiatal hernia?
 
M

Mamaof5

Guest
Well, that was a total waste of my time. I waited all that time for some stupid doctor to not do blood work, did HALF a strip (10 sec) of an EKG and proceeded to try an accuse me of being a coke addict. WTF is wrong with this town. I'm so upset and emotional right now I can barely function.

Yes I have her name, yes I am making complaints where ever and how ever I can. This cr@p hole of a town is about to see my wrath, I am so ****** off right now. I wrote my symptoms down, she didn't even READ IT. She even gave me the paper back because oh, can't have that in the file because my goodness it's evidence she ignored me. I'm so so frustrated, my H is ****** OFF that she tried to accuse me of being a coke addict. I can't believe this ****.

OMG I am so irate right now.
 

JJJ

Active Member
Get into see your regular doctor ASAP. or drive to the nearest big city and go to an ER in an upscale area
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
Mof5, I know it's a haul-and-a-half, but have you considered trying a hospital in a nearby (well, relatively) centre? Sudbury maybe? Or the Sault?
I'm not sure whether you're able to travel there but if you're likely to have better luck being taken seriously then it might be worth the trek. Cardiac issues are nothing to mess around with, and if the hospital in EL isn't listening, then it might be worth trying to get to another hospital where they will.

Trinity
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
JJJ/MWM... She's several hundred miles from anywhere. This is beyond "hick town" stuff... its a mining town out in the literal boonies. Not even sure there IS a cardiologist in the town, though there might be. And if I remember right, she doesn't have a family doctor - and in Canada, no way to get to a specialist without a family doctor to do the referral. The typical route in that situation is to go to the ER - but that isn't working.

It would be like a weekend trip or so, to get to a "real" hospital.
And with difficult children... <ugh>
I wish there was a simple answer, but there isn't.

Hmmm...
Does Ontario have a system where you can phone in to a 1-800 number and talk to a nurse? Its used to "triage" various problems... for example, for a parent of a sick kid to get advice on whether to take kid to ER or not. Potential heart-attack symptoms would definitely fall into that. We have that system HERE (I'm not in Ontario) - and where I am, we don't have much in some ways... so it might be worth looking into. Here, if the RN who takes your call deems you to need to go to ER, then THEY contact ER and tell them you are coming in, and that they need to run X and Y tests ahead of calling specialist VV etc. - and they tend to get listened to when a person just walking in might not be taken at face value.
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Makes me wonder if claiming the classic male symptoms would have done better. ARRRRG to docs that are clueless!
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
Does Ontario have a system where you can phone in to a 1-800 number and talk to a nurse? Its used to "triage" various problems... for example, for a parent of a sick kid to get advice on whether to take kid to ER or not. Potential heart-attack symptoms would definitely fall into that. We have that system HERE (I'm not in Ontario) - and where I am, we don't have much in some ways... so it might be worth looking into. Here, if the RN who takes your call deems you to need to go to ER, then THEY contact ER and tell them you are coming in, and that they need to run X and Y tests ahead of calling specialist VV etc. - and they tend to get listened to when a person just walking in might not be taken at face value.

Ontario does have such a system, but I don't think it's as comprehensive as that in some other provinces. I don't think the RN can contact the hospital to queue up a visit. They just advise you that a visit to emerg is warranted and call it a day. I think the assumption is that with the number of hospitals in Ontario it should be easy to get to one. Of course, that doesn't take into account that they're all clustered in the major cities...

Trinity
 
M

Mamaof5

Guest
The mayor has contacted the CEO (I did as well) and trustee of the hospital on my behalf. I'm filing a complaint with the college of physicians and surgeons as well (it has to be done in writing). I'll also be filing a complaint with the ministry of health here.

Our telehealth Ontario sucks. It's basically a go to the ER or not kind of deal. No other services other than basic on the phone triage by words. I don't have a GP so can't get a referral to a specialist. I can't get a GP because none are taking patients ...oh except the doctor who accused me of being an addict. Just my luck. I tried calling Blind River to get a doctor there, they refuse to take outsiders if they are not in their district.

Sudbury is the same. I'm broke, no gas money and I'm 2.5 or more hours from any major city (Suds or Sault). I'm pretty much going to have to have the actual heart attack to get any medical care...
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
Gosh the system in our province is maddening! This won't be of any solace I'm sure, but you're far from alone. My aunt had a major heart attack many months back. We're in NB and have a brand new state of the art hospital. Of course we have hardly any specialists and none in cardiology. We don't even have equipment for testing for heart issues in the city. While my aunt was treated quickly and well at the time of her heart attack, it took months and months of waiting for her to get into the cardiologist in Sud. Even when she did get in it was due to my cousin in England (her daughter) calling and I don't know what was said, but somehow she got an appointment and it was less than 2 weeks after the call. I mean after all those months there wasn't even a date booked!
The north is so differently treated than cities down south in terms of health care providers and specialists etc. And I truly believe we get often get the docs who have become jaded and no longer are challenged by nor enjoying their jobs. And we all suffer for it. I'm so sorry you're falling through the cracks, it certainly is not right. Hopefully the chains you're all rattling will help you get some much needed (in my opinion) testing done. I would perhaps look into funding for travel to a specialist and fight for a referral.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
Does Ontario have an Ombudsman that deals with the Ministry of Health?
If so, I'd be calling that person as well.

Its time to put on the Warrior Mom outfit... for yourself. Because your difficult child kids need you.
How many chains can we find to rattle? How many strings to pull?
- your MLA?
- your MP?
 
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