Chest Pain ER Admitted

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Well, lucky me just spent the last 24 hrs in the hospital for chest pain.

I had went to bed with sharp pains in my left armpit and down my left arm tuesday night. It went away on it's own, so I didn't worry about it. (I have it periodically) Next morning Wed, I was fine and went off to school.

Came home from school and husband showed me the IRS thing that we don't get to keep our desperately needed tax return. It actually is going back to repay his ex's welfare bill. I'll stop here for now, not really up to getting into it.

The pain hit in the arm again. I went to ly down, hoping it would go away. Seemed to leave. So went to go get food and supplies needed at wallie world and eat at Dakota's.

Supper was first. Walking into the restaurant triggered the horrible left arm pain and chest pains. Not long after sitting at our table it again went away. Ordered the meal. husband, Nichole and baby ate, I just picked.

Went to wallie world. Hit me in the parking lot. Kept telling myself it was stress and kept right on shopping. By the time I gave up I could barely stand. Pain in left armpit and arm unbarable, pain in chest crushing, pain radiated up the sides of my neck and made my head pound.

husband asks me to go to ER. I said no, as once we were in the car it started to be ok again.

Get home, walk across the floor and it's horrible again. I have Nichole take my b/p. 160 over 80. Not great but not horrible either. But I'd been hoping to blame the symptoms on high b/p. (it really wasn't high enough to do that)

So I call easy child because it's not getting better. It's getting worse. She talks me into going to the ER, saying I should at least have the blood enzymes checked to make sure it's not the heart.

Only decent ER is the hospital where easy child works, 40 mins away. husband takes me. I'm pretty ok in the car. Get out to go in and nurse has to run for a chair cuz walking aint happening.

If you ever wanna get immediate care in an ER tell them you have chest pains.

Lord, my room was crowded.

Initial blood enzymes looked ok, EKG was ok, chest xray ok. I wanted to go home. The nitroglycerin was working. (and I had class today) ER doctor argued. husband begged. So I agreed to the admit.

Throughout the night movement triggered the symptoms until the nitro had many hours to work. No sleep of course, cuz you just don't sleep in hospitals. lol At 5 am they came for the stress test. Took about a gallon of blood. Had god knows how many docs taking medication history ect.

Everything came back good. My blood pressure was awfully high on admit (184/ 86) but stress test and everything else came back fine. Just got discharged a couple of hours ago. Cardiologist didn't like letting me go. But I did promise if I have more symptoms I WILL return to the ER and also call her. She explained (as did reg doctor) that those things coming back normal didn't necessarily mean I'm ok. They both seem to think I've probably had a mild heart attack and got to ER before any major damage happened.

Cardiologist wanted to do an angiogram. I don't have a problem with that. I'd just like to end the school quarter if possible first.

Scarey.

But I will go back to ER if necessary.

Just lying there in the bed though, I was having no symptoms. Seemed stupid to be there. (it's probably a week wait for the angiogram anyway) And I only have 2 wks of classes left.

Did get knew scripts for b/p medications, lasix for higher dosages.

So far so good. I haven't really been moving around much. I'll probably be off to bed soon. I'm pretty drained.

Hugs
 
F

flutterbee

Guest
Lisa, Lisa, Lisa -

First of all big hugs to you. That is so scary.

Second of all, the docs are right. The cardiac tests are historically less accurate for women than they are for men. My cardiologist told me that stress tests are accurate for women only 80% of the time.

When I had my heart attack, my EKG was normal, too, and my blood pressure was only like 147/92 or something. I had only one enzyme come back elevated instead of the normal two. They were asking me if I could have pulled a muscle. Yet, I ended up with 4 stents. I'm not trying to scare you. Just want to make sure you don't mess around with this. Angiograms are really not a big deal at all. They don't want you to drive for 5 days and not to lift anything over 10 pounds or vacuum for 2 weeks, but other than that it's really not a big deal. You'll feel bruised at the cath site, but that's not bad either. (As long as you don't hemorrhage like I did, but that's really unusual. :tongue:)

Kidney disease and heart disease are so closely related. Please follow through with more aggressive testing.

Did they give you a script for nitroglycerin? If so, here's how it works. You take one and wait 5 minutes. If the symptoms haven't subsided you take another and wait 5 minutes. If they still haven't subsided, you take a third. If that still doesn't work you call 911. But, I don't know if I would wait that long if they haven't gone in and checked your heart.

by the way, I know what you mean about getting right in at the ER. Complain of chest pain and shortness of breath and you're ushered right back and the beehive of activity starts.

You will be in my thoughts. Take care of you and get to the ER right away if you feel those symptoms again.

(((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))
 

susiestar

Roll With It
Lisa,

I am scared for you. I understand wanting to end the quarter though. Will it upset your finals if you have a heart attack and keel over? Or could you take incompletes and finish the tests AFTER heart treatment?

If the pain keeps occurring, PLEASE do what the docs want. At least go ahead and schedule the angiogram. I am so very sorry.

On the tax thing, adjust husband's w2 so that less is going for taxes. Then put that amount in a direct deposit to a christmas account or other savings account. You will get to keep it then instead of paying off hte ex's debts.

Sorry, hon, I know this is hard for you.

Hugs,

Susie
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
Ouch!
How well do you think you will finish the quarter if you are dead! For criminy sake Lisa if there is a suspicion of a mild MI then why would you chance it? Do you think the Doctors are going into overkill?
I hope this is just tension and anxiety related and you can complete the schooling.

PS: Please don't say you are having chest pain when going to ER if you AREN'T having chest pain just to be seen quickly. Someone who is having real chest may die while they wait for you to have a cardiac work up. The staff doesn't care for someone trying to skip the triage line.
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
{{{Lisa}}} That is some scary stuff! I can't believe you were able to remain calm for so long.

Glad you got checked out, but it is true - the tests they have do not monitor women the same way when it comes to a heart attack. Although they are making strides in recent years, heart attacks were rarely studied in women and so not all the tests are geared for us. Also, women's symptoms of heart attacks are often very different from men and do not always present in the same manner. My mom had 3 and never even realized it. It was the scar tissue that gave the DR's a clue after her first stroke.

Please stay on top of this, reduce your daily stress as much as possible and get thee to the ER ASAP at the first signs!! Sending hugs~
 

scent of cedar

New Member
What a night.

And when you get home, all the problems that contributed to the event still exist.

I understand you wanting to finish the quarter ~ it isn't as though anyone is going to excuse you or offer you more time to complete the requirements.

Wishing well, Lisa.

Barbara
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
I actually fell asleep shortly after I posted. lol A whole hour of sleep the night before had left me exhausted.

Please, I certainly hope no one goes to the ER claiming they have chest pain if they don't. I didn't mean it that way. Just that the "seemingly" empty ER unit was suddenly FULL of people the moment I said my symptoms.

I've had no more chest pains. Thankfully. I'm taking it easy. And when the cardiologist's office opens I'm going to schedule an appointment and see about getting that angiogram done.

I'd just wanted to do it as an outpatient as long as I was having no more symptoms. Easier to work around that way than being in hospital.

But as I promised both docs and family, I'll be right back at the ER if the chest or arm pain starts again. I'm not worried about looking "foolish" as the cardio doctor put it. She was worried I'd be embarrassed to come back if the chest pain started again. Uh, no. Believe me, it was bad enough I wouldn't think twice about getting there.

Other than that, I'm taking things easy. Just planning on sitting around doing homework and studying. Not doing any more than cardio told me to do.

Susie, I swear I never even thought about incompletes. I was thinking with no sleep at all. Thought about it when I woke up this morning and felt more than a little silly. Of course I could've done that. Don't know why I didn't think of it, or easy child didn't. I guess no sleep and all the chaos at hospital my brain wasn't working on all pistons.

I swear to follow doctor orders and to be good.

Hugs
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Lisa -

You are MORE VALUABLE than gold - please take care of yourself to the extreme. I could not bear the thought of loosing you because of the stress you are enduring. You are cared about, you are loved, you are needed.

I get being all - I have not problem, I'll be okay - and not putting yourself first. Believe me I get it. When i went in for the stroke due to stress - my BiPolar (BP) was abnormally normal. When I have had crippling migraines it's been as high as 210 over 80 and I thought my head was going to explode. When i had the stroke the only indication I had was blacking out and crushing feeling in my chest - I couldn't breathe.

You have to take care of YOU - and start planning on how to simplify your life = PLANNING THAT could take your mind off of the stress. Oh and if you think that you will get () much sympathy past being in the ER from anyone in your family - guess again. memories are very short when the pain isn't theirs.

I am so sorry you are that stressed out. Take care of you - NOW.
Hugs
Love
Star
 

Sue C

Active Member
Lisa, that was very scarey. I do hope you get in for the test soon and you will be OK!

Love ya,
Sue
 
Holy Schnikies!

I can't believe I missed this. I am SO glad you are OK!

PLEASE start taking care of yourself first. I know, it is just not in our vocabulary, or in our DNA, but darnit, just do it babe!
 
F

flutterbee

Guest
Lisa -

Just in case you're not aware, the symptoms you described here ARE, in fact, symptoms of a heart attack. I had the pain up my neck, I also had tightness in my shoulders, crushing or squeezing of the chest (which for me was upper chest and not really at my heart), pain in the back, pain/numbness going down left arm, jaw pain and even burping, nausea and a sense of doom.

The fact that it came on with exertion and eased at rest is just another indicator.

Which is why the doctors really didn't want you to leave.

Go back to the hospital at the first sign of anything, ok? Go ahead and schedule the angiogram.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Heather

I already have the appointment set up with the cariologist. They squeezed me in for the 20th, and will contact me if there is a cancellation. And I'm still to call her/go to ER immediately if it starts again.

Tried to get an appointment with new fam doctor but this storm has everthing shutting down early.

I did, however, get my medications picked up.

And actually, I'd never heard of the "pain/symptoms stopping with rest" part. That's what had made me hesitate the first time and think it might possibly be something else. I'd always thought once the symptoms started it didn't stop. That's why I'd called easy child asking for advice. Well, the head pounding thing also thru me too. It made me think "blood pressure", not "heart".

In fact, I'm still getting the riot act from easy child over leaving. She tells me she thinks I was pushing to leave because I feel an obligation to "be there" for everyone else.

And I realize today, she's right. I'm so used to pushing my needs aside to take care of family needs that it's almost become a reflex. The whole time I was in hospital I kept worryng how Nichole would get to school, Travis to work, who was gonna watch the grand babies, would Travis and Nichole kill each other before I got home, who would think to care for our fur babies, how much money would husband drain out of the bank account before I was discharged (don't ask), bills that needed to be paid....the list goes on and on.....

God, I'm pathetic.:tongue: I was more in panic mode about being in hospital, than over my heart.

And today I had to force myself to make the appts and pick those medications up because honestly we can't afford it. Over 200 bucks for the medications alone WITH the prescription card from insurance. EEK! But I WILL follow thru with this, and start taking better care of myself.

So far not so much as a twinge today. I hope it stays that way.

Hugs
 
F

flutterbee

Guest
Lisa -

I know what you mean. We see people on tv or in the movies grabbing their chest and falling to the ground and the reality is much less dramatic.

I have unstable angina, which means I have angina at rest. However, when I had my heart attack, the pain was definitely much worse with exertion and would ease - but not go completely away - at rest.

Like you, I went out to dinner and picked at my food. My symptoms started on Friday night and I didn't go to the ER until Monday evening. I went out to dinner on Saturday (and to wallie world - LOL - are we twins?) and even took difficult child to the doctor 30 minutes away on Monday. The burping is what threw me. I figured I would go to the ER and get a script for Nexium. But, a friend convinced me to go. By that time, I had the symptoms at rest, but they were barely noticeable compared to when I was moving. I think when I couldn't walk across the living room without the pain intensifying and feeling like I couldn't breathe is what finally convinced me to go. Even then I felt like I was being dramatic.

The thing is when you have a chronic disease like you have, you're used to not feeling so great a lot of the time. I had felt so bad for so long, too, that it's hard to gauge just how bad the symptoms really are. If you're walking around with no issues you're going to feel the symptoms more strongly than someone who has been sick for a long time.

And the timing was terrible. easy child had OGT's that week that I was in the hospital (and I was only in for that long because of the hemorrhage - otherwise I would have been home Tuesday night), I had to make arrangements for difficult child to stay with a friend on top of making arrangements for easy child to get to his tests. difficult child was spiraling at that time and I was worried how this was going to affect her. My mom was supposed to be leaving to visit my brother in Georgia. Who was going to take care of the pets? What about my job? I worked for a CPA firm and managed to have my heart attack during tax season. These are all things we're thinking about instead of thinking about ourselves.

The reality is, the world is not going to come to a screeching halt if we are down for a few days or even weeks. Nothing that happens during that time is unfixable.

If it makes you feel better, unless you have complications, you go home the same day as an angiogram or within 24 hours. You wouldn't be gone from home for long.

(((((hugs)))))
 
Top