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<p>Eeek, DocT! :eek:</p>
<p>Heart attack symptoms in women present differently than in men. Some symptoms are consistent with what we might think of as anxiety.
[Women’s</a> Heart Attack Symptoms and Treatments](<a href=“http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/her-guide-to-a-heart-attack]Women’s”>6 Heart Attack Symptoms in Women: Chest Pain and Other Signs)
[WomenHeart:</a> Are you having a heart attack?](<a href=“http://www.womenheart.org/supportForWomen/prevention/questionHeartAttack.cfm]WomenHeart:”>http://www.womenheart.org/supportForWomen/prevention/questionHeartAttack.cfm)</p>
<p>I am biased here, having had a full cardiac arrest three months ago, but please get checked out thoroughly by a cardiologist (as well as getting thyroid checked, etc.). </p>
<p>My cholesterol level was 130 (but high LDL and borderline triglycerides), my BP 110/80 on the lowest dose of BP med possible, I am premenopausal, had an echo that showed nothing troublesome six weeks prior, spent most of April walking 4-5 miles/day on vacation (including climbing Masada), and a normal EKG ten days prior. I also have a family history of heart issues and need to lose weight (though I had lost 45 lbs. before my heart attack). I dropped dead on the kitchen floor. Thank G-d S2 was home and started CPR until the medics arrived. I had five stents placed in one artery that night and was in the hospital and rehab facility for a month. The docs did not know if I would survive or what brain function I would have.</p>
<p>My primary and oncologist could not believe what happened. </p>
<p>The only symptom I remember was right side jaw pain in March, for which I saw my dentist, then my primary, and then the cardiologist. S2 tells me I complained the night it happened of right side pains where my gall bladder used to be. (Note – not left side!!) Apparently I came home that day from visiting some friends and my counselor, and made an appointment to see my primary the next morning because I felt so crummy. I say apparently because I do not remember the two weeks before my attack or the week afterwards. I was also exhausted all the time, which EVERYONE assumed was from my chemo. Wrong. Now that my heart is functioning better, I can tell the difference in energy levels.</p>
<p>The treadmill test is not fun – I did that test after my stents went in but before my internal defibrillator was installed. If your heart is compromised, they will stop the test because your body has just given them the info they need to treat you. Had I been given a treadmill test in March, it is likely that the docs would have realized I was in imminent trouble. </p>
<p>I don’t mean to scare you, but please get checked out. It may be for nothing, but you’ll at least know your heart is OK.</p>
<p>could also be MVP (mitral valve prolapse). Ask for a cardiac ultrasound if they dont hear it on asultation.</p>
<p>In case it’s not clear, as a woman, you should be extra careful to be checked out because cardiac symptoms are more likely to be dismissed in women, especially below certain ages and without family risk.</p>
<p>The stress test includes ultrasound, prior to and post the treadmill torture. MVP is typically not a dangerous condition, as my doc told me.</p>
<p>No, in general MVP isn’t dangerous. But it can cause the symptoms ek describes and is manageable.</p>
<p>CoundingDown - how scary! :eek: So glad you made it through.</p>
<p>If the medical tests rule out a physical cause and they are truly panic attacks you may want to download the “Let Panic Go” from the Apple app store. It gets decent reviews and might be useful.</p>
<p>EK: I’d second the recommendation to go to a cardiologist and get checked out. Last February, I had a physical at a medical spa facility and because I had borderline hypertension, the doctor suggested a stress test. It’s tolerable. While I didn’t like all being hooked up to all the stuff, I had good results and I felt better afterwards.</p>
<p>-bang head-
Just saw my family dr- she is writing orders for an stress echocardiogram. Except I can’t do the treadmill, so she is researching what sort of drug to use.</p>
<p>I don’t know why I didn’t realize that the exercise treadmill wouldn’t work- I can barely walk. Maybe if they had some sort of arm powered do hickey that didn’t require me to bend my knee.</p>
<p>But she was pleased at the results from the VAP test. My cholesterol is still high, but my LDL is only 136.</p>
<p>emerald - when my cardiologist recommended I take a nuclear stress test instead of the one on the treadmill I asked what was involved. She said they would inject some nuclear material in the area around the heart and then the heart basically goes through the stress test on its own. I said no because I am allergic to just about every drug since my surgery, but I am sure it is a legit alternative to the treadmill test. </p>
<p>As a side note. I have found that as soon as you mention “panic attack” in the presence of a medical professional they seem to glom onto this tidbit. Before you know it this phrase will be at the top of your chart.</p>
<p>Timely topic for me…I just got referred for a nuclear stress test (on a treadmill).</p>
<p>I have a HUGE family history of early heart attacks. One grandfather died at 50 with one, other grandfather had one at 48, my mom was 52. Recently, I’ve developed some tingling down my left arm and up my jaw when doing cardio exercise. I’ve also been dealing with some shoulder issues that may be the cause of the tingling but given the family history my PCP decided it was time to rule out cardiac issues. All of my other indicators are fine (BP, Cholest, etc.) though some recent genetic testing indicated I’m at high risk for heart disease (and Alzheimer). </p>
<p>Regular treadmill stress tests are not very effective with women, hence, the need for the nuclear stress test (can be done on a treadmill or not). I specifically asked if the one I’m doing is the one designed to induce stress with drugs and he said no, the nuclear part is for imaging only. If the nuclear stress test shows anything of significance, then it’s onto a diagnostic catheterization (ugh!).</p>
<p>As a lifelong suffer of anxiety, I can empathize with the not knowing if the chest pains are cardiac related or not. I’m not one to run to my doctor with every complaint since I know that in me, anxiety can cause a whole host of troublesome symptoms. My strategy for years has been to wait and see if a symptom continues or gets worse before pursing medical treatment.</p>
<p>However, it is very important to be under the watchful eye of a physician when you experience new-onset cardiac type symptoms at our age. As much as I fear finding out I have cardiac disease, it really is better to catch it early before having a heart attack. Once some of the heart muscle has died, you don’t get it back and you will be living the rest of your life with some measure of physical limitations. At least, that has been my mother’s experience. Her heart attack was mild and yet, she never regained her full physical stamina. After watching her, my goal is to stay as active as possible for as long as possible.</p>
<p>I have a rule of thumb when it comes to this - if you have symptoms, don’t question it - assume you are having a heart attack and seek help at once. </p>
<p>This rule comes after having a work associate blow off an episode as simply a panic attack - and die two hours later.</p>
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<p>Yup. Docs told me it will take about six months post-attack to see what the new normal will be.</p>