This is the best first person account of a woman's symptoms of a
heart attack I've read. Please read and share with the women in your
life.
I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is
the best description I've ever read.
Women and heart attacks - (Myocardial infarction)
Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms
that men have when experiencing a heart attack . . . you know, the sudden
stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest &
dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story
of one woman's experience with a heart attack.
"I had a completely unexpected heart attack at about 10:30 pm
with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect
might've brought it on.
"I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my
purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me,
and actually thinking, "A-A-Ah, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my
soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up. A moment later, I felt
that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and
grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water,
and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball
going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You
realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew
it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its
progress down to the stomach. This was initial sensation - - - the
only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00
p.m.
"After that had seemed to subside, the next sensation was like
little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE
(hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spamming), gaining speed as
they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one
presses rhythmically when administering CPR).
"This fascinating process continued on into my throat and
branched out into both jaws. "AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was
happening - - we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws
being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to
myself and the cat, "Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack! "I
lowered the foot rest, dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a
step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself "If this is
a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the
phone is or anywhere else . . . . . . but, on the other hand, if I
don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not
be able to get up in a moment.
"I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly
into the next room and dialed the Paramedics. . . . I told her I thought
I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the!
sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or
afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the Paramedics over
immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to
unbolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see
me when they came in. "I then laid down on the floor as instructed and
lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their
examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their
ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way,
but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the Cardiologist
was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull
my stretcher out of the ambulance.
"Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail?
Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I
learned first hand."
1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your
body, not the usual men's symptoms, but inexplicable things happening
(until my sternum and jaw got into the act). It is said that many
more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't
know! they were having one, and commonly mistook it as indigestion, take
some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation, and go to bed,
hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up. . . . which
doesn't happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly
like mine, I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is
unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to
have a "false alarm" visitation than to risk your life guessing what
it might be!
2. Note that I said "Call the Paramedics." Ladies, TIME IS OF
THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER- -you're a hazard to
others or the road, and so is your panicked husband who will be
speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the
road.
Do NOT call your doctor - - he doesn't know where you live and if
it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his
assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He
doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved ! The
Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will
be notified later.
3. Don'! t assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have
a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol
elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (Unless it's
unbelievably high, and/or accompanied by high blood pressure.) MI's are usually
caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps
all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in
there.
Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful
and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive. .
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10
people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.
****Please be a true friend and send this article to all your
friends you care about
heart attack I've read. Please read and share with the women in your
life.
I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is
the best description I've ever read.
Women and heart attacks - (Myocardial infarction)
Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms
that men have when experiencing a heart attack . . . you know, the sudden
stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest &
dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story
of one woman's experience with a heart attack.
"I had a completely unexpected heart attack at about 10:30 pm
with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect
might've brought it on.
"I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my
purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me,
and actually thinking, "A-A-Ah, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my
soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up. A moment later, I felt
that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and
grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water,
and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball
going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You
realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew
it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its
progress down to the stomach. This was initial sensation - - - the
only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00
p.m.
"After that had seemed to subside, the next sensation was like
little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE
(hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spamming), gaining speed as
they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one
presses rhythmically when administering CPR).
"This fascinating process continued on into my throat and
branched out into both jaws. "AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was
happening - - we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws
being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to
myself and the cat, "Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack! "I
lowered the foot rest, dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a
step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself "If this is
a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the
phone is or anywhere else . . . . . . but, on the other hand, if I
don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not
be able to get up in a moment.
"I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly
into the next room and dialed the Paramedics. . . . I told her I thought
I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the!
sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or
afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the Paramedics over
immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to
unbolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see
me when they came in. "I then laid down on the floor as instructed and
lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their
examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their
ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way,
but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the Cardiologist
was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull
my stretcher out of the ambulance.
"Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail?
Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I
learned first hand."
1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your
body, not the usual men's symptoms, but inexplicable things happening
(until my sternum and jaw got into the act). It is said that many
more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't
know! they were having one, and commonly mistook it as indigestion, take
some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation, and go to bed,
hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up. . . . which
doesn't happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly
like mine, I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is
unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to
have a "false alarm" visitation than to risk your life guessing what
it might be!
2. Note that I said "Call the Paramedics." Ladies, TIME IS OF
THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER- -you're a hazard to
others or the road, and so is your panicked husband who will be
speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the
road.
Do NOT call your doctor - - he doesn't know where you live and if
it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his
assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He
doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved ! The
Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will
be notified later.
3. Don'! t assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have
a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol
elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (Unless it's
unbelievably high, and/or accompanied by high blood pressure.) MI's are usually
caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps
all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in
there.
Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful
and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive. .
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10
people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.
****Please be a true friend and send this article to all your
friends you care about