Woman's heart attack (myocardial infraction)
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
like 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 spasming),
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.
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.
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, 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 a
rrived 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,
took some Maalox or other anti-
heartburn preparation, and went 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!
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.
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
one life.
Please be a true friend and send
this article to all your friends
you care about****
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