Thread: Back Pain & Heart Attack

Crikey!!!!!

Ray
i think you need a power drill
more power,

Ray

It is interesting about heart attacks.

When I was doing Cardiac Rehabilitation they had a bit of a forum with all the current attendees and the result was that there was as many different indications of a heart attack as there were people in the forum.

Although I didn't have a full on heart attack but an angina attack my indications were a bad ache up both arms from the wrists to the shoulders.

When my son had his heart attack he was asleep on the lounge and woke up with aching across the back of the shoulders. He thought it was the way he was lying on the lounge. He went and had a shower and as soon as the hot water hit him he started vomiting which caused him to slip over in the shower and hurt his wrist which he thought he had broken,

He got dressed and drove twenty minutes into the hospital at Ballina. He was complaining to the doctor about his wrist and told the doctor he was having trouble breathing. The doctor started asking what he thought was strange questions until the doctor said to him you have had a heart attack at age 40. They then hurriedly transferred him to the Gold Coast hospital where he spent a week and then ordered to change his lifestyle. He now spends more on medications than he was spending on cigarettes and alchahol.

A few years ago my GP told me you will know when you have a heart attack. You will get a crushing pain across the chest. That really isn't so.

My warning here to anyone is don't take any risks, if you get any kind of pain that seems unusual get straight to hospital because it may save your life and don't feel embarrased about it because it is better to be sure than dead.

Sometimes the first indication of a heart attack is death.

BTW the roughest ride I have ever had in my 70 years of life was going backwards on my back in an ambulance.

Just to add to the previous comments ...
I had no pain whatsoever, just a bit of tightness in the chest
... something that could be overcome by a can of cold Diet
Coke ... a bit of "burp" material.
I continued going to work for three days (still no pain) before
finally seeking a medical opinion.
The result: Heart damage, inserted two stents and just
avoided a third one. Now on heart tablets for life.

Summary: Don't take a risk - take a test. You only have
one life so do not gamble with it. I was lucky!

Allan

Ray, you had the luck that you have a wonderful and attentful wife, isn't it.
Oh well a hospital is now a kind of a factory, they bring you in, and as soon as possible out.
Hope to see you soon back in the woodwork world.
Take care. Ad

Glad your still with us Ray

good to see you posting again.billm

Happy that you made it through Ray. Keep us posted?

I have read that an aching jaw can be another symptom of heart attack.

20th Jan

I got some sleep during the night had some chest pains but very light. Prof Leung came and did another ultrasound prior me going down to surgery at 1130am. Sue had of course after a restless night sleep returned by 10am and told I wouldn't be back till approx 3 hrs.

I was going to have an Angioplasty done (seems many of our fellow forumites have had it done before). Unlike them I didn't get to see it all happen on screen even though I was awake throughout, I believe you have to be to help guide the surgoen.

Everything was going great I was in recovery a chain of events followed. They changed oxygen mask from full cover type to those little nose thingys, with all the air-conditioning etc my sinuses cleared. This has effect later.

During recovery they have to keep preasure on the groin where they enter through the artery, this is just hand preasure to release blood flow.

In a matter of moments/seconds this all took place.

Fellow doing it had to sneeze so turned away, I mentioned I wanted to sneeze he turned back and thrust his hand down, saying try not to, a small sneeze came out pain in the belly mild, he released I sneezed again little bigger he also sneezed again making sure he turned away but released preasure slow to put his hand back as preasure I flet pain.
While this was happening they put up a drip something called Reopro to this I had a reaction to blood preausre serious drop I felt cold and wet told them so panic stations . Reopro was taken off and something else in its place (not blood) as this could have caused further trouble.

The Reopro had caused a bleed into the abdomen cavity filling it with blood straight from my femal artery. It was like inflating a ballon with water crushing everything in its path.
The team were great they got me stabalised rang for a CT scan which needed to be done to make sure no further bleed was happening. 4 1/2 hrs latter I went down for the scan, returned to surgery with all clear and sent off to Critical Coranary Care Unit where Sue was waiting for me she had gone home to return later.

Finally I was allowed food ( if you can call it that) I had not eaten since lunch on the 19th. Fluid in the form of a drip and water, tea were poured into me I was flat on my back.

Nurses had to turn me as my abdomen was so swollen and sore I couldn't use muscles at all.

Later in the evening I was asked to take Lipitor a prescribed drug for lowering cholesterol, I had during the early 2000 been given this by my GP it casued me some of its side effects then and did again (I had warned the nurse I had a problem with it).
Liptior can cause nausier, light headness, server cramps of lower limbs the latter of which is my problem I go rigid from the leg cramps. this would be great if it made me stand up right . The frist night wasn't a problem but the next day and what ensued was.

to be continued

Ray

Ray
thank you for the details of your visit. very interesting
hope you are well and truly on the mend.
Peter and Sue.

22nd 23rd 24th Jan
All pretty much the same resting moving with pain finally sitting up a little.

Moved out of Coronary acute to sub acute I always was told I was just pure CUTE) where after 3 days of bed baths I was able to finally get into a bathroom ah to shower shave and $#@#

Over this period I had another CT scan double check for bleeding - X-Rays of chest region as I had been coughing up blood small tiny amounts but they were worried. No problem it cleared.

Liptor also can cause strange things like weired dreams during one of these I was so badly cramped I couldn't move to even press the buzzer. When I awoke in the morning I was soaked from sweat & a nightmare/dream about Chinese Numbers. I am not one who takes Med's or strong pain killers but almost beggged for a Tremidol which was given and it knocked me out but released the cramp which had been going for more than 12 hrs.

24th to 30th All days with small improvements, cramping still happening till they took me off the Lipatol this takes almost 5 days to clear the body still slight cramps in thigh and stomach today but easing.

Meds I was put on

Asprin 100mg prevents clots
A new heart drug Clopidogrel Plavix 75mg prevents clots side effects of nausiea and makes you not want to eat, slight temp rises 2 deg
Rampril 2.5mg for blood pressure
Bisoprocol 5mg Blood pressure
Pantoprazole reduces stomache acid 40mg


Thank you all for your comments and points of view

Only yesterday I find out that a Freind in Tamworth Col Hemmings a member of the OTGA who does minatures came down with Pnumonia and they discovered he need a Stint due to heart attack he will be in surgery Thrusday. Rang him this morning and he for an Octaganarian is in good sprits esepecailly after 3 of the OTGA fellows drove up to see him yesterday.

Since I returned home improvments are better than daily major one being able to do the short stand when getting dressed.

Thats it I guess sorry it has been long winded. Thanks to the forum for allowing it also.

Ray, its good to hear thet you're up and about. I hope that you have a speedy recovery mate. Thanks for the read as it surely opens up ones eyes when you have it explained the way that you have here.

You're doing fine Ray, keep it up

Thanks for ALL the encouragement

I am bending and moving easier cramps are less and less not as tired finally am eating better due to throat problems and a dry swollow making it hard. Dehydration with the heat and med's is the Prof going to get a rocket up his when I see him. Even my GP said get off that crap ASAP (Bisoprocol 5mg Blood pressure) have it changed, my GP is more into natural med's when he can advise for them.