Uh-oh, back to the lab again...

Lynn's picture
Submitted by Lynn on Mon, 10/20/2003 - 12:31pm.

I got carted off to the ER in an ambulance last night, the first time since my really bad angina attack in April. This one was really similar. I've been feeling relatively fine lately, I've even got my premature ventricular contractions down to a rarity instead of a commonplace event--I'm discovering it's all in my diet. And I felt fine yesterday, a little tired and headachey, but not bad.

John went out for a cup of coffee at our favorite hangout (he's quitting smoking again and gets really restless), Lou had fallen asleep, and I had finished reading a chapter of our latest book to Josie. We're reading "A Little Princess"; Sara is coming to terms with her life in the attic as a poor servant girl, and the Indian Gentleman has just moved in next door.

I suddenly felt a familiar foreboding and tightening, and thought, uh-oh. I went downstairs to get my nighttime medication, thinking maybe if I took it a little earlier than usual I could stave off a problem. But I quickly realized it was coming and there wasn't anything I could do to stop it except take a nitroglycerin. I went upstairs to get Josie (in retrospect I should have called for her to come down but I was worried about getting to her for some reason), took a nitro and lay on the floor until it was clear I was going to need help so I called 911 and gave Josie instructions to go downstairs and wait for the paramedics.

The pain came on while I was on the phone with the dispatcher. It passed in about five minutes, the usual with nitro, but the EMTs wanted to take me in anyway to get checked out thoroughly.

Long story short: I'm fine, though I'm very tired and headachey today. My heart is feeling touchy is all, and I took my meds very late yesterday and probably the two together brought that on. It just caught me by complete surprise is all; none of my usual triggers--hungry angry lonely tired cold--had been pushed.

On the whole, though, I am getting better. I used to get carted off to the ER every 2-3 weeks, and now it's every 2-3 months (and not by ambulance in more than 5 months). I'm willing to call that progress.

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Fern's picture

Hope you're better now!

Submitted by Fern on Mon, 10/20/2003 - 1:33pm.

Sorry you had that to go through, Lynn. It must be frightening, but it sounds like you know the routine and are alert to the symptoms when they strike. Wishing you well . . .

Fern

lgunnoe's picture

Oh, No!

Submitted by lgunnoe on Mon, 10/20/2003 - 3:56pm.

Oh, Lynn! Sad

I am glad that you now recognize the onset of an "episode" (better word than "attack???") I do hate that you have to go through all that...but I'm so glad you are seeing imporvement.

Try to go for....ummm, 9-12 months next time? Eye-wink

On a different note...I ADORE A Little Princess! I never liked Secret Garden....but LOVED Sara.... Can't watch the movies at all (which is common for my much loved favorites,) and both of my DDs read it with me. I still read it (for myself) evey now and again!

Be well! Take care!

Lenora

Kerri's picture

Confirmation

Submitted by Kerri on Mon, 10/20/2003 - 5:41pm.

sounds to me like you were getting the thumbs up for giving up the store, just in case you were having any second thoughts!

I'm glad you're in tune with your body enough to be able to spot trouble even without the usual triggers - that's the kind of practice that could save your life one day (may already have done I guess!).

Take it easy with the site adjustments. Obviously this is a warning to you to scale back a bit. Pampering time!! Smiling

Kerri.

kittycat45's picture

stress

Submitted by kittycat45 on Mon, 10/20/2003 - 8:03pm.

its alot for you to be doing now Lynn,,new site and all

I say we give Lynn a few days off to take a mini vacation[ holiday eh Honey Smiling ]

you need to chill out

very glad you are ok

Susannah's picture

Feeling Better?

Submitted by Susannah on Tue, 10/21/2003 - 6:55am.

I'm willing to call it progress, too, Lynn. Take care of yourself! We love you! (P.S. That was a much-loved book in my childhood too. Wonderful story!)

jamielea's picture

Glad to hear your ok, and cud

Submitted by jamielea on Tue, 10/21/2003 - 8:06am.

Glad to hear your ok, and cudos for knowing your body so well. Smiling Put your feet up and read another book Smiling

Honey's picture

Get well soon

Submitted by Honey on Tue, 10/21/2003 - 1:56pm.

Sorry to hear you've been poorly again, Lynn. Hope you're feeling fit as a fiddle again soon!

Honey xx

studmuffin's picture

I think I have angina lol

Submitted by studmuffin on Sat, 11/01/2003 - 12:51pm.

Wow Lynn, I was reading past stuff and saw this journal entry of yours and it stuck a cord. I've given up on ever knowing what is wrong with my heart, and I think this might be the ticket.

I have never heard of angina, so I looked it up after reading yourjournal and interestingly enough lol it sounds like what I have. I’ve had many of those symptoms, fist my throat tightens.. like a warning that if I don't start taking deep breaths, my chest tightens and man it can hurt. Breathing deep most of the times stops the chest part from occouring. Sometimes the tightness occurs while just sitting around. And eating, talking being excited can trigger it too, (because not a lot of breathing heppens when doing those three things at once lol) Happened a lot with my second pregnancy. And a little in my 20’s. And now at 34 it happens only about 6 times a year depending on how I take care of my self.

I don’t know if you remember me talkin about chest pains years ago in 1999, before moving to Hawaii, I took your advice then after having three episodes I went to the ER. BUT they couldn’t find any signs of heart attack. Well duh, now I know why.

I did do a fallow up in Hawaii saw a cartiologist and he thought based on my symptoms that I had this mitro valve relaps thing or something like that. But the ecco didn’t find that to be the case so he tossed his hand in the air, cuz passed the tread mill, passed eveything with flying colors.

I’ve since seen a couple Dr. here in Colorado to no avail.

I’ve been just thinking that I have heart problems which is rampid in my family....

But after all my attempt to learn what is wrong (as distrubing and scary as it is), I gave up on getting a diagnosis. Every Dr. I’ve seen, I tell them the warning before chest pain is tightness in throat, neck, like someone taking blood pressure inside on throat... they look at me like I’m raging with hormones or something. And I think since I look healthy on the outside, thin and young they don't take me seriously.....grrr if I were a healthy lookin man I bet they‘d run every darn test availabel till they figured it out. They say they can’t diagnose me with anything unless I was in their office while it was happening, that’s not gonna happen. BUT now I feel good I have something to conceder and look into. And becuse it isn't that often I shouldn't worry myself, I just know it has to be something, I try to ignore it but it happens anyway. Who knew this existed duh??? all those Dr. should have considered this, it is very fitting to my symptoms. This might just be what I need to learn.

I think I have indremetiosis (sp) too, but had it checked a year ago and nothing, but something is wrong there too, they just can’t figure it out. Heavy bleeding, long frequent periods, cramping clotting periods..... low side cramps aches like runners cramps but lower infrequently and irregularly throughout the month.

Oh well on thing at a time, I’m gonna read up on angina
Thanks to you Lynn once again I learn more in TNH then anywere else lol

when handed a basket of lemons make lemonade Charlene

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