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Missing The Symptoms

1watchman

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Physicians say many people are slow to get help with cardiac trouble because they minimize the symptoms. Some believe that because they are not having pain they have no problem, but most often the symptoms of pending heart attack is pressure in the chest, sometimes aching or pain in arms, shortness of breath, restlessness, and perhaps nausea. If one waits they may have a major thrombosis and be fatal.

When I had those symptoms I called my physician and was immediately called in for an exam. I am glad I did, for though the EKG was normal, a stress test showed blood flow was not normal, so an angiogram revealed artery blockage ---a prelude to heart attack. I had two stents implanted along with some angioplasty, and am now on meds. I am doing fairly well for my age.

The heart may not be damaged (heart attack) if one can catch the incipient signs and get the blood flow corrected. If one is 50+ years old and has a high cholesterol (especially LDL) reading, they need to talk with a doctor about statin medicine. It is a life saver, which I failed to take when my physician warned me many months earlier. Also, I had a predisposition for this with heart failure by my father and both my grandfathers. We all need to take care of our health, don't be proud, and talk with our physician about symptoms or concerns.

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sk8Joyful

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Some believe that because they are not having pain they have no problem,
but most often the symptoms of pending heart attack is pressure in the chest,
sometimes aching or pain in arms, shortness of breath, restlessness, and perhaps nausea. If one waits
they may have a major thrombosis and be fatal.
Correct, sadly. - So because symptoms are often VAGUE,
& hidden INternally, they are not detected,
thus people who are twice 'driven' by others, to work harder & longer,
can get into serious trouble, when clots, & heart-attacks,
are not attended to, as was my case.
Three years ago, I suffered a LONG :eek: heart-attack, but
NO-one else was home at the time, & the phone was 50 ft. away.

Obviously, I survived; but it "broke my heart, &
put it into failure" - but forced to keep working... NOT good.

You need to find a Medical-doctor you can TRUST, & RESPECT.
Unfortunately, they're about as rare as a needle in a haystack ^_^ oy vey!
 
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Mr. Pedantic

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Good on you. Shortness of breath is a very important symptom, and should not be brushed aside as just 'getting older', especially if you are. It's often a symptoms for a whole host of serious cardiorespiratory pathologies, and delaying treatment or forgetting about it because you think that all people get this as they age, could be fatal.
 
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sk8Joyful

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Good on you.

Shortness of breath should not be brushed aside
as just 'getting older', especially if you are.
It's often a symptom for a whole host of
serious cardio/respiratory pathologies, and
delaying treatment or forgetting about it
because you think that all people get this as they age, could be fatal.
Fortunately I'm by no means your 'average, normal' cookie :D
1. was raised very healthy, &
2. No heart-disease in my family: they're too smart ;) for that, lol
3. I've been healthy 99% of my life: as a snow-skier, gymnast, sprinter, & at age 50 started Iceskating :thumbsup: of all things LOL
and
the best part: Thanks to how :angel: God us created to
self-heal... as soon as I regrow me a Stronger :cool: heart, it's back on the ice...I go!! I can't wait. PRAISE :clap: God!
 
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Bob Carabbio

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In my case, the "Symptoms" FELT like a lung congestion back in '91. I'd get to breathing hard under exertion, and my upper chest would begin to ache, and that was about it. In fact the morning of my first heart attack, I was planning to get on a plane and fly to Cleveland, but just didn't feel right. I'd passed a EKG with flying colors, and a stress test too, in the weeks just before. But my wife INSISTED that I go to the E-Room. Turns out I was over 90% blocked in ALL my coronary arteries - so Quad bypass. The back third of my heart is dead.

Two other men that I knew had heart attacks at the same time. One had NO symptoms whatsoever, and low Cholesterol. HE was pitching a Softball game, and the next thing he knew he was in the ICU after the Quad bypass.

The fellow across the street had nothing but an intense pain in his left cheek just below his eye - and then a Quad.

After the bypass (in late '91), I was good till '96, then had another attack, and then heart attacks about every 14 months (Single bypass in '04) thereafter until '06 when I had #13, and was put on PLAVIX afterwards.

Since then there hasn't been another "Hospitalization incident", but the 'ol familiar symptoms (For me) are starting to gather - Mental confusion, fatigue, and an increase in the number of Nitros that I need to take to keep the "Stable angina" from hurting too much, and a noticeable DECREASE in the level of physical activity that it takes to "Grow the pain up into my jaw - which is the clue to STOP doing whatever I'm doing for a while, and drop a Nitro.

SO - #14 is on the way - probably before the end of the year. Probably be another stent or two. I've only got two FUNCTIONAL Coronary arteries, and apparently a LOT of "collateral growth". And I do have enough "Harvestable" Veins in my Right leg for another go-round.

OR - maybe it'll be "go'in home time", and that'll be that. I'm ready for a new home anyway.

EKGs work for some folks, so do Ultrasounds and Stress Tests (Walking or injected), but none of them are worth doing on me, and ONLY an Angiogram (which generally turns into an Angioplasty) will tell the story. I'm carrying 16 stents at last count - MOST of which are occluded now. OH - and no problem with metal detectors. The Wires in my sternum do surprize 'em sometimes at airports when they "Sweep" my chest.

In one case - the lead singer in my Bluegrass Band was having chest pain, and was told by my first cardiologist that she was too young and pretty to have heart problems. But I gave her a nitro - which made the angina go away for her immediately. And the "rule of thumb" is that if Nitro "Fixes" the pain - it's HEART RELATED until proven otherwise.

I sent her to my present cardiologist, and he found a serious blockage in the BACK of her heart, and took care of her problem. Cardios who do MEN don't necessarily know squat about women, since there are differences.

My CHolesterol goes into the 600-700 range in a diet of wet cardboard and water, so Statins, when they came along were the answer for that. "Vytorin" has worked best, and I don't have "Overt" side effects from them - Although two folks in my present company DID, and had to stop them.

SO - for me daily it's Carvedilol (Beta blocker/Alpha 1 blocker), Lisinopril (ACE INhibitor), Vytorin (Simvastatin/Zetia for cholesterol) Plavix (as a "Anti Platelet" thinner), Aspirin (as an anticoagulent), Omeprizole (for acid reflux), Tylenol (for pain), Furosemide (Water pill for leg swelling), Lovaza (fish oil for triglygerides), and then Metformin (for diabetes), and "Lantus" (insulin for the Diabetes). And, of course Nitro glycerin in both patch, and oral formats to control the angina when I NEED to be active physically.

Vytorin, Plavix, Lovaza, and Lantus are expen$ive drugs (although Plavix is becoming generic at the end of the year). Fortunately my company insurance knocks it down to $400 ever three months. Medicare part "D" would be worthless with its "donut hole".

But at the age of 69, I'm still working full time, and remain "Normally active" for one my age - but I DON'T mow the grass any more.
 
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sk8Joyful

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then heart attacks about every 14 months (Single bypass in '04) thereafter until '06 when I had #13,
and was put on PLAVIX afterwards.

But at the age of 69, I'm still working full time, and remain "Normally active" for one my age -
but I DON'T mow the grass any more.
Hi there,
This is amazing: You have had 13 :eek: heart attacks, yet
at
age 69, you work Full-time? Kewl! :thumbsup:

(Docs assume :doh: I may have had a 1st. 'heart-attack' 3 yrs. ago, but
I'm not at all sure.
I think I just threw a clot, in my lungs..., as they see a shadow of one there; but
that could also have been from where I had bronchitis last year)

I turn 60 next month; but I Trained my body to THINK it's 23...perpetually young :clap:


SO - #14 is on the way -
probably before the end of the year. Probably be another stent or two.
Um, how long, how many years? have you been 'SELF-talking' so negatively?,
you know like the Bible tells us: "AS a man thinketh, SO is he "

Have you ever had any Counseling?
about changing your own 'SELF-talking' to positive & constructive :thumbsup: - like
me, tho disabled now,
the plan is to get me back on the ice as a Skater :cool:,
where my fellow Skating-friends agree I belong, as this is one of my 6 passions

SO - for me daily it's

1. Vytorin (Simvastatin/Zetia for cholesterol) My CHolesterol goes into the 600-700 range
2. Plavix (as a "Anti Platelet" thinner),
3. Aspirin (as an anti-coagulant),
4. Furosemide (Water pill for leg swelling),
5. Tylenol (for pain),
6. Lovaza (fish oil for triglygerides)

7. Carvedilol (Beta blocker/Alpha 1 blocker),
8. Lisinopril (ACE INhibitor),
9. Omeprizole (for acid reflux),
10. Metformin (for diabetes), and
11. Lantus (insulin for the Diabetes). And, of course
12. Nitro glycerin (patch, and oral formats) to control the angina when I NEED to be active physically.

Medicare part D would be worthless with its 'donut hole'.
Sigh.

Well, as I functioned more or less as an athlete :),
my Cholesterol & Triglygeride-levels are all in Optimum ranges,
aside which I enjoy a diet RICH in Natural Fish-oils.

For the Bloodclots, I HAD (because I just dis-solved them, with Nattokinase :thumbsup: naturally),
therefore I have no more swelling in my Left-leg, right on cue, as - as a Skater I need my legs :D dependable.

Other than continuing to RUN, as FAST as I can, AWAY... from doctors;
I take NO medications what-so-ever; & I definitely will NEVER accept medicare, period.
Instead
I will put all that $$$ saved, into my Skating-passion... BORN to skate... :wave:
.
 
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Bob Carabbio

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Update - 2014 - I'm now 71, going on '72, and #14 hasn't hit yet. I jumped off Company insurance and onto Medicare Part "C" (Humana GOLD coverage) which is the only one accepted by Baylor in the Dallas area, and so we're good to go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEUoRFSguac
 
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1watchman

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Hello Bob. Nice to hear you are maintaining well. I am too, and since my original post here, I have continued by the grace of God quite well for my age. At my annual exam today the doc said I am in good shape for an old guy. I only take Lisinopril and Lipitor to keep the cholesterol down to a safe level (since my body produces more than "the average bear"). I hope the Lord will keep me going 'til He comes for His Bride (the Church), but I am ready by faith and devotion in Christ for meeting my God anytime. What a mercy and blessing that is! Look up always!

P.S. I also have Humana Gold, and they treat me royally.
 
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PROPHECYKID

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Hello Bob. Nice to hear you are maintaining well. I am too, and since my original post here, I have continued by the grace of God quite well for my age. At my annual exam today the doc said I am in good shape for an old guy. I only take Lisinopril and Lipitor to keep the cholesterol down to a safe level (since my body produces more than "the average bear"). I hope the Lord will keep me going 'til He comes for His Bride (the Church), but I am ready by faith and devotion in Christ for meeting my God anytime. What a mercy and blessing that is! Look up always!

P.S. I also have Humana Gold, and they treat me royally.

Those are two very dangerous drugs you are taking. Are you also on a cholesterol restricted diet?
 
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1watchman

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My diet is watched closely, kid, and fairly reasonable. Most of my trouble was inherited more than diet. The two Rx I take are for maintenance (which both my two specialists agree with) --no longer need the Plavix and Metoprolol. I have five stents to keep the flow going in arteries. Thanks for the note!
 
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PROPHECYKID

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My diet is watched closely, kid, and fairly reasonable. Most of my trouble was inherited more than diet. The two Rx I take are for maintenance (which both my two specialists agree with) --no longer need the Plavix and Metoprolol. I have five stents to keep the flow going in arteries. Thanks for the note!

If the doctors knew how to address the root cause of disease you would need no stents. And your issues were not genetic. Cholesterol deposition to the arteries is as a result of free radical damage to your arteries and has absolutely nothing to do with genes, so its not inherited at all. One of the biggest contributors to free radicals is fried foods and oils. Free radicals cause damage to your arteries and causes them to bleed. Your body uses cholesterol as a bandage to stop this and to help your arteries heal. Then more free radicals enter and does the same thing and your body responds again by laying down cholesterol.

This results in thinning of the arteries. Then you go to the MD and they give you Cholesterol lowering drugs and puts stents in to widen the arteries. None of these things address the root cause and these measures will only help temporarily. Conventional medicine is not aimed at finding the root cause but only managing symptoms, keeping you sick and giving you an disguise of health. That is what generates profits. If everyone is healthy the pharmaceutical industry will not make money but if everyone needs to take their drugs to be "healthy" they profit big time. Its about money and not our health.

So how do you combat free radicals? With antioxidants!! Antioxidants neutralizes free radicals that cause damage to the arteries. Why would your doctor never tell you to increase your antioxidants and stay away from foods which introduce free radicals into the body? No money in that!
 
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1watchman

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Are you selling these? I find antioxidants in a lot of foods, and my docs approve of my diet. Thanks for your concern, but between my diet, good exercise, and my present meds I am maintaining quite well. I think you are wrong about genetics, for heart problems run quite strong in my family tree. Before I got on meds I worked hard at trying to lower my cholesterol and could not lower it. So now I keep it down where it should be. Look up always and trust the Lord.
 
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PROPHECYKID

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Are you selling these? I find antioxidants in a lot of foods, and my docs approve of my diet. Thanks for your concern, but between my diet, good exercise, and my present meds I am maintaining quite well. I think you are wrong about genetics, for heart problems run quite strong in my family tree. Before I got on meds I worked hard at trying to lower my cholesterol and could not lower it. So now I keep it down where it should be. Look up always and trust the Lord.

Selling antioxidants? No, i mean I know where you can get them but there is no need to be selling those. You can google for foods high in antioxidant value such as tumeric. However, when it comes to genetics there are two sides of the coin. While it is true that you can be predisposed to coming down with a particular illness based on your family history, it does not mean that you WILL get it. A Genetic Disease is one which you get regardless of what you do because of the presence of a gene. So the doctors who have no training in diet and nutrition and only get an average of 30 minutes lecture in 4 - 6 yrs of medical school about nutrition, won't give you the best advice. And they will basically tall you that because of your genetics, you have to keep taking the meds. You say to trust in God but the medical doctors do not. They do not believe our bodies are able to fix itself. They believe it must be controlled with drugs. That is what they are taught. But I wish you the best. I just pray that you realize that once you need to be taking meds you're never out of the woods. You're supposed to be taking what your body runs on as precaution and not man mad drugs. Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, this is what your body runs with and the vast vast majority of americans are nutritionally deficient.
 
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Bob Carabbio

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Update - 2015 I'm now 72, going on 73, and #14 hasn't hit yet, but I did get another stent (#17) just after Thanksgiving. No Heart attack - just a precautionary measure. Humana Medicare Gold paid for all but $400 of it, but there hasn't been much positive effect from the procedure. My Cardio is starting to talk "Transplant", or an implanted De-Fib unit since my "Ejection factor" is nearing the lower acceptable limits. that seems a bit extreme, but I think I WILL drop out of the Bluegrass Band pretty soon, since the Gigs are becoming VERY exhausting, and I gotta save what I've got for the job that pays the bills.

Heart disease IS the "Gift that goes on taking" -
 
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Bob Carabbio

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Update 2015 - Spring in Texas, and just out of the Hospital (Jack and Jane Cardiac unit of Baylor downtown Dallas). No Heart attack this time, but after noticing a SIGNIFICANT decrease in physical condition, and a significant increase in Nitro intake to get through the days, I had an angioplasty at Thanksgiving time where an artery was opened up, but there was no positive effect, then two hospital visits where the Left Anterior Descending Artery was opened up (Using a "Rotoblator" to grind out the Plaque which was too hard to balloon). The Recovery from this one has been a little more challenging, and I won't know whether it did any good for a few days yet. I've had to drop out of the Band I was in, and limit my activities to Work and sleep for the most part.

My Blood chemistry is good, and has been for years. I should STILL drop about 50 pounds (But probably won't). the NEXT issue, though will be trying to build back the muscles in my legs particularly, since they all "Went away" from dis-use. I've broken in a new cardio since the one I've had for 18 years is outside my insurance package.

SO - 5 new stents in the last 6 months bringing the total to 21. They'e talking implanted de-fib/pacemaker, and there's some discussion about a transplant.

But let's see how this go-round has worked, first.
 
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Bob Carabbio

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Update - now August of '16 - turned 74 last month, and haven't dropped a Nitro since the spring of '15. The Rotoblator procedure is still apparently working well, and After taking advantage of the "Silver Sneakers" medicare program, Gold's Gym membership is free, and I'm up to walking a mile on the treadmill in between 24, and 27 minutes. Since my ejection fraction (with 1/3 of my heart dead) is only about 41, I can't get much past a heart rate of 110 without a "tightening up" in my chest. The daily angina issues have gone, though, and I'm still working full time.

The company I work for went into Chapter 11 last fall, and we're working our way back out still - but a LOT of folks that were my friends are gone. An Unexpected effect of the Procedure has been the deepest and blackest depression I've ever experienced (and I've been a "depressive" all my life) - I had to drop out of EVERYTHING at the end of '14, and for some reason, I haven't been able to "get back in" - simply can't raise the interest any more.
 
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1watchman

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Just remember, us old guys got to take it easy and carefully; and should always put the Lord Jesus first in our life. Then we are ready for anything that comes our way. Make Him your best Friend and stay in communion with Him (note John 14). Keep looking up, for God cares!
 
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