Anybody ever had a heart attack?

[Theophylact]

I haven't had a heart attack, but I've come close. My symptoms were not chest pains, but rather shortness of breath during relative mild uphill walking and a classic (though not common) symptom: a pain, beginning in the left upper arm, and increasing and spreading further down the arm with continued exercise. The angiogram revealed 90% occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. I had an angioplasty (with stent) nearly four years ago, and have been symptom-free since then.

The point is, though, that although I recognized the symptom for what it was, if it hadn't been there, I probably would have just thought I was getting out of shape. That left anterior descending coronary artery, I found out from reading material in the recovery room, is known to doctors as the "widowmaker".

Definitely check it out.

[gjimene2]

Originally posted by mickwish
More likely to be nerve related, as in shoulder injury (often rotator cuff). Ever hurt your left shoulder?

Unless it happens WITH crushing central chest pain - that's more likely to be heart attack country!

Cheers
Mick

disclaimer - I'm no doc. If you die, don't sue me.

nope, never hurt my shoulder, and I'm strong as hell. I wonder why that happens once in a while though. I think you're right, it might be nerve related

[fyxxer32]

Speaking of crushing central chest pain, you should feel and hear the sound a persons sternum makes when you do cpr compressions...........you know that sound that chicken parts make when you twist them apart...that cartilage tearing sound? That is what it sounds like when you do cpr and the ribs separate from the sternum.

[gjimene2]

or when you break the breast plate from the cartlidge. oh boy that doesn't sound good, but hey, I'd rather get that broken or even a rib if it means saving my butt.

We've had folks in our ICU with busted ribs, punctured lungs and even a pierced heart from CPR - but they all made it!

Without CPR they would be dead for sure.

So gjimene2 is correct - if ya wanna survive, a bit of pain for a while is nothing.

But it does feel awful when you know you've busted something and you also know you've gotta keep compressing...

But it feels real good if they survive and you get to see them go home!

Cheers
Mick

[fyxxer32]

Yeah , Mick, those broken bones will heal if they live .

[tpik]

Just a sorry test because I said a bad word, had no idea there was NO off color? Totally right, who needs the expletives, just have to remember where I am.