If you have chest pains..

[Dennis]

I know everyone already knows this OR maybe been through it BUT... if you have chest pains, self diagnosing can waste time and get us in big trouble. 

 Which is exactly what I started out doing for several days this past week.  After all, no past history of heart trouble in my family. I had been eating healthy, walking, hiking, jogging for months. Usually about a four mile route 5-6 days every week or on a stair stepper if not.   
  When the pains hit me last Friday night I thought it couldn't be!  Next day was my granddaughter's wedding. Well, the pain went away in a few minutes and I figured it was pain caused by a disc in my back radiating out.  Nothing again until Sunday. Then Monday, etc.  Geez, that disc can cause some pain!  
 Wednesday mid morning I finally came to my senses. Pain is a great motivator and wasn't stopping this time. I told my daughter it was past time to head to the ER.  In a few short hours I was resting in ICU after getting angioplasty and three stents.  
  A stuttering heart attack? I never heard of that. The cardiologist said there wasn't any major damage to my heart. Probably due to lifestyle and exercise even though I had two arteries that needed opened up. Otherwise it may have killed me.  So, I was given a reprieve this time around.  

 The moral to this boring story is....It is best not to ignore chest pains!

 

[QinReno]

Wow Dennis, good to see you're "okay". Three stents wow, it's great what they can do without opening the chest. Good for modern medicine. Remember, Bill Clinton went through the same thing, lots of exercise but still had the similar issue. He seems to be doing good now after 2 decades, changed his habits.

I'm sure your exercising was a really big help. So, what is the recommendation going forwards for getting back into exercising?

 

[Queen]

Scary stuff. Can’t tell you how many times I rolled up on chest pain calls only to have the person say over and over they didn’t need help, they were fine, etc, many times getting angry with the person who “bothered” the EMS people for nothing.

Glad you listened to your body and sought help.

 

[LivGolden]

Dennis, I see you summited and found a Pyramid. Good job!

 

[QinReno]

Ah, so that's what that is. Much more than I can do anymore. Good for you, Dennis.

- https://www.google.com/search?q=Guadalupe+Peak&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NPS_guadalupe-peak-trail.jpg

 

[Dennis]

Q, I had forgotten that about Clinton. Common to a lot of people though.
Yeah, it's amazing what can be done these days. They performed that procedure by going through an artery in my wrist and not having to go through my groin. Only sign of it is a small spot that looks like a pin prick.

The cardiologist said take it easy for a couple of weeks then I could do whatever I wanted to. No restrictions. Just be sure and take my meds every day. Or face the risk of stents collapsing. So I will follow those orders.

 

[Dennis]

Thanks Queen. I remember you talking about being in EMS. Probably not much you didn't see during that time. I was at a lot of medical emergencies for a period of years but not usually in providing medical care.

 

[Dennis]

Dennis, I see you summited and found a Pyramid. Good job!

I needed that shot with me at the pyramid That was last month and just really glad my issue didn't happen up on the mountain.

 

[QinReno]

I needed that shot with me at the pyramid     That was last month and just really glad my issue didn't happen up on the mountain.

No restrictions...

Wow, last month. All in all, sounds like you're in damn good shape, except for a "minor" artery problem, everything else is working good!! But I think I might wait a bit for another 3,000' climb. 

Offhand, had you had an EKG at all in the recent past?

 

[highdesertranger]

so glad it turned out for the best. highdesertranger

 

[LivGolden]

I needed that shot with me at the pyramid     That was last month and just really glad my issue didn't happen up on the mountain.

That's wonderful, Dennis. I know that trek, well. You'll be fine.

 

[Dennis]

Offhand, had you had an EKG at all in the recent past?

That's another thing, Q. Up until 3 years ago I was getting an EKG every year. Then less than three years ago I had a stress echo due to something that didn't seem right to me. The cardiologist that reviewed that said nothing out of the ordinary that he could tell.
I had a sonogram of my aorta last year and an MRI of my chest this past spring. All ok. I have also been taking statins for years along with 2,000 mg of fish oil daily. So why would I think those pains were life threatening.

I thought the pains were from a ruptured disc in my upper back. I did trip over a feeder tree root a couple months ago while jogging and banged up the ribs on my right side. Which I thought would contribute to disc pain.
LOL...

 

[Dennis]

so glad it turned out for the best. highdesertranger

Thanks, hdr. So far anyway.

That's wonderful, Dennis. I know that trek, well. You'll be fine.

That's right, you do don't you? I remember now.

 

[RVTravel]

Sounds like unstable angina.

 

[LivGolden]

I have always found this climb an all-day'er. The climate perhaps makes it difficult. Still, I can't help myself. Such a great feeling up there. Good job!

 

[cyndi]

Glad you're ok and the prognosis is good!

 

[QinReno]

That's another thing, Q.  Up until 3 years ago I was getting an EKG every year.  Then less than three years ago I had a stress echo due to something that didn't seem right to me.  The cardiologist that reviewed that said nothing out of the ordinary that he could tell.    
I had a sonogram of my aorta last year and an MRI of my chest this past spring. All ok.  I have also been taking statins for years along with 2,000 mg of fish oil daily. So why would I think those pains were life threatening.

Back in the 90s, I had some symptoms and the internist put me into the hospital ... twice. Neither time was a heart problem. The 2nd time was due to an idiot allergist (can you say "quack doctor") overdosing me on Theophylline. 

I had all the usual tests. They did a treadmill EKG stress test, along with 4 or 5 other things. Do you know if the Stress Echocardiogram is supposed to be more accurate than Stress EKG at prediction? I'll have to do some research on this. I guess if you're taking statins, then is some potential risk for atherosclerosis.

A few years ago, I stopped doing 14ers. Too much exertion, and all of it above 10,000'. Actually, I slowed down after this guy I had hiked with a few times had a massive stroke. He was this small wiry guy without an ounce of fat on his body, and had been hiking Colorado for decades, early 60s maybe, and going out 2 or 3 times a week. Then wham. Now my knees are shot. Too many moguls. It's always something.

 

[Dennis]

Sounds like unstable angina.

That sounds just right. Along with the procedure. I read some on that while in ICU. So much info.

I have always found this climb an all-day'er. The climate perhaps makes it difficult. Still, I can't help myself. Such a great feeling up there. Good job!

Thanks, Liv. It is a different world up there compared to the desert below. I was somewhat disappointed due to being mostly socked in by clouds and missed the best views.

Glad you're ok and the prognosis is good!

Thank you cyndi. Time will tell.

 

[Dennis]

I had all the usual tests. They did a treadmill EKG stress test, along with 4 or 5 other things. Do you know if the Stress Echocardiogram is supposed to be more accurate than Stress EKG at prediction? I'll have to do some research on this. I guess if you're taking statins, then is some potential risk for atherosclerosis.

I don't really know the difference between the two but suspect the Echo is more accurate. That is the first one I have had but have had 2-3 with the regular treadmill. Hooked up with EKG wires. The Echo is on treadmill too but more wires hooked to more equipment and takes longer. That cardiologist said if I get that feeling again I would need an angiogram. When I had the next not right feeling it was time to do something besides that.

Yeah, statins..... I hate taking them due to side effects. I was just prescribed 40mg up from 10mg.

I may have to forget about any 14ers. By the time it takes to find out if it would be no risk I might be at risk due to age.

 

[QinReno]

 The Echo is on treadmill too but more wires hooked to more equipment and takes longer.  
.........
I may have to forget about any 14ers.  By the time it takes to find out if it would be no risk I might be at risk due to age.

When I had the treadmill EKG stress test, they could not have run it any longer, else it would have killed me. As it was, for the "normal" range of testing, there was nothing going on in my EKG other an occasional ectopic beat, so the doc said "Well, let's raise the treadmill angle up one step past the usual end angle, and see what happens". I think it was up to 60-degrees by then (Not!). The technician was standing there with the paddles, and sweating more than I was.

The big problem with age is having to cut loose of all the things you've been doing for some many decades. You know, fast cars, fast motorcycles, fast women, fast alcohol, and 40 years of fast skiing. The hardest was giving up the high mountains. Now I got book reading, DVDs, and bad knees. C[font=Roboto, arial, sans-serif]'est la vie.[/font]