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Posted: 8/12/2008 5:40:43 AM EDT
In the past year and a half, I have had open heart, stints, and two heart attacks. The heart attacks did not hurt all that much. Weird huh? Anyway, with all the damage done to my chest, I get pains. I had one false alarm last year. Doesn't offset the other two times I drove to the ER in arrest. Is there a take home EKG or something so I can hook up and tell the difference?
edit. had small chest pains, went in, got a stint repair and two more in. This time they put in stints that are not supposed to clot. Folks, go in if ya have chest pains! 
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Posted: 8/12/2008 5:45:03 AM EDT
[#1]
AAAHHHH Zombies among us..... Arrest means you were dead dude... Anyway. An EKG will ony read electrical abnormalities doesn't mean you are having a heart attack. there is what ius called STEMI (ST elevation Myocardial Infarction). The ST segment of the EKG is raised above baseline which is indicative of a heart attack. Call 911 Call 911 Call 911. Paramedics can intervene with medication to reduce the infarct zone, call in notifications to the ER and get you seen quicker and reduce the mobidity and mortality of the event. |
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Posted: 8/12/2008 5:52:51 AM EDT
[#2]
Worth repeating...
The number one cause of death from CAD is denial. Don't mess with chest pain (especially given your history). Unless you want to wear a Holter monitor 24/7, nothing with be able to tell you "the difference". Listen to you body, respond to what it is telling you...Better to figure out that it was "nothing" in the ER than having your family realize it was "something" at your funeral. 
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Posted: 8/12/2008 5:53:32 AM EDT
[#3]
I wasn't quite dead. Before the bypass the docs mentioned that I was a walking talking dead man though. I am not going to call 911 over pain. The problem is telling what kind of chest pain it is. |
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Posted: 8/12/2008 5:56:10 AM EDT
[#4]
I see that with male patients a lot. |
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Posted: 8/12/2008 5:56:44 AM EDT
[#5]
Does the pain resolve with Nitro tabs?
If it does, that a BIG warning sign that you coronaries needed dilating (and hopefully not in the cath lab). If you don't want to call an ambulance, call your Doc. Then he can tell you to call an ambulance... 
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Posted: 8/12/2008 6:01:53 AM EDT
[#6]
Everything is fine now. No problems to tell of. I just want to avoid another false alarm. I don't have insurance for another 30 days. Look, after you get your chest cracked open, just sitting too long in one position gives you a certain amount of pain. That is the type I am talking about. Neither of my heart attacks gave me much pain, which makes it a pain in the ass trying to figure out what is going on. Thank you for you help. I just want some kind of home diag tool like my blood pressure monitor. |
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Posted: 8/12/2008 6:06:54 AM EDT
[#7]
Call 911. Do not drive yourself to the ER...What happens if you code on the way there? You will die in the front seat of your car. Seen it, more than once.
Google Cardiac Enzymes. It is a test that ER Docs have done to check for damage markers, but as stated already, there is no take home test for determining whether or not you are having another heart attack. BTW....You were not in "Arrest"....you may have been having a heart attack, but you were not in arrest. |
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Posted: 8/12/2008 6:09:12 AM EDT
[#8]
You ask a difficult question as heart attacks can manifest themselves in atypical ways. Some heart attacks can even be devoid of chest pain (i.e. a silent heart attack). Some will have chest pain, others none, and even others will manifest as abdominal pain, shoulder pain, jaw or back pain, etc. It may not even be pain in the classic sense. It can manifest itself as a 'tightness' in the chest, an 'ache' or 'pressing' sensation. The fact of the matter is you won't necessarily know if you are or aren't.
If you find yourself getting pain in the chest, especially after exertion, call 911. If the pain hasn't resolved after rest or after a Nitro pill, call 911. If the pain is associated with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, weakness or dizziness, call 911. Shortness of breath (with or without chest pain) call 911. In short, call 911! Especially with your preexisting history. |
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Posted: 8/12/2008 6:12:41 AM EDT
[#9]
Its not as simple as hooking you up to a machine that says 'HEART ATTACK'. Even with a 12-lead EKG (you have had a few of those I'm sure), a MI (heart attack) cannot be ruled out. The hospital will need to do blood work. I understand that you don't want to call 911 'over some pain', but if you keep that attitude, 911 will end up responding to a 'Cardiac arrest' or 'Dead on scene' call. Not everyone has chest pain with an MI (often called a 'silent MI'), especially females and diabetics. Pain that feels like indigestion, difficulty breathing, or nothing at all can be symptoms of an MI. In fact, some people have heart attacks and don't find out about it until years later. It sounds like you need to sit down with your cardiologist and have a discussion about your concerns. Just be aware there is no magic tool that can tell if you are having a heart attack or not. 'I don't have insurance' is a silly reason not to call 911 or go to the ER if you are truly sick. I'm sure that will comfort your friends and family at your funeral
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Posted: 8/12/2008 6:13:32 AM EDT
[#10]
How long ago was your CABG? If your are still experiencing sub-sternal pain, an anti-inflammatory like Toradol might help.
The only way to tell is to have an ECG done while you are having pain, or look at cardiac markers in you blood like troponin levels and CKMBI indexes. Unfortunately the numbers tend to rise and raise red flags after the event (MI) is either well under way or peaked. You have a HUGE history. No matter how healthy a life style you maintain now, you are still at huge risk for further cardiac issues. I wish I could say that a BP cuff at home would help diagnose your pain, but it won't. Call your cardiologist or your cardio-thoracic surgeon. Tell them whats going on. Stay healthy. Best of luck. |
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Posted: 8/12/2008 6:33:31 AM EDT
[#11]
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Posted: 8/12/2008 6:50:38 AM EDT
[#12]
I'm a type 2 diabetic, a bad one.
I have had pains in an area between my chest and left shoulder. I was waiting for a numb left arm to think it was a MI. After about 10 minutes, it went away. This has happened 2-3 times. Last stress test I had 3 yrs ago was ok. Had the calcium test done, and scored zero. Is there a way my Doc can check to see if I had a mi? Will the enzyme test be able to tell if what happened 2 months ago was a MI? Thanks TXL ETA, there is a history of Mi, dad has had 2-3, plus stints, and finally a triple bypass. |
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Posted: 8/12/2008 6:50:51 AM EDT
[#13]
Call your surgeon. Tell him that you think the sternal wires are bugging you.
 Every one needs to pay attention their bodies. Act accordingly. It's good for you. Having worked in an ICCU, I can't tell you how many times I've heard similar stories from patients SOs while I'm was adjusting the balloon pump settings. "He thought it was indigestion." Perfusion saves lives, not Mylanta. |
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Posted: 8/12/2008 6:58:17 AM EDT
[#14]
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Posted: 8/12/2008 7:02:06 AM EDT
[#15]
I like that. Might have to use it sometime..
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Posted: 8/12/2008 7:09:20 AM EDT
[#16]
I got lot's of 'em... I wanted to do cardiac rehab as my "going out to pasture" job. I love cardiac nursing. But, I was offered a completely GRAVY gig, my coordinator on the cardiac floor was a tool, and I didn't want to travel with the circus to the new fancy pants "heart hospital". |
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Posted: 8/25/2008 6:08:56 AM EDT
[#17]
Okiehunter39,
You still tickin'?
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Posted: 8/25/2008 6:42:34 AM EDT
[#18]
Hey RN, thanks for your info.
TXL |
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Posted: 8/25/2008 6:44:30 AM EDT
[#19]
The only way to tell is by an ECG or Cardiac Enzymes blood draw..
IF you are having chest pains...Go to the Emergency Dept..By AMBU! |
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Posted: 8/25/2008 6:48:34 AM EDT
[#20]
They are testing systems right now that monitor your heart in an EKG-like way, and send in the results via a cell phone network.
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Posted: 8/25/2008 6:52:22 AM EDT
[#21]
My brother put up with the chest pain for a week, till a friends wife tore him a new one. Hes in the hospital now, and the docs think its a heart attack. This is not something to be Joe Tough Guy over. |
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Posted: 8/25/2008 7:13:46 AM EDT
[#22]
Still ticken' I am not in any pain, but who knows anymore? I will get a full workup again when the insurance kicks in. I just want to make sure it is a year since my last one so I can get the damn insurance. Thanks for all the replies!
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Posted: 10/18/2008 4:09:19 PM EDT
[#23]
Didn't have time to wait for insurance. Keep on your meds folks.
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Posted: 10/18/2008 4:28:23 PM EDT
[#24]
I'm guessing they put in stents. How long you were in the hospital is a stint.
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Posted: 10/18/2008 4:34:37 PM EDT
[#25]
I just had a stent put in a month ago. I will also advocate seeking early treatment. I had a 95% blockage in my Left Anterior Descending artery, also known as the "widow maker." I'm thankful mine was found before I had a heart attack.
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Posted: 10/18/2008 4:37:24 PM EDT
[#26]
Thats what happened to my brother. He ignored the pain for about a week before my mom saw him and got scared because he was so pale. He has permanent damage because he was a damn fool. |
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Posted: 10/18/2008 4:40:04 PM EDT
[#27]
Don't screw around with chest pains. Buddy of mine died 2 weeks ago from a heart attack at the age of 32. 30 min prior he was complaining of bad heart burn.
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Posted: 10/18/2008 5:41:12 PM EDT
[#28]
Same artery. 15mm stint that is supposed to be treated to not clot. I had two heart attacks last year but went in this time before I had a third. They put in a stint and repaired another one. My diet isn't that bad. Doc said I have bad genes. |
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Posted: 10/18/2008 5:43:22 PM EDT
[#29]
Two days to diag problem, put in stent yesterday, went home today. Can't lift more than 10 lbs for a couple of weeks, and no "fun" with the wife for two weeks. 
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