Working too hard can give you a Heart Attack Ack Ack Ack Ack Ack... My Heart Attack Story.

[groovybassist]

@BDWoody Incredibly important post for all of us. Spelling the entire process out is extremely valuable - I could hear myself in much of the thought process you went through. Hope your current recovery goes well and is uneventful. Best of luck with the future procedures.

 

[Blumlein 88]

The OP never did explain what Billy Joel had to do with this. I skipped the obvious reference expecting someone else to inquire.

 

[JPA]

Good for you. Your post may end up saving a life or two. I hope your surgery goes well and you recover quickly and fully.

About the aspirin thing...don't just swallow them, chew them before swallowing. They'll start to be absorbed in the soft tissues of your mouth and throat and enter the bloodstream faster that way.

 

[tmtomh]

Wow - so glad you are okay @BDWoody - and as others have said, thank you for sharing your story. Great for our awareness - hopefully none of us will go through that but odds are some of us will and your post could help save a life.

 

[Axo1989]

I'm glad you are well, that you sought/received help, and that diagnosis was useful longer-term. Good luck with the rest of it.

 

[AdamG]

About the aspirin thing...don't just swallow them, chew them before swallowing. They'll start to be absorbed in the soft tissues of your mouth and throat and enter the bloodstream faster that way.

That’s exactly what he did. However, there is a version of Asprin already in powder form and I will link it below. It can be administered by a loved one if you are not responding and reduces the chance of Choking and speeds up the absorption process.

BC Pain Relief Powder, Cherry, 24 ct (Pack of 1) https://a.co/d/g8lbFcs

I keep them in multiple locations in the house including the bedside table for emergencies just like this. This stuff works for headaches rather quickly too.

 

[Axo1989]

On the subject of potential embarrassment and the wisdom of ignoring vanity, which is excellent advice from your story. I once had what I thought was a heart attack, while driving. At a stop light fortunately but decided I couldn't go on the green. I asked the driver stuck behind to call an ambulance.

Turned out to be a panic/stress attack (a colleague who turned out to be a serious narcissist had been elevated to manager and decided to drive me out of the organisation, I didn't realise how much their campaign affected me). The doctor diagnosed stress-related hypertension, I'm too young for that, right? I'd been ignoring the headaches. I took medication, also adjusted diet and etc. And left that job. Life's too short? Well, not shorter than it needs to be, hopefully.

Edit: this by way of reinforcing the moral to the OP's story: when your mind/body pulls some weird sh*t on you, do pay attention, your conscious mind may not be doing the job, in which case you subconscious might.

 

[Tom C]

I’m very happy to things turned out the way they did Brad. To tell the truth, once in a while I say to myself that if I were a little smarter, a little more charming, and a bit more personable, I could be like @BDWoody. But then realize I’m just kidding myself…
Sounds like they’re getting you tuned up, and by Thanksgiving you’ll be right as rain. Best of luck, my friend.

 

[Beave]

Best wishes for a smooth and full recovery.

 

[PHD]

I'm Glad you're OK. I'm 52 and I already ended up in the ER twice in the past year due to heart attack symptoms (very high pulse rate, chest discomfort, palpitations, and scary and strange feeling). They did tons of blood work, and multiple EKGs only to tell me that I have sinusoidal tachycardia secondary to a panic attack because they couldn't find any sign of an actual heart attack. My GP gave me Atenolol and Klonopin tablets (a beta blocker and an anti-anxiety) and told me to take them and wait about 30 minutes the next time it happens before calling 911... But what if the next time is the real deal?

 

[dennis h]

Also best wishes for a smooth and quick recovery...

 

[DanielT]

It was sad to hear.

Take care, rest and recover. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well.

 

[JSmith]

they were able to see indications of a heart attack

Sorry to hear this mate and very glad to hear you're still here.

Thanks also for your detailed and honest post, as it has made me think... a lot. I'm going soon to the Doctor based on this for a full heart check, as I'm not getting any younger either.

Cheers,

JSmith

 

[Guddu]

@BDWoody @everyone

I can only wish no one has to go through a situation like this and if they do then they get the help needed to get through.
I have seen this situation in my family, it scares the hell just thinking about it now.
@BDWoody You actually acted bravely, shows your character. Hope you feel better and get fighting fit soon.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[BDWoody]

The OP never did explain what Billy Joel had to do with this. I skipped the obvious reference expecting someone else to inquire.

You oughta know by noooow....

I was just trying to keep it audio related.

I looked around for heart attack references in songs, and couldn't find any that really made any sense to my situation, so just went with Billy.

- I could hear myself in much of the thought process you went through.

That was exactly my hope in narrating it the way I did. After going through it, it is much clearer to me why so many people ignore symptoms until too late.

Thank you for taking your time to read it.

 

[BDWoody]

I was shitting bricks when that AFIB thingy happened to my mate in January (she is a trooper and recovered well).
That seems to be a harder dealio for me deal with.
@BDWoody sounds like a trooper and I am guessing his episode is not going to slow him down any!

Having seen the reactions of my kids and Ex throughout this past bit of time, I can pretty much assure you this has been much tougher on them than me.

I don't get choked up thinking about me going through all this, but I do when I think of them and how scared they were.

What is also kinda funny here is that so far everyone who knows me has been pretty much shocked that I actually called an ambulance. I'm not typically that guy.

So glad that your mate has recovered... Have you?

 

[BDWoody]

I should mention it hits home - I have had two very close friends die from heart attacks in the last 6 years... in both cases there were warning signs that were ignored because we guys seem to tend to think we'll get better if we tough it out... I do my yearly checkup religiously.

That's brutal, I'm so sorry.

We really tend to be out own worst enemies don't we?

Stay well!

 

[BDWoody]

I’m very happy to things turned out the way they did Brad. To tell the truth, once in a while I say to myself that if I were a little smarter, a little more charming, and a bit more personable, I could be like @BDWoody. But then realize I’m just kidding myself…

Ok, that got a laugh. Thank you for that!

Sounds like they’re getting you tuned up, and by Thanksgiving you’ll be right as rain. Best of luck, my friend.

Thank you sincerely.

 

[BDWoody]

Get some chickens, they'll calm you down. Speaking of chickens, time to feed the little raptors.

I have noticed that they tend to be where you turn when things get hairy around here.

Speaking of hairy, I had to explain my "Kelly Clarkson!" outburst to the nurses who were tearing off the chest patches for the EKG leads, leaving me with a bunch of bare spots. I had to have them stuck on and pulled off quite a few times, so my chest looks a bit mangy.

 

[BDWoody]

. My GP gave me Atenolol and Klonopin tablets (a beta blocker and an anti-anxiety) and told me to take them and wait about 30 minutes the next time it happens before calling 911... But what if the next time is the real deal?

Do you have a regular cardiologist? If not, I'd make that a priority.

How far are you from a hospital, and does it have a full Cath Lab?