So it was a heart attack

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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:02 pm

need to get something of my chest, if you read it, thanks. Mods if its too soppy or sooky, please delete.

Most of you don't know me that well yet, and a quick background is in order before I tell you this story.

Im 26, father of a little boy (almost 3) engaged to marry the most beautiful woman ever this october. Fit, healthy, non smoker.

recently while on a day trip to the beach, i suffered a very sudden, very harsh chest pain, knocked me to my knees, took my breath away. it was a sunday, the towns only medical centre was closed, i was pretty much carried to the lifeguards first aid shack, where i recieved oxygen, and whatnot before an ambulance arrived. i was admitted into a hospital about 45kms away shortly after, at first i was given a very quick check over, bloodpressure, eyes etc, then told a doctor would come see me very soon, by the time one did come to see me i was up and walking about and the pain had died down to a dull throb.

That dull throb never went away, but as i was walking talking, breathing fine, it was suggested i see a GP and i was dismissed after about 4 hours observation. never had a test done to determine what the problem may have been, and i was treated as if i was simply wasting their time.

So i seen my GP, who suggested it could have been many different things and that i shouldnt stress until tests were done, but he did note that i had an irregular heatbeat. Im then refered to a cardiologist, and tests are completed, results come back today, and things are not all happy and shiny like they should be.

So the initial pain was a heart attack, apparantly bad enough that i shouldnt have been walking within several hours. I certainly shouldnt have been discharged from hospital, and the obvious signs should have been picked up by the nurse who first checked over me.

The heart attack was most likely caused by mitral valve prolapse, or mistral valve regurgitation, but to dumb it down, a valve is broken inside my ticker, and blood is able to freely flow backward into my heart rather than being pumped out.

In most cases of this disease, there are no recurring problems, and it requires minimal treatment, although it does raise the risk of other heart conditions, they are treated individually as they arise.

In my case, my heart has entered an almost permament state of shock and is working overtime and incredibly stressed. which is likely to lead to further complications such as arithmias (sp?)

i chose to tell you guys this, because, well i had to tell someone, and get it off my chest. and i havnt decided how to tell my family yet, (my fiance knows obviously) im expecting a long rocky road ahead of me, but nothings beaten me so far so i cant see why this will.

sorry if any of the medical bits are a bit incorrect there, i havnt even attempted to do further research regarding this yet, i have only had a half hour meeting with my cardiologist, and wrote all that of the top of my head. now they tell me only the good die young, so im pretty safe hey.

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:13 pm

My dad has had 3 heart attacks and it spurred him into looking after himself properly and appreciating life more.
He's now fitter than he ever was before he had a heart condition. Mind you - he's still a miserable bastard.

IMHO, heart attacks are wake up calls. If you survive them, medicine can normally sort the problem out. Like you said - the docs can sort you out easily enough. Don't go worrying about any possible future problem. Face it dude, the old adage that you could get run over by a bus tomorrow is one of the truest ever written. Get fit and healthy and enjoy what you've got. Almost certainly, you'll get to keep it for a long time yet. Wink

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:20 pm

Arrhythmias

Further information;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/arrhythmias1.shtml

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001101.htm

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/qanda/arrhythmia_qanda.html

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:25 pm

i aint no miserable bastard, and aint about to start being one, im pretty pissed off about how things where handled when i was admitted to hospital, and had to make an extra effort to keep the hospital name out of that post along with a series of expletives.

the part that is screwed up the most is that i am fit, very fit, i have to be for my job.

doctors are uncertain of the cause of Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) and it manages to effect healthy people just as much as unhealthy. its also quite possible that my high level of fitness may be why my heart is now working over time rather than just accepting that its out of wack and going on with its duties.

im now supposed to avoid physical activities that may get the blood pumping, at least until after we know how i handle whatever treatment im going to get.

thats going to be hard, im a security guard, running and chassing is what i do, i also run 6 km nightly, and workout most days. now im sitting in a chair in an office, on night shift, manning a fucking radio while the guys are having fun and working. im going mad already

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:13 pm

Sorry to hear about your ordeal. I know someone who is going through something very similar. You're much younger than most who show up at hospitals with heart problems, so it's easy to understand why the people at the hospital didn't treat you more aggressively. Though, that's not a good excuse; they should have been more cautious.

Mitral valve prolapse is pretty common, some people have it their whole lives and never know it. I read somewhere that one in ten people have it to some degree.

There are medications that are very effective for people who need to do more than just live with it, and as I understand it, surgical intervention is rarely necessary.

Once they sort you out, you'll probably get back to your usual self and activity level. Scary stuff though, try not to stress about it. Stress is a major cause of heart problems. Wink

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:58 pm

I'm so sorry to hear about your heart problem. Try and stay as positive as you can and focus on healing. I'm glad to hear that you're going to marry the most beautiful woman in the world! I wish you two and your son health and happiness, today and always.

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:09 pm

Huntington, I can understand your frustration. It's awful when you think you're perfectly fit and healthy, and then you find out you're not.

Right now it seems like you've lost a lot - your ability to be active and free from physical difficulties. You'll go through much the same process as a person who loses a limb or a sense (like sight), or even someone who loses a close friend or family member. It's a process that one must go through, but keep the last stage in sight - it's called THRIVING. That's where you take what you've gone through and use it to help others.

You'll get through this, but you'll need the support of your friends and family. My advice is to find out everything you can on the subject, and present the whole picture to them. If they know you are looking at the positive side of things, they will surely join you there.

For what it's worth, you have my prayers and good wishes. Smile

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 6:27 pm

Good luck to you, Huntington!

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:50 pm

My best to you through this situation. I echo the stress management aspect of your recovery. If you can live each day to your fullest ability, you will not have regrets. Keep us informed.

Master Baiter Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 159

Best of luck with your hearth, Huntington !
Just remember - what is important is your son and your fiancee, not your job.
You can be perfectly happy, working some other job, having as much fun as now, just without the physical load.
( either this, or you persuade your boss, that your team actually need an sniper to stop running people Wink

)

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:47 pm

I appreciate all the sentiments, your all a great bunch of people.

Well its my second night maning the office,

@Haban ...its my own company. we run security for several clubs and pubs around town, and for secure sites and companies, i normally work mobile (drive around, check locations, provide back up etc) so i can easily hear the radio and delegate/oversee.

tonight i told all my staff the reason i was now working base and they were real good about it, one of my senoirs has stepped up to fill my shoes and run the show on the ground, while i oversee here in the office.

its a strangely quiet night so far for a friday, so i keep getting smart ass jokes from the boys coming over the radio.

I also told my mother earlier today, that was the hard one as she is a stressball waiting to explode, she was also really good bout it. My son doesnt really understand why i wont chase him around the yard or jump on the trampoline with him, but hopefully it wont be long before i can get back to all that.

reality is i will be fine, theres a bit of an adjustment to made, hopefully thats short term, and i will back on the streets soon. and theres a bit of frustration to get out too, normally getting into/breaking up physicals is great to take out frustration, but im not allowed to do that lol.

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 2:43 pm

^^I hear baiting is a good way to blow off steam. Wink

Put all that negative energy to good use and make some scammer's life miserable. Twisted Evil

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:58 pm

Your meds will sort you out now that they know the problem. You'll be on them for the rest of your life though...

Some meds have bad side effects that can change your attitude. If you get mood swings (and I mean mood swings) from one extreme to the other, stop and think if you are the same guy. If not, see the doc as there are loads of meds of the same type that will do the same job without the side effects.

I was falsely diagnosed with heart failure and it was freaky. The support from the NHS was rubbish. They expect you to know it all yourself.

I'm not an old man and felt totally lost. As it turns out, it was a chest infection that lasted nearly two years before a specialist realised.
But it was a hard time for me with no medical education or support.

So, you'll be alright with those meds but if you're lost or feeling down, seek help even if you just Google to find more info and other people in the same situation.

Head up Very Happy

Baiting Guru Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2163

How did the docters not notice a heart attack? Its guite easy to recognise.

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 2:06 am

^^^One word, Stereotype. Huntington didn't fit the "typical" clinical picture of a heart attack patient.

1. He is young.
2. He is fit.
3. He is a baiter...

Truthfully, a good diagnostician would have seen the signs as what they were, instead of assuming that it was something else. Imagine of the Steve Erwin has shown up an the typical medical clinic.

"No, you couldn't have been stung by a stingray in that way Mr. Erwin..."

Assumptions and stereotypes do kill people.

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 7:13 am

@Klaasvaak main reason i am so pissed off

@ParaNoid dont know if i was being stereotyped as such, felt much more like i was being overlooked, the doctor that i seen only spoke to me, asked me how i was doing, said they would just keep me in for observation for a few hours, he didnt even listen to my chest.

i had a nurse check me bloodpressure and listen to me ticker and all that but she didnt seem concerned about anything either.

i almost wonder if there was some level of malpractice. not that it would change how things turned out so im not stressed.

also at the time i only described it as chest pain, as thats all it was, there was no blurred vision, numb arm, or what ever else is ment to happen, it was just like the wind was punched out of me, and the pain stayed in my chest after my breath came back

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 11:19 pm

They still should have done an EKG on you. That's SOP in US hospitals when the words "chest" and "pain" are spoken in the same sentence. Even if you were not actively having a heart attack at the moment, the EKG would have shown the arrythmia, and it might have shown that a heart attack had taken place.

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 9:52 am

^^^ same here in the UK. Couple of years ago, Mrs damaged a rib & ended up in A & E (ER). Even though she told them the pain was localised on the right side of her chest they still stuck her on an ECG.

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 5:39 am

@Titania

Quote:

EKG on you. That's SOP in US hospitals when the words "chest" and "pain" are spoken

Roger that, and as you get older, the suspicion threshold for MI is lower and lower, until abdominal pain is grounds for EKG. Electrocardiogram is very sensitive in detecting problems.

@Huntington

Quote:

had a nurse check me bloodpressure and listen to me ticker

Listening to cardiac sounds is very iffy in detecting events, infra or post infarct, unless you have an audible rhythm disturbance, even then it is not diagnostic. MVP may be audible to those familiar w/ its characteristics.

But as to your statement: Hell yes, they should have done basic EKG, serial cardiac enzymes (two separate blood tests done at least 90 minutes apart) for Troponin I and myoglobin. A Chest xray. If that was beyond their capabilities, transfer to a higher level of care setting is warranted. Observation is certainly warranted, but with serial EKGs.

Fit or not, sudden chest pain, with or without shortness of breath, referred pain (arm, back, jaw), sweating or nausea STILL require the above to rule out a cardiac event.

Sorry about mumbo-jumbo but the above is Standard of Care stuff . Yeah, somebody dropped the ball. You shoulda been referred then

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 12:25 pm

no arguments here, the ball was dropped and I aint happy about, I've gotten to the point now where I'm more pissed off about the treatment i received than I am about the fact that it happened.

funnily enough, there is an audible irregularity in my heart beat, my GP picked it up immediatly, a clicking noise can be heard on the doomp. (bah-doomp bah-doomp) Wink

its amazing how much its like a car engine, because that noise is just one of my valves tapping. and that was never picked up by the nurse in first hospital, or by the first aid certified lifeguard straight after it happened.

got to see the inside of the hospital again saturday night, had my palm sliced open breaking up a fight. good times. not having a lucky streak at the moment.

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:15 pm

This is interesting to me, learning about the healthcare regime in the UK and Australia.

I hope you get lots better, Huntington, no doubt about that!

I am curious what is recourse in a socialized medicine regime?

The US is quickly spiraling toward it and, frankly, it scares the hell out of me. I hear too much bad from other countries (via media) about the systems. Being you all are friends, whats a real persons opinion. WE don't have to get political (Mod strike me down!), was Huntington treated right? Does he have the ability to be compensated or seek some redress from shoddy care?

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:16 pm

Badgerbait
Don't believe all the B.S. that has been said about socialized medicine. I'm from Canada and lived there for the first 32 years of my life. The care and services that i received was awesome. All my friends and family have no complaint whatsoever about the health care system. The people that started talking about this as a bad thing are the folks that stand to lose a lot of money if the present system changes. They have framed their arguments against in such a way that people think that they're going to be losing something when in reality there is a lot to gain.
My dad is from Scotland and I lived there for a year in the 70s. Again, the services were great and (at that time, not sure about now) even included free dental. I'm sure that there are areas where there are not enough Doctors or whatever but on the whole it's a great system and I wish that I had it here.

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:55 am

Best wishes.

That first heart attack is definately a wake-up call. There are many thousands who have taken this to heart and gone on to get themselves back into shape. Judging from your words i expect you will be one of them.

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 8:52 am

@ Badgerbait,

I can't speak for the U.K. but as far as the Australian health care system goes I really feel that I am getting expectional value for my tax contribution. The media will always and forever overplay the negative. The drama value is guaranteed to pull the punters in. The horror stories are extremely rare and yes there are avenues to seek redress for actual or percieved negligence. For those opposed to public health care there is almost always an option to "go private".

I often get the feeling that there is a general abhorence of all things remotely "socialist" amongst the average person in the USA. As if any policy demostrating the faintest pink hue will result in "bread lines" within weeks but then again my opinion could be tainted by negative media reporting too.

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:05 pm

Well i didnt expect this to turn into a debate, i was just looking for somewhere to bitch about how things turned out.

but my two cents anyway, not that i really keep up with such affairs, but i do supply cover for all my staff, being a fairly risky industry and all.

I am very pleased with the treatment i have recieved at the two hospitals here in ballarat, i have had to go to both the private and the public hospitals, and they work very well together.

In my line of work, i tend to be sending staff to hospital for everyting from concussions, to fractures, cuts, and even blood tests. (junkies are well aware that spitting in your eyes can seriously effect your life, and are willing to do it if they dont get there way, thankfully no issues yet in our history) as a rule we visit the emergency department of the public hospital, and are always treated well, and probably get a little quicker service as we are known, and we are also out there trying to prevent people getting hurt. i have had no complaints about them what so ever.

for all follow up treatment we go to the private hospital, as there is little point taking up a bed in a public hospital when we have cover, the private hospital treats us much the same way and have never let us down.

now when i had my incident, i wont mention hospital names, it was at a large public hospital, a little over an hour from my home town, things obviously were not done to the correct procedure there, i was given very little attention, spent most of the time just laying in a bed with no-one else there but my fiance, i did see a doctor, he did nothing more than ask a few questions, and basically told me if i am still in pain the following day i should see a gp. so i have seen both sides of the coin. hopefully seeing the bad side was a once off, a irregualarity that doesnt normally happen in said hospital. thankfully i know i am looked after where i live.

being in an industry where things often turn messy, i have a couple of very good legal reps, who look after my business, including medical issues as people often get hurt. so the issue is being looked into, i am not looking for compensation, nothing could have changed the heart attack, but we are looking to make sure no-one else goes through the same thing, it could cost the life of the next person.

thanks for all the concern and well wishes guys.