View Full Version : Widow Maker Heart attack
I am posting this message to give us 50+ guys and guys that will one day be 50+ years old. I am 59 years old and work out religiously, I don't smoke and generally feel great.
Monday AM I had a "Massive Heart" attack called the Widow Maker. Its when your left artery is clogged and you are not getting oxygen rich blood to your heart. Hence, cant breath well and chest hurts. Its the one that gets "young" guys well before there time. Most if us 50+ have heard of a guy that bit the bullet way before his time.
My journey: I had felt chest pain in the past but it was always dead center of my chest so I said to myself, this is not heart related because heart stuff should be off center of chest and down one arm. This is where I made my error #1. Monday am I awakened with heavy chest pain and very short of breath, I had had it before but not this bad. I walked around the house trying to get comfortable but couldn't sit still the chest pain and breathing was so bad. Finally, "Mama we need to go to the hospital".
Error #2, always call 911 ahead and tell the hospital we are inbound with cardiac arrest. Otherwise they will tell you to get in line with all the people with cold and flu and glass in their hand..... Also, know which hospital has a good Trauma center, I didn't make this mistake. I didn't call 911 and almost cost me my life waiting in line, they pushed me through but still.
I was rushed in as quick as we could push them, they implanted a stent and saved my life. Doc said I had maybe 6 minutes. Doc later asked my wife, "how many packs of cigarettes does he smoke a day?" NONE, "how many packs behind your back"? NONE. My DAD, (the greatest DAD to ever live other than the one we all have), had CAD but he smoked like a chimney and ate good ole southern cooking everyday of his life until 40+. So I thought of course my Dad had CAD, wrong genetics are very powerful.
So please learn these lessons from me. Central chest pain my be heart related, don't ignore it. Call 911 ahead if you are headed to the hospital with chest pain. Know which TRAUMA ER to go to and the best route to get there just in case.
I feel good today and expect a full recovery and many more years but I made it a closer call than I needed to make it. I hope this helps someone.
PB
Averageman
09-02-21, 12:44
My Boss was walking from point A to point B with a couple of peers a Doc and an SF Medic.
My friend had the widow maker and literally, he fell out between them.
They got him started again and to the hospital, getting jump starts along the way, he got the stint, spent thirty days in a coma and they drained his lungs.
Luckiest SOB, I have ever met.
Damn to go down that hard and live. Yea, we can call that “ not his time” lucky son of a gun.
PB
Trauma ER doesn't mean crap for cardiac. I've worked in trauma centers that aren't chest pain centers.
And a heart attack isn't a cardiac arrest. You drive one of those in by yourself, I'm likely to leave the body in the car and let the.cops figure it out.
Having said that, glad you got treated and are on the mend.
Averageman
09-02-21, 13:18
I'm just going to tell you, I dipped snuff since I was like 8, I never smoked until I was in the Army.
I smoked like a train for ten years in the Army, hit 27 and quit cold turkey.
I'm sure it hurt me, but damn, not a F'ing Heart Attack please.
Glad you're still here to tell the tale.
My uncle had a sudden, severe blockage that ended his life. He was younger then than I am today and he was quite fit so seemed a 'least likely' victim.
Godspeed.
Good points PB.
You are lucky my friend.
Glad you are OK! They are called "widow makers" for a reason. My dad died at age 39 from one.
I work for a very large, academic tertiary care facility: one-stop shopping....trauma, chest pain, stroke, pneumonia, whatever. Chest pain and MIs are a dime a dozen; these are infrequent.
911 for sure (IV, 12-lead, meds). But MI does not a cardiac arrest make.
Again, happy for your good outcome!
Do you get yearly physicals?
Do you get a regular cardiac profile/bloodwork?
What is your height/weight?
vicious_cb
09-02-21, 15:11
Since you're alive and all. Im going to name my next cocktail the Widow Maker Heart Attack. Who wouldnt want to drink it?
Since you're alive and all. Im going to name my next cocktail the Widow Maker Heart Attack. Who wouldnt want to drink it?
Everclear with a hint of gasoline?
Glad you are ok. I've lost a friend to heart disease and know many more that suffered heart attack. You are very lucky. Buy a lottery ticket.
Glad you're still with us, bro.
Here's to a speedy recovery.
Glad you made it through brother. Prayers for a full recovery and minimal cardiac tissue damage.
1_click_off
09-02-21, 16:06
My mom had same thing. Of course she knew what was happening and still took a shower and got dressed all while eating aspirin like candy and finally had to get my sister to drive her in.
Glad you are ok, in a few weeks I bet you will feel like a new man having the pipes opened up.
Straight Shooter
09-02-21, 16:27
double post
Straight Shooter
09-02-21, 16:28
CHILLS READING THIS.
About 5 years ago- age 51 then..I was working 12 hours a night, in a 110-115 degree factory, been there for several years at that time.
I got to hurtin so bad- couldnt breathe...weak as a kitten..I thought SCREW THIS-IM GOIN HOME. Told my feckless old boss I thought I was having a heart attack{who I never realized until THIS moment reminds me A LOT of Biden}
He said.."Um, well, we've got to get someone on your line, hold on". I was bent over double. After 40 minutes I walked away. Almost couldnt get to the car. I WAS going to the ER...couldnt make it. Went home, got in bed. Went a couple days later to a cardiologist. EKG-FINE. {Ill NEVER trust hose things again}. Treadmill , kicked my ass. He said it was just being overweight and getting older.
I INSISTED on an angiogram. ANGRILY he said "Well ok if THATS what YOU want..we'll set it up". Man was I pissed. Got me on the table a day later...80% +blocked in the Widow Maker.
That **** NEVER apologised. Anyway- immediate stint. Felt better ever since.
PB is right- GO ASAP when you KNOW "somthing aint right." F your boss, job, and any doctor that doesnt do what YOU want.
I too, was close to THE BIG ONE. My old Joe Biden lookin boss later denied he heard me say I felt like I was having a heart attack. I told him he was a damned liar, and if I got attendence points for being out Id get a lawyer.
I got no points.
PB- very glad youre ok, brother. And I love the comment on your dad, and our mutual Father. Nice.
Glad you're still with us, Pappabear.
My Dad had the same thing. My Mom noticed he was looking grey (he's a white guy) and moving slowly while mowing the lawn. He said he felt fine. Mom got him to go to the hospital. They caught it in time.
He's a fit guy, active, never been overweight, and a non-smoker.
Damn, dude...I'm glad you're still with us!
Here's to a quick and complete recovery.
Prayers for a quick and safe recovery
I'm late 40s and just had a complete physical, bloodwork and other tests done...a buddy of mine had a heartattack and it was the Widow Maker..he is lucky
The older I get the more health conscience I am with tests and stuff.
Coal Dragger
09-02-21, 17:00
Glad you're still with us PB.
Hits home for me. My dad passed away last October of a massive heart attack, died right in front of my mom. The docs think it was a lower chamber heart attack.
Glad you're OK.
Keep an eye on your ladies, as they can get this too. My mother keeled over DRT in her mid 50s from this. No warning. Now that I'm older than she was when she passed, I exercise and make sure to get regular check ups. I've obviously got the gene.
Yikes, glad you're OK! Purely for selfish reasons, I like reading your posts. ;) I'm also hoping to get an invite for one of them tomahawk ribeyes.
My mom and pops both had cardiac issues. So far I'm ok, just had a cardiac calcium whatever thing done. Good reminder to keep up with the check ups.
At least ya didn't catch Covid. :p
Do you get yearly physicals?
Do you get a regular cardiac profile/bloodwork?
What is your height/weight?
I saw my doc once a year for a Physical, did extensive blood work, my chlorestol was high but my ratio not terrible-not great. 6'0, 205lbs
cardio 3/4Xwk, weight training 3X wk.
PB
Since you're alive and all. Im going to name my next cocktail the Widow Maker Heart Attack. Who wouldnt want to drink it?
Yes please, just give me a week or two. And maybe just one or two.
PB
Yikes, glad you're OK! Purely for selfish reasons, I like reading your posts. ;) I'm also hoping to get an invite for one of them tomahawk ribeyes.
My mom and pops both had cardiac issues. So far I'm ok, just had a cardiac calcium whatever thing done. Good reminder to keep up with the check ups.
At least ya didn't catch Covid. :p
God Bless me that I didn't catch the deadly covid, Im getting my 10th booster tomorrow so Im safe.
Thanks again for the well wishes and yes long live the tomahawk Steak.
PB
davidjinks
09-02-21, 18:43
I am happy that you are smelling the flowers and not looking at their roots.
I am posting this message to give us 50+ guys and guys that will one day be 50+ years old. I am 59 years old and work out religiously, I don't smoke and generally feel great.
Monday AM I had a "Massive Heart" attack called the Widow Maker. Its when your left artery is clogged and you are not getting oxygen rich blood to your heart. Hence, cant breath well and chest hurts. Its the one that gets "young" guys well before there time. Most if us 50+ have heard of a guy that bit the bullet way before his time.
My journey: I had felt chest pain in the past but it was always dead center of my chest so I said to myself, this is not heart related because heart stuff should be off center of chest and down one arm. This is where I made my error #1. Monday am I awakened with heavy chest pain and very short of breath, I had had it before but not this bad. I walked around the house trying to get comfortable but couldn't sit still the chest pain and breathing was so bad. Finally, "Mama we need to go to the hospital".
Error #2, always call 911 ahead and tell the hospital we are inbound with cardiac arrest. Otherwise they will tell you to get in line with all the people with cold and flu and glass in their hand..... Also, know which hospital has a good Trauma center, I didn't make this mistake. I didn't call 911 and almost cost me my life waiting in line, they pushed me through but still.
I was rushed in as quick as we could push them, they implanted a stent and saved my life. Doc said I had maybe 6 minutes. Doc later asked my wife, "how many packs of cigarettes does he smoke a day?" NONE, "how many packs behind your back"? NONE. My DAD, (the greatest DAD to ever live other than the one we all have), had CAD but he smoked like a chimney and ate good ole southern cooking everyday of his life until 40+. So I thought of course my Dad had CAD, wrong genetics are very powerful.
So please learn these lessons from me. Central chest pain my be heart related, don't ignore it. Call 911 ahead if you are headed to the hospital with chest pain. Know which TRAUMA ER to go to and the best route to get there just in case.
I feel good today and expect a full recovery and many more years but I made it a closer call than I needed to make it. I hope this helps someone.
PB
God Bless me that I didn't catch the deadly covid, Im getting my 10th booster tomorrow so Im safe.
Thanks again for the well wishes and yes long live the tomahawk Steak.
PB
If the booster gets you can I have your guns???
Glad you are ok PB. Saying a prayer for a speedy recovery sir...
Damn dude. Glad you are still kickin. I will say the working out definitely works because I wouldnt have you pegged at pushing 60.
Diamondback
09-02-21, 20:01
Thoughts & Prayers, amigo. Take it slow and steady down Recovery Road... :)
Glad you made it!
I knew a guy, early 50s, fit. Run marathons and chastise his family every time they ate something not healthy kinda guy.
Fell off a ladder hanging Christmas lights. Doc said he was dead before he hit the ground. Massive heart attack.
You never know.
Thanks again Fellas, yea glad to be still kicking.
PB
m1a_scoutguy
09-02-21, 23:35
Hey PB saw this @ work but didn't have time to respond! WOW, so glad you got where ya needed to be IN TIME!!! Scary shit but I guess life does that sometimes! Helps put things in perspective for sure. Anyways glad all is well & you're on the road to recovery, take care out there!
Good to hear you are alive and kicking! Cautionary tale for sure.
El Vaquero
09-02-21, 23:58
Good story. Thanks for sharing.
Went to a Frank Proctor rifle class about 4 years ago and he was pretty candid about his similar experience. I think he said he thought he had bad heartburn but it didn’t go away so he went to the ER. They ended up doing emergency surgery on him because of his blockage. He also had a second surgery for a second blockage. And Frank was probably only in his mid 40’s and in pretty decent shape. Bad genetics.
Exiledviking
09-03-21, 01:32
Glad you're still with us, PB!
Thank you for sharing your story.
Glad you came through it PB. Take care and have a speedy recovery.
Thank you for sharing and wishing you a speedy and complete recovery.
Glad, your are doing better, keep up the recovery. It's hard sometimes, get a chest pain and you think it's over.
Be well bro!
Good story. Thanks for sharing.
Went to a Frank Proctor rifle class about 4 years ago and he was pretty candid about his similar experience. I think he said he thought he had bad heartburn but it didn’t go away so he went to the ER. They ended up doing emergency surgery on him because of his blockage. He also had a second surgery for a second blockage. And Frank was probably only in his mid 40’s and in pretty decent shape. Bad genetics.
I thought this was going to be my lot: dad dropped dead (widow maker) at 39 after 21 years in the Marines; my mom's first heart attack was at 44 (she had several before she ended up dying of something else); my only sibling, sister, had a huge MI and got a 4-vessel CABG.
But me...I got a tumor in my noggin' (coming out next week). I'd rather deal with 'this' than cardiac disease.
I am glad you are still with us, PB and wish you a speedy recovery to normal!
Andy
Ah yes, the Left Anterior Descending (LAD)......the dreaded "Widow Maker". You are a lucky man to be alive. Someone somewhere likes you!
When you mentioned your dad's age when he died that rings very true: genetics play such a HUGE part in things, IMHO at least as much (if not more in some cases) than lifestyle.
Hey Chuckman, good luck and keep us posted on progress.
Mark
I thought this was going to be my lot: dad dropped dead (widow maker) at 39 after 21 years in the Marines; my mom's first heart attack was at 44 (she had several before she ended up dying of something else); my only sibling, sister, had a huge MI and got a 4-vessel CABG.
But me...I got a tumor in my noggin' (coming out next week). I'd rather deal with 'this' than cardiac disease.
Thanks again everybody. This thread has amazed me that so many people have been touched about the rare widow maker, at least I read its rare. But its like a shark attack, it makes people talk.
Chuck, Hang tuff, good luck tapping out that tumor.
PB
Diamondback
09-03-21, 10:46
Kick that tumor's ass, man.
Glad you're still with us!
Glad you're with us!
I have a question.
How can as person have this LAD blockage but not have symptoms when working out / cardio? No pain or other warning signs when its 85 % blocked but then at 90% it takes you down?
What signs can a person look for in advance? Or tests?
I thought this was going to be my lot: dad dropped dead (widow maker) at 39 after 21 years in the Marines; my mom's first heart attack was at 44 (she had several before she ended up dying of something else); my only sibling, sister, had a huge MI and got a 4-vessel CABG.
But me...I got a tumor in my noggin' (coming out next week). I'd rather deal with 'this' than cardiac disease.
Well, if they cut out enough gray matter we might be able to officially classify you as a fellow Marine. ;) Good luck with the surgery "Devil Doc".
Glad you're with us!
I have a question.
How can as person have this LAD blockage but not have symptoms when working out / cardio? No pain or other warning signs when its 85 % blocked but then at 90% it takes you down?
What signs can a person look for in advance? Or tests?
An occlusion can get exponentially more symptomatic as it occludes; i.e., 50% is much worse than 40% An example: let's say you are a runner, 5 miles every day. You decide to go further. You go 5 1/2, you get a bit more winded, a bit more sore. Six, you are starting to feel it. Barely do 6 1/2.
Symptoms of an occlusion are usually (but not always) evolving; you almost always get worse, and rarely get better.
Gold standard test is a cardiac cath and/or cardiac MRI. The cath can give you 99% of info about your heart. EKG can show old damage from previous MI. Labs won't show anything.
Well, if they cut out enough gray matter we might be able to officially classify you as a fellow Marine. ;) Good luck with the surgery "Devil Doc".
LOL, thanks. I would not mind the promotion. But I don't have enough gray matter as it is.
An occlusion can get exponentially more symptomatic as it occludes; i.e., 50% is much worse than 40% An example: let's say you are a runner, 5 miles every day. You decide to go further. You go 5 1/2, you get a bit more winded, a bit more sore. Six, you are starting to feel it. Barely do 6 1/2.
Symptoms of an occlusion are usually (but not always) evolving; you almost always get worse, and rarely get better.
Gold standard test is a cardiac cath and/or cardiac MRI. The cath can give you 99% of info about your heart. EKG can show old damage from previous MI. Labs won't show anything.
Thanks!
Glad you're with us!
I have a question.
How can as person have this LAD blockage but not have symptoms when working out / cardio? No pain or other warning signs when its 85 % blocked but then at 90% it takes you down?
What signs can a person look for in advance? Or tests?
Oh no no no, I had signs many many times with Chest pain in the AM, but I naively thought heart issues was off-center in the chest so I wrote it off as indigestion...then just ignored it as it came back. Talk about burying the truth in your mind.
Mark reminded me last night a couple weeks ago when walking to our 1,300 yard target atop a hill I sat down and needed a minute after a short walk to the target, it was steep but not one where I should have needed a break. He thought I was messing with him by plopping down. NOPE. I had signs, but I hear others sometimes dont.
PB
BoringGuy45
09-03-21, 15:22
Glad you're still with us!
My grandfather had nearly the same experience. He was 65.
But the story has a happy ending. Like with you, it was caught just in the nick of time. It also revealed other issues that were fixed before they became deadly.
He turned 90 two months ago.
eightmillimeter
09-03-21, 17:00
Glad you are still here PB!
Good to know. Heart disease runs in my family. Both sides. None of us grow old. I did not know to call in ahead of time, so thank you for that tip. I have to live a while longer so my wife and daughter don't kill each other. I'll keep your story in mind.
Good to know. Heart disease runs in my family. Both sides. None of us grow old. I did not know to call in ahead of time, so thank you for that tip. I have to live a while longer so my wife and daughter don't kill each other. I'll keep your story in mind.
So effing funny, wife and daughter
PB
Glad you're still with us!
My grandfather had nearly the same experience. He was 65.
But the story has a happy ending. Like with you, it was caught just in the nick of time. It also revealed other issues that were fixed before they became deadly.
He turned 90 two months ago.
Thanks, I passed that on to my wife, she has been a nervous wreck.
PB
Good to know. Heart disease runs in my family. Both sides. None of us grow old. I did not know to call in ahead of time, so thank you for that tip. I have to live a while longer so my wife and daughter don't kill each other. I'll keep your story in mind.
I'm sure with a family history---on both sides no less---that you could ask your doc for some kind of diagnostic testing. Cardiac stuff like early deaths, and some cancers, definitely have genetics involved. Like I said earlier, I firmly believe that genetics plays just as large a role (and in some diseases an even greater one) as lifestyle does.
I'm sure with a family history---on both sides no less---that you could ask your doc for some kind of diagnostic testing. Cardiac stuff like early deaths, and some cancers, definitely have genetics involved. Like I said earlier, I firmly believe that genetics plays just as large a role (and in some diseases an even greater one) as lifestyle does.
You can ask but probably won't get it. Insurance is a PITA to deal with, and getting things pre-authorized is a real limitation.
Now... if you have symptoms.... you're suddenly good to go. I'm not telling you to lie, but there's been some pretty good info in the last page or two on what can make your doc's antennae go up.
ThirdWatcher
09-05-21, 03:58
First of all, Papabear I’m glad you’re okay and I thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Heart disease runs in my family. My Mom died at 42, one brother died at 44, and the other at 50 from heart attacks. I’ve had hypertension all my adult life, but it’s treated.
When I served as a city policeman (retirement job) I served in a county that is still so rural it doesn’t have a full-time Coroner. As a result, LEO’s responded to “unattended deaths” (not under hospice care). It seemed like so many men would take a nap and never awaken. (Not being able to interview then I never knew what their symptoms were. After awhile it begins to affect your outlook on life (and death.)
One morning I got off work and I felt chest pains. I woke my bride and we went to the ER because I didn’t want to die in my sleep. It turned out I wasn’t having a heart attack, that I’d pulled a muscle. They did the enzyme test and learned I’d never had a hear attack but it was good to know. The Nurses and the Doctors were very nice to me. I returned home and I slept well.
When I went for my annual Med Review I told my Doctor about it and he told me I did the right thing.
LowSpeed_HighDrag
09-05-21, 06:45
Damn PB, glad you are ok.
Glad you made it, recover quickly and get back to your workout routine.
Scary stuff and good lessons learned.
I'm sure with a family history---on both sides no less---that you could ask your doc for some kind of diagnostic testing. Cardiac stuff like early deaths, and some cancers, definitely have genetics involved. Like I said earlier, I firmly believe that genetics plays just as large a role (and in some diseases an even greater one) as lifestyle does.
Thanks ABNAK. We are all over it. My docs are aware, I do annual physicals with bloodwork, and I stay active and relatively fit. The tidbits of info found in threads like this one may help save my life one day, so I appreciate our community here.
I'm sure with a family history---on both sides no less---that you could ask your doc for some kind of diagnostic testing. Cardiac stuff like early deaths, and some cancers, definitely have genetics involved. Like I said earlier, I firmly believe that genetics plays just as large a role (and in some diseases an even greater one) as lifestyle does.
I believe genetics are 85% responsible for my situation, so yes the gene pool can be good to us and not so good. Hindsight has brought so much to my attention.
This last year I had knee surgery and back surgery within two weeks ( I couldn't sleep waiting for my back surgery, so I got up in middle of night to soak in a tub then slipped and blew my meniscus in the tubb-CLASSIC). After rehab I just couldn't get back into the same shape it seemed, kinda bothered me but I thought, shit I'm just getting old. Nope, I had no oxygen rich blood going into my heart so I dogged out real quick. Its so easy to ignore so many signs, don't do it!
Thanks again for the kind words folks.
PB
PB, thanks for sharing. This is an easy issue to get by, so hang in there. Sometimes You may get a bit of an emotional "episode." It can mess with your mind, but it will pass. Unfortunately I have been there, done that at age 58. Yes there were signs. I ignored them a bit. Calling 911 was the best thing that could have happened. Widowmaker blocked with another art 98% and 95%. Had to get 6 stents. My doctors all informed me that the majority of the studies during the past 10 years found that the number one cause of HA and heart disease, was stress.
So hang in there. Eat good and exercise and relax. If you ever want to talk, PM me. I can relate.
Cheers, Steve
PB, thanks for sharing. This is an easy issue to get by, so hang in there. Sometimes You may get a bit of an emotional "episode." It can mess with your mind, but it will pass. Unfortunately I have been there, done that at age 58. Yes there were signs. I ignored them a bit. Calling 911 was the best thing that could have happened. Widowmaker blocked with another art 98% and 95%. Had to get 6 stents. My doctors all informed me that the majority of the studies during the past 10 years found that the number one cause of HA and heart disease, was stress.
So hang in there. Eat good and exercise and relax. If you ever want to talk, PM me. I can relate.
Cheers, Steve
At this point the best genetic testing can do is get you on the path to preventive screening and testing earlier in your life.
Otherwise the old truisms remain the same: be healthy. Eat healthy, get some exercise, drop stress, and don't smoke.
PB, I’m glad you’re still amongst the living. Congratulations.
PB, thanks for sharing. This is an easy issue to get by, so hang in there. Sometimes You may get a bit of an emotional "episode." It can mess with your mind, but it will pass. Unfortunately I have been there, done that at age 58. Yes there were signs. I ignored them a bit. Calling 911 was the best thing that could have happened. Widowmaker blocked with another art 98% and 95%. Had to get 6 stents. My doctors all informed me that the majority of the studies during the past 10 years found that the number one cause of HA and heart disease, was stress.
So hang in there. Eat good and exercise and relax. If you ever want to talk, PM me. I can relate.
Cheers, Steve
If that's the case I'm in big trouble! Construction management, skyrocketing material costs, 50% more work than we should be taking, half the manpower we need, and trying to get these jobs done in 20% less time than it ideally takes. I drink a bucket of 120 proof stress with my first cup of coffee.
ETA: I'm literally running 2 jobs 110 miles apart trying to give each about 75% of my attention. :p
Breaking the stress cycle is so important.
There was a study during the Vietnam war, they did autopsies on kids who were killed in combat; on average their 'heart age' was in the 50s even though their chronological age was 18-21. The aging was due to stress.
Stress increases cortisol and catecholamine release, which over time causes high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood glucose, and high blood pressure. Tobacco use exacerbates the role of stress on the cardiovascular system.
Breaking the stress cycle is so important.
There was a study during the Vietnam war, they did autopsies on kids who were killed in combat; on average their 'heart age' was in the 50s even though their chronological age was 18-21. The aging was due to stress.
Stress increases cortisol and catecholamine release, which over time causes high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood glucose, and high blood pressure. Tobacco use exacerbates the role of stress on the cardiovascular system.
Great... all that retirement money I've squirreled away is sounding like a bad investment, should have blown all of it on whiskey and women.
I dont really think stress was my issue. But still Im going to try and chill the fck out. Point taken. My engine does run hard even though I'm very happy and in a good place.
PB
Averageman
09-07-21, 19:56
I dont really think stress was my issue. But still Im going to try and chill the fck out. Point taken. My engine does run hard even though I'm very happy and in a good place.
PB
Your walking around right now luckier than the guy who won the Lottery.
I wouldn't do another damned thing I din't want to ever again Brother.
Your walking around right now luckier than the guy who won the Lottery.
I wouldn't do another damned thing I din't want to ever again Brother.
It does give you reflection, that is for sure. I will be doing some chilling.
PB
Glad you're with us!
I have a question.
How can as person have this LAD blockage but not have symptoms when working out / cardio? No pain or other warning signs when its 85 % blocked but then at 90% it takes you down?
What signs can a person look for in advance? Or tests?
Majority of acute coronary events, including the one described here, happen by several mechanisms with a common denominator which a loss of integrity of a preexisting coronary lesion. A person has a 50% lesion, that plaque ruptures and exposes its guts to bloodstream particles and components. Those particles and components create a clot, we call it thrombus, at the site of a ruptured plaque and that shuts down the downstream flow. In a typical heart attack X% solid preexisting blockage combines with Y% thrombotic occlusion to yield 99 to 100% rapid occlusion of the artery. We believe that the majority of those solid preexisting blockages fall into intermediate 40-70%, by a diameter, blockage. There is no significant decline of a flow through the artery until blockages grow to 50% and there are no symptoms until the blockage is over 70%. That's a textbook stuff, not always true but true most of the time. This results in millions of us walking around with intermediate blockages that don't cause symptoms and should not be detected by any stress tests, and some of those blockages will burst up and cause rapid progression to a complete occlusion and a heart attack or death. We can't treat intermediate asymptomatic blockages with stents or bypasses and, most of the time, we don't really have a way of predicting which one will blow up and cause something bad, even when we're looking at them directly during an angiogram.
In OP's case, he likely had a significant blockage since he had had pains already and misinterpreted them (coronary paln is classically central and diffuse and doesn't have to go to the arm), and on that day it got unstable and thrombosed itself to 100%.
What to look for:
- If you're inactive, start exercising and pay attention to any exertional symptoms between chin and navel. Something that happens predictably with exertion should trigger an eval.
- iIf you're active and doing cardio, make sure you get your heart rate up and sustain that for a decent time. You need to increase your heart demand (judged by heart rate) and sustain it for a bit to start having symptoms.
- Any new chest symptoms especially pressure, heartburn that's not explained, or even shortness of breath needs eval.
- We don't look at cholesterol numbers, ratios and all that in isolation. In year 2021 we have pretty decent predictive models with multiple variables. Work with your doc to estimate your cardiovascular risk and stick with management.
Pappabear, glad it came out ok. In case it is not obvious from the above, I do this for living so if you need some help with understanding things, feel free to pm. I tell my patients I expect them to learn, over period of time, as much as I know about their disease.
Glad you made it through.
Majority of acute coronary events, including the one described here, happen by several mechanisms with a common denominator which a loss of integrity of a preexisting coronary lesion. A person has a 50% lesion, that plaque ruptures and exposes its guts to bloodstream particles and components. Those particles and components create a clot, we call it thrombus, at the site of a ruptured plaque and that shuts down the downstream flow. In a typical heart attack X% solid preexisting blockage combines with Y% thrombotic occlusion to yield 99 to 100% rapid occlusion of the artery. We believe that the majority of those solid preexisting blockages fall into intermediate 40-70%, by a diameter, blockage. There is no significant decline of a flow through the artery until blockages grow to 50% and there are no symptoms until the blockage is over 70%. That's a textbook stuff, not always true but true most of the time. This results in millions of us walking around with intermediate blockages that don't cause symptoms and should not be detected by any stress tests, and some of those blockages will burst up and cause rapid progression to a complete occlusion and a heart attack or death. We can't treat intermediate asymptomatic blockages with stents or bypasses and, most of the time, we don't really have a way of predicting which one will blow up and cause something bad, even when we're looking at them directly during an angiogram.
In OP's case, he likely had a significant blockage since he had had pains already and misinterpreted them (coronary paln is classically central and diffuse and doesn't have to go to the arm), and on that day it got unstable and thrombosed itself to 100%.
What to look for:
- If you're inactive, start exercising and pay attention to any exertional symptoms between chin and navel. Something that happens predictably with exertion should trigger an eval.
- iIf you're active and doing cardio, make sure you get your heart rate up and sustain that for a decent time. You need to increase your heart demand (judged by heart rate) and sustain it for a bit to start having symptoms.
- Any new chest symptoms especially pressure, heartburn that's not explained, or even shortness of breath needs eval.
- We don't look at cholesterol numbers, ratios and all that in isolation. In year 2021 we have pretty decent predictive models with multiple variables. Work with your doc to estimate your cardiovascular risk and stick with management.
Pappabear, glad it came out ok. In case it is not obvious from the above, I do this for living so if you need some help with understanding things, feel free to pm. I tell my patients I expect them to learn, over period of time, as much as I know about their disease.So there's no way to unblock, sorta speaking? The tv commercials for meds made it seem like they dissolve the plaque
Glad you made it!
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So there's no way to unblock, sorta speaking? The tv commercials for meds made it seem like they dissolve the plaque
Plaque may regress with high intensity lipid lowering therapy, which should always be backed up by lifestyle modifications. It is not common and is generally not expected although has been shown in studies and I have seen it in practice. In a practical sense we hope to make plaque more stable and less prone to rupture, and if not stop then slow down its progress
Averageman
09-09-21, 08:06
It does give you reflection, that is for sure. I will be doing some chilling.
PB
I lived with a lot of stress in the Military and retired and couldn't relax. Went in to Maintenance working with the Army and embedded in their units.
I'm trying to learn to relax.
I too learned a lot at 50 + years old. After having Tex-Mex food at lunch with my Boss, a stupidvisor was on my arse. Feeling bad, Bad indigestion, acid reflux bad I left work. When I got home I took my usual meds for this. Didn't work. Wife bugging me to go to the ER. She calls my Best Friend who is Capt at FD and Paramedic. He said he was sending a bus to pick me up if i didn't visit the ER. Wife drives me. I was also hurting down BOTH arms.
Sure enough I was having a Myocardial Infarction. 3 stents later, 2 were in the LAD, left anterior descending artery, often called the widow-maker infarction due to a high death risk, and my color was better and I could breath without the elephant on my chest.
I stopped smoking the day I went to the hospital. That was January 2006. I have a total of 6 or 7 stents now and the earlier stents have been roto rooted out once. I see my Cardiologist every 4-6 months and a stress test when needed.
My only worry right now is a Colonoscopy is scheduled next month. ����. No problems, just been 5 years since the last one. At least my Gastroenterologist has a sense of humor. An EXIT Only, NO ENTRANCE
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