Member Profiles
MARIA
May 31st 2003 was my wedding day.
On June 11th 2003, after being home two days from my honeymoon, I had just woken
up and was getting ready for work when I felt a pain in the middle of my chest.
Being a very young 35, in great shape, and with no history of health problems, I
assumed it was heartburn. I took an antacid and sat down. The pain got
progressively worse and I began to feel numbness in my hands. The pain traveled
up my neck to my jaw. It was becoming harder to breath, I broke out in a cold
sweat, and my lips were blue. I called 911. On the way to the hospital the
paramedics administered nitro under my tongue and the pain went away. I was in
the emergency room feeling great hoping to go home soon when the cardiologist
came in and said I was being transferred to another hospital for a cardiac
catherization. I did not previously know what this procedure was and the idea of
someone inserting a cath through my groin and traveling up my body to my heart
scared me more than the experience earlier that morning. (Let me interrupt my
story here by stating that as you read my condition and experience it may not
seem as severe as others but I have no history of heart disease in my family and
I have normal blood pressure, my cholesterol is 167, I am a healthy eater,
exercise regularly, and have never been treated by a doctor except for the
common ailments (cold, flu etc.). I was at the time taking an ephedra product
and was not aware of the dangers. This experience has been extremely traumatic
for me and my ne! w husband and my family and we are still trying to
understand.) During the catherization they found a thrombosis in my LAD and when
they went in to remove, my artery clamped shut. My chest felt like it was being
crushed and I thought I was going to sufficate. They then administered
medication through the cath to open the artery and the rush of blood caused my
heart to go into VT. I then felt them place the pads on my chest and heard
someone say "360". They defibrilated me and I thought a horse had kicked me in
the chest which at that point was fine with me because the pressure on my chest
was gone and I could finally breath again.
I spent a week in the hospital and found out during the cath I had suffered an
MI. I was discharged with a diagnosis of "MI due to coronary vasospasm" and on
coumidin, procardia, imdur, plavix, and nitro.
On my third day home I woke up with the same chest pain. Luckily I had the
nitro. I went to the hospital again and had another cardiac cath (for which I
requested stronger sedation). They did not find any additional thrombosis and
discharged me after another week with higher doses of imdur and procardia.
For a while I was afraid to fall asleep. Coronary vasospams occur during a
rested state. I am desperate to start a family but my doctors can not tell me
when I will be off the medication nor if I will have another vasospasm. I have
tried to do research on the internet and find case studies but it seems that
this condition is not that common for people who do not have atherosclerosis or
any other type of coronary disease. I appreciate you letting me tell my story.
If you have a similar condition and have any information please email me at
mparejo@msn.com.
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