Member Profiles
TIM
I had high cholesterol (around 260) and
triglycerides (around 300) for years. But I had no diabetes, NEVER did not smoke
or drink, wasn't very obese, no very early family history of heart disease, and
most of all, practically no "typical" symptoms or indications that anything was
wrong. Also, I was on Lipitor, and my last cholesterol screening had my total
cholesterol at 170 and my LDL's at 70. I even walked...every now and then. And I
was only 37!
Suddenly, one day when I was walking up a hill, I felt a strange "pressure" in
my throat. "Odd", I thought, but I wasn't panicked. My family physician had
thought for years that I had acid reflux. Besides, I had NO chest pain, arm
pain, or pain radiating up to my neck. I decided to "keep an eye on it", so to
speak.
As I continued to walk, I noticed the "pressure" in my throat came with less and
less exertion, even walking from my desk to my vehicle. I also began to breathe
slightly harder. Nothing major, and still nothing I would identify as "pain",
but definitely noticable. I said to myself, "Well, anyone would get out of
breath walking up a hill." True. But the shortness of breath came on easier and
easier. That was my key indicator.
I finally decided that I needed to see my family doctor. Predictably, he said
"It's acid reflux. But if it would make you feel better, you can get a stress
test." I thought it might be a good idea. So I went in the following Friday. I
lasted three minutes on the treadmill (non-thallium).
In brief, the stress test was positive. I was scheduled for a cath the following
Friday. I never made it out of the cath lab. They took me straight to surgery
with a 95% blockage in the main left artery, and two other blockages of 80% in
some of the side branches.
My cardiac surgeon told me later, "We thought about trying to wait until Monday
to do the surgery, but I was afraid you wouldn't be alive on Monday." He said
the main blockage would have probably killed me before I hit the ground.
Luckily, I caught it before I had any heart attack. I have no anatomical damage
to the heart.
What have I taken out of this experience? Two things:
a) do NOT rely on "typical" indicators of chest pain to diagnose yourself as
having coronary artery disease
b) heart surgery is NOT as bad as they say it is, particularly if you are young;
I have had very little pain from the surgery.
If you are feeling increasingly short of breath, especially as you walk up and
down stairs or up a grade, PLEASE get a stress test. Think of it this way: if it
is nothing, you can go have a hamburger to celebrate! (Though in my present
condition I can't join you!) And if it something, you can get on with the rest
of your life without waiting to fall over.
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