Heart attack - don't be a hero/fool

DrPhil

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I haven't had one, but my 82 year old dad has.

The moral of the story is don't be a typical stubborn fool when you have unexplained pain.

He had agonising stomach pain on Friday morning, assumed it was just something that would pass. Also had arm pain intermittently for a few weeks that he didn't feel inclined to mention to us...

Finally announced on Friday evening that he had a sore stomach and felt unwell earlier but was fine by that stage and was off to bed. We took him to the GP Saturday morning who sent him to the hospital where it was decided that his stomach pain had actually been a heart attack.

So be aware you old (and young) farts of AVF, you don't need to have the classic signs of a heart attack, crushing pain in the chest, sweats, nausea etc to be having a heart attack. My dad is a very healthy 82, on no medication at all (until now) and is as shocked as we all are that his heart is giving him gip.

Better safe than sorry.


The silly sausage got himself a helicopter transfer to another hospital and is now waiting for angiogram followed by stents and/or pacemaker but it looks like he'll be fine.
 
He keeps telling us all that it's hard to kill a bad thing, hence he will be fine.

So far it looks like it wasn't too severe an attack so he was lucky to have a warning shot that many others don't get.
 
Glad you dad is fine
Many people have the symptoms like you say but don't act on them. Next thing you know they have the biggie that will probably kill most people.
Modern day heart surgery is quite wonderful as well. How they use a tiny hole to put the stents in is amazing
 
Many people have the symptoms like you say but don't act on them. Next thing you know they have the biggie that will probably kill most people.
Modern day heart surgery is quite wonderful as well. How they use a tiny hole to put the stents in is amazing

An old friend and colleague died earlier this summer aged 54 because he ignored the signs. He was living in the Dominican Republic and didn't trust their medical system, despite a few warnings. He wanted to wait until he was at home before getting checked out.
He was buried the day he was due to fly home.
 
Couldn't agree more about the dangers of ignoring pain like that, and I hope your dad is OK.

I had a similar thing started two years ago when I was 55. On a Friday night I had bad pain for about 10 minutes which went off; I assumed it was indigestion. The next night it came back but worse and I was doubled up in pain. Went to A&E and it turned out I had a PE (blood clot) in my left lung.

If I'd ignored it I could have had a stroke or heart attack dependent on where it moved to.

The problem now is whenever I get chest pain and ring for advice I end up at A&E - when I describe my symptoms and tell them I have had a PE previously, it's off to hospital to get it checked out.
 
Best wishes from me and Rosie too, praying for a quick recovery.
 
Hi,

As someone who can relate to having one that nearly put me in the ground - my very best wishes to your Dad to for a speedy recovery - it can be a hard & long road to get back on ones feet fully (depending on personal circumstances) but there is a lot of support out there - make use of it!

Best of luck matey!

Suave!
 
Sorry to hear @arenaman

I told my dad how lucky he was,despite his failure to act or tell us he was unwell!

Last year my wife's uncle went to bed thinking he had indigestion. Didn't see the morning.

My dad has had a warning shot that many people don't get.

If he doesn't pay attention to it, he may die from being throttled before his heart gets him...
 
Sorry to hear @arenaman

I told my dad how lucky he was,despite his failure to act or tell us he was unwell!

Last year my wife's uncle went to bed thinking he had indigestion. Didn't see the morning.

My dad has had a warning shot that many people don't get.

If he doesn't pay attention to it, he may die from being throttled before his heart gets him...

Thanks, Your dad's fortunate enough to be given a 2nd chance, hopefully he'll take no chances if anything like this happens in the future and not ignore it.
 
I believe there was some kind of ambulance ad campaign on this - i.e. if you aren't sure they would rather come out and tell you it's not a heart attack than wait for someone to need to call 999 for you and...
 
Thinking of you and your dad. I know exactly what you are going through at the moment. My missus is making a good recovery and no doubt your dad will with the fantastic care from the NHS.

As for prior signs as you described Karen had nothing. The heart attack came out of the blue. She felt sick and dizzy before the chest and arm pains started by which time I had already called 999.
 
The heart attack came out of the blue. She felt sick and dizzy before the chest and arm pains started by which time I had already called 999.

And probably saved her life.

I would rub that in every time she nags or complains in future...

"And after I save your life that's all the thanks I get..."

Seriously though, great to hear that she's on the mend.
 

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