When is a heart attack not a heart attack

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this…

In the early hours of this morning I woke up feeling very hot and was consequently a bit sweaty. I then noticed as I came round that both my arms ached. I sat up wondering what might be wrong and felt faint, so much so that I had to lie down before I passed out. I felt very unwell but before I woke my wife the symptoms subsided. Like many men I suspect, because it didn’t kill me I went back to sleep.

I’d probably have done nothing about it if this morning I didn’t still feel light-headed and with weak heavy arms. I could also feel an occasional pain in my chest. I asked my wife to drop me off at A&E just round the corner so I could get it checked.

At A&E they took my blood pressure, temperature, and ECG. They took bloods, and I had a chest x-ray as well as the usual prodding, poking, and listening.

My blood pressure, normally 107/65 or thereabouts was 170/92 but everything else was normal. They checked my blood pressure, temperature, and ECG several times through the day and my blood pressure slowly came down. The usual blood indicator for having had a heart attack (troponin) I’m told was even low for normal so not a heart attack.

My family were of course concerned and somewhere in the chat we heard that my nephew had much the same experience just a couple of days ago except it was his neck and jaw that ached rather than his arms. He too had high blood pressure and no heart attack.

Very weird.

One small bonus was that I heard how everything is in very good condition including my liver - result!

I should just say as a footnote that other than this particular incident I am blessed with excellent health.

 

[Clint]

Well thankfully you're OK H! Have you eaten anything different or that might have been on the turn?
Many years ago I had a weird experience....it was after a night of beers and back then,a chilli laced curry,which was my normal Saturday night.
I woke the next morning feeling light headed,sweating profusely and super heating. I went downstairs absolutely drenched,sweat beading off my body and went and stood outside..in my boxers on a white frosty morning. The Mrs appeared and looked at me alarmed asking if I was having a heart attack! By now I was lathered...I asked for a drink of water..a pint of,ice cold,downed in one..and immediately felt better and was back to normal in minutes! This has never happened since so a mystery. Perhaps it was too much chillies!?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Well thankfully you're OK H! Have you eaten anything different or that might have been on the turn?
Many years ago I had a weird experience....it was after a night of beers and back then,a chilli laced curry,which was my normal Saturday night.
I woke the next morning feeling light headed,sweating profusely and super heating. I went downstairs absolutely drenched,sweat beading off my body and went and stood outside..in my boxers on a white frosty morning. The Mrs appeared and looked at me alarmed asking if I was having a heart attack! By now I was lathered...I asked for a drink of water..a pint of,ice cold,downed in one..and immediately felt better and was back to normal in minutes! This has never happened since so a mystery. Perhaps it was too much chillies!?

No I ate nothing unusual. I did drink quite a lot because we had loads of family round from 12:30 until late. I told the medical team in case it was relevant but they didn’t seem to think it would be.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Glad your ok H and been checked over, those are all they symptoms i had last year, mine was a heart attack 2 stents later a small change in live style i am still here, i was going to say the same as Clint could be something you have eaten

 

[Clint]

Exhaustion? Years ago the Mrs was burnt out through work,took her three days bed rest to get right.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Glad you're ok H. Health scares like this can come out of nowhere and terrify me

 

[Clint]

The thing is H,you're up and down like a bluearsed fly...put your feet up for a few days. I bet you're doing more now than when you were working.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Glad you're ok H. Health scares like this can come out of nowhere and terrify me

Yeah, cancer and heart attacks are scary as hell, more so because they are the two biggest killers so there’s a good chance one or the other will get you.

 

[Rodcx500z]

One thing i have learned don't look your symptoms up online, i went from being alright to dead in 3 clicks, as above H sit back take a break for a week book a holiday and chill out

 

[Pennine]

Yeah, cancer and heart attacks are scary as hell, more so because they are the two biggest killers so there’s a good chance one or the other will get you.

Yep, scary reality. If you don't already excercise regularly and eat more veggies, fruit and beans.

Glad everything checked out, had to be a relief.

 

[YeastFace]

Glad to hear you're alright, H.

Carbon Monoxide exposure has some similar symptoms. Have you been anywhere over the long weekend you might have been exposed (like a poorly vented BBQ?).

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Glad to hear you're alright, H.

Carbon Monoxide exposure has some similar symptoms. Have you been anywhere over the long weekend you might have been exposed (like a poorly vented BBQ?).

No, not carbon monoxide. No BBQ. Out at the bar all day, boiler is in the garage.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Gastric reflux a good mimic with central chest pain and can radiate, I'd pop into the GP and get your blood pressure rechecked a few times. If it's periodically high it needs treatment, most pipes burst at high pressure rather than low.
Nocturnal angina ( chest Pain due to ischaemia at night) can be precipitated by sleep apnea and we all can be prone to snoring after a few / many beers.
Glad you are better though.
I used to wake up with terrible night sweats and a dozen awful diagnosis went through my mind. In the end worked it out to be Chardonnay drinking in the evening. Didn't matter if it was new world or old world, oaked or unoaked.
Now I just drink it at lunchtimes if I fancy some.

 

[phildo79]

Did a doctor stick their finger up your arse? They like doing that. Apparently it tells them all they need to know

 

[RoomWithABrew]

As the saying goes " if you don't put your finger in it, pretty soon you'll be in it!"

 

[foxy]

Not wanting to be a party pooper but a client of mine got his wife to take him to the hospital after experiencing pains in his chest. Went through all the tests even the tread mill. On the way home he pulled up asked his wife to pop into a shop and get a bottle of carbonated water. When she got back to the car he had carked it. Mind you he wasn't the healthiest looking specimen, pasty, and a bit overweight also a big drinker of coffee.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

One small bonus was that I heard how everything is in very good condition including my liver - result!

Glad you passed your MOT H.

Great news about your liver, I don't know how many units you drink a week but imagine from your posts like many here it's a lot more than the 8 units a week recommended.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

So glad you're ok H, that's so scary.

I wonder if it was dehydration due to too much salt? Could be so many things and we probably won't find out

 

[Baldylocks Brewery]

Did a doctor stick their finger up your ****? They like doing that. Apparently it tells them all they need to know

I think you are getting confused with aliens Phil
Glad you are ok H even if it is still a mystery.

 

[MashBag]

Good to read you are OK. Was there a diagnosis?

Do you drink coffee?
A mate of mine had a bad reaction (sweating, raised BP etc) and although he had always drunk coffee now abstains.

"Your body chemistry changes as throughout life and something you have always done can suddenly become unacceptable" was the advice he was given.