How Can I Tell If I Have Heart Attack Symptons - How To Avoid A Heart Attack
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Knowing that you are having a heart attack is half the battle to surviving a heart attack so I will discuss the symptons of a heart attack with you, one day it may save your life. Funny thing is most younger people think heart attacks only affect the elderly, they don't. Whilst I was in hospital there were people as young as 30 in but I have known even teens to die of a sudden heart attack.
One thing I did learn in the hospital though on talking to fellow heart patients was that 8 out of 10 waited almost a few days to a week before they realised they were having a heart attack. In a mild or moderate heart attack the blood clot can cause a blockage of maybe 80 or 90 percent of the artery so some blood flows through but you get the feelings of discomfort that are the heart attack. The longer you leave it unattended the more damage that is done to the heart, this scars the heart leaving it less strong and cuts years of your lifespan.
Main Symptons Of A Heart Attack
Pressure in the middle of the chest, like a fullness, or a sharp pain or uncomfortable pressure and for me it was the uncomfortable pressure. There was no actual pain but it felt in a way that I was slowly drowning.
Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms. For me this actually happended when I was on the phone to the ambulance. My left arm suddenly but slowly started to go numb and then my right arm did as well, it got so numb and weak I dropped the phone because all feeling had left it.
Sweating, nausea, shortness of breath and feeling lightheaded. The first two were my first symptons of my heart attack. I awoke and was suddenly swamped with a feeling of nausea, sweating and just feeling totally sick. My skin felt clamy and my whole face, hands and body were covered with beads of sweat dripping down me. Plus on looking at myself in the mirror my skin was an ashen colour.
Increased or irregular heartbeat, I had the increased heartbeat but I think that was down to the sheer fear and panic of what was happening to me. I did manage to bring my heartbeat down by trying to relax which did work.
A feeling of impending doom, which I had been told about but you think what to hell does impending doom feel like. Trust me when a heart attack comes a calling you will know that feeling because I did, it's like you feel you are going to die, you panic and you think you are drowning. It's like you are slowly slipping away from life but no pain is there and reality has left the building.
Don't Be Afraid To Phone An Ambulance
In life a lot of us think why bother my Doctor it's only a bit of heartburn or you think jeeez if I phone an ambulance out the neighbours will see it and if nothing is wrong with me I will have wasted their valuable time when they could have been saving someone else.
My week in hospital taught me so many valuable lessons, I met a guy aged 40 who left his heart attack symptons for a week and had a massive heart attack. He survived but a lot of damage was done to his heart, that damage will cut at least 10 years off his life expectancy so I ask you, is it better looking silly or losing 10 years of your life.
If you have ever have any of the above signs please phone an ambulance within an hour, you do actually only live once, this really isn't a dress rehearsal, take care and stay safe.
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Comments
You do that my friend, we want an old wrinkly Shamel ; )
Thanks for the great advice. This info is VERY helful.. so much I did not know and the procrasinating of getting help, I could so see myself doing...yet I shall not..now.
No probs, yer welcome !
I do hope many read this. It is great info. Kudos my friend.
Great hub. What is feels like from the point of view of a person having a heart attack. I thought I was having a heart attack once, but I had a pulled shoulder and a panic attack. But I knew a man and they drove to the hospital and he was in the parking lot, changed his mind, about to go home and had a massive attck. So better to check it out. - Carol
Cheers Ralwus appreciate the Kudos !
Carol my lil friend panic attacks are deff on my to do list, my next hub in this heart series is the stent operation followed by getting fit again after a heart attack then I am gonna get into all the health stuff but twil still slip my humor into it ya know ; )
These insights are great man,I look forward to your next publishing,Thanks!
Next hub Waren you join me on the operating table to get a stent fitted, glad you like them ; )
This is a wonderful list. Many of these symptoms are easily ignored, if one doesn't know they are signs of a more serious problem.
It always amazes me what the heart can survive. One of my friends has had over 40 major heart attacks and more than 300 minor ones. The doctors just marvel that she is still alive.
Most of her heart attacks are due to treating an inoperable brain tumor with herbs -- a tumor that should have killed her years ago, by normal standards.
Hi Ivorwen, I can't understand how crazy some people can be as well. My sisters friend had a heart attack the same time as me and continued smoking, 2 months ago she had another and is still smoking and drinking vodka.
Yes I know I take a drink and I should only in moderation but despite rumours of me being a drunken mess I actually only drink twice a week lol. I thank you as ever for dropping by ; )
great hub (I enjoy your writing style more than the medical advice, I'm afraid to say!)....But what's even better is seeing you back here....! I had the biggest smile on my face when I saw your hubs! keep writing...x
Thank you my friend, they can batter the life out of me on the forums but I intend to keep on writing x
I think I had all those symptoms recently when I was doing an exam. Guess I should be dead now. Interesting hub.
Glad you survived CG ; )
Hey BC (can I call you Art?), your hubs just keep getting better and better. I'm learning more about heart attack because of your hubs. Thank you very much friend and no matter what they say on the forums, you rock!
Emievil I would prefer now if you call me Art, it's now on my profile. Later I am writing about the operation I had getting a stent fitted, by the time you finish reading it you will feel like you had the operation.
The Forum doesn't bother me, just shows me there is nothing else to talk about ; )
Thanks Art. You're going to write about the operation? Er, I'll make sure I sit down very well when I read it and hours after I ate my last meal =). Just kidding. When I read about operations, my stomach becomes too heavy, as if filled by lead =). I'm looking forward to reading that hub.
Lol this one was actually really cool, you are awake during it and are actually watching it yourself on 3 screens, jeeeez yer making me give away a trailer ; )
Okay, won't ask anymore. Just write that hub =).
Very good article & thanks. I'm on vacation. Two days ago I received a phone call from a co-worker letting me know that the person filling in for me suffered a heart attack at work, and was rushed off to hospital. This is a person I see daily, and would like to continue seeing daily for quite a while. I was told that his symptoms were virtually all those you described. There is, however, a symptom that you did not include that might be good to know. Often when one is suffering a heart attack, the vegus nerve is stimulated and people misinterpret an heart attack as an impending bowel movement. (The vegus nerve is connected to the heart and the colon.) Oldsters are often found in arrest near a toilet.
Thanks again for a useful and helpful article.
Tony
Emievil, I just did lol !
Tony cheers for the comment and many thanks for adding that bit of information, it all helps people who don't know what to look out for and hell if someone reading this get's help from it then happy days, thanks again my friend !
another good hub
Great writing HealthTip, I love your style. Are you available to write some freelance articles?
Thanks Lgala and yes David, just checked your website and will join up and mail you later !
I'll keep this is mind, thanks for a good and simple explanation that can save lifes!
Thanks Anath and deff keep those lovely lips handy if I need the kiss of life ; )
Great Hub. I had a heart attack in December 2008 and drove myself to the hospital. Of course, I didn't know I was having a heart attack, just knew something was wrong. That was the fastest I ever got a bed in a hospital.
Sarra I am glad you are ok, you should write about it !
You are a great writer, nice hub, keep writing, Dr House, ( Healhtip)
Why thank you Maribin, I intend to write a new one today ; )
Good data to have. I actually did not much of this and it could come in handy. Glad your here.
GreenMathDr - thank you for the comment, I intend to still do a lot more heart hubs !
Enjoyed the Hub lot of useful info thnaks
Have I stumbled across one of my favorite hubbers here who I thought had gone? I've been out of commission, for the most part, since I had one of the above symptoms that is listed in your hub above. I did not have a heart attack, I had respiratory FAILURE on August 31 and spent 36 days in the hospital, after an asthma attack in which I had to be intubated (a tube in my throat to hold my airway open) for two days. The funny thing is that I had "the feeling of impending doom," even called it by that very name later, though I had had never heard of it. I was so convinced that it was my time to die, that I almost did not even call for the ambulance. I had that feeling of impending doom at least 30 minutes prior to the asthma attack, which was finally brought on really because I was calling for the ambulance so that my daughter would not find me dead...I know it sounds very strange, but that feeling of impending doom is very powerful and can not be ignored.
Thanks Lgali !
Hi Connie I actually read your Hub at lunchtime today but didn't have time to comment. I so knew that feeling of impending doom as I had it myself and I am so glad you are ok and its great to see you back !
Hi Health Tip, well done on the 10 hubs! I used to panic in exams at college and ended up repeating a year because of it. I still hate pressurised situations like a driving test or a computer skills test at a job interview but I've a clean bill of health as things stand. I'll be watching out for your advice just in case! all the best!
Thanks Jenny-Anne my worst thing even still is getting stuck in a traffic jam, I think its that being trapped in an enclosed place thing. But hey thank you for your comment and I hope you stay good, take a hug !
Yes! Biggest thing with my heart attack was that feeling of impending doom. Made sense, because without timely intervention - ambulance, cardiologist, stent - I could have died. Very, very scary. Yes, also agree with the video about low carbs and dangers of medications. Great hub - well done - and thanks for your comment on my hub (how to reverse CVD)!
Charles S - I agree, you just know your own body and that feeling of impending doom just triggers an alarm. I am glad you are ok, I carry 3 aspirin in a plastic container all the time so if it ever happens again I can slip one under my tongue, that can save your life until the ambulance comes, you take care my friend.
shamelabboush says:
6 weeks ago
Great tips. I will take all that into serious consideration, thanks.