View Full Version : Anyone actually had a heart attack? Seems I might have...
Hey folks, as some of you may have known, or not, I am dealing with a bit of heart stuff. I have an aortic aneurysm, and a bad aortic valve. All of that has to be corrected with open heart surgery, which I am actually cool with. Surprisingly, not freaking out at all about it.
However, as part of the work up for that procedure, I was given an angiogram/heart catheter to look for clogged arteries. Before the procedure, as routine, they give you an EKG, which they did in short order and then I was off to the procedure.
The angiogram went swimmingly. I am 46, almost 47, but my coronary arteries, much to my surprise, were in phenomenal shape. My cardiologist said I had the arteries of a 25 year old. This was outstanding news. I cleared another hurtle towards the surgery. That was 9 days ago.
Fast forward to this morning, I was sorting through my test results online, and read the angiogram, which was great. Then I took a look at the EKG results. They said I had a Septal Myichardial Infarction of Undetermined Time. The EKG said I have had a septal heart attack at some point in the past.
Now, this was a huge surprise, as the cardiologist--who signed off on it before the angiogram--never said anything about it to me. He said I looked great. I have no symptoms, I am reasonably fit, and he made no mention of the EKG results at all, before or after the angiogram.
I have also had an echo, and a ct chest scan, none of which picked up anything heart related mentioning a septal heart attack.
Would I be wise just to ignore the EKG, which I can understand can be somewhat irreliable, given that I have had an echo, an angiogram with the fluor contrast, all unremarkable? Also, given that he never mentioned the heart attack to me?
Has anyone else has issues like this with an EKG? What is the gold standard for measurements? I have had no stress tests, or holter monitor, but it seems like I have had all the other big ones.
Dealing with heart stuff like you have and most know I do too is difficult at best. A septal myocardial infarction indicates that you had muscle damage on the heart due to oxygen deficiencies. That being said, apparently, due to the doctors not even bringing it up, they may consider it's not a threat to your overall health. A simple phone call or email would address your concerns.
Positive thoughts
Yes, for whatever reason the heart was never a worry of mine. Then boom, I develop and aortic aneurysm, and then see a test result that shows I had a heart attack, but no blockages.
Yes, I am worried now, but the aorta thing doesn't concern me at all. The heart attack thing, though, that has me spun up. But my cardiologist, who hasn't said word one to me about it, is very good. I will call and see what he thinks.
Amayatylor
13-08-17, 21:51
No, i don't had a heart attack. BTW thanks for sharing your experience. it is valuable to me
My dad had about 14 heart attacks and completely ignored them. The only reason wefound out he's had them was when he had three MASSIVE heart attacksin one day. The tests he had done revealed extensive damage to the heart to the point that the back was non functional. It was old damage too and not caused by the three big ones. We had no idea!
You may have had one, or maybe not. The important thing is it has been noted and now you can make steps to deal with it and stop further damage, unlike my dad who didn't know something was wrong until it was too late to stop!
And the good news is that my dad is still with us fifteen years later and has had no further heart problems :)
WiredIncorrectly
13-08-17, 22:58
And the good news is that my dad is still with us fifteen years later and has had no further heart problems :)
Wow! God bless modern medicine! That's great news to hear. This is why it's so important to get regular checkups.
That is amazing! I am wishing I hadn't explored my test results, to be honest. I was feeling fine, but now that I have read that I might have had a heart attack, I am hyper vigilant.
I need to just try to calm myself and put a call into my cardiologist tomorrow.
As an aside, my cardiologist emailed me this morning, and confirmed that I have zero evidence of ever having had a heart attack, and explained to me that the EKG can often read badly when someone has an aortic aneurysm.
It is odd to feel such relief. The aneurysm is fixable, and I will be moving ahead with that next week with a new surgeon--one of the best in the area for aortic aneurysms, so it is great news. It is so weird to not be anxious about it. Even weirder is that I am kind of excited to move forward and get it behind me.
damianjmcgrath
17-08-17, 21:54
I'm really sorry to ask this but it's a bit of a trigger for me. Isn't 47/48 young for heart problems and how did you first notice the symptoms related to your aneurysm?
As an aside, my cardiologist emailed me this morning, and confirmed that I have zero evidence of ever having had a heart attack, and explained to me that the EKG can often read badly when someone has an aortic aneurysm.
It is odd to feel such relief. The aneurysm is fixable, and I will be moving ahead with that next week with a new surgeon--one of the best in the area for aortic aneurysms, so it is great news. It is so weird to not be anxious about it. Even weirder is that I am kind of excited to move forward and get it behind me.
That's good news and I know what you mean about just wanting to get it over with. For me, being sick is a HUGE PITA! I have things to do and life to live and it really put a kink in the armor having to deal with it.
I'm really sorry to ask this but it's a bit of a trigger for me. Isn't 47/48 young for heart problems and how did you first notice the symptoms related to your aneurysm?
I was extremely fit and had my 1st heart attack and triple bypass at 47. BUT, I abused the heck out of myself in my younger years, smoking, drinking, partying WAY too much. Between that and heredity, I paid the price.
Positive thoughts
Catherine S
17-08-17, 22:25
I think that for many H/A-ers, the fear of a disease is much worse than the reality of it. Waiting for it to happen is something we all fear, but with the small percentage of people who experience the real thing, ive always found that they cope really well. That's a common phenomenon with health anxiety sufferers. When we need to be strong....we are! :)
I wish you all good things with whatever you have to face. As Dr. Claire Weekes often said, anxiety sufferers are amongst the strongest people.
damianjmcgrath
17-08-17, 22:45
Fishmanpa, I've listened to you for probably years on this forum. I've been battling heart anxiety on and off and getting better, then it hits me again, and so on.
From what I can tell, you're in a fairly unique position on here where you have/had anxiety plus a "real" heart condition. You've probably posted this before, but in your experience, what were the differences between the symptoms of an anxiety attack and a heart attack? Could you tell immediately? Did you try and ignore it initially thinking it was anxiety? It might be a trigger story for some but I'd find your thoughts on that interesting and I think even a bit comforting.
I've never been medically or physiologically diagnosed with anxiety per se'. I struggled with what I call "scanxiety" after my cancer. With a 50/50 chance that my cancer could return in the first two years, you could say I was a bit stressed out before check up time. I also struggled with some depression, again, due to my medical circumstances. Perfectly understandable under the circumstances but no, I don't struggle with anxiety to any degree. I did take meds to help as well as sought therapy and it was very beneficial. I learned a lot about myself.
All I'll say about the heart deal is that I knew immediately that something wasn't right when it happened. I've had aches, pains, reflux etc. but this? It's like trying to ignore a stab would inside your chest and it just gets worse and worse. You wouldn't be here asking nor googling. You would be at the hospital I assure you!
Heart issues are one of the top fears on the boards and just from an age perspective as well as symptom and post history, it's ridiculously improbable that something serious is going on.
Positive thoughts
My heart condition, the aortic root aneurysm was picked up during an echocardiogram done because I was born with a prolapse mitral valve. At 46 a month and a half ago, it was 5cm, and is about the same now. They really are not super dangerous once you know you have it. Mine was brought about by a bicuspid aortic valve, which means it opens with two leaflets instead of three like a normal aorta. That causes higher pressure where the blood flows into the aorta which can, in some cases, cause an aortic aneurysm. Bicuspid valves are at most 1-2% of the population, and of those, only a handful get an aneurysm. The odds are good you are healthy.
I had no symptoms and was super fit with years of clean living under the belt...lots of pizza, cheese burgers and beer when I was young though. :)
The thing is, it is not even something to be that terrified of. Yes, open heart surgery sucks, but it is literally statistically safer than drive to the hospital to get the surgery. I meet my surgeon soon and schedule the big day soon after. Weirdly, just excited. I can get my life back. Right now I can't lift more than 20 pounds, or do anything the makes me breathless.
damianjmcgrath
18-08-17, 07:28
Thanks to both of you. I always struggle with chest aches and tightness and as that's my only experience, I can't compare it to a heart attack. It just feels bad but is obviously just anxiety. It's actually useful to me to start realising that an actual heart problem will hurt so much more and will be very very obvious. Sometimes my anxiety aches are subtle, so at least I can rationalise those away in my head now.
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