Well, last week I joined the 'screwed up heart' club....60 years old, never had a heart issue before; last EKG (12 years ago) was normal, last Dr visit (12 months ago) Dr did not notice anything amiss.
Last Monday, it was raining so I drove to work...after work, driving home, sharp pain over my heart as if I had been kicked by a horse (yes, I know how that feels), and I blacked out...luckily, the car drifted right (instead of left) off the road onto the berm between the road and railroad track...I came too 4-wheeling my little Prius and was able to stop the car-not really any damage to the car-scratched hub cap and fog light cover missing...passerby called 911, ambulance showed up...hooked me up and my EKG was all over the place...
Taken to UofL emergency room; all work up done... tests were negative/normal (ckmb/troponin)...admitted for observation...Next day, Tuesday, had heart ultrasound...got back to room and within an hour was informed I was going to ICU...What? why? while I was having ultrasound, heart was skipping/missing beats for (3-4 beats at a time)....Got to ICU...an hour later, nurse came in and told me they were taking me to get a pace maker asap....what? why? while monitoring me in ICU, heart was skipping/missing more beats (I felt fine).... heart beat is still erratic (at work now) but at least it doesnt skip numerous beats at a time...
Moral of story; even if your only health issue is too much weight, people should have a primary care physician (I didnt) and have a physical every once in a while (I hadnt)..I am not a diabetic (non-fasting glucose was 90, cholesterol-128, triglycerides-78)...I never had a history of blackening out or this kind of chest pain (did have inverted T-Waves when I was 39 years old, which reverted on their own after 24 hours-cause never determined).
Last Monday, it was raining so I drove to work...after work, driving home, sharp pain over my heart as if I had been kicked by a horse (yes, I know how that feels), and I blacked out...luckily, the car drifted right (instead of left) off the road onto the berm between the road and railroad track...I came too 4-wheeling my little Prius and was able to stop the car-not really any damage to the car-scratched hub cap and fog light cover missing...passerby called 911, ambulance showed up...hooked me up and my EKG was all over the place...
Taken to UofL emergency room; all work up done... tests were negative/normal (ckmb/troponin)...admitted for observation...Next day, Tuesday, had heart ultrasound...got back to room and within an hour was informed I was going to ICU...What? why? while I was having ultrasound, heart was skipping/missing beats for (3-4 beats at a time)....Got to ICU...an hour later, nurse came in and told me they were taking me to get a pace maker asap....what? why? while monitoring me in ICU, heart was skipping/missing more beats (I felt fine).... heart beat is still erratic (at work now) but at least it doesnt skip numerous beats at a time...
Moral of story; even if your only health issue is too much weight, people should have a primary care physician (I didnt) and have a physical every once in a while (I hadnt)..I am not a diabetic (non-fasting glucose was 90, cholesterol-128, triglycerides-78)...I never had a history of blackening out or this kind of chest pain (did have inverted T-Waves when I was 39 years old, which reverted on their own after 24 hours-cause never determined).