Heart Attack or Heart Disease?

I came on here, thinking I would find some fellow sufferers, but it's an old thread.
It set me wondering, how do people manage to find these old threads and then ressurect them? ??

A heart attack happens if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked and the heart can't get oxygen. Most heart attacks occur as a result of coronary heart disease

A heart attack is usually caused by a blood clot that obstructs the blood flow in one of the coronary arteries, and heart failure occurs when the heart does not have enough strength to pump blood around the body.

Thank you for your help, Maw.

Being a "Type A personality" doesn't help! Loved rushing, doing, lifting and stressing is a permanent thing with me. I will have to change my ways.

No, but make sure you pace yourself and don’t push yourself wot think of taking a stick or planning a walk where you can have a rest on a wall or stile if it’s out in the country - and don’t go too far. Keep your mobile with you and make sure it is charged. Sophie may have to accept shorter walkies , you will probably be fine but you must take things easy.
No rushing, no lifting, no bending over, light food but enough of it, “listening” to your body and if you are in any doubt you must ring 999 and tell them about the history, chest pains or whatever. Make sure you have a back up for Sophie , someone to feed her and let her out etc and dare I say this - try not to stress .
But please get some advice or support from the GP or Cardiac Unit.

Spray, not sprat.

Thanks Maw! My ex partner's daughter is a paramedic and sh warned me to sit down if I needed to use the nitrate sprat which alarmed me a bit because I don't like weird feelings! The sedative I had when I had the angiogram made me feel very odd and I didn't like it. Also sit down on a muddy road whilst walking Sophie dog?? I don't fancy that!

Wot I think you should be getting continues Cardiac Care Both my neighbour who had a mild heart attack followed by a stent and Paw who had his Aortic valve replaced as well as a graft to mend an aneurysm, had weekly sessions of guided (gentle) exercise for 6 weeks after hospitalisation (after a bit if a wait) and then the option to continue for a very minimal cost. There were specialist first aiders in attendance at all times and the opportunity to ask for advice about anything cardio related.
I am sorry it seems you have been left to fend for yourself.
Could you try either your GP, the District Nurse service or the Cardiac unit where you were seen?
Good luck - do persevere and be aware of any recurrence of symptoms. If you have been given a nitrate spray you should be advised when and how to use it.
And then do so!

I had a heart attack and although I'm back home now, I am none the wiser for how I should conducting my life.....should I be taking it easy or am I allowed to do gardening, housework etc. My arteries are fine but valves not good. Talk about being left in the dark! I was given a nitrate spray but am scared of using it. Advice would be welcome, please!

Willow, I'm thinking that if only I didn't own 65% of this cottage my dad left me, the council could move me back to civilisation where there would be help if I have another attack. Or there would at least be someone to talk to occasionally. I don't think the council would entertain anyone with property though so I'll just moulder away here. Does anyone have any ideas please?

Apparently, my arteries are okay but the valves are not good

Thanks Willow, Yes, I'm on my own and no neighbours who are easy to get to or that I know . I am going to ask for an alarm thing. I took my hospital letter to the doctor but nobody said anything abouit making an appointment to see doc. I've only seen practice nurse for years and not doctor because doctor didn't spot my aneurysm until it was nearly too late. I'll probably phone early on Tuesday to get an appointment because in hospital, they took me off my Prozac and I am worried about just stopping it dead like that. especially as my dose was doubled when my partner went in August. I just want to get on with my life but now think I might keel over and decompose before anyone realises I'm not around. [drama queen, that's me]

Wot that's quite worrying that you're on your own. Do you have neighbours or family you can call if you need help? If not could you have one of the neck button alarms installed? If you've been given the nitrate spray have they said it's angina?

I sometimes get pains on the right side of my chest. I asked the GP last year about them and he gave me a spray which I've never used - he didn't tell me I had angina and have not been examined since the initial diagnosis of AF 2 years ago. I do feel they should call you back at some point to monitor medication and perhaps do another ECG.

I hope they contact you soon to let you know what they are going to do!

AS mentioned on this post my GP says that a HA feels like an elephant standing on your chest.
I have been diagnosed with Arterial Fibrillation and suffer mostly from tiredness, but being put on Beta Blockers has calmed the heart. I take a blood thinner and am monitored with a Quick Test ( a fingr prick) every 4 weeks.

After 5 years I asked for a referral to a cardiologist but my GP said he wasn't allowed to refer people to the cardiologist unless they have pains in the chest as there are not so many in our area. so I rang the cardiologist myself and made an appointment and will go later in the year.

wot how worrying for you

I had three attacks last weekend and have been in hospital. My arteries are fine but valves not good. I can't have MRI as I have metal in my head! Back home but no clue whats going to happen. Live alone in rural area so its bit scary. I have been given a nitrate spray.

Definitely ask for referral. I had the "elephant on chest" symptom and was taken to A&E. After being put on heart monitor I was sent home as they could find nothing wrong. 18 months later same thing happened. I had lots of tests including heart scan and was found to have faulty heart valve.

Willow500, think I would ask for a referral to see a cardiologist in your position, just to be on the safe side.

I think I had a heart attack 18 months ago - very bad headache which spread down my jaw and into my neck on the left side. Husband was overseas and not suspecting anything too serious took pain killers and sat quietly for an hour till it passed. Several weeks later when husband was home I was having palpitations quite often so he made me go to the doctors. They were very good, gave me a blood test to see if there was an embolism, put me straight on the heart monitor and as the palpitations were happening right then he was able to diagnose Atrial Fibrillation - he put me on beta blockers and blood thinners and so far nothing else has happened. He even rang me that night after surgery to make sure I was ok which I thought was excellent as did the pharmacist who dispensed the tablets! I have since read that women can present much different symptoms to men so worth checking.

PS my post above refers to Fumanchu's post.

BlueBelle, I'd expect the diagnostic department to attempt a differential diagnosis just in case there was an urgent matter to attend to, or transfer the patient to A and E. Severe and unremitting pain needs urgent attention no matter where in the body it occurs.

If you are in the heart department and they do tests that show your heart is good all they can do is refer you back to the gp which sounds as if that’s what they did What were you expecting the heart dept to do ? They are only there to check the one problem you present with Now up to your gp to decide if you need tests in a different dept

Same thing happened to me yesterday...sent straight to hospital for tests,ECG etc, 6 hours later sent home and advised to take painkillers! Need to go back to GP now to find out why I'm still in pain

Yes I am ok with the gp, but not the hospital. At the end of 6 hours in bad pain, I was sent home still the exact same way as I went in! Ok so I knew it wasn't heart but nobody did any further tests to see what was causing it.