Did I have a heart attack?e

Hi all,

I have not posted in almost a year, since my visit to Dr. Natale last June. It's time for my annual echocardiogram, however my last one was clear

Last night after dinner my stomach started to hurt -- not like a virus, but just "full." I felt really bloated and I have NEVER bloated or suffered with acid reflux, gerd, etc.

Finally, I thought I might vomit so I went into the bathroom and felt the burning sensation in my throat, like vomit, but then just had to lie on the floor. I was on my left side and the left side of my face felt cemented to the floor, along with my right hand. I think I may have passed out briefly and saw nightmarish images for a few seconds. When it was over I was fine, just tired. I immediately did stroke testing things -- lifting my arms, smiling, reciting things I should know. This morning I have little red dots under my left eye, like broken blood vessels.

Any ideas -- I'm rushing out the door, but will check later. Thank you!!

You should be checked immediately for elevated enzymes which can indicate if you did have a heart attack. I certainly hope not but don't delay in being checked ... go to the ER if that's the most expedient way for you.

Let us know,

Please be well,
Jackie

Hi Louise,

That sounds like a scary episode of something, and while your symptoms are not entirely consistent with an MI, they can manifest in a wide array of symptoms and it's always worth checking out especially for those of us with known cardiac issues of any kind. It could well also be a GI-related issue and with your apparent unfamiliarity with such things that can be the case that GI upsets can sometimes feel a bit like what one might imagine a heart attack might feel.

Always best to err on the safe side though, so go get those cardiac enzyme tests and an EKG and see how it is. Just be aware that post ablation, some ER staff not so familiar with reading EKGs on post ablation patients can mistake what they see as evidence of an MI when it is no such thing and is, in fact, entirely benign.

But do get checked out either with your regular doc preferably, if you can get in today, or to an ER if that is the only recourse. Im betting, though, that you did not have an MI from what you describe above .. just make sure you know for sure.

Shannon

Louise
Please keep us updated .. I have been having lots of stomach issues these past 4 months and that in itself can be miserable .. I am interested to hear what the docs have to say about your incident...
Also it sounds like you had an ablation with Natale last June - would love to hear how you have faired since the procedue - was it your first ablation? Sorry to be so inquisitive, but I am interested in a Natale ablation and any information I can get is 'icing on the cake'...
But first and foremost - I want to hear about you and how you are doing???

My Best To You

Charlene in Tulsa, OK
started this journey 05/06/2013
have chalked up 45 hours in AFib (3 events)
wish I didn't belong to this club
but grateful to find 'afib friends'

Charlene in Tulsa, OK
started this journey 05/06/2013
have chalked up 45 hours in AFib (3 events)
wish I didn't belong to this club
but grateful to find 'afib friends'

Thank you all for your (as always) prompt responses. I believe I jumped the gun. Because of what's been going on in the bathroom all day I'm convinced this was a stomach issue. The weird thing with the images on the floor made me think I had a stroke, but there was no evidence of that last night so I immediately thought heart attack.

I called my GP today -- coincidentally I have an appointment on Monday for my annual physical. When I described the incident to him and also the follow up symptoms today, he did not think it had anything to do with my heart. Obviously I will have a full blood panel done on Monday.

Charlene and Shannon, I have not had any ablations. Charlene, I had been on this phorum for over a year because I have afib. It is 24/7 and never seems to change or cause me any problems. After listening to everyone talk about Natale, I took my most recent echocardiogram to Scripps last June and saw him. I had never seen an EP and Shannon's advice was to bypass anyone less experienced and go see Natale if I could.

Dr. Natale told me he did not see any need for an ablation at that time and that I may never need one. One of my concerns was "structural remodeling" of the heart due to long term afib and he said that does not always happen and probably not in my case. (By the way my mother will be 97 in September and has had aifb like mine for probably 40 years (many of those years before it was diagnosed.)

Charlene, having given you some of my history, I WOULD STILL GO TO DR. NATALE IF I COULD IF I NEED AN ABLATION. There are so many testimonials on this site and so many people who suffer much, much more severe symptoms than I. I'm so sorry about your stomach issues, too. Although I cannot give a first hand account of an ablation experience with Dr. Natale, I can say that he is so kind and patient (I almost felt as if I was wasting his time since he did not feel I needed an ablation!) and did not "push" me to do something I did not need.

I will get my echocardiograms done by a local cardiologist, but if any major changes should occur I would definitely take the results to Dr. Natale for an evaluation. I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck. Everyone on this site is your friend!

Good deal Louise, I was hoping we were right ... and I recall now your visit with Dr Natale, and your experience there is just one more reason we urge anyone who can to go see him for at least an honest evaluation of their situation.

Just as he did with you and I have seen with many others too he will tell you just what he thinks is in your best interest while possessing the skill to bring anyone back to NSR and while that is the best step for the majority of afibbers, including persistent afibbers, it is always an individual case where he considers the overall picture and he clearly felt comfortable with your 'not a big issue' from of persistent AFIB of the type not always likely to lead to more fibrosis over time. But you are right, someone should not just assume they fit that bill too, your family history of a mother who did very well and is 97 years old is a testament to some good genetics driving your family AFIB at least.

In any event, Dr Natale has no need at all to build up his stats or seek out new adventures or experiences by taking on all comers for ablation and, as such you can be sure he is not going to wrangle you into something he feels would be or marginal benefit to you from the outset. A lot of EP would say that same thing and not to worry about it to every persistent asymptomatic afibber that came through the door due to they own reticence and uncertainty that they could bring them back to NSR and not necessarily because it was in the patients best interest to remain in AFIB.Thus the wisdom of allowing the most experienced man in the world in this area give you a close inspection before deciding what is or isn't possible and worthwhile in any given case. if at all possible to arrange.

Shannon

I saw my GP yesterday and upon listening to my description of the "event," he said it was vasovagal incident. He went into more detail, but I do not remember exactly, so to try to repeat them would probably be giving false "facts." Shannon, I'm sure you can probably explain it (I googled it when I got home) -- in my case basically it was from stuffing myself and causing pressure on a nerve, but that's a bit over simplified!