Not-quite-unexpected health issues

[wiseheart]

With all the stress I am having lately, it was only a matter of time, I guess.

No, no panic attacks again. This time, it's the triumphant return of my heart problems. The whole thing starts with a pressure on my chest, like a belt laid around it and being pulled tighter slowly, deliberately. Then it reaches my heart. It's a funny feeling, as if someone would hold it in their hand and then closing their fist slowly, applying more and more pressure, and my left arm goes a bit numb.

The worst part is over, for the time being. Right now, it's just a faint ache, barely there. It's more annoying than painful, really. But I'm not happy about its return.

This is nothing new. Between twenty and thirty, I had it recurring all the time. Been to numerous doctors with it, both here and in Germany. They never found anything wrong. Had to take various medicines, from Nitroglycerine pills to serious heart medication, the same one my Granny got for a while. It didn't do a thing, so I stopped taking them. After a while, when the stress levels lessened, I seemed to "grow out" of it, if one can grow out of anything at that age.

Now it seems to be back. Heart problems are hereditary in our family, and my Granny lived 96 years despite them, so I'm not particularly worried. It's just very unpleasant, and I feel so terribly weak when it comes over me, it's not even funny.

Comments

[crowdaughter.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! Please take good care of yourself! Heart problems are nothing to trifle with! I know, my own mother survived to the age of 78 with having a heart-insufficiency, albeit she did need a heart operation when she had just turned sixty, and nearly did not survive it. But still, it is possible to live to a fine old age. On the other hand, this is not to be taken lightly. So, please, be careful, and take care!

On another note, please e-mail me if and when you will come to Berlin this year? I need to tell my bosses when I want to take my holidays, and I would place some days off around your visit. Or did you decide to go to another country, this year? Would be okay, too, after all Berlin is not running away. :)

In any case, I would be glad to hear from you! :)

All my best wishes,

Aislynn

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I'll mail you till the end of this month (whatever is left from it) if it's all right with you. Work was so chaotic lately that Mum and I just didn't have the time to sit down and discuss everything in detail.

Sorry for the delay.

[cirdan-havens.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear it's not fatal though it does sound very worrisome. :( *hugs* Take care of yourself, but I know it's sometimes impossible with the current situations. My gosh, it really sounds like a version of a heart attack or something. You're definitely not weak. *hugs* You've managed to survive all these difficulties so you're definitely not weak, especially in my eyes. In fact, in a lot of ways, I look up to you. Life sucks but you still find the will to go on. I try to learn from your example.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Flatterer. :))

I meant it makes me feel physically weak, so tired all the time. But I appreciate your sentiment very much. *hugs*

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

I don't want to scare you, Dear One, but what you describe are the symptoms of a heart attack in a woman. Men's symptoms are different, which is a why a lot of women's heart attacks are not diagnosed for a long time, meaning more permanent damage.

I beg you to please see a doctor as quickly as you can, even though you have seen doctors before and think you know what's happening. If it is a heart attack, blood is being cut off to part of your heart muscle, and that tissue will die and cannot be restored. You could end up permanently losing some of your heart's ability to pump blood, meaning you'd be weak and tired all the time for the rest of your life. The fact that your gran lived to 96 with heart problems doesn't predit your path: you live under very different stresses.

Cirdan is right when she says you are not weak - you have great strength of spirit and endurance - but your body is telling you something wrong. Please make time to listen and get it checked out? [big hug]

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Well, I used to go on with the same symptoms for months in a row when I was younger. But I intend to see the doctor if it doesn't get better, soon. I no longer follow the (false) belief that I ought to go on labouring no matter what.

Although, if Corontin and Nitroglycerine didn't help back then, I have little hope that it would do me any good. But even if they only say that I should stay out of stress (hah! they never can tell how to do it!) and put me on sick leave for a week or two, it would be a blessing, I guess.

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

[still worrying about you, so I'm adding some more hugs]

[julesaello.livejournal.com]

Please, be careful!! And please, see a doctor soon! *sends you many hugs* (Did you enjoy Vienna?)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, I did. Even while it's snowing in March, Vienna is a wondrous city to visit. :)

[kezya.livejournal.com]

I've got a benign heart condition myself, and I've found out that the symptoms reappear whenever I'm tired or stressed out, but go away if I don't pay any attention to them. Taking magnesium pills also helps. Or chocolate - chocolate's got lots of magnesium, plus it's, well, chocolate. It might help you feel better. :) The panic attacks can also be connected with certain types of heart problems, funnily enough. Anyway, hope you'll feel better soon!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I've made the same experiences, myself. And chocolate is still the medicine with the fewest side effects - only that it makes one fat, sadly. ;)

[jen-rock.livejournal.com]

That sounds really bad even though you say it's something you've had before. I hope you can get to a doctor soon. I'll keep you in my prayers. Try to take it easy, please. ~hugs and good wishes.~

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'll try. But it's not easy, due to the workplace-related things that wont go away any time soon.

[mistry89.livejournal.com]

Do look after yourself - and even if these are symptoms you have had before (and I know you are stressed at the moment), it could be something different or perhaps it is the same and a a new medication/diagnosis is now possible.
Good Thoughts!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I will, if it keeps reappearing. Thanks for the Good Thoughts (TM).

[jilba.livejournal.com]

Please be careful! Heart medicines are so much better than they were years ago, maybe more can be done now.

I really do think you ought to see your Doc, pleeaasee!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Perhaps. I'll try to wait a little first, because I don't want to frighten Mum, and it would be hard to keep from her that. Maybe if the weather fronts stop changing so drastically (more than fifteen degrees Celsius differences within one day), I'll get better, too.

'Cuz, you know, lessening the stress factor isn't really within my powers...

[jilba.livejournal.com]

Ah, I know about stress, and live constantly with it too, just a differnt cause to yours.

Don't worry Mum, but please do think of your health. We've been having wild temperature swings here too, one day we've got the air conditioner on, the next day the heater. It doesn't help one's health at all!