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A Heartfelt Message
Heart attack. Most people think of these familiar symptoms:
• Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the chest area lasting more than a few minutes.
• Mild or intense pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms and jaw. Pressure, tightness, burning or a heavy weight, like an elephant sitting on your chest.
• Lightheadedness, fainting, profuse sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.
• Anxiety, nervousness and/or cold, sweaty skin.
• Paleness or pallor.
• Increased or irregular heart rate.
What if you never felt a thing—no pain, no pressure, or any of these other telltale signs that something was amiss? Could you still be having a heart attack?
Yes, you could, just as I did last year without realizing it. You could have what is called a silent heart attack—“silent ischemia,” a chronic shortage of oxygen and blood to a portion of the heart. In my case it was the right ascending artery that was severely damaged.
You’re probably wondering how a doctor could have a heart attack and not know it? What about all that training and experience? Shouldn’t you know better? Don’t you take care of yourself? We’ve heard all these questions, and my wife, Cappy, is quick to point out that I’m human first, and a doctor after that. I’m just like anyone else—afraid of facing the inevitable, and hopeful that the symptoms I did experience would go away or be attributed to something else not quite as serious.
Sudden Symptoms
It happened in August, literally overnight. All of sudden I became extremely fatigued with no stamina at all—walking across the living room took every ounce of energy out of me. I figured it was all the extra work we’d been doing at our summer jobs as activity directors at an RV resort and a good night’s sleep might help. Unfortunately, I still felt very tired the next day and following week.
My feet were swollen, but I thought that was due to my diabetes, which can cause this problem occasionally. A diuretic (water pill) surely would take care of that. I also had a whizzing sound in my chest and hacking cough like a three-pack-a-day smoker has, though I haven’t had a cigarette since the 1960s. The only way I could sleep was sitting up in a chair.
I did see my doctor who discovered some kidney problems—another situation that comes with the territory when you have diabetes, especially when you take insulin like I do. We concentrated on that, and things got better. I was feeling pretty good, especially knowing a visit to Colorado Springs to see our grandchildren was still on for September. There I saw a kidney specialist, still believing this was the root of my problems.
In retrospect, I realize I didn’t emphasize the extent of my extreme fatigue to these two physicians. We did discuss seeing a cardiologist, and I promised myself I would—as soon as we got to Arizona for the winter.
You can see the pattern. Deny and delay. I couldn’t do that anymore because the symptoms came back. I couldn’t snap back from the fatigue, and the water pills couldn’t keep up with the edema in my feet or my lungs. A friend referred us to an excellent internist who immediately said the words I was dreading—congestive heart failure. With that, she referred me to a cardiologist, who agreed and began the process of helping me.
Road to Recovery
First came a complete checkup with a series of blood tests, an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization, followed by a five-day hospital stay to evaluate everything and get things under control. Fortunately, my arteries are clear and there’s no need for by-pass surgery at this time. There are many strong collateral arteries growing around the heart, helping with more blood supply, and I’m on an excellent beta blocker that helps my heart pump at a higher level through the body. Soon I’ll be going into cardiac rehab (exercise, nutrition classes and support groups), and I may be getting a defibrillator to help the heart if an attack occurs again.
It’s very complicated with my diabetes and kidney problems, but together with my doctors and Cappy, we’re facing this together. I’m grateful for another chance.
Talking about this isn’t easy. I’ve always been healthy and the one taking care of others. But, I know in my heart it’s important to share this experience, understanding we all have fears about disease and complications that affect the body. It’s perfectly natural to feel that way. Just don’t let those fears keep you away from getting the help you need and deserve. Go with your gut feelings and follow your instinct. It won’t always be a walk in the park, but your health and well-being are at stake. It’s worth the effort.
Listen to your body. Communicate with your doctor. Read up on your condition and research everything you can. One book we’re enjoying is, Success with Heart Failure: Help and Hope for those with Congestive Heart Failure by Marc Silver, M.D., a cardiologist and professor and one of the country’s leading experts on CHF. It’s an excellent book that gives us hope and inspiration, and one that I’d like to discuss more in this column in the future.
In the meantime, here’s to good health and happiness.