Back home after 3 days in the hospital. It's been a strange few days.

Woke up Sunday morning with my let arm feeling strange. Thought I had slept on it wrong and the feeling went away after breakfast. Had some epigastric pain Sunday night after dinner and thought that dinner wasn't agreeing with me. Woke up on Monday morning with both. Either one I would've just ignored, but both together I figured I should get myself checked out.

Went to my PCP's office, they ran an EKG and saw some weirdness in the ST segment. They wanted to call an ambulance and send me to the ER. I saw the EKG, re-evaluated my symptoms and thought, "Bullshit, it's not that bad, I'll drive myself."

Drove to the ER, another EKG, a blood draw and a couple of visits from the ER doc. Her opinion was, "Not that bad, we'll keep you here for a couple of hours, draw another troponin, send you home if the levels go down." Cool, just what I thought.

Then the cardiologist came in, "You're going to the cath lab as soon as your Covid test comes back." WTF? Trip to the cath lab, 100% blockage in the left circumflex artery, blockage cleared and stent placed. Most bizarre experience ever, stoned on Fentanyl and Versed, yet still with it and watching on the big screen as a catheter made it's way around my heart thinking, "That's what the left descending coronary artery looks like, holy shit the anatomy books were right!" Watching them inject dye thinking, "Circulation there looks good, good there, good there, Oh shit!"

Spent 2 days on the floor in cardiac monitoring just to make sure the left circumflex was the issue and nothing else came up. Very strange being on the other side of the nursing equation. Blockage is cleared, stent has been placed and I had enough surplus circulation that in all likelihood, no permanent damage has been done. Definitely feel like I dodged a bullet.

Just very strange, no warning signs, no cardiac history and very mild symptoms. Off for a few days then returning to light duty with work next week. Feel just the same now as I did before symptoms started on Sunday. The last few days have given me a lot to think about and a better appreciation of what my patients experience.

Glad you're ok.

You made sure to give the nurses the requisite hard time, right?

Glad it wasn't more serious Frank. :thumbsup:

I had a similar experience. In the afternoon I was helping a buddy with his new garage construction. Felt funny and thinking it might be sugar related had a slice of plain bread. Well damn! Woke up at near 3am in a sweat with symptoms like you had. Drove myself to the ER where I got royally chewed out for not using an ambulance. Left 3 days later with a big assed stent placed in my RCA. This was 14 years ago when they went through the groin area and I was out cold. After the doc told me he was going to insert a stent, the last thing I remember was a young cute nurse saying she was going to have to shave me down there.

Glad you got ahead of that.

Wow a blessing. Definitely odd but good catch now. Congrats

Welcome to the club, very glad you did not experience the " cement in chest" feeling.

Glad you're still here, time to get healthy (er) and change your diet.

Welcome home.

Glad to hear you are ok.

Glad you caught it when you did and are ok!

It does make you reevaluate your life. I would imagine you are now on Plavix for a year and possibly statins. You got lucky.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
It does make you reevaluate your life. I would imagine you are now on Plavix for a year and possibly statins. You got lucky.

Actually Prasugrel (Effient) rather than Plavix and Atorvastatin (Lipitor).

Glad you are now okay, and that the nasty blockage didn't put you under.

I would miss your rants and stories of Maya's archery if you weren't around.

May you continue to mend.

Glad you dodged it. Food for thought for all of us.

So pleased that you got it taken care of, and that it was successful.

About 10 years ago I had an odd feeling in my upper chest--not pain, just sort of cold. Called my best friend who told me to get to the ER immediately. So I drove myself there. Blood work done and EKG, got admitted and scheduled for a triple bypass the next morning. Ultimately it was a quadruple bypass. The surgeon said I was trying to have an attack while he was working on me. Spent a couple of days in the hospital. I've been good ever since (but now have a pacemaker to counter A-Fib).

flashguy

I would assume, with your education and knowledge...you were scared shitless....I know I would have been.
Did you have ST segment elevation in the lateral leads? I’m curious as to why you drove yourself to the ER as opposed to taking an ambulance ride?
Glad your ok and it all worked out....dodges a bullet? I’d say so

BTDT and got the chest zipper, too. Triple Coronary bypass.

Late July 2005.

Welcome back. You were at the precipice.

Glad to hear it was caught in time. Wishing you a quick and full recovery.

Congrats glad you are doing ok.

2000z-71, do you mind if I ask how long your doctor expects you to be on the plavix?