Scary Stuff

[princessofburundi]

I wake up every morning in the midst of an enormous panic attack. My heart races so quickly that I can feel my blood coursing through my veins. It's scary, but I've learned that it's actually panic and that my heart is just fine.

Until today. Apparently my panic attacks with racing heart are actually my heart racing. My diastolic is 130, which is far above the "less than 90" that it's supposed to be. My blood pressure was 138/130 which is simply not good.

I need to pop down to the pharmacy daily and check my blood pressure. If my diastolic isn't below 90 I'm to call the doctor. She is arranging for me to use a portable heart monitor for a 48-hour period; I will get electrodes stuck to my chest area and have a monitor around my waist.

Dr. S. has advised me to do no heavy lifting nor exercise for more than 10 minutes at a time.

I'm very worried. Without using scare tactics, Dr. S. did impress upon me that I need to be very careful, and she did mention that I'm at risk for a heart attack should I push myself.

The only positive note in all of this is that I'm going to have to get my roommate to mow the lawn.

Comments

[kristy]

That's scary that your diastolic is high. Please be safe.

*hugs*

[princessofburundi]

Thank you. It is scary. And here are some hugs back: *hugs*

[kristy]

Thank you.

I hope you're doing ok, now.

:)

[this_ascension]

Oh no, hon. Do take it easy. Much love and support. *hug*

[princessofburundi]

Thank you. The love and support are greatly appreciated. *hugs you back*

[this_ascension]

*hug* Anytime, love.

[seraphina_snape]

Oh no! Please take care of yourself. My mother had a heart attack last year and it was not fun. Thankfully she seems to be fine now, but it was a very scary time.

[princessofburundi]

How old was your mother when she had the heart attack? I'll bet that was scary. We had our own scare here - my dad needed to have part of his leg amputated last April, and it was very worrying indeed. I'm glad she's better now. *hugs*

[seraphina_snape]

*hugs*

She'd just turned 65 a couple of months before. She went to her doctor for a routine blood check and they found a protein marker in her blood that indicated a heart attack, so they immediately called an ambulance. She felt okay, she said, but she did have heart racing late at night and couldn't really sleep. They later told us that there was a blockage in one of her veins that resulted in a heart attack, but that it had resolved itself on its own, leaving just the protein marker as an indication. They did a check to see if anything else was blocked and she spent about a week in hospital, but that was it. She's fine now. *knock on wood* Before this I didn't even know there were different types of heart attack, or that heart attacks in women often look different than they do in men.

Woah, amputation is a big thing. Not something people do lightly, so no wonder everyone was worried about that.

[malgrin]

Oh, no wonder you are frightened! Please do take it easy and be kind and gentle with yourself!