Tuesday Morning , at 1:30am on Sept. 12th.,I was Having a Severe Heartburn Episode, pain traveling to my jaws , inside my ears and aching going down my left arm & hand as I was also profusely sweating!! .I Immediately dialed 911 and I also need to " SING THE PRAISES ", of all the Fire & EMS Peeps who were here ,within minutes !!! Each team consisted of a man & a woman and all 4 acted SOOOO FAST & Efficiently !!!! WOOOO HOOOO RICHMOND !!!!! A HUGE THANK YOU !!! : )
I was immediately taken to Methodist Sugarland HOSPITAL ( the BESTEST EVER ...go METHODIST !!
(Since this was my 2nd visit to Methodist Hospital, they had all my previous Heart Tests & ALL MEDICAL & MEDICATION RECORDS from July 3rd-5th) but unfortunately, my First Time, to the Hospital, I was taken by Ambulance hours after walking into an ER Clinic, close to my home. They were also wonderful & FAST In giving me an EKG,drawing blood to check heart Enzyme Levels, gave me Nitroglycerin , Baby Aspirin and a… Heartburn
Maalox/Cocktail but then by the time I got to Methodist to a room they had ready for me, I was Feeling A-OK !! My Severe Heart Burn Episode was over , however at Methodist they drew blood twice more ,4 hr. Intervals , and my blood all 3 tests showed that I DEFINITELY had a Heart Attack..they each went up higher than the 1st one. I'm going to be 69 yrs young Oct 16th But I have ALWAYS EXERCISED done years of Marathon Running, Fast Walking , Hiking, Biking & Weight Machines at the Gym. I have No Cavities, all of my own teeth, Strong Bone Density ,NEVER smoked, Drugs & Barely once in a Blue Moon drink a glass of White Wine and I'm Very Proud to say That I'm Lean (not mean) in a size 4 & people ALWAYS think that my 2 Daughters, My oldest almost 47 & my Baby 43.are my Sisters !!!! So when I had my 1st Heart tests done , my Ultrasound showed a Strong Heart , no Damage and as Strong as a 25 yr. old & my Heart Cath also done showed No heart Blockage Not Even a Smidgen !!! Wooooo Hooooo ......Thank you Our Heavenly Father !!! So I didn't receive or believe that I had ANY HEART PROBLEMS , and proceeded to make an appt. with a GI DOCTOR, for an Endoscopy & Colonoscopy. both tests came back Negative, No Stomach Ulcers & only a slight touch of Acid Reflux. Those tests were done Friday Sept 8th and then Low & Behold Monday Sept 11th From about 11pm on, my Heartburn and symptoms would NOT GO AWAY no matter how much Alka- Seltzer etc. I took, they kept getting worse & then I started Vomiting what little food I had eaten earlier that evening.......that's when.. I called 911...... they like I said in the beginning of this long Review ...got here fast & immediately got me to the ER at Methodist Sugarland Hospital and I Met the ER Cardio ON CALL ,Dr. Yassir Sonbol, he looked over my previous heart tests and immediately told my oldest Daughter , that he was going to do another Heart Cath through my Groin, because after the Nitroglycerin pill was given to me under my tongue, my pain within seconds eased up. Dr. Sonbol told my daughter, he suspected that I have ,PRINZMETAL ANGINA, its like having a Charlie Horse in one or two of the heart arteries cutting off the blood flow, causing Severe Burning Sensation,or chest pain traveling up into the jaw , ears, left arm etc. Pain differs in different people . Also Prinzmetal Angina usually occurs more in young healthy women ( right there is a compliment) : ) then it does in Men.
I heard that while my Heart Cath was being done, Dr. Sonbol & the team got to actually witness a 2nd spasm occur & when given another Nitroglycerin pill it went away......there it was my Diagnosis !!!! WOW ....... WHAT A RELIEF !!! TO FINALLY KNOW WHAT I HAVE !!!!! : )
Now I'm taking a nitrate based 24/7 Medication called IMDUR , (the short name) and My Heart Doctor is Monitoring my medication. We did have to increase it from 30mg to 60mg.after being on it for almost 2 weeks.
I just wanted to Thank You, Dr. Yassir Sonbol, for your fast acting & correct decision making and catching in the act what was causing me such Severe Pain Again SOOOOO EARLY around 2:45am Tuesday Sept. 12th. Plus I have NOT ruled out calling you and making a 2nd opinion with you, to see if this medication doesn';t keep working or side affects bother me , what maybe you would prescribe to keep it at bay !!!
I have an excellent Blood Pressure Machine & the only thing that I need to ask my Heart Doctor or you is my blood pressure is excellent but my RESTING Pulse Rate is high ???? VERY abnormal for me , since I do SOOOOO much Cardio Exercise , but maybe since my last episode and trying to get off one added Med before Increasing the Imdur, I haven't been as active as Usual.it's not as low ??? I will DEFINITELY ask about it..
Again Thank You ,Dr. Yassir Sonbol, For being My Hero.
Bernadette Mango
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