A Close Call - Long Story.

[wednesday]

Glad that you are doing better. One thing that a lot of people don't know is that heart attack and heart disease symptoms are usually different for women. Most medical tests (including those heart rate guidelines at the gym) are done on men only.

http://www.guidant.com/webapp/emarketing/women/women.jsp?file=symptoms

Symptoms of Heart Disease – For Women
Warning signs for women are different than they are for men – and can be far subtler. If you or any female you know shows these signs, get help right away.

Feeling breathless, often without chest pain of any kind
Flu-like symptoms - specifically nausea, clamminess or cold sweats
Unexplained fatigue, weakness or dizziness
Pain in upper back, shoulders neck or jaw
Feelings of anxiety
If you even suspect these symptoms, call your doctor. If urgent, call 911 (or your local emergency number if outside the U.S.) or go to a local hospital's emergency room. If you have any doubts, don't take chances.

 

[The Iceni]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
by the time you got to, "My reg is fine, but my chest is killing me, can't get a deep breath" I said out loud, "Cardiac Event"

When you went on to, "I signal Andrew to go ahead with the others, I'm going to surface" I said, "Oh no"

The others have highlighted this but it is worth repeating. When you have even the slightest inkling that things are not quite right NEVER pretend they are. It could have been such a different story and you are indeed a lucky man, norcaldiver.

A good buddy is one of the most important items of diving equipment.

I will try to transfer this to the basic scuba forum as it is a message we all ought to take home.
:doctor:

 

[ibnygator]

or, what they called a cardiac episode. I checked myself into an ER with chest pains at about 5:30 one morning and yes, those are the magic words to go to the head of the line in the ER. I was a smoker at the time, my dad had a quadruple bypass at the age of 49, had an uncle on my mom's side die of a heart attack at 35 years old, and I had a high stress job; all risk factors for heart disease. The only thing that I had going for me was that I was thin and very athletic.

To make a long story short, I have coronary artery disease with two arteries 40-60% blocked. I've quit smoking, kept up the exercise, take Lipitor and an aspirin every day and have been diving ever since. I consider myself lucky to have gotten the wake up call and made the lifestyle changes.

Best of luck, norcaldiver and dive, dive dive!

 

[mars2u]

A bit off topic...
Well I travel a bit for a living and was at the Houston airport last week waiting for my flight to board. Sitting across the bar from me was a guy who seemed pretty happy-go-lucky and we were chatting back and forth. He was probably in his late 40's. He kept complaining about the airport not having a smoking section. I don't give smokers a hard time, since I think society ostracizes them enough as it is. It's an addiction and to each his own IMHO.
Here's the kicker...the guy starts talking to the bartender and they get on the subject of heart attacks. The guy complaining about not being able to smoke, lifts his shirt up and VOILA...I see his chest scar from having open heart surgery. Then he says non-chalantly:
"Ah...heart attacks are no big deal, I've had 9 of them"

My mouth drops :whoa: ...rub my eyes :wacko:. I figure there's no reason for this guy to be lying. Who in their right mind would brag about having 9 of them?
Anyway, thought I'd share...it ain't worth it...besides, think of the monetary savings if the health savings isn't an incentive. Let's say:
~$4 average a pack
~1 pack a day
Savings of ~$1460 a year you can spend on a nice trip to the Caribbean.