November 20, 2016
I am a 55 yo woman, post menopausal, non-violent, great lipids (HDL is 78, TG 62). I eat clean, exercise 6 days a week (variety of strength, aerobic, high intensity interval training). I have been under a great deal of stress caring for my 98yo father, dealing with other family and social issues for the past 3 weeks. Due to this stress my sleep has been off. To manage my stress, I exercise.
After completing interval training and a 15 minute weight workout. I felt chest pressure and questioned indigestion. It was 630 am. I took a shower at the gym, got in my car to drive to work when chest pressure increased, upper back pain started. I am a dietitian and exercise physiologist. Having worked in Cardiac Rehab ironically, I recognized this as signs of female MI. Since I was already driving, I drove to a hospital 5 minutes away. Within 15 minutes I was having a Cath. I was diagnosed with SCAD ago LAD at apex. The area aS too small, so I had no stent or balloon. They injected nitro in the vessel and became pain free. On many meds (never taken any before). Echo showed no damage and EF was 65 percent. I have no aqueous in the arteries.
The same day the STEMI occurred, I had worsening chest pain and abnormal ekgs. I was taken back to Cath lab, area too small for stent.My vessel was 100 percent occluded. MD used a wire and again injected nitro in the vessel. Pain was relieved. I had a lot of pain that night and was on a nitro drip and morphine.
I am currently on day4 in the hospital, just got off the nitro drip, taking Imdur. I am hoping for a pain free day and looking forward to the next steps to go back to a normal life as possible.
I am very scared, try to remain hopeful and will really have to learn how to manage my stress. Thank you all for listening and best wishes to a of you!