Terrible evening

If you had called for help in the night mande it is likely a paramedic would have been dispatched to see you. They'd be able to do an ECG to work out if the pain was heart related or not. They would never feel you had wasted their time because if pain does turn out to be a heart attack a positive outcome is time critical.

It was a really good idea to take out your doors keys so that other people can get in and if anyone needs to call 999 in the night it also helps the emergency services find you if you put all the house lights on and ensure your house has a visible name or number.

Hope your new medication does the trick and that you feel its ok to call for help if needed at any time in future.

Last year I was getting very short of breath even walking a few yards. As I have asthma I thought I maybe needed a stronger inhaler. I called for an appt which I got for the next Thursday (8 days later). On the Tuesday night I felt "fair wabbit" but by Wednesday morning felt fine. Went for my appt and doctor insisted he did an ecg. Turned out I had had a heart attack, they thought on the Tuesday night. I had to have 2 stents inserted. So please don't ignore these type of symptoms. My father did and died of a massive heart attack at 53. I was lucky.

TeacherAnne, even although it was long ago may I start by uttering my sympathies for your described plight from start to unfortunate finish but I have to then add a huge thank you for making me smile hugely. I think I relate absolutely to your actions right, wrong or otherwise. I certainly wouldn't have given a fig for my neighbours seeing me in my dg so might have avoided the painful bt. Thanks for sharing this. This thread has given me food for thought as to how anyone would get in here overnight if I lost the faculties to tell them where the keys are. Not Fort Knox but somewhat secure. Mmmmmm......

As a stoic widow I try to be independent but this can be taken to unwise extremes.
A few years ago I had a bad cough which wouldn't go away. As a child I'd get told off for coughing, "Stop making that racket" or "don't fuss, it's only a cough" so I tried to suppress it until a neighbour pointed out that I should see a doctor. I was dismayed that it was pneumonia and I spent all that summer on antibiotics. Lesson learned - coughing may not be 'just a tickle.'

A person can often get symptom similar to yours, which subside. A week later they could drop dead.
That happened to my father. Advised to go home from work by his secretary as he was experiencing the same symptoms you have described and gobbling Rennies as if they were sweets.
He went straight to bed (mum was out shopping) and, as I was on my day off from work I made him comfortable, put a bowl and towel by the side of the bed in case he was sick and a glass of water.
He felt fine later on and the next evening went out to dinner with mum and some work colleagues.
All went well for the next week but, on the Sunday, 9 days after feeling unwell, he dropped dead on the pavement outside a car showroom where he had been signing papers to buy a new car. He was 45 years old and walked everywhere. No medical problems at all until that day when he felt unwell.
Never ignore chest pains that travel up to your jaw and make your chest feel as if it has a band around it.
Go to your doctor or A&E immediately.
If it turns out to be a false alarm, that's ok. They will never berate you for being cautious but bypass your GP if you get those symptoms.
The post mortem showed that my dad was died before he even hit the ground. A beat policeman (you remember what they are...don't you?) saw it all happen from across the road.

* symptoms, dead. Sorry, fast typing.

So glad you’re feeling better Mande . On a lighter note re your forethought on removing the keys some while ago I was eating a cracker and started to choke. I thought “ if someone comes in and finds me unconscious that won’t know the cause “ so I grabbed the chalkboard and scribbled I WAS CHOKING ! Thankfully I got my breath and wiped it off but how my family laughed when I told them!??

Forgot to write that PM showed atherosclerosis.

Never ignore chest pains particularly if you are not so young. Call for an ambulance as I have done twice over three years, better to be sure than sorry.

Interesting article today about the treatment of women who have heart attacks. Doesn’t inspire Definitely don’t ignore it and seek help if it happens again.
www.daily mail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-6419999/8-000-UK-women-die-unequal-heart-attack-care.html

Please go to the doctor as soon as possible. I did exactly the same as you, ignored chest pain and went to bed, fine the next morning. At a routine appointment a few weeks later I mentioned it to my GP who made a fast track appointment to cardiology department at local hospital and discovered that I had suffered a heart attack and had two blocked arteries. I had two stents fitted and I now feel fine, but I did irreparable damage to my heart by not getting treatment in time. Please go and get checked out

YES I have been in the same situation quite a few times. I have PBC, a liver and bile problem, and take medication same as you. I have been in the cinema when I experienced the that awful pain in the chest that then moves into the jaw. We left the film and went to the cottage hospital for check up and tests. The good news was it wasn't a heart attack. But its easy to be told its to a heart attack but it is so worrying when it happens. Now after many years of suffering bouts of it and 999 calls by a worried husband or gd I am learning to live with it. I avoid any fatty or spicy food and tend to eat very small meals and not later than 6 pm, this all seems to keep it under control. However I presently going through a period of getting these pains and believe me its hard not to panic. I would suggest going back to your doctor and telling him you have having break thoughts of indigestion as you may well need to have your medication dosage increased. Keep calm

Should have typed not a heart attack....just a type

I woke up about 3 am one morning feeling terrible. I wanted a wee but couldn't stand up. Had pains in my back and shoulders and right arm. I was sweating so bad. I didn't like to dial 999....how stupid are we?

I thought it might be meningitis or something bad so phoned my doctors and then the locum number on their answerphone.
Doctor instructed me to phone 999 straight away which I did.

Within 5 minutes I had 6 medical people around me and they told me I was having a heart attack. I was ambulanced into hospital and given a stent immediately.

I could have died. And that's scary. I didn't have any chest pains at all but was told that more people have my symptoms than the usual chest pain scenario.
My advice since had been phone 999. They won't shout at you..

Good advice VictoriaM, never worry about calling 999 its better to be safe than sorry. In fact these posts have prompted me to go to the Dr on Monday.

Pain just in the shoulderblades too can sometimes indicate a heart problem and is easily mistaken for muscle pain and not always the heart muscle.
My late SiL had this and was given pain relief for " something which was muscular " as told by a quack ". On her death certificate it was a myocardial infarction. Poor woman was billed because of being private. I begrudged it having been paid. A year before she'd have drawn her pension.

Thank you all, ladies, for your advice and your experiences. I was at the surgery today and was checked over. Nothing seems to be amiss. Just an exacerbation of stomach problem it seems. But I will keep a good eye on myself and try to be more forthright in my care! ?

Women’s heart attacks show themselves differently to men. One of the symptoms is upper body sharp pains, into the jaw
Stop being so lax about your health and get to the Dr sharpish or ring 101 and check out your symptoms

I ended up at hospital a few years ago with same type of pain after investigations found to have hiatus hernia I still get violent pain from time to time even though I am stomach meds I find tonic water sipped works for me .

Hulahoop. My sister had a hiatus hernia and, like you, suffered dreadfully. She has had an operation to repair it and is now pain free. She cannot bring up trapped air in her stomach or vomit but she says it has been well worth the operation.

It's so easy to ignore these 'funny turns,' thinking that they are nothing. I must hold up my hands to being like that. A few years ago I had a pain in my abdomen, which I thought was just a pulled muscle. After a few days, with it getting gradually worse, my son insisted on taking me to see my GP. He shunted me straight off to A & E. It turned out that I had a cyst on my bowel, which was on the point of bursting through. This would have resulted in peritonitis, septicaemia and, possibly, the end of me! Luckily 5 days in hospital and lots of antibiotics cleared it up.

Although I still don't like being a fusspot over aches and pains I won't be as casual about being checked over in future.

Aw teacherann how awful for you again shows how resilient us women are but please don't wait too long before getting help another time.

Thank you GabriellaG,for an interesting and informative post. I am sorry this happened in your family. Let's all take heed.

We were driving to England in June and had stopped at a hotel in Soain when I felt unwell like that. Next mirning the oain was worse so my DH saud we were going to return to Portugal. I knew I could sit in a car for 800km feeling like that so said I was going to a hospital before anything. I asked the hotel receptionist for a taxi to the hospital. Within 5 minutes of arrival I was on an ECG machine. Luckily no heart attack but chest x rays and blood tests were done. The doctor decided it was costochondritis and strong painkillers given. I have just had my 3rd attack since then and the doctors think it is being brought on by stress.

I have had four episodes like this in the last few weeks. I have had ECGs and blood tests and am awaiting another echocardiogram. The ECGs don't show anything alarming but I have been off my BP meds for almost three years and my BP has started to climb again.
I have crackles in my lungs too.