Help me, fellas... Heart Attack Signs??

I'm anchoring the news right now...in a commercial break.

35, good shape, non-smoker, solid BMI, never a major health issue.

Have had tightness in my chest for 2-3 days. I thought it was a pulled muscle from a couple days ago. Now right arm is tingly...

Um... these are signs, right??

Thanks. You guys got me through a tough job situation last year - I appreciate it.

EDIT: Getting a bit scared. Have had a STRESSFUL week...wondering how much that's playing into it.

 

Tingling fingertips are a VERY bad sign.

Left arm's worse than the right.

Get a checkup as soon as you can carve out the time for it.

 

Go to the ER on the way home. You won't sleep wondering what's going on.

Seriously, If you're concerned enough to ask for meaningless advice on a message board, get checked tonight.

 

Sorry, I just saw that question was for the fellas. I withdraw my advice. 8)

 

You may think it's nothing, but better safe than sorry. Keep us posted on what turns out.

 

Definitively get it checked out, no question about it.

Having said that, welcome to the world of the late 30s, where vague aches and pains start to appear for no reason whatsoever.

 

You OK?

 

Go to the hospital.

A guy I grew up with took his wife to breakfast and then work. He got home and told his daughter he wasn't feeling well and maybe she should call 911. Then he said, no, he felt better, forget about it. Somewhere in this the daughter called his wife and she got home. She arrived and her husband agreed that maybe he should go to the hospital. She went into her bedroom and heard him cough. She walked out and he was sweating profusely. They got him into the car and hadn't driven two blocks when he slumped, dead of a heart attack.

Never had a heart problem. Never had been seriously ill. Never bothered to write a will, which is a separate issue.

I spent a night in a hospital with a burning pain in my chest, most likely brought on by an idiot in my department. But I didn't know. I've been checked for minor chest pains a couple of times. It's inconvenient, at the very least, but I found out what it wasn't.

Go find out. Quit dithering.

 

Ex - I know I'm several hours late to this, but I hope you went to the ER ASAP. Please let us know what's going on.

 

Update ???

You can have a blockage without having a heart attack. When my dad was in his 40s, he had similar symptoms and went to his doctor, who sent him to a cardiologist. The cardiologist admitted him to the hospital for tests "just in case." He had a heart cath (where they inject dye into your arteries) and was told, "You're not going anywhere, sir. Surgery tomorrow." The next morning, he had 7-bypass surgery. But no heart attack! His heart was and still is in perfect shape. 12 years later, he required a 2nd bypass surgery, and he did great. Heart still great. However, he was told by the doctors that if he had not come in, it would have been catastrophic. I remember the words "chest would have exploded" being used.

My dad is also in good shape, good BMI.

Do you have a family history of coronary artery disease? Ever had your cholesterol and BP checked?

If it were me, I'd go to the ER. If you're too stubborn to do that, I'd take aspirin and get to a cardiologist tomorrow. If you have to get a referral from your primary doctor, do it.

 

Happened to me. I freaked out at work asking for real asprin, not advil. Turns out I had acid reflux, heartburn so bad I thought I was having a heart attack.

 

Clearly you've made a wise choice by coming here first.
If only crusoe's friend had done the same.