I figured this was the easiest spot to write about what happened yesterday for everyone that was concerned.
People are afraid of many things. Some don't like spiders. Others can't leave their damn house. I have a big fear of having a heart attack. I haven't had chest pains in the past, even when I was at my biggest, but none the less it's a fear I have. This was the biggest reason I started dieting again back in March. I don't want to die. Pretty straight forward.
During the past 8 months I've been dieting I've experienced different chest pain at times. It's usually not the same. Or in the same spot. I'm told this is good, as usually when it's related to your heart you have chest pain in the same spot because there's a blockage there, and that's what's causing the pain. I believe the pain is more related to the change in diet, exercise, and general exertion I was putting on my body that I wasn't before. Still, I should have gone to a doctor to check with him.
Wednesday night I started to get some pain in my left side and shoulder. We (me and the doctors) think I've strained something and that's what's causing the pain there (mostly when I breathe in deeply, sneeze, etc). But yesterday at work, as the pain was getting worse (probably from lifting and using my arm duh), I started to wonder if it could be cardiac related. As you all know, pain in the left arm is a possible heart attack symptom. So I googled "chest pain and shoulder pain", and sure enough it is a possible heart attack symptom. I continued reading on about other possible symptoms,
dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath.
Well, from there I think my brain just went haywire. I didn't actually feel nervous or panicked, but the brain did it all for me. It came over me in a wave instantly. I got insanely dizzy, thought I was going to pass out. The sweat was pouring out of me. I had convinced myself I was having a heart attack, and these new panic symptoms made me think I was even more. One of the guys at worked called 911 right away. As I sat down, and started to try and relax, the
dizziness started to subside. Even the pain in the shoulder went away.
The paramedics arrived and hooked me up to all their gear to run tests. Everything was coming back
ok, but they still made me go to the hospital, in the Ambulance, on the damn stretcher and everything. I asked if I had to go on the stretcher, but they said yes. At this point we were already thinking that I just panicked and that I was probably
ok, but they had to run the tests at the hospital, which was a good thing.
They did some x-rays, an ECG, and blood work. Everything came back saying I was
ok, and hadn't had a heart attack. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.
I'm still having the pain in my side and shoulder, and it comes and goes. I thought it could be something viral as well causing the pain, but they said the blood work said no. So, hopefully this pain goes away in a few days and I can just chill out, remain calm and know that I'm not having a heart attack. I guess my brain just panicked, because I have such a fear of having a heart attack. I instantly assumed the worst.
Thanks to all that were concerned and that have written/called. You're stuck with me for a little while longer.
