we got intot he cardiologist friday... his bp was really high, his EKG is different from the one he had 7 years ago.. the appointment was only slightly scary, but i wasn't terrified and didn't have the sense of dread that i did in the ER tuesday watching the monitors while NO ONE came in for over 6 1/2 hours (i sat watching the monitors the entire time and didn't knit much at all.. i only got 2 inches done on the cuff of a sock i was so nerved up.. but that little bit of knitting kept me from fully freaking out on them with my anxiety disorder)and my dh's blood pressure was shooting all over the place while he was sleeping and even worse when he was awake.

The cardiologist suggested admitting him, but gave him a nitro in the office first as well as a new pill (i'm not sure what it is, but he took dh off the diovan that our PCP had put him on) and kept us there for a couple of hours while he monitored dh's bp. it came down enough that the cardiologist sent us home, but i am to continue monitoring dh's bp, keep him on the low-sodium diet, and if there are ANY spikes or elevations, i have to call the cardiologists office. Tuesday we go in for dh's echocardiogram and bloodwork, then see the cardiologist a week from friday. the cardiologist DOES NOT think it was a silent heart attack, but his primary concern is getting dh's blood pressure stabilized and then he'll worry about stress tests and such as we nee dto. dh has "mitral valve regurgitation" (a really loud heart murmur basically... when the heart pumps blood from one chamber to the next, the valve doesn't close all the way so there's a bit of backwash) that the cardiologist thinks was brought on again (we've been down this road before) when dh was sick a few weeks ago and they found fluid around his heart (dh had pneumonia and a blood infection... had we not gone to the ER when we did he could very well have died according to the doctor... urgent care refused to treat him he was so sick). this last x-ray didn't show any fluid, but dh's blood pressure spiked to where both numbers were over 200 and he could have had a massive heart attack or stroke.

but i trust this cardiologist as he's the one dh saw before and we're both much more relaxed now that this is all in the cardiologist's hands and we have a game plan.

:hug:

A 'silent' heart attack, according to the docs I worked with, was more dangerous in many ways; mostly because people would just go on, letting their hearts weaken. I'm glad you DH is under care. Have you thought about contacting your PCP and seeing if he can increase whatever you are on for anxiety?

In the meantime, prayers said for you and your husband. Mine has landed up in his own ER three times for symptoms of cardiac arrest that turned out to be either dehydration, or caused by something wrong with his MS meds, so I know you're stressed.

that was the odd thing, he felt fine. He's felt better the last 2 weeks than in a very long time. But his doc is playing it careful and dh was at our primary care doc's office for a regular followup and we were completely blindsided. The cardiologist said that he thinks our PCP stopped it before it became a heart attack (she was giving dh more of his pills, which would be a double dose for him).

All i remember after we got to the hospital is watching the monitors, counting down the 20 minutes between times the blood pressure cuff auto inflated and watching the monitors.


I don't take anything for my anxiety. Xanax causes migraines, Celexa "helped" me gain over 100 pounds and left me feeling like a zombie so i couldn't function and the others have too many side effects with my birth control pills that I need to keep my PCOS in check.

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

:hug:

:woot: :cheering: :happydance: :woohoo: :yay:

Thanks for letting us know how things went at the cardiologist. Please keep us updated. You're both in my thoughts and prayers!

You and your husband are in my prayers. :hug: :hug: :hug:

Thanks :)

he's back at work tonight and i'm sitting here freaking even though i can see him on the webcam (he works 45 minutes away).

He has an echocardiogram and more bloodwork wednesday morning.. my FIL is taking the kids to school for us.

Gosh that is so scary! I would totally be stalking him on the webcam too.

He's lucky to have someone who cares about him as much as you do.

Good thoughts for you both on the way! :heart:

Well, no news is good news. He had his echocardiogram at the cardiologist's office yesterday morning, the tech said the dr. would be reading the test yesterday and if he found something he'd call us. we're now on day 2 with no word from the cardiologist so we're assuming that no news is good news, or at least not serious enough for us to worry about (read: me to freak out over).

I'm still stalking him on webcam, he's at work now :P

My thoughts are with you both! :hug:

:hug: Thoughts for you and your husband.