Re: Gini .. heart attacks and such .. reasons I had the attacks

[Guest guest]

Do you mind me asking how old you were when you had your attacks? Did

they give you a reason like medication, family history or anything?

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There are heart problems on both sides of my family tree.

The first heart attack I had was because of an allergic reaction to

mushrooms. I had never had mushrooms before simply because I had been

told not to eat them as I have such a reaction to antibiotics.

The mushrooms were in gravy .. the " well meaning " in-law who served

them, took out the mushrooms thinking that would keep me from getting

sick. She didnt realize it didnt matter if the actual pieces weren't

there if the gravy itself was made with mushrooms. I first went into

respiratory problems, then heart failure. I was 32 yrs old at the time.

The second heart attack was because I was given a medication that I

was allergic to while I was on a ventilator because of respiratory

failure.. (and yes .. the allergy was listed in my chart). It was

morphine.

The third and fourth heart attacks were both what is called " silent " .

There was no pain (believe me .. the first two hurt like a bitch!!)

and the only real sign there was heart problems was when my shortness

of breath got so bad my fingers were turning blue. Both times the

doctors thought it was asthma (as did I) until I was put on a heart

monitor and an EKG was done.

The doctors said that the last two heart attacks were because my heart

was already damaged from the first two and since the lupus is

attacking my lungs, it makes it harder for my lungs to oxygenate the

blood.. making my heart work harder.

So .. I guess you could say in a round about way .. Lupus caused the

last two.