Korean Job Discussion Forums

The Hammer · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 6:09 am Post subject: Anybody here have heart disease?

I've had chest pains since Monday. I was teaching a class and my left arm and chest started hurting, so I stopped teaching and went to the hospital. The Dr. said I have heart disease. They sonogrammed my heart and said it looks normal, but I need to go back for more tests.

I'm 36, 5ft. 9in. and weigh 83kilos. I exercise regularly (bench 225 10x) and my body is strong, but now my heart feels weak. I have sharp chest pain daily.

Question

Has anyone here experienced this? Will I ever be normal, or am I a goner?

Confused

The Hammer

BigBlackEquus · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 6:42 am Post subject:

Your heart looks normal, but you have heart disease?

Well, I'm sure more tests are the thing. I'd be asking for every test I can get, as well as calling family to find out if any relatives have had heart disease.

Stress can cause this stuff, but it sounds like it could be more, if the doctor said that.

What are you eating? Lots of fried stuff? I eat lots of that junk, and worry about it these days.

I'm sorry to hear about it. Very sobering. Especially at 36!

JeJuJitsu · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Location: McDonald's

Don't count on waking up tomorrow....

waggo · Joined: 18 May 2003 Location: pusan baby!

First of all go to a different doctor.There are a lot of quacks in this country.
Get a second opinion.
Do you have high/low blood pressure? That is the first thing the doctor should have had checked out.

It is possible that you have had an Angina attack when youve stressed your heart too much bench pressing.Stop lifting weights and stop eating greasy food.Dont smoke.

Im sure youll be ok.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Sorry to hear the news hammer.

Hope your feel good soon.

desultude · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 2:53 pm Post subject:

desultude

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

hack · Joined: 24 Jan 2003

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Sorry to hear that Hammer and best wishes for your health.

A couple of check ups have revealed I have an extremely low blood pressure. One nurse said she was amazed I was still walking.

The Hammer · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:30 pm Post subject:

I appreciate all of the responses. Some of them made me laugh, but all of them made me feel better. My cardio test is on Tuesday.

BTW- My dad died from a heart attack when he was 53. He exercised and looked fit, so I figure the chances of me going the same way are pretty good.

Thanks again for making me feel better!

babtangee · Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:28 am Post subject:

Are you sure the sharp chest pain is your heart? The anxiety of thinking constantly about such a thing can cause tension in the muscles in your rib cage, which can in turn result in sharp chest pains.

I'm hoping you're just an anxious kinda guy - what with your pa going in his fifties.

Eat lots of garlic.

Best wishes.

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

Doctoring in Korea has been a money grab in all my experiences with doctors. I'd be extemely wary. There have been exceptions. But doctors want to be rich (that's why they went to med school) or so it seems with a lot of them. Especially here in Korea it seems.

Tiberious aka Sparkles · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: I'm one cool cat!

Since I was 15, I've had what I think are heart palpitations. About every other month, and lasting a week or two, I experience a sensation where it feels as though my heart is either skipping or missing a beat, I can't tell which. Then it disappears. I've tried to pinpoint exactly what it is, both personally and professionally, but with no luck. There's no pain, just a sensation of "this doesn't feel right." Each episode is accompanied by slight shortness of breath and a slight head rush.

Opinions? Guesses? Except for when I was 19 and had an EKG (which didn't raise any concern), I haven't bothered to get a definitive analysis. I've since come to blame it on gas.

Sparkles*_*

VanIslander · Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 7:07 am Post subject:

My father has had heart palpitations a few times in his life, and when he was in his midtwenties he gave up all sports when he got a serious heart "episode" after a strenuous soccer game. Perhaps that's why his philosophy of life is to take things "slow and steady", doing physical hobbies like gardening, carpentry, and says "don't get excited",... though he's a chain smoker and heavy binge drinker and a very healthy 74 year old.

I myself technically died as a baby when my heart stopped beating. My dad revived me through mouth-to-mouth and rushed me to the hospital. I ran marathons as a young adult no problem at all.

Whatever health problems I may develop in my thirties and beyond I gotta put in the context of my family history. Is my father just lucky? Am I? While my father's side is very healthy, my mother's side is full of ailments and my maternal grandfather died of a heart attack, though of course that is a common way of goin'.