Hi all. I'm usually on the Back problems board (recent surgery) but a situation came up last night with a family member and I'm hoping someone here on this particular board can help me out with your knowledge!

My mom is a smoker - for over 45 years. She's 65, small built, stressed out, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, on prednisone (sp?). I called her last evening and she didn't sound good. I finally got out of her that she had been feeling badly. Chest pains - severe. It didn't last a long time but hurt badly while it did last. She said it went up into her neck and jaw. After she layed down for a while it went away but I could tell she had been really scared by it. Crazy thing was - now that it was over - I could not convince her that she had probably suffered a heart attack and needed to go to the ER and get it checked out.

Please, share with me any and all information that you can. I've done my ****** search but I always come back to these boards and the people here. Thanks in advance! Becky

Your mother very well may have suffered a heart attack or has a heart blockage. I hope that you can convince her to see her doctor for some work up to find out for sure. She definitely needs to do this and to most likely begin treatment. This was a warning sign for her.

Thank you for your reply. I called her this morning and told her I felt she most likely had suffered a heart attack. She said if it happened again this weekend she would go to the ER otherwise she would followup with her doctor Monday. I told her she should go to the ER anyway rather than wait for another attack. I don't think she'll go - I'm really afraid for her but am unable to convince her to care for herself.

If it was an attack of angina, then waiting til Monday won't matter much if she doesn't exert herself.
If, on the other hand she had a heart attack, the damage is done and waiting til Monday won't matter too much either. Thus I see no need for the large expense of an E/R visit.

Best she take 2 aspirin each day til she sees her doctor and make sure she is taking her blood pressure meds. Can she stop smoking for 2 days? That might be safer, because cigarette smoke can cause arterial spasm...which, in itself, can cause exactly your mother's symptoms.

If her doctor says anything like "anxiety" or "caused by her blood pressure" read him the riot act!