Her Heart Matters: Women, heart disease and support

It's time to pay attention to my heart. My family of females has not shown historical evidence of a concern for heart health. My grandmother from Czechoslovakia lived a heart-healthy 99 years. As we read about longer life expectancy today because of the progress in health research and health care, I just realized that at 82 (next month) my heart has been a quiet and reliable organ. However, I know very little about heart disease and not much about heart health care. I was told that choices of lifestyle and location can be very important, e.g. living at 6,000 feet for years and being an active member of an international trekking group have been extremely helpful for my cardiovascular system.

Thank you for this reminder.
Chris

Just last weekend II role-played a female with chest pains, for a group of EMS students. I had read up on the common symptoms so was prepared to play it to the hilt.

They missed asking me my age, which should have been one of the first questions. After the drill, I offered feedback. They were surprised to learn the difference in women's heart attack symptoms versus the typical male symptoms. I noted to them that as the drill went on, I became more confused, more unable to track a conversation, more unable to respond to the multiple persons querying me. [This was purposefully done in my acting!]

Heart health is critical for everyone.
Ginger

This comment is not related to the topic but a question about my contact information potentially being affected by a Yahoo outage this AM. I didn't know how to contact you any other way. I didn't see a Mayo Connect email this AM but did see one post from 2 hours ago when trying to find your contact so assume the Mayo Connect email went out. I checked spam but the AM Mayo Connect was not there. However, I received an email from Jess in your development department that was in spam. Can you resend this morning's Mayo Connect email?

This is my third attempt to get an answer to this question and the only way I can figure out how to do it.. I've been on Mayo Clinic Connect for weeks now and find it valuable. As of yesterday when there was a Yahoo outage I was not getting your daily email to select relevant posts for the day. It is not in spam. I can get into my profile and some of the topic options by going to Mayo Clinic Connect on the internet .. but am not receiving the AM posts. My sign on name is joaf37.

Hello @joaf37,
I did not get the Mayo Clinic Connect daily email yesterday until later in the afternoon. Sometimes that happens, so I do not believe it is Yahoo or you personally. When that happens and you can see some posts, at the top of the page, upper left, there is "Home". Click that and it will take you to Mayo Connect for the day. It doesn't happen often, but it has happened. Connect is still here, and I'm happy you find it valuable. I hope that helps?

Hi @joaf37, whenever you have a technical question, you can send the moderating team an email using the form in the Help Center https://connect.mayoclinic.org/help-center/

Yesterday we had an issue sending the Daily Digest. It was successfully sent about 12 hours later. Today's Digest was sent successfully but with a 3-4 hour delay. All should function as usual starting tomorrow morning Feb 8, 2024.

If you do not see the digest in your inbox, please check your Spam folder.

Thanks for this ... I got another reply from another person this AM ..appreciate your both getting back to me. I did check spam and will again today if I don't receive an email notice.

I am new to this group. I joined the head, neck cancer group because my husband has throat cancer. But recently I was told that my breast cancer MRI in August accidentally revealed I have an enlarged ascending aorta. I did not know this for 6 months! At my cancer check up they told me it had been 4.1 cm in August and I needed a CT scan to see if it had grown. Well it grew to 4.5 cm in those 6 months. My research and talks with a retired cardiologist tells me that the .4 growth is rapid considering the annual growth is usually under .2 cm. I'm overwhelmed! I can't even see or talk to a doctor for another 30 days. The email advice of my doctor was "you can live your life as you always have but go to the ER if you get chest pain." I'm so dismayed. I can't sleep or eat or calm down. I have meditated for years, prayed, done yoga, running, walking, hiking, skiing, eaten a healthier diet yet unfortunately my BP has hovers high 139/87 for about 10 years, but no medication prescribed because it is considered under the limit. I have begged for an earlier appointment so that I can get some information from a doctor not just the internet or friends. I am trying to get counseling but so many appointments are months apart. This along with taking care of my husband is hurting me even more. Does anyone have helpful ideas or knowledge about this condition? Thank you.

Oh my goodness, @jmmg, how my heart hurts for what you are going through! I'd like to welcome you to Mayo Connect, and tell you I am so glad you found this site. I have HCM, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, and like you, I was shocked when I found out because I was so active and healthy. I didn't know this thing was living inside my heart.
I found this link that may be interesting for you to watch. The doctor, Dr. Bagameri is who did my open heart surgery!
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/podcasts/newsfeed-post/detecting-and-treating-thoracic-aortic-aneurysms
You have so much going on and it is no wonder you feel so overwhelmed. You mention that you meditate, pray and a host of other healthy coping skills. Are you able to get outside and walk? Pray? Talk to a friend? Mayo Connect is a wonderful place to share your thoughts. There are compassionate people who have walked your same path and can help ease some of your troubled thoughts. Thirty days to your next appointment sounds like an eternity when you are so worried and scared...but it goes by fast too. Are you near a Center of Excellence? Have you tried to get a second opinion?

Thank you for the information and advice. I don't know what you mean by "Center of Excellence", that's a new phrase for me. Yes, it's hard to see that we worked to be healthy all our lives and then this scary surprise. I'm glad you found a great surgeon. I hope you are feeling fantastic and are positively moving forward. I will look at all you have offered. My wait to see the doctor is frustrating because I was not told 6 months ago about the aneurysm and in those 6 months I really worked out hard to regain my strength after the radiation. I'm concerned that I unknowingly could have caused the rapid growth of the aneurysm by being so vigilante with heavy exercise. Currently I am exercising lightly inside and outdoors too, waiting to see if I will be on blood pressure meds as my blood pressure is high but "not over the limit" my GP says. I have chatted with a retired cardiologist friend who is back east, and he was concerned that I would not be able to see a cardiologist for a month considering the rapid growth. Anyway, thank you a ton for sending me your knowledge, advice, and good wishes. Very appreciated!