Well here I am, sitting in a hospital bed after a free ambulance trip (you read the right, America 😉) from home to the Emergency Department. I’ve been subject to constant monitoring, diagnostics, a chest x-ray and a couple of rounds of blood tests. Not exactly the morning I had in mind.
Rewind a couple of hours and I had just woken up with some slightly worrying aching in my chest. Not your typically described “heart attack” pain with radiating numbness down my arm, but definitely not normal. I got up and made breakfast without any struggle, but the pain – a sort of dull muscle ache – was still there.
You may recall that previous testing has shown I am at very high risk for future cardiac events based on age and gender (>94th percentile). I decided the best course of action was to call the Medical Hotline and see what they said.
What they said, was that an ambulance was on the way! Straight to Emergency. After a few hours of testing and waiting, the cardiologists assure me that no elevated cardiac enzyme levels were found in my blood, so that’s a good sign (no sign of heart attack or damage) but there’s a couple of things they want to investigate further.
I like to think I live a healthy, clean life. I don’t smoke, hardly drink, eat very little processed foods or animal products, am of a healthy weight, and get plenty of exercise. From the outside I look perfectly healthy. But here I am. I guess there’s no outrunning genetics?
Imagine if I were a sedentary, overweight, fast food chugging, binge drinker like a large percentage of the population. I probably wouldn’t still be around to write this. I can’t really complain though. I am still kicking on the right side of the dirt where the sun shines. Take care of yourself folks, and if you’ve stuck around this far, thank you. That’s my little weekday rant over…
Heart Health in Endurance Athletes Series:
Part 1: Getting Started
Part 2: What’s up, Doc?
Part 3: Blood Tests
Part 4: The Scan & Test Results
Part 5: At what Cost?
Part 6: Five months of Statins
Two Wheels with TC 
So sorry to read this.
And happy that you got yourself checked or so promptly.
Fingers crossed all will be well.
Keep banging the drum about getting CTCAs. I have friends who found out the hard way that their hearts were not as healthy as they had assumed.
I waited longer than you did to find out that I had two minor blockages. I was 64 when I had my CTCA.
Now, a statin a day and the occasional BP pill for me too.
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Thank goodness you had the presence of mind to call for advice. Get well quickly and keep passing on the message of staying alert to any early signs (says he, at 68, who has probably been to a doctor twice in twenty years and so entirely fails to practice what he preaches).
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Take care & get well soon. 💪🏻
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Just glad your OK mate !!!
Ros just lost her brother to a heart attack !
See you on the road soon
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Oh fark! That’s no good. ☹️ Will catch you out for a ride soon I’m sure.
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Delighted to read you’re okay
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Oh wow! Hope they find out soon what’s causing it, that it’s something minor and you’re fighting fit again soon 🤞
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Thanks, man! Hopefully. Glad to be as fit as I am, but these little confidence knocks are never much fun.
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Just in time for spring, too! I hope you’re back on the road soon. If I ever get back to Australia we can compare notes on the hospital systems there and in the US, since I just “enjoyed” a visit, too.
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I, too, have the genetics in my family for heart issues, but my docs love all my numbers, so I’m blessed in that. I’m surprised with your level of cardio work on the bike that your resting heart rate isn’t lower. Mine is around 45 bpm at age 67. Keep monitoring brother!
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Yes, same! I guess that’s genetic too, as I’ve never had a low resting heart rate.
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Glad to hear you’re all good!
So hard and sucky when you’re doing everything right, and something so beyond your control is mucking it up. Keep up the positivity, and also, free ambulance ride!
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First time in an ambulance! Checked that one off the bucket list. 😂
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Glad to know you acted so quickly and that things are under control as much as possible. You’re right about genetics, and also doing everything you can to offset them with healthy living. Wishing you an uplift in your confidence and that you’ll have your Trek out on the road again soon. Take good care.
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I’m happy to read of your fast action and good news on at least the immediate front. Have the doctors got any ideas as to what is going on?
My mom’s side of the family are where all the heart issues have been, but mid-western American comfort food diets tend to plug up the arteries. I’ve always been less of a meat and starch guy and more veg and less meat. So far at 70 years no issues there. I’m heavier than I want to be, but am slowly increasing my cycling activities back to harder and longer. So far the weight has ignored my efforts.
Happy the ambulance ride was free. Here’s to no more free rides, just wear out that Trek.
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Thanks! Potentially it could be a longer term side effect of Covid which I had for the first time around three months ago, and/or a complication from my recent wisdom tooth infection and extraction (there’s a link between dental infections and heart issues). Hopefully I’ll find out a bit more this week.
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Nothing is free, brother. Not in Tas, the UK or here in the US. One way or another, we all pay.
That said, if you’re stressed of late, it may just be excess adrenaline. I had this problem myself, and it presented when I was just about your age, too. I hope you get yours sorted quickly! Good luck!
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