by Carolyn Thomas ♥ @HeartSisters
It may come as a surprise, but chest pain doesn’t always mean HEART ATTACK. A researcher in Atlanta has a reminder for us of a common symptom that can be mistaken for heart-related pain. It’s called mastalgia. . Continue reading “Chest pain and your periods”
by Carolyn Thomas ♥ @HeartSisters
It’s time once again, heart sisters, for the springtime ritual that welcomes something called Daylight Saving Time. This is not a good time of year if you love to sleep in. When you squint open one sleepy eye at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, your body will feel like it’s really only 5 a.m. Ouch! And a number of studies suggest that the rates of acute myocardial infarction (MI or heart attack) are significantly increased immediately after this transition to Daylight Saving Time every spring.
So good luck at successfully getting through that transition this year. . Continue reading “How Daylight Saving Time is hurting your heart”
by Carolyn Thomas ♥ @HeartSisters
One of the first heart attack symptoms I experienced (along with central chest pain, nausea and pain down my left arm) was profuse sweating. I was out for my regular early morning walk at the time, but not going faster than usual or trekking up a steep hill. It was a mild spring day – just your average Monday morning walk along the relatively flat streets of my neighbourhood.
As a former distance runner, I have had years of experience on long very sweaty runs. But sudden sweating during an easy flat walk? That just doesn’t happen to me. . Continue reading “Sweating: the neglected cardiac symptom”
by Carolyn Thomas ♥ @HeartSisters
My pal Cheryl Strachan, a Registered Dietitian in Calgary and author of my favourite cookbook for heart patients (30-Minute Heart Healthy Cookbook: Delicious Recipes for Easy, Low-Sodium Meals ), contacted me on February 13th (our national ‘Wear Red Canada’ Day) to ask:
“Are you watching today’s ‘Wear Red Canada’ webinar? If you’re listening to Bobbi-Jo Green’s heart patient story, I’m picturing smoke coming out of your ears!”
Cheryl had guessed correctly. By the time Bobby-Jo finished her webinar presentation, I was livid. Continue reading “Could you wait 10 years for a cardiac diagnosis?”
by Carolyn Thomas ♥ @HeartSisters
Regular readers might recall my story of a bizarre housecleaning ritual that started after my heart attack. I felt so frightened and overwhelmed by what had just happened to me that I became convinced I would die overnight in my bed – very likely tonight! – from another “widow maker” heart attack.
So pervasive was this conviction that for several weeks, I would clean the entire apartment every evening before bedtime, so the paramedics (or worse! – the family) wouldn’t find a mess when they discovered my corpse the next morning. The curious part was my worry that I’d still somehow be judged by my housekeeping skills – even after death!? Continue reading “Struggle care: a new way to rethink housework”
Heart Sisters 