Friday, October 29, 2010

A Scare - But Not for Halloween

Last weekend, I had what I am going to call - for dramatic purposes - an "attack." I was on the Light Rail, heading to M&T Bank Stadium to take in a Ravens game with my dad, when I felt a tightening in the center of my chest. The discomfort (can't really call it "pain") quickly radiated up my neck and into my jaw.

I thought, "is this what a heart attack feels like?"

I had experienced this same sensation two or three times in the past and I dismissed it as indigestion. I usually have some antacids on hand and one or two of them takes care of the problem. But this time, the word "angina" popped into my head.

Angina is bad. It can mean a heart attack is imminent. So sayeth the health nerds on Teh Innernets. So I got myself checked out. After donating many vials of blood to the cause and enduring multiple EKGs and chest x-rays, I got the verdict.

My heart is a gorgeous specimen that gave the doctor no concerns. (Whew!) What I experienced was probably Esophageal Spasms, which feel a lot like angina. But isn't. I was told to continue taking antacids, but if the spasms became more frequent, I could start taking Prilosec or similar.

And I was given a list of foods to avoid:

sodas that contain caffeine
chocolate and peppermint
spicy foods like pizza
acid foods like oranges or tomatoes
fried and fatty foods
alcohol

Oh, you're kidding me, doc. Killing me, too. If I avoided everything on the list, I'd be reduced to eating boiled chicken breasts with a plain baked potato and washing them down with Sprite.

And you know that is not going to happen.

While I have no problem with cutting caffeinated beverages from my diet (I barely drink soda at all and switched to decaf coffee a few years back), I cannot give up chocolate. Or pizza, citrus, or tomatoes. "Fried and fatty" is one of my major food groups, and while I will cut back, I will not remove it from my diet. As for alcohol - let's just say that sometimes it's...necessary.

I mean, if I'm have to avoid my favorite foods, I may as well have a heart condition. But I don't.

(Whew!)

6 comments:

Wendi @ Bon Appetit Hon said...

"If I have to avoid my favorite foods, I may as well have a heart condition"...my thoughts exactly.

Deb said...

Glad to hear it wasn't a heart attack, but I agree--what's the point of extending your quantity of years if there is no quality of life?

Nanc Twop said...

Oh, that is an evil list.

Hm. You could try this recipe to honor your *fav* treat. It doesn't contain any of those forbidden foods... ;-)

Glad you're okay

Miss Ginger Grant said...

Take the prilosec-
I take Prevacid every single day- it has no side affects and its helps keep everything regular.
I've even been know to wash it down with a bloody mary!

Kristine said...

Same as Miss Ginger. Prevacid daily. And now it's OTC.

Unknown said...

You might be better off with a heart condition. You wouldn't have to give up (dark) chocolate, peppermint, spicy foods, acid foods, or alcohol, and you could still saute or pan-fry food in heart-healthy olive oil. Even caffeine would be okay in moderation. And an occasional burger with french fries - and by occasional, I mean once a month or less - would be okay.