A Women’s Heart – Tamar’s Story

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We often hear of people who have a sudden heart attack or other cardiac complication, but we assume it only happens to “older” people – and we never imagine that it could happen to us!  I am an athletic and active 50 year old woman.  I recently had the surprise of my life.  Over the course of 18 months I had five catheterizations and three stents inserted due to blockages in the arteries of my heart.  I decided to share my journey so that other women can benefit from what I have learned and take preventive measures to ensure their health and well-being. A

In my mid 40’s I was told that I have metabolic syndrome.  My cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure were all high. In January 2014, I began to feel chest pain. Following my doctor’s instructions , I took  an ECG and wore a Holter for 24 hours to monitor my heart.  Both tests showed no signs of any heart problems.  In October of that year, I started experiencing jaw pain and pain that radiated from the right side of my chest and down my right arm.  In December, I started to feel a great deal of pressure in my head. In January 2015, while on vacation with my husband, I was walking on a treadmill and felt the famous “elephant on the chest” feeling that subsided when I stopped exercising.    I called my doctor. She sent me to the emergency room.  I was shocked. I didn’t know I was in danger.A

They catheterized me.   A 99% blockage in the left anterior descending artery to the heart was found.  They inserted a stent.  The doctor said that he saw two other blockages that he believed were at the 50% mark – he told me that they could improve over time. A few days later, strong radiating pain resumed. Continued pain sent me back to the emergency room.  At this point the cardiologist claimed that he was certain my arteries were clean and that it was likely “phantom” pain.  He suggested that I see a psychologist.  I went to a different doctor who inserted additional stents to open blockages in my arteries.   I was relieved. I knew that I was not crazy.   I did not need a psychologist – I needed a good cardiologist.A

A few months later I felt excruciating pain that radiated down my right side.  I underwent another catherization but no additional blockage was found.  The doctor explained that I likely have “small vessel disease” in the arteries which are too small to see on catheterization and too small for stents. He suggested I use nitrates to alleviate the spasms and radiating pain. A

After having three stents inserted and understanding that I may have a condition (small vessel disease) which is not life threatening, I was ready to move on and begin exercising again. I began heart rehabilitation and exercising with a personal trainer. A

While this was all happening with my heart, I was also dealing with severe symptoms of   fatigue, fog in the head, vaginal dryness, extreme hot flashes and finally night sweats.  I felt myself almost falling into depression. I was 49 and found myself in menopause.  I was in desperate search for a support system. That is when I met Dr. Zwas the Director of the Linda Joy Pollin Cardiovascular Wellness Center for Women, at the Hadassah Medical Center. Finally, a cardiologist that understood all the medical issues that a woman in her mid 40’s deals with, and how they interact and impact each other.A

At the Pollin Center I met a totally encompassing group of professionals that dealt with my heart issues, directed me to a menopause specialist in the hospital that worked directly with my cardiologist, physical therapist, dietician and psychologist. I felt that every aspect of my health was being addressed. A

I feel like my health issues are a puzzle being pieced together. Every few months I learn something new about my condition. A

What I learned from my experience is:A

Listen to your body-if you are in pain, your body is telling you something.  It is crucial that you find the cause of the pain and deal with it. Not just to improve your quality of life, but to prevent a potential dangerous health situation

Comprehensive Medical Supervision is Critical– It is not enough to see an expert in connection with one symptom.  Especially women in their 40’s and 50’s need to have a medical physician who can oversee and evaluate all aspects of a women’s health and the interaction of medication, impact of hormones and unique symptoms

Knowledge is Power – knowing what issues affect women during different phases of their life as well as symptoms of heart conditions in women (which differ from men) can help save your life or the life of a friend or family member.a

 I hope to work with the heart association to help them in their goal to spread the word about the symptoms of women with heart issues. And with the Pollin Center staff to help inform professionals about the unique symptoms for women’s heart issues – something that is sorely lacking in Israel. A

ma and Paul Milstein Heart Center