Cardiac events while menstruating...

First, let me say Hi everyone, I missed you! Dads surgery and recovery went well, or at least he is better now. My cat is out of kitty jail and my son does not have cancer. Thank you, thank you, thank you God!!
I have had to go back and read about everyone, so glad Marie is OK, so sorry Rose is facing so much and so sorry for the loss of mother and baby on Valentines, I haven't cried in two weeks until this morning. So much has been happening to so many, it just breaks my heart.

CARDIAC EVENTS DURING MENSTRUATION???
I noticed that mamsmurf-Tina, had mentioned this question on another posting.

mamasmurf-
I do think there can be a hormonal component and wonder how many women suffered their event during the week of their period. Mine was and when I do have symptoms now, it is during that time of the month. It would be interesting to see someone do a study on that. Tina

Dear Tina,

I have had this same question. Each of my cardiac events have taken place during the week of my period. And as you said, all of my symptoms either appear or worsen when I am on my period.

When I had my triple by-pass they would not remove the tubes and vent from my throat although at times, I was completely awake and making begging gestures with my hands.

My blood pressure would not stabilize and they were afraid I would crash. I was so drugged and out of it, that I kept falling asleep and moments later I would wake haven forgotten that I was trying to communicate to them that I was on my period. So the next day when two male nurses came in to bathe me, they stood me up and then everyone understood what had been going on. Humiliating!!

I am curious about this too. I have come to dread my time of month for one more reason. It has become another source of worry in my life, that I get to look forward to once a month.

Since Oct 08, every month when I get my period I also get to have my BP drop suddenly and drastically, pulse goes down to the low 40's. I lay on the floor struggling to breathe and think clearly. I don't drive or make any plans for the week. IT TOOK ME FOUR MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT THIS WAS CONNECTED TO MY PERIOD.
I think I will post the question in "Discussions" and lets see what we find out.
Be well, talk soon,
Stacey

SO SISTERS, PLEASE GIVE US YOUR INPUT ON THIS TOPIC.

I realize that this might be something that has been discussed or studied and Tina and I missed it. I know Jaynie or one of the other knowledgable women will point us in the right direction, if so.
Be well!!

By mamasmurf
Posted February 27, 2009 at 7:06 pm
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Hi Stacey,
Yes, my heart attack happened during my period. I too have symptoms mainly when it is that time of the month. Although, mine just started back up in January. What's up with that?
I was able to attend a Go Red luncheon yesterday that also included several mini-sessions and one poor doc opened the door that begged the question so I asked. He was talking about hormones and health. I asked if he knew of any studies regarding women having their heart attacks during their periods and he had not but is going to research it. He agreed that it made sense since Estrogen is a vasodilator that the inverse of that is if your estrogen is lower, which it is during our periods that it would stand to reason that with less vasodilitation occuring or vasoconstricing occuring, that means our arteries are narrower thus making it easier for their to be occlusions. I think this is probably more of an issue with women that have not gone through full blown menopause and those that maybe are having premature menopause or peri-menopause.
Also, women that have PCOS are more prone to heart attacks at an earlier age. It is thought that our arteries are less elastic.
Ok, off my soapbox LOL

By careh
Posted February 27, 2009 at 10:14 pm
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Wow! What an eye opener! I am nearly 50 and I'm experiencing my periods coming every three weeks. (They used to be like clockwork every 28 days.) I'll keep notes of symptoms as I am "due" tonight of tomorrow.
Thank's for the "Heads-up!".

By martzj
Posted February 28, 2009 at 12:29 am
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Hi ladies,

I had acute HA during ovulation...and that continues to steadily be the time of the worst chest constriction, tightness and spasms, anxiety. PMS brings on a different kind of cluster....tight whole body fluid pressure, bloat, SOB and depression, headaches and nausea. It goes away within hours once the signals to release all that fluid retention begin. whew! Not fun times.

Was sent home from CIC on day 7 after HA, so I was shifting into PMS in addition to trying to survive the dying heart muscle transition from dead tissue into scar tissue...a very dangerous time for heart patients because the pressures are enormous but the converting tissues are very fragile during days 6-12.
On top of this, here came PMS and heart slamming and bucking all over the place. I was already a very heavy period girl from age 11....12 soaked pads a day as a kid....So, when period started 13 days after HA I was home alone, bleeding so profusely that I passed out in the bathroom and woke in a pool of blood. I'd had 4 units of blood transfused the night of the heart attack because of massive hematomas hogging so much blood from fall down flight of stairs (I kept going in and out of consciousness) and massive clot-busting injection at ER. Hematomas had plunged me into acute anemia right there on the cath table.

There was a lot going on and I had been sent home without a word of warning or instruction about any of this. But it is a HUGE factor in HA recovery for younger women. I spent the next 8 years battling chronic to acute anemia.....This was finally solved with a partial hysterectomy at 48. My body could never recover from the heavy monthly blood loss in time before the next period.

Anemia from heavy periods in younger women is a risk factor for heart attack. A hemocrit of <8 is danger zone. This was never addressed by any of my doctors...It wasn't until I asked to be referred to an oncology hemotologist that he discovered the deep impact heavy periods were having on my life and my inability to recover, have any quality of life. It was the hemo dr who pushed my gyn to get off her hiney and get going on the hysterectomy. My life changed in stupendous ways after that! (chose to keep my ovaries in case they HAD protected me from having that acute HA earlier than 41. I'll have to take my chances with ovarian cancer...so far so good).

Yes, mentruation and the constant hormonal cylcling play an active role in post heart attack quality of life....and impact survival odds I believe.

take care,
Jaynie

By nevertoyoung
Posted February 28, 2009 at 9:24 am
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I'm new to the website. I found the site by trying to google hormones and heart disease - not much there for premenopausal women!
I had ACS (accute coronary syndrome - heart attack with no underlying disease) at age of 37. I am so blessed to have found doctors who believe my cycle was the root cause!
My regimen worked for 7 years before just recently adding Renexa -

Drug regimen:

Birth Control Pill - NEVER the placebo at the end of the pack - ALWAYS FULL DOSE PILL (if I need a cycle I take Premarin for 7 days instead of the BC pill)

Because of my age and risk for clotting on the pill -
Plavix 75mg
ASA 81mg

Coronary Spasm is what I get during my cycle, so even though my hormones seem to be controlled the pill - the underlying condition is still there and could be triggered by stress,etc.
Norvasc 5mg (calcium channel blocker)

Lipitor
Wellbutrin (antidepressants are common these days but have also proven effective for post MI patients)

After 7 years, I recently had 2 weeks of chest pain - I can't stand the Nitro patch so my doctor suggested Renexa. It worked within 24-36 hours! I also only take it 1x daily, not 2x as suggested.

So the trick if finding a cardiologist who believes hormones are so important and can trigger these problems - then find a gynecologist who believes the same! If yours doesn't - keep looking until you find them. I was lucky my cardiologist recommended a GYN he knew and they work together on this - when necessary.

By saranyos
Posted June 22, 2009 at 10:02 am
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I haven't had a spasm in 6 months and I had 3 on Friday (I didn't call 911 since they cleared after 2 nitro and relaxing) while it was that time of the month. I am also a Meneire's patient which is worsened by having my period. I am so sick of being sick fot a week once per month but my cardiologist wouldn't let me go back on Yasmin after my HA 2 years ago (6/24/07). I don't know if it's because of the kind of pill. Is there a safer pill for heart patients? I have low blood pressure and am healthy, no plaque, I just suffer from spasms that seem to occur during my period.

Thanks!
Sandy

By DaytonaKaren
Posted June 23, 2009 at 10:57 am
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i am so glad to see this subject. My icd has fired two different my times on the first day of my cycle. I have also noticed that my fluid retention goes up causing me CHF. I have been hospitalized 6 times for CHF during my period. My cardiologist, who is a woman, states there have not been any studies on menstrual cycles and heart disease but there is obviously a link. She also increased my lasix to twice a day and that doesn't even help during my period. I have learned to just take it easy the first few days of my cycle each month.

Thanks
Karen

By laurahc
Posted June 23, 2009 at 1:14 pm
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My heart attack and SCAD happened the week of my period; it arrived the day after they did my catheterization and put my six stents in back at the end of March of this year.

By saranyos
Posted June 23, 2009 at 2:01 pm
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Wow, this is so interesting. I have vasospasms. I actually got to see my cardiologist 1 hour after calling him yesterday. His reply was "You know there is just so much we don't know about spasms". I asked to be put back on birth control, I have low blood pressure, so he is looking into it for me. I hope he says yes and I can just have them quarterly, I am working and I just can't afford to be out of work so much. I am out of sick and annual leave so days are being taken out of my pay. But that's just the way it is and I have to accept it. I told him that I was on a women's website and that there definitely seemed to be a correlation.

Thanks so much!
Sandy

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