Jump to content

Menu
Giving You and Your Child a Road Map to the Best Possible Education
The Well-Trained Mind Community

Ds, Ecstacy, heart problems...Is there a Dr in the House?

Chris in VA
 Share

Recommended Posts

brehon

brehon

Posted
Posted

So sorry about your son. :grouphug:

 

I really couldn't say about your ds' EKG without looking at it. I assume the doc did a full 12-lead, right? "Top line" doesn't sound right unless the doc looked at only 1 specific lead which also doesn't sound right.

 

X plus alcohol can cause EKG changes as can stress (physical and/or mental, I.e not sleeping for days). Did the doctor say anything else about the EKG? If you have a copy can you describe it?

 

I'm not a doctor; I'm a paramedic with many, many years of correctly calling STEMIs and other cardiac conditions in the field. I also teach others, including doctors, how to read 12-leads.

 

:grouphug:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
brehon

brehon

Posted
Posted

Hmmm, well, drugs like X, cocaine, meth, etc are sympathomimetics which means (simply) they can cause severe vasospasm in 1 or more of the coronary arteries. This would produce the same pain that a heart attack does (NOT saying your ds has/had one, though). Currently, it is unknown whether these drugs also contribute to thrombus formation in the coronary arteries.

 

I'm not sure why the doc had your son take Aleve. If he suspected anything acutely cardiac (happening right then) the doc should have had your son take aspirin AND had him go immediately to an ER with cardiac capabilities, including stat caths. this makes me think the doctor saw something abnormal, but not necessarily acute.

 

Did your son happen to say how many electrodes the doctor put on him to take the EKG? A full 12-lead will use at least 10.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kalanamak

kalanamak

Posted
Posted
Nutshell version:

I'm really worried about ds. He told us yesterday his heart has been hurting w/dull and sometimes sharp pain (pain all the time). He said he took X and drank and was up 3 days in a row last week in a hotel room. I took him to the Dr yesterday and his EKG is abnormal--he said the "top line" is abnormal. They want him tested further at the cardiac center near us. Dr. told him to take 2 Aleve.

 

 

 

Dull with sharp pain does not sound like "heart". It sounds more like esophagitis, something much more common in the young, and with booze. I'm not sure what "the top line means". I've never heard that phrase, unless he means diffuse ST elevations, but that would be a bizarre way to describe it. You can get pericarditis which can give EKG abnormalities, but a HECK of a lot of "abnormalities" you hear about are ER docs, FPs, or other docs who are NOT confident in reading EKGs either following the dopey advice the machine prints out or "overreading" a teeny variation.

 

If it is esophagitis, aleve is the wrong thing. I'd pop some maalox down him to see if there is any relief, and I'd palpate the ends of the ribs where they join the sternum. If THAT pressure brings on the pain, that is not heart either, but costrochondritis, also common, especially after coughing.

 

If it gets worse with deep breathes or coughing, that is not heart. Could be costrochondritis or pleursy.

HTH, pardon my spelling, I'm trying to get this rattled off before work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jennifer in MI

Jennifer in MI

Posted
Posted

:grouphug: I'm so sorry Chris.

 

I have no idea about X and heart issues, but when my son was having heart issues, they knew right away from the EKG that it was abnormal, but not an emergency. They had us follow up with a cardiologist a couple weeks later. I think if it had been a true emergency, they wouldn't have let your son go home.

 

:grouphug: again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
brehon

brehon

Posted
Posted
Nutshell version:

I'm really worried about ds. He told us yesterday his heart has been hurting w/dull and sometimes sharp pain (pain all the time). He said he took X and drank and was up 3 days in a row last week in a hotel room. I took him to the Dr yesterday and his EKG is abnormal--he said the "top line" is abnormal. They want him tested further at the cardiac center near us. Dr. told him to take 2 Aleve.

 

Dull with sharp pain does not sound like "heart". It sounds more like esophagitis, something much more common in the young, and with booze. I'm not sure what "the top line means". I've never heard that phrase, unless he means diffuse ST elevations, but that would be a bizarre way to describe it. You can get pericarditis which can give EKG abnormalities, but a HECK of a lot of "abnormalities" you hear about are ER docs, FPs, or other docs who are NOT confident in reading EKGs either following the dopey advice the machine prints out or "overreading" a teeny variation.

 

Dull with sharp pain *can* indicate something cardiac. I've had patients who had those symptoms and were having true ACS events. You're absolutely right about inexperienced docs, especially young ER docs and FPs, not being able to correctly read 12-leads. The stories I could tell. <sigh>

 

If it is esophagitis, aleve is the wrong thing. I'd pop some maalox down him to see if there is any relief, and I'd palpate the ends of the ribs where they join the sternum. If THAT pressure brings on the pain, that is not heart either, but costrochondritis, also common, especially after coughing.

 

If it gets worse with deep breathes or coughing, that is not heart. Could be costrochondritis or pleursy.

 

Chris, these are also true. One of the truisms in emergency cardiac care is that if the chest pain changes with deep breathing or palpation of the chest area, more than likely the cause of the pain is not cardiac (mmm, at least not ACS/angina/etc).

 

HTH, pardon my spelling, I'm trying to get this rattled off before work.

 

Generally speaking young people have healthy hearts. Obviously, many kids/young adults have some sort of structural or congenital issue; but, this doesn't sound like the issue with your ds. However, drugs like your ds has recently taken *can* cause heart issues similar to a heart attack. If your ds continues to have this pain or it worsens before he follows up with a cardiologist take him to an ER with stat cath capabilities. He probably wouldn't need a cath; but, there will be experienced emergency cardiologists on staff who can read 12-leads.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chris in VA

Chris in VA

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thank you so much, all of you.

just wanted to add I talked to ds today--he says the pain is better. He made his own appointment at the cardiac center for Friday am. The fact that he is taking this seriously is an improvement.

Our Dr also called today, and left a message saying he's worried about ds. I was able to call him back and fill him in on some of the back story. At least ds was honest with him as to what had occurred last week. The Dr goes to our church, at least from time to time ;) and is a wonderful guy. It was so kind of him to call.

 

Anyway, I really think those prayers are helping.

 

Last night, I was so upset about not being able to allow ds to stay here. God was so sweet to me--one of his friends told him he could stay there if he could take the metro out west where his friend lives. That was no problem. Dh said we could let him spend the night in the backyard in his tent--ds actually thanked me for offering. Thanked me. Wow.

That made me just sob, to think of how sweet that is--not sweet, exactly, but how tender, I guess. He does understand the boundary. And he doesn't blame us or have a ton of anger about it, but is appropriately sad about it--that is growth for him. Any sign of growth is good.

 

Thanks again for the prayers. I'll update this on Friday when we find out more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jenL

jenL

Posted
Posted
Thank you so much, all of you.

just wanted to add I talked to ds today--he says the pain is better. He made his own appointment at the cardiac center for Friday am. The fact that he is taking this seriously is an improvement.

Our Dr also called today, and left a message saying he's worried about ds. I was able to call him back and fill him in on some of the back story. At least ds was honest with him as to what had occurred last week. The Dr goes to our church, at least from time to time ;) and is a wonderful guy. It was so kind of him to call.

 

Anyway, I really think those prayers are helping.

 

Last night, I was so upset about not being able to allow ds to stay here. God was so sweet to me--one of his friends told him he could stay there if he could take the metro out west where his friend lives. That was no problem. Dh said we could let him spend the night in the backyard in his tent--ds actually thanked me for offering. Thanked me. Wow.

That made me just sob, to think of how sweet that is--not sweet, exactly, but how tender, I guess. He does understand the boundary. And he doesn't blame us or have a ton of anger about it, but is appropriately sad about it--that is growth for him. Any sign of growth is good.

 

Thanks again for the prayers. I'll update this on Friday when we find out more.

 

:):crying: This post brought me such joy (and mommy tears for you), Chris! Sometimes God gives us baby steps before he has us take a full leap. I'm so glad your son is showing progress! I will continue to pray for his health, his progression, and for you and your family. God bless. :grouphug:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
StaceyinLA

StaceyinLA

Posted
Posted

I just wanted to say I'm sorry, and I will be praying.

 

Fwiw, my 19yodd jacked herself up good once with energy drinks in addition to her prescribed adderoll. She almost caused herself to have a heart attack. It was quite scary. Basically the energy drinks and adderoll are both stimulants and it was too much. Her heart was racing (I think about 170 bpm). It was awful.

 

Once it was all out of her system she was back to normal.

 

She hasn't touched an energy drink since.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...