Should I take my mom to the ER?

belle204

She's complaining of her left arm, shoulder and chest hurting. Was dizzy earlier. Has history of high blood presssure.

monchichi

Yes!  Arm pain can be indicative of a heart attack.  Better safe than sorry.  good luck

EMT

YES!!

PoundCake

I would.  Women have a tendancy for arm and shoulder pain related to heart issues.

Does she have any?

sooosie

Yes in a hot second.  (Unless she has a history of hypochondria)...

Hooray2005

I probably would see if I could find an urgent care center or ER if urgent care wasn't available (but I tend to err on the side of being too cautious/quick to run to the doctor)... or at the very least call her physician's after-hours line and get their opinion.  I'd also likely look up what heart attack symptoms look like in women (vs. men - they're different).

With potential heart-related stuff, my threshold for seeking help is lower - if it is a heart problem, she likely needs help quickly... and if it's not, then, well you've made sure she was safe, even if it was "just nothing"

Hope she's feeling better soon!

soontobemomma

Yes, yes, yes.  Hope she is okay!

Mominator

Absolutely! I hope that everything is okay ::hugs::

summerbrideDC

Yes, absolutely! 

Kapalua

definitely Belle!  hope she's ok!

belle204

ugh. she won't go. she's going to work & said she'll be ok. i keep quizzing her on what the pain feels like and she insists it's nothing. i just think if she's overworked herself it would be all over and not just her left arm, shoulder & chest. mercy. thanks. 

Hooray2005

https://www.womensheart.org/content/HeartAttack/heart_attack_symptoms_risks.asp

 I guess if her symptoms continue (see above - they're actually quite a bit different for women, with arm and chest pain being less of an indicator, but things like fatigue, flu-like symtoms being more so - had no idea!), you could always call 911 - then she's have to be seen.

Darn headstrong women.  Thinking of you and hoping your mom is ok!  Keep us updated, ok?!

belle204

Thanks Hooray. Yeah, she's a lot like me & will avoid the dr. She just left for work but I told her I will be calling to check on her or she better call me asap if she continues feeling bad. I hate to be all dramatic & waste a trip but you just never know.

Hooray2005

belle204:

Thanks Hooray. Yeah, she's a lot like me & will avoid the dr. She just left for work but I told her I will be calling to check on her or she better call me asap if she continues feeling bad. I hate to be all dramatic & waste a trip but you just never know.

'

You're exactly right - you just never know and it really does suck to "waste" a trip, but I guess better to do that then to have a real problem and miss it.  All that said, she is a "big girl" and you can only do so much for her if she doesn't want the help - ugh!  She's lucky to have a daughter like you worrying about her  

Good luck keeping up with her, and hope her symptoms subside soon   (((hugs)))

breezee_bean

if she is refusing to go to the ER, I would call 911.  I am so sorry=(  I hope it's nothing. 

JOEBunny

Call her doctor.  They can tell you whether to go or not, also sometimes they will tell you to give some common medication, like asprin?, because if she is having a heart attack, it will help lessen the damage.

Marce921

I know this was posted last night, but I just wanted to say that my mom had all the "classic" heart attack symptoms, went to the ER and it turned out to be her gullbladder. GL!

I hope she's feeling better and that everything is ok with her!

Bellisimo

YES!  At DH's ER they have a cardiac observation unit IN the ER.  Anyone coming in complaining of chest pain stays 24 hours in the obs unit for 24 hour monitoring because that's the only way to get all the tests, labs, etc. to determine if a patient is indeed having a heart attack.  DON'T let them send her home!!!  GL and let us know what happens!