Last night at work, I was walking down the hall from a resident room to the nurses station and started having throbbing, stabbing substernal chest pain, I doubled over in the hall way. Well after several minutes of severe discomfort it became just a dull ache. I thought maybe it was a bad gas cramp or something. Well, I kept working and tried to ignore it. I got very sweaty, my head hurt, my right hand was trembling, I saw a few spots, and thought I was going to pass out. Finally someone made me sit down and they checked my blood pressure. 170/120 at that time (8:00pm yesterday) My heart rate was 148. My blood sugar was only 87 after eating early halloween candy and a full meal. Over the course of my 16 hour double I kept close eye on it. It has stayed about the same for going on 14 hours now and I am starting to get freaked out. I went back to work and made my best friend an RN check it again at 9:00am and it was 160/120. It could be just tons and tons of stress all spilling out this way or it could be a medical problem, either way I need to get a handle on my blood pressure. So do I go to the ER?
Specializes in OB, ortho/neuro, home care, office.
I think at your age you probably think - this is NOT an MI. My brother just turned 30. He's had 6 heart attacks (5 were induced d/t ablation) He has Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It can kill instantly. In fact, his heart was so bad that they said if he had played sports in highschool he would've been dead already. He lives with chronic chest pain and CHF. To look at him you would never know he looks normal and healthy. But the fact is he's not.
Don't think that age will save you from anything! GET TO THE ER!!!!
Chad, I hope you are not reading this and have gone to ER as recommended, but, let me ask you this, what would you do if one of your pt. presented with these same symptoms? Think about it. Let us know how you are doing.
I have not actually gone to the hospital. I fell asleep after posting on here, at my mom and dads house and they were aware of my BP troubles. My head is busting and I still feel like my BP is up so I am going to have mom drive me to the ER. I ordered a new BP cuff over a month ago and it's still not arrived so I can't check my own BP, that will change TODAY!, after the ER. Yeah I know I am trying to rationalize this away, when it could be something very serious. I am in an EMT class, I am a nursing student, and I am not ignorant but shoot even I want to downplay what is going on. Unless they admit me I will let you all know something tonight, if they were to admit me, I may talk my sister through the motions of posting a reply to this thread.
I am stunned that you hadn't gone to ER. I am glad you finally decided to go. I am just stunned at your co-workers as well. Hope you are alright and don't worry about posting. we can wait.
Chad, by your profile, you won't turn twenty for several more months. I lost a cousin at age 22. He was playing basketball, had a heart attack, and died. I had a twelve year old cousin who had a brain anuerysm. She died. I had a 16 year old cousin die from epilepsy on Christmas morning. His family found him dead face down in his pillow. DEATH is NOT something that only visits old people Chad. Get your buns to the ER and get treated. I do not believe that a nurse took your blood pressure and didn't do something about it. Nurses just aren't that stupid or noncaring. So, there's a lot more to this story than you are revealing to us. Whatever happened to raise your blood pressure to that level, you need to seek treatment. Even those without health coverage can be seen at a community hospital or health department clinic.
I have not actually gone to the hospital. I fell asleep after posting on here, at my mom and dads house and they were aware of my BP troubles. My head is busting and I still feel like my BP is up so I am going to have mom drive me to the ER. I ordered a new BP cuff over a month ago and it's still not arrived so I can't check my own BP, that will change TODAY!, after the ER. Yeah I know I am trying to rationalize this away, when it could be something very serious. I am in an EMT class, I am a nursing student, and I am not ignorant but shoot even I want to downplay what is going on. Unless they admit me I will let you all know something tonight, if they were to admit me, I may talk my sister through the motions of posting a reply to this thread.
You need immediate treatment for these symptoms. PLEASE CALL 911 because as you know, they can begin treatment immediately, whereas your Mom, trying to drive, cannot.
I'm proud to say that on my floor, any employee with that blood pressure and those symptoms would not have been given a choice as to what to do. We'd plop his or her butt in the wheelchair and get 'em on down there!
The thing I'd be asking you, if I saw you, is, do you want to die? If the answer is no, call 911 and quit using your noodle to rationalize it away!
Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.
I second, third, fourth that. No co worker on our floor would go home, or even leave the nurse's station with symptoms like that. To the ER you go!!! =)
Oh, and Chad is in KY. Makes us Kentucky nurses look bad... knowing that there are nurses in this state that would let their coworker go on their own with symptoms like that. :angryfire
I went to the ER, finally. I had a 12 lead EKG, was put on a monitor, had labs drawn, had a chest film, and was put on 25mg of Atenelol daily. Cheerfuldoer, I had my BP checked several times while at work last night by three CNA's and two RN's and they all told me that I needed to get checked out. No one at anytime offered to call anyone in, to let me go to the hospital and keep someone from second, I had to double over in the middle of the hallway with stabbing chest pain before they even checked my BP. I am not on any meds except for tylenol prn. I have been stressed out due to college, work, and EMT class and yes I have been in a dead end relationship that fell apart overnight but that was after the onset of the chest pain and elevated BP. I wish I had a definative answer for why I was so sick. I guess it was the stress of all of this coming on me at once that shot the BP up and then made all of the other symptoms occur. My aunt came over from the unit she works on and checked on me, gave me a hug and then promised to come check on me tommorow at home. I called in for my 12 hour shift tonight and took my first dose of my BP med.
TRUTH BE TOLD, KY NURSES ARE SOME OF THE BEST NURSES IN THE WORLD
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JentheRN05, RN
857 Posts
I think at your age you probably think - this is NOT an MI. My brother just turned 30. He's had 6 heart attacks (5 were induced d/t ablation) He has Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It can kill instantly. In fact, his heart was so bad that they said if he had played sports in highschool he would've been dead already. He lives with chronic chest pain and CHF. To look at him you would never know he looks normal and healthy. But the fact is he's not.
Don't think that age will save you from anything! GET TO THE ER!!!!