Voices of SCAD: Kelly

[@maryjones1]

Five years ago I had a SCAD, and AMI. Even though I was experiencing every classic symptom of a heart attack, I was in denial. An ambulance took me to a small hospital, where I received blood work, Morphine, and clot busting drugs. I was then sent by ambulance to a large hospital two hours away. About 3/4 of the way there, I had a Cardiac Arrest. I was revived, and upon arrival at the hospital, I was taken straight to the Cath Lab, for a Balloon Angioplasty. I was treated with IV Heparin for several days, and had further testing to determine what caused my heart attack. It turned out that it was a SCAD. The SCAD itself was caused by my new diagnosis of Fibromuscular Dysplasia. I have it in my Renal Arteries, Carotid Arteries, and Iliac Arteries. Currently, I have an Iliac Dissection, and an Aneurism in my brain. As a result of heart damage, I have heart failure, and Angina. I do have fear of another SCAD occurring. This has been a long road. In hindsight, my sudden onset hypertension in my late 30s, can now be attributed to my Renal FMD. As I am my doctor’s only FMD patient, it is difficult for him to know how to treat my ongoing symptoms.

[@marilynshelton2371]

I had a SCAD too at age 35. #SCAD