Heart attack survivor: ‘Listen to your body’

Just months earlier, Pipkin, of Desloge, had jaw surgery and was still on a no-chew diet. So instead of eating pizza, she ordered broccoli cheddar soup. After the family ate dinner, they went home and went to bed.

A few hours later, Pipkin woke up from a sound sleep about 2 a.m. and felt pressure in her chest and mild indigestion. She felt an aching sensation under each of her arms down to her elbows. She thought it might be due to eating later than normal and then going to bed soon after that.

But Pipkin was worried. She got out of bed, went to the living room and quickly Googled “heart attack symptoms in women.”

The more she read, the more anxious she became. So she woke up her husband Chris. They contacted her aunt, a registered nurse. Because of the late-night dinner and recent jaw surgery, Pipkin’s aunt suggested they crush up some antacids with a little water.

So Pipkin drank the mixture, tried to calm herself down and went back to bed. She once again fell asleep and woke up feeling better the next morning. She even attended her son’s soccer games.

But as the day wore on, Pipkin noticed it had become difficult for her to take in a deep breath if she walked for a long distance. This was not normal for the 35-year-old with average weight and no known illnesses.

Fast forward to later that month. Pipkin went for a follow-up visit with her jaw surgeon. He said the symptoms she mentioned did not seem to be related to her surgery or no-chew diet. He suggested she make an appointment with her primary care physician.

When she met with her primary care physician on Oct. 22, Pipkin explained the episode and her physical symptoms. He gave her some prescription-strength antacids and ordered blood work. She got the blood work done that afternoon and received a personal call from her doctor that evening.

“He told me to pack a bag and return to the hospital as soon as possible,” she said.

Pipkin explained to her doctor that she was a counselor at North County High School and had to administer the ACT exam the next morning and asked if she could go to the hospital afterward.

“He told me no, that I needed to come right away,” she said, “and that I had had a heart attack.”

Pipkin’s doctor further explained that her bloodwork showed elevated troponin levels indicating a heart attack three weeks after the event.

Needless to say, this was not the news Pipkin expected to hear. So she packed a bag and her husband drove her to Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Festus.

Pipkin’s room was ready upon her arrival, and testing began immediately. Additional blood work and an EKG followed. The next morning, more bloodwork and an echocardiogram were done. When the results came back, a cardiac catheterization was scheduled for Monday morning.

Once the procedure was completed, it was determined that Pipkin’s artery on the backside of her heart was 99% blocked. Because of the location and size of the artery, an angioplasty was done to open the artery to 40% instead of adding a stent. The cardiologist felt confident with that procedure and medication that the problem was fixed. She was released from the hospital after a five-day stay.

Doctors weren’t sure why Pipkin’s artery in her heart was almost completely blocked. Her heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and weight were all normal.

The physicians guessed the incident was hereditary because Pipkin’s paternal grandmother had passed away from a heart attack and there were several uncles on her mother’s side who had had heart attacks at a young age as well.

After her heart attack, Pipkin had returned to a normal lifestyle for about three weeks. She’d had no idea she’d even had a heart attack. The pressure in her chest and pain in her arms had subsided the next day. She had no longer had mild indigestion. She went to work each day, attended her son’s sporting events, and even flew to Florida with her husband for a follow-up visit with her jaw surgeon. Other than feeling winded at times, she felt normal.

Pipkin was prescribed various medications to control her blood pressure and cholesterol even though her levels were normal.

“I took them religiously even though a couple of them made me feel terrible (tired and achy) because I was scared that I would have another heart attack if I didn’t,” she said.

Pipkin also became more conscious of the foods she was eating. She became more active and started exercising more than before. She began a running routine to help strengthen her muscles in her body and heart. She also attended her six-month and 12-month follow-up visits with her cardiologist for stress tests and medication changes.

When thinking about her heart attack, Pipkin said the best advice she can offer to others is, “Listen to your body! When things don’t feel right, don’t wait to seek medical attention. You know your body better than anyone else. Even if an event or ache or pain seems minor or insignificant, tell your doctor.”

Pipkin, who is now a counselor at West County Middle School, said the entire experience frightened her and her family, but it certainly brought them closer together. Her husband was right by her side during her hospital stay, and her mom took care of their two sons. Friends visited and sat with her during some of her weakest moments.

“I was and still am blessed to have such a strong support system,” she said.

Pipkin said she’s always had deep faith and a close relationship with God, and this experience only strengthened that.

“I did a lot of soul searching and praying during my hospital stay and came to the realization that I still have work to do here,” she said. “I approach each day with renewed meaning and try to show God’s love and compassion through my actions whether I am at work with my peers and students or simply with strangers out in our community.”

Since Pipkin’s heart attack in 2010, she’s had two additional heart-related episodes. These were diagnosed as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, more commonly known as broken heart syndrome. It is a temporary heart condition brought on by stressful situations.

“Even if we don’t feel particularly stressed, our body may be experiencing stress internally,” said Pipkin.

The condition can also be triggered by surgery or serious illness.

When these episodes occurred, Pipkin experienced chest pain and shortness of breath, both mimicking the heart attack she’d had. After meeting with her doctor and having a cardiac cath to check for blockage, she learned that she had not had another heart attack and did not have additional blockage.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy had affected only a portion of her heart, which disrupted its normal pumping function and made the other part of her heart contract more forcefully, which then caused the chest pain she felt. While this was a scary experience, it was treatable and corrected itself in a short time with rest and lower-stress activities.

“I have learned, albeit the hard way, that my health is not to be taken for granted,” said Pipkin. “I am grateful for every day that I am blessed with.”

She said most people have been changed by the loss of a loved one, someone close to them or a special friend.

“How quickly could that have been my family, my friends,” said Pipkin. “While a cliché to say, truly practice kindness. You never truly know what someone might be going through.”