Something I’ve been struggling with lately is the intersection of my identification as a trans woman and my recent diagnosis with cardiac issues. To recap that: I was diagnosed with AFib, POTS, and an enlarged aorta, among others.
It’s relatively common knowledge, I think, that men and women experience significantly different symptoms of heart attack. “So?” you ask. Well, 18-Jun of this year I ended up in the ER. This was partly because, as a trans woman on gender affirming HRT for almost 13 years, I didn’t know which heart attack symptoms I should be on the lookout for. It turned out my symptoms were not a heart attack, thank the Goddess. At least, that’s what the troponin levels indicated.
That said, I’m still left pondering which symptoms I should treat as an emergency. See, I was having the (typically female) chest pressure, but not the “elephant on the chest” male symptom. What I was having was a series of symptomatic AFib episodes.
Before you ask, my doctors have no guidance on that question either. We (trans people) simply aren’t studied, hardly at all. The advice I was given, after the fact, was to treat either set of symptoms as an emergency. It’s good advice, I suppose. But no one wants to “cry wolf.” After a while, you start getting ignored. Believe me, I know that from experience. No, I am not asking for advice. I just needed to get this off my chest.
The journey continues.
An Aging Trans Woman 
it would help if cardiac issues in women were studied. All is hard was once you go through menopause type risk is more like XY people. I’m just starting the cardiac journey due to an intermittent diastolic pressure of 114 found on the weekend. Dr. checked my abdomen and thought my aorta felt enlarged. Symptoms…just a tightness in my chest that I thought was allergies. If I hadn’t had to calibrate my watch for BP I wouldn’t have found out.
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Yeah, I hear you on the lack of studies on women’s cardiac issues in general. I’m so very tired of the doctors’ failure to take women seriously, particularly in the realm of cardiac concerns. I’m very glad you are being heard and seen now.
My smartwatch was the impetus to begin this journey for me. It started showing abnormal
BPHR numbers, then because of some symptoms I started performing occasional ECG readings. Those led to a 30 day external monitor, which captured two AFib events during that period.Even after I had an internal cardiac monitor implanted recently, I still had the doctor’s office doubting my experience of my own body. It turned out that the monitor was configured to ignore AFib events that were shorter than 6 minutes. I have paroxysmal AFib. That means intermittent *short* episodes.
My watch was telling me I was getting runs of low BPM at about 32-36. They configured the monitor to only record events below 30 BPM. They knew what the watch was telling me.
I raised a stink (via an insurance case manager initially) and as of today, it’s supposed to be recording all AFib events, regardless of duration, and any heart rate below 40 BPM.
Self-advocacy is important as patients, and so much more important as female patients.
Blessed Be Cass.
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Janet, I had an idea last night, but it was late. I remember it well today, though, so I want to ask you about it.
I am guest-blogging on another friend’s blog, it’s called Scottie’s Playtime. Right now he’s got family concerns and he wants to keep the blog running, so I and another friend are trying to help out.
Over time as I’ve read your blog, it underscores how transwomen’s rights are women’s rights, and vice-versa. I want to guard your privacy, so my idea is as follows.
I’d like to post that I have a friend from Google+, and that we keep in touch. I’d explain that your letters really resonate with me how important women’s rights are to humanity, and how transwomen are women. Then, I’d like to copy-paste this entry, with your permission, into the post. Scottie has worked hard to make his blog a safe place, but there are some who question non-binary people’s rights to exist as they are. This would be the real thing coming to us.
Now, you have some share options under your blog entries, but no reblog, and I presumed you’re still guarding yourself. I don’t want to have to expose you or your who-what-where, is why I thought the email letter explanation. Scottie’s blog is at https://scottiesplaytime.com/ . I’ll do this however you like, or drop the idea if you wish. Either way, thank you for what you do here, as we all learn, and we all advocate for one another. Also, I hope I didn’t say anything stupid here; if I did, I’m sorry and I didn’t mean to. 💜🖖🍦
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Huh. I honestly didn’t realize the “reblog” option wasn’t there. I’ll have to check into that.
I have no problem with you sharing what I post, and even attributing it to me here. Yes, I am still protecting my “where” quite jealously. That said, I’m making that my responsibility. Perhaps you’ve noticed I haven’t said where those Pride events occurred?
I am quite pleased by what you’ve written just now, and especially that you see the “We are all women” and the “importance of women’s rights” aspects of my efforts. That makes me very happy.
To bottom line it, share as you will. Link if it makes sense. Nothing on this blog will tell my abuser where I am now, even were she to somehow find it. (I had never shared it with her.)
And 1000 thank yous for your very kind words. You are dear to me in ways I cannot express with mere words on the internet.
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And now the reblog button is there. I’m not certain when that got turned off, but it was never intentional on my part to do so.
Blessings Ali.
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FWIW: Technically, I am not non-binary. I am a “binary transgender woman” but I am in no way insulted to be thought of as possibly non-binary. I love my enby siblings.
Gender non-conforming is an umbrella term that would generally encompass trans, enby, and various other groups who vary from what society would prescribe for us in various aspects of life.
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Thank you!!
See, I learn all the time. I did mess up the gender term; you’re female to me, she/her the whole nine yards, but I used the wrong term trying to be inclusive. And now the appropriate term is committed to memory.
I intend to reblog your blog. It’s important info for all women. I also, with some cardiac history on my father’s side, wish med. professionals knew more about how to apply knowledge to women, and how to generate more knowledge of women’s health. But, that’s a battle that’s older than we are!
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Aaannd, it’s up!
Thank you so very much, Janet!
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Thank you for seeing the value in what I do. 💜
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Your welcome, but thank you for doing it!
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I have had several heart attacks and the symptoms differed with each one. The first was caused by a clot breaking free in my lower leg and traveling up to my heart…that sucker I felt travel and knew exactly what to tell the 911 operator. Thank goodness an emt was nearby because I almost died. I’ve had two more since then, one from an electrical shock, and one from a lack of blood flow…each had different symptoms. Use your knowledge of both male and female symptoms to determine what is happening to you. you only need two symptoms identified to determine it’s a heart attack. Good luck to you.
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Thank you Suze!
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