Last night at dinner I got choked on a piece of food. It was super scary, my airway was totally blocked and I couldn't breathe. My DH did the heimlich on me and within a thrust or two, the food dislodged and I could breathe. After a little while, I was okay.
After all the commotion last night, I got a really bad migraine complete with nausea.
Well, this morning, the migraine is gone but I'm still extremely sick to my stomach. I don't know if it's maybe a coincidence, or has something to do with the heimlich. I distinctly remember DH grabbing me around the stomach to get me off the floor.
Is this something I should be worried about, or is it normal, or maybe just a migraine 'hangover' ? I HATE HATE HATE going to the dr. if I don't have to!!
Wow shellie! How scary for you! I am glad that you are alright. I dont think the abdominal thrust would make you nauseated. Maybe it might be the stress of all the commotion or possibly just a coincidence. I would understand maybe feeling some sorness under the ribcage possibly if he did it hard.
Thanks for putting my mind at ease...I'm thinking it may be aftereffects of the migraine, that happens to me sometimes. But DH is in a bit of a panic about it...things like this just don't happen!!
It was terrifying, but maybe good for my diet plan...now I'm afraid to eat!
Yikes! I'm glad your DH knew what to do! I don't know anything about migranes, so I'm no help there. It is recommended that you see a doctor after choking in order to check for injury to the throat (that something was stuck there & was violently removed can be damaging) so I'd make an appointment & mention that too. You may have an abdominial bruise even though you can't see it - it takes a lot of strength to do the heimlich properly.
-Lisa
I was actually very impressed with DH...even through my own panic (he had left the room and when he came back, I couldn't breathe) I was impressed...he whacked me on the back a couple of times, then immediately grabbed me and did the heimlich. I was amazed by his quick reaction, I would have gone to pieces. Somehow he even managed to get the kids out of the room. Definitely a useful guy to have around!
I have just done a first aid qualfication at school today. The man there said that the heimlich manouvere CAN cause abdominal bleeding/broken ribs etc. and that if you are in any doubt then the recpient should go to hospital and get it checked out. He said that it was a very effective manouver but that it could be damaging as it has to be done hard to work. He said all children should go and get themselves checked over and adults should if they feel there may be damage. I don't want to scare you, the migraine is likely not to be connected, but if you continue to get stomach problems you should go to the doctors.
I took a CPR/Lifesaving class for nursing school last summer, and we learned the Heimlich Maneuver. We were told that anytime we performed it on someone, that person should go to the ER afterwards to get checked out. The Heimlich can be a lifesaver, but it can also cause severe internal injuries. Please go get checked out by your doctor, and if they can't get you in SOON, please go to the ER or an Urgent Care. How scary!! I'm so glad you're ok!!! (((HUGS)))
FYI ... from www.heimlichinstitute.org ... "The Victim should see a physician immediately after rescue."
Thanks for the advice, everyone! I thought I had heard that all choking victims should seek medical help following rescue.
I felt queasy most of the day yesterday and was in a funky mood. About the time I started to forget a little of how it felt when I stopped breathing, my stomach started to get better. So I guess it was just nerves. I'm feeling fine today.
It shook me up more than I thought...I guess you never think things like that could happen to you, or that you might die from something as silly as choking on a piece of food. The kids and I eat 98% of our meals alone, DH works a lot of long hours. If he hadn't been there, I would have been in really serious trouble.
If you're alone & choking, you can hurl yourself over the back of a chair or counter top in attempt to dislodge the obstruction. Most importantly, teach your kids how and when to call 911! Your oldest may also old enough to take a CPR course (I do know a 3rd grader who is certified).
That kind of thing worries me too - I'm home most of the day with just DS who is 5 and wouldn't be able to do anything for me.
-Lisa
That was the worst part, Lisa. I KNEW what I should do to save myself, but the moment I stopped breathing, I just completely panicked. I would like to think I would have reacted differently if I had known DH wasn't there to help me.
My kids aren't big enough to do the heimlich on an adult, but we did review about calling 911 and I told them if it ever happened again, hit me in the stomach as hard as they could. That might not be right, but it was the best I could come up with.
When I was 10 I went through a CPR class. A child or a small person can do the Heimlich on a larger person there is just a different approach to it.
Call your local EMS and see if they will be holding a class that your kids can attend. If they are worried about helping you at least it will give them the knowledge of how to help you (getting you into a good position, calling 911, keeping foreign objects away from you etc...)
I told them if it ever happened again, hit me in the stomach as hard as they could. That might not be right, but it was the best I could come up with.
Close enough! But if you lie down on the floor, they can straddle you and do stomach thrusts that way. That's how you're supposed to do it once the person has passed out. All they'll need to do is straddle your hips, put their hands together and push just below your sternum. I wonder if your local Red Cross would be willing to offer a class just for kids? Or if you know someone who is a certified instructor (either Red Cross or American Heart Assoc.) they would be willing to do it. All you'd need is to round up enough kids to meet the minimun for having a class. Maybe not to give them the "official" certification, but to give them some basic information.
Also, ask at your kids school. Our teachers have to be CPR/First Aid certified, and have a renewal class every year right before school starts. Whoever teaches that class (usually a fellow teacher) would be able to advertise it through school and could find a bunch of kids who would be interested. Especially if you tell them what happened and why you want this, I bet they'd be more than happy to do it.
-Lisa
Thanks for the great ideas! DH's big idea was to tell our oldest if anything ever happened she should call Nana. Hello...she lives 5 minutes away. By the time she could do anything, I'd be dead!
I never thought of getting them into a first aid class, it's a great idea. I know a guy in the local fire dept, I'll be he could help me out...
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