After having heart attack in 2009 I haven't been on a coaster since due to warnings and friends and family stopping me. My reason going to the park was to ride the coasters but since my incident I have lost all interest in going to any park.
Hi, Callie--
What a wonderful friend you are; everyone should have a friend as caring and concerned as you are.
It's so hard not to worry when you care so much about someone.
It is ultimately up to her what rides she goes on and what rides she doesn't. From personal experience, though, I would suggest she avoid the ride that is called Mission Space at Epcot Center. It is said to mimic the G forces that astronauts undergo in space and former astronauts actually attest to the fact that it does just that.
I have a long history of heart issues--diagnosis has changed over the years, presumably due to better diagnostic technology and different criteria for classification, as well as age. My heart is strong in that I can run for an hour without difficulty. A few years ago when we were down in Florida, I watched older people coming off the ride and they looked OK, so I decided to ignore the warning sign and went on it anyway. I truly regretted going on it. I lived through it, but I will not go on it again, ever.
Maybe you can just ask her not to go on that one ride. Tell her a woman you talked with said it ruined my day, I did not enjoy it at all, and the next day I still felt lousy (all true), which made it hard to do the things we wanted to do. We lost almost 2 days of our vacation because I decided to go on that silly ride. (Ironically, on the way back to our hotel the day I went on Mission Space, I overhead a woman talking about the ride to her friend and she said it took her a good day after she went on that ride to feel like herself again.) That might be the best approach. (I tell everyone I know that's going down there, anyone who has any type of health issue, to just skip that ride.)
Also, kenkeith makes an excellent point. She should check into beta blockers.
---Yvette
I'm surprised you aren't stressed out! Has your good friend been prescribed beta blocker medicaton. It maintains good heart rhythm, limits palpitations and shortness of breath, and sweating and the physical symptoms people experience when they're in anxiety inducing situations. That would help maintain regular heartbeat. And beta blockers tend to be used most frequently in situations where there is performance anxiety or public speaking anxiety situation and they work primarily by actually blocking the physical manifestations of anxiety, so they have very little effect on the emotional sense of anxiety.
Thanks for sharing.
I think I understand her perspective exactly, and it really isn't uncommon. After I had a heart attack and was successfully stented, I knew there were other blockages causing issues and family members were always telling me to take it easy, don't lift that, don't do that. It does get annoying. I understand that you care, as I understood this from my family, but you have to trust how the person with the condition can feel their symptoms. By the sound of it, she knows when to slow down because her body gives her warning signs that she recognises. I'm the exact same. As soon as I feel the early tell tale signs, I quickly relax and let things cool off. She will have become very tuned into her heart and body and feel it in ways that you can only imagine. I can tell anyone what my heart rate is and when tested I am only usually +/- 5 beats off. I am normally pretty close to knowing my blood pressure too. You would be surprised at how you can feel these things. Personally, I would give her space and trust her judgement. Believe me, from experience, when she feels something is not right, she will tell you. About 4 times in the last two years I've recognised new symptoms which have triggered me to ask advice about whether I should go to hospital. When she feels unsure, she will let you know. She really is lucky to have someone like you caring so much, she knows that and I can tell you she does feel safer for it. The added security goes a long way. I really take my hat off to you and just suggest that you stop worrying so much because it will make you end up with a heart condition. If you are more relaxed, she will be too. She is young and wants as much quality to her life as possible, towards the normal, and it's great she is so strong willed. This has come a lot from you, giving her the extra security, being there for her. So, again in a nutshell, trust her :)
I hope this helps