False alarm. Or don’t let your mind play tricks on you.

I wouldn’t class myself as a nerd but I do like data. That means that ever since my big cardiac event of 2019 I’ve tracked a few indicators which I reckon would tell me whether or not I was trending into heart attack territory.

The most important is my cholesterol level and I only get to see that every 6 months or so because it needs a blood test and that’s got to be done through the NHS and it costs money. It’s important because it was cholesterol which blocked my right coronary artery and it would seem to make sense to make sure that didn’t happen again which is why I now take statins and follow a low sat fat diet. It seems to have worked because my cholesterol level is now below 4.0 which is well within the acceptable range.

I also track my weight. I’ve always done that and before my cardiac event I was concerned to keep it around 70kg which seemed to be ‘about right’. But since the event and my low sat fat diet my weight’s gone down to 65kg and even below. I reckon that it’s a useful proxy of my sat fat intake. As long as it stays low my diet is OK.

Finally I measure my blood pressure and heart rate every morning. It’s usually about 120/60 and 50. Sometimes up a bit and sometimes down but fairly steady. As long as it stays that way I reckon I’m OK.

But three weeks ago it went up to 138/68 or so and then on the Tuesday to 147/68. On it’s own that should not be cause for concern but I was due to fly off to Jordan on vacation that day. What to do?

Sadly the NHS doesn’t work as well as you’d like these days so GP advice was unavailable and dialling 111, it wasn’t really a 999 issue, would be unlikely to provide any definitive advice. Instead I spoke to a local recently retired GP who said that high blood pressure wasn’t a definitive indicator and any way 147/67 was not high. We also agreed that Jordan had a good healthcare system and that since I was to be staying in good hotels I could go on holiday with confidence.

The trouble was I was worried, I had an elevated level of anxiety: Juni was off on her own for three weeks to Indonesia for the first time for several years and I would be away myself. There was no reason to worry but I did and then as my blood pressure rose my worry built on itself. And along with the worry I imagined aches and pains and general discomfort. No definitive heart attack pains but I wasn’t thinking that rationally.

I headed off on vacation: taxi to Cambridge North, train to King’s Cross and then the tube Heathrow Terminal 3. I had an easy check in because I’d paid for a business class upgrade and that meant a stress free transition through the airport and a very relaxing flight. But I was still worried.

Arrival at Amman was smooth and immigration was easy. We had an efficient transfer to our hotel and I enjoyed a good night’s sleep. Breakfast was good and then I walked down to the Dead Sea and back up to the hotel. That was easy enough and should have told me I was OK! The day went well but I continued to be anxious.

Back in the hotel early evening I allowed myself to dwell too much on my apparent discomfort and convinced myself that I was having a heart attack. I even used my GTN spray which is quite an experience: your heart rate zooms up and then zooms down again. Was I having a heart attack? Of course I wasn’t but for some reason I wasn’t thinking straight.

I slept OK but early next day decided I needed to see a doctor to bottom my situation. I asked at reception and was told that a doctor would be on site at 0800. I should have breakfast first and then go and see him.

The doctor was more retired GP than cardiac specialist but measured my blood pressure at something over 150/75. He suggested I go to the hospital so I got the guy at reception in the hotel to call the local agents for my holiday. An efficient system kicked in!

I took a hotel car to the Arab Medical Centre in Amman, a one hour JD50 journey, where I was met by the local agent. I was quickly into a calm A&E and had successively blood pressure measurement (150/75), an ecg and a range of blood tests including a troponin test. The on duty consultant came to talk to me and told me, firmly, that I had not had a heart attack and that none of my symptoms were indicative thereof. The troponin test returned a value of 0.001 with 0.4 being the level that would indicate a heart attack. He noted that my blood pressure had come down, it was now 139/75, and told me that there was no reason why I should not continue my holiday.

So I arrived at A&E at about 1000 and was in my hotel before 1200. I resolved to take the rest of the day slowly with a good lunch to give me strength and otherwise lots of snoozing. I rejoined the tour when the rest of the group arrived in Amman at 1700.

Thereafter I enjoyed the tour with no problems. We had plenty of walking including 20km on the day we visited Petra. And that day also included a 900 step climb. That wouldn’t have been possible if I’d had or was about to have a heart attack.

Back home my blood pressure was back to normal levels (126/64 on the first day back). I’ve had a full set of blood tests and they’re all OK so I guess I’m fine. It just goes to show how mental stuff can really interfere with what you think is your physical health.