I had to Heimlich someone -- a scary story and a warning.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

When I was visiting my sister in Texas recently, I was in a restaurant where a woman started to choke. When I got to her was standing just outside the ladies room and a friend was trying to Heimlich her but was having trouble. I quickly asked the questions I was taught in my Red Cross classes -- she indicated she was choking and needed help -- and then stepped behind her to perform the manuever. Since I had those classes I was confident I would be able to help her with no problems.

What I am going to talk about next may make some bristle, but I must be blunt about what I experienced.

The woman I was helping was fairly overweight. When I stepped behind her and put my arms around her waist I was barely able to grasp my hands together in front to form the needed fist -- I was pressed up her as close as I could and was still struggling. She was gasping horribly and I started to panic just a bit. I gave the quick, hard, inward/upward pull that you are supposed to and it was like I was doing it in slow motion -- the resistence was tremendous and I was so close to her I had very little leverage. Then I really started to panic. I'm not normally a praying person, but I did give a little call out to the gods to please give me the strength to help this woman. I did the move again with literally everything I had -- I actually lifted her off her feet I pulled so hard -- and that cleared her airway of the bread chunk that has been lodged there. She caught her breath, thanked me, and then went back to her table.

I woke up the next morning and I was really shaken. All I could think about was how close I came to not being able to help that woman. My Red Cross class had never talked about how to help or what to expect if you are dealing with someone who is overweight, especially in their belly area, as she was. The experience was nothing like what I expected it to be/feel and it's left me with a big question mark about what to do if I have to help someone like that in the future. Heck, my own Mom is someone I would have trouble helping -- something that has never even occurred to me

So, if you are going to take a Red Cross class, ask your instructors about this situation and how you should handle it. If you have taken a class in the past, know that it will be diferent than you expect it to be and think about how you would handle it.

I am seriously thinking about retaking my saftey class to regain my confidence.

[DS1]

1. Trip them up and jump on their back

HOORAH!

[kentauros]

2. Having been on the recieving end of the Heimlich (by family members)

and being overweight myself, I know what you mean. (My situation was food "damming up" in my throat and then blocking the airway; I think it's called esophogeal constriction.) It is a harrowing experience and you don't think about anything but getting air into you. I was able to breathe in, just barely, but that "sound" of gasping I'll never forget. I had trouble eating for days after it.

As for your dilemma, I believe there's a way of doing the maneuver with the person on their back, and then using the heel of one hand into their diaphragm as the normal Heimlich is done. Definitely ask your trainers about that, though. I may be going by one of those restaurant posters depicting such things without one in front of me for reference. And you're having to work against all those muscles in the way, so there's that much more of a struggle.

I'm glad you were able to help her, although I probably would have offered to at least pay for your dinner for the help :)

[Hell Hath No Fury]

5. That sounds exactly like what this woman was experiencing.

Horrible gasping, not complete blockage. :scared:

Wow, I hadn't heard about that way of doing it! That makes a great deal of sense when you think about it. She was around five inches taller then me, which also added to the difficulty. If they are on their back and you work from the front, that almost completely negates any height/weight challenges. I will be sure to ask about that in class! :hi:

As for any free meal -- I think she was in shock, but also didn't know what to make of me -- let's just say that I don't look like the norm for a Dallas suburb. I'm sure she didn't know what to make of me. :D

[CC]

3. Part of it is the person is very tensed

up. My SO had to do the Heimlich for a person at a restaurant a couple years ago and he had a really hard time. Not because the person was over weight but because the guy was a VERY fit body builder. It took 6 or 7 tries to get it to work because the guy's muscles were tensed so much and that was with him trying to relax them. There is a point that the brain refuses to listen to you because it thinks you are dieing. The best thing you can do is stay calm and not give up trying to help. The worst thing to me was how many people sat and stared and didn't even more to help the guy including his date. Course it was the silent staring that got our attention from across the room and the SO didn't hesitate.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

6. I used to do massage and one of my clients was a body builder.

The thing that amazed me was how dense and rigid his muscles were even when relaxed! I cannot image trying to Heimlich someone with that body type when they were stressed -- your SO must have really had to work at it to help that guy! :scared:

I was very happy to see several people step up to help this woman besides myself -- I was glad to have the "back=up" in case I failed.

[redqueen]

4. I was taught to have them lean over the corner of a table

or the back of a chair, and let their knees buckle.

Sorry that happened, but glad things turned out all right.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

7. I remember being taught that for self-Heimliching....

but I hadn't thought of using that with someone else -- another good tool to use! Thanks! :hi:

[redqueen]

9. Oh... maybe that's what I'm thinking of...

I will check my notes tonight in case there's something specifically for larger people. If there is I'll try to remember to post it here tomorrow.

[applegrove]

8. Good for you. You must be very proud.