Last week, I shared my experience of mistaking heart attack symptoms for an anxiety attack.
I narrated the incidents that led to each of the eight symptoms I experienced, along with the excuses I made for not paying attention to my body.
Some of you requested a summary of the symptoms, and here they are. However, please note that these were MY symptoms and are common to women; they are quite different from men’s symptoms.
This is not an exhaustive list of all the symptoms women may experience during a heart attack, but it’s enough to get you thinking.
Here are the symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Pain in neck or collarbone
- Lightheadedness
- Cold/numb fingers and toes
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- Cold sweat
When I googled these symptoms, some sources suggested an anxiety attack, which is what I initially thought was happening to me. However, it turned out to be a heart attack. I was rushed to the ER the following day, had two stents implanted, and left three days later wearing a defibrillator vest. It was a scary experience, and I was frustrated because the timing was so inconvenient. This happened in February.
Now, I’m sharing my story to urge women to pay better attention to their bodies.
Here’s one of my favorite websites on women’s heart health: www.womenheart.org