Having a heart attack felt nothing like I thought it would feel.   For one thing, unlike sudden cardiac arrrest, in which the heart stops beating and you stop breathing, during my heart attack (myocardial infarction), my heart continued beating, and I was conscious throughout despite horrific symptoms – so how could I possibly be having a heart attack?

Like most women I know, I thought very little about heart disease, even though it is our #1 killer each year. Women need to know all the potential symptoms of a heart attack, and demand help immediately if these symptoms do hit.

Thank you to my Heart Sisters from WomenHeart’s online support community who have generously volunteered to share these compelling survivor stories here with us: Read their stories