If you suddenly found yourself experiencing chest pain, discomfort in one or both arms, or shortness of breath, alarm bells might immediately sound in your mind alerting you of these telltale signs of a heart attack. But what if you felt nauseous, exhausted, weak, or like you had a bad cold? Heart attack symptoms in women can be different than in men, and women, in particular, are often unaware they're having a heart attack when it happens.
We talked with five female heart-attack survivors to find out what they felt in the days, hours, and minutes leading up to their heart attacks. One thing these women make very clear: There's no cookie cutter set of symptoms when it comes to having a heart attack—and it can happen to just about any woman at any age.
"My symptoms were pain in my upper/mid back, right between my shoulder blades, and an ache in both arms. I was also tired and less able to complete my usual activity level. I was training for a marathon that summer and on a 17-mile run, I had to sit down on the curb at mile eight for a while. I finished it though—and three days later was in the hospital.
"The symptoms came and went for many days, probably weeks. But one night, it got a lot worse. It felt like knife being twisted between my shoulder blades, and my arms ached terribly, all the way down to my hands. This persisted and did not let up for hours, until in the morning when I broke out in a cold sweat and finally went to the ER.
"It felt like the worst heartburn I ever had in my life, and honestly that's what I thought it was. I didn't understand the arm ache, though if it had been just the left arm, like people usually associate with heart attacks, it may have tipped me off that it was my heart, not anything else. I never once had chest pain—like 42% of female heart attack survivors. Women's symptoms are very different." —Jen Thorson, 42, St. Paul, MN (37 at time of heart attack)
"Two weeks prior to my attack I experienced nausea. I thought I had contacted a virus that was circulating the office. The day before the attack I experienced shortness of breath. I could barely climb to the top of the subway stop. I felt like I had aged 20 years. By the time I reached my door I was lightheaded and lethargic. I just didn't feel like myself. At the suggestion of a friend, I went to the emergency room. They told me my heart was beating so fast that they were going to keep me overnight. That evening my heart stopped beating. A nurse found me on the floor. It took them 15 minutes to revive me and I am here today to tell my story." —Paula Rice, 64, New York, NY (60 at time of heart attack)
MORE: Do You Have a Vitamin B12 Deficiency? Answer These 5 Questions to Find Out
"The day of my heart attack, I did not realize that I was having a heart attack. I just knew that something was terribly wrong and that I needed to go to the hospital. I felt very weak, almost to the point of not being able to walk unassisted. I was experiencing cold sweats, flu-like symptoms, and intermittent chest pain. However, the chest pain was not debilitating or the type that people generally associate with heart attacks. I was short of breath and I needed help from my husband to make it from my house to the car. By the time we got to the emergency room, I was able to walk on my own. I still felt weak and had some chest pain. I have been told that the symptoms of my heart attack are common for women, but I did not know that at the time. I was discharged from the hospital with a pneumonia diagnosis. By the time my heart attack was detected, I already had severe damage to my heart." —Meliah Jefferson, 37, Greenville, SC (33 at time of heart attack)
"My initial response was that I had the flu. I felt an immediate and extreme (almost like someone shutting a door on you) sense of flu symptoms. Keep in mind, all of my flu symptoms were EXTREME. I felt tired, weak, dizzy, and nauseous. This lasted for about an hour, until I convinced myself to go to the restroom to throw up. I had trouble walking the 15 yards to the restroom because I was so out of breath. My legs felt heavy and every step was difficult because I could not breathe. I went to the restroom and laid on the floor for about 45 minutes. (Yes, I actually did this.) My symptoms passed and I went back to work.
"Two hours later, I had the same symptoms, but this time add extreme heartburn. I kept feeling like if I drank some water the heartburn would go away. Other symptoms began to follow, including weakness, difficulty breathing, dizziness, nausea, tightening in my jaw, and pain down my left arm.
"It is important to say I never had chest pain, I had heartburn that was very uncomfortable. All of my symptoms were very uncomfortable, but I would not say I had pain. I would also say everything was sudden, nothing was gradual. One minute you are fine, then bam! Imagine an elephant putting all of his weight on one leg and standing on your chest... That's what it feels like." —Julia Allen, 48, Charlotte, NC (44 at time of heart attack)
MORE: Are Your Periods Irregular? You Could Have This Syndrome and Not Even Know It
"The days leading up to the actual heart attack I experienced migraine headaches, shortness of breath, and felt tired and lethargic. The actual deal was dull pain in my chest and eventually shooting pain up my left side and my face. I honestly didn't know what was happening, I was 28 years old at the time and having a heart attack was the furthest thing from my mind. It felt uncomfortable and scary....irregular. I didn't feel normal and like something was definitely happening to me that I had never experienced." —Eve Walker, 44, Los Angeles, CA (28 at time of heart attack), a Go Red For Women Real Woman
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call 911 right away. Even if you aren't sure if it's a heart attack, it's always better to play it safe.
The article ‘My Flu-Like Symptoms Turned Out To Be A Heart Attack’ originally appeared on Women’s Health.
Watch Next
Nanoplastics Linked to Heart Attack and Stroke
8 Signs of a Blood Clot You Should Never Ignore
An ER Doc Said My Chest Pains Were All in My Head
What Is the Best Sleep Position for Your Heart?
