Accurate Diagnosis

When warning signs are present, the possibility of a diagnosis of heart disease may never be remotely considered.

“I am 53 and had my first heart attack at 47. Three and a half years later, I began having lots of angina, but was told over and over again that it was "reflux." Three days later I had another heart attack. How do we get the doctors to believe us when we say we are sick? How many of us have been put on tranquilizers, antidepressants, sent to therapy, had upper GI series, or told we were hysterical? I have already made my sister promise that the following words will be chiseled into my headstone: I TOLD YOU IT WASN'T REFLUX!” - Georgia

“I'd suffered with high cholesterol and high blood pressure for years never thinking I could have heart disease although there is family history of it on my dad side. I had chest pain off and on for years and was treated for reflux after EKG's showed nothing. I had chest pain last month with arm pain and went to the doctor with a normal EKG and stress test. The doctor did a heart cath and found blockage in three arteries and I had a triple bypass three weeks ago. I am so thankful to have found this website because I need the support of others that understand heart disease. I never thought something like this could happen to me at this age but I am grateful it was found when it was because it could have been worse.” - Kim, age 40

“Last year I was out of breath walking up the stairs to my daughter's condo. I though my asthma was the problem. I went to my doctor & resting my oxygen levels were in the norm. After listening to me decribe my problem, he put a monitor on my wrist and had me walk around his complex. Two minutes later I returned totally out of breath. The monitor showed my heart rate elevated and my oxygen level very low. So that started the ball going with tests for asthma and heart. Well, I was diagnosised with dilated cardiomyopathy. After 7 months of numerous meds to help with my heart enlargement, my blood flow through my heart wasn't increased enough. So last week I had a bi ventricular defribillator implanted. I'm still sore and healing but the device is helping my heart pump more and correctly. I'm am so greatful that my doctor listened to me and got me to wonderful specialist. Oh and my asthma episodes have decreased too!” - Cathy Moura, age 57

“I had a heart attack three days after giving birth to my third child. I was 37 and in good health. My cholesterol had always been good. I exercised and ate well. Everyone was in shock including me. I was told that I suffered from a dissection of my artery, most likely caused from hormones and the stress of the labor. Now I'm on medication that keeps my bp low. So low that I get light headed and short of breath all the time. It's very frustrating and scary. I have three children (my oldest is 10 and my youngest is 1), and I just worry that won't be around to see them grow up.” - Tammi, age 38

“I WAS 49 WHEN I HAD MY FIRST HEART ATTACK. I WAS THIN HEALTHY, EXERCISED, ATE WELL - ALWAYS TOOK CARE OF MYSELF. AFTER ROLLERBLADING WITH MY 2 CHILDREN I EXPERIENCED CHEST PAIN RADIATING DOWN MY LEFT ARM. THINKING TO MYSELF THIS COULD NOT BE A HEART ATTACK, I WENT IN THE HOUSE AND RESTED TO SEE IF THE PAIN WENT AWAY. IT NEVER DID - SO A FRIEND OF MINE TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL AND SURE ENOUGH I HAD SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK. I WAS THE HEALTHIEST ONE IN MY FAMILY, ALWAYS TOOK CARE OF MYSELF. MY CHOLESTEROL WAS WELL WITHIN THE NORMAL LIMITS. I LATER REALIZED THAT I PROBABLY INHERITED MY DAD'S GENES FOR HEART DISEASE. HE HAD BYPASS IN HIS 70'S THAT WAS ALL I NEEDED !! BAD GENES” - Anne Waldman, age 53

“I am now 50 years old and in the past 18 months have been in the hospital 16 times with heart problems. I have had a heart attack, several smaller attacks, open-heart surgery, eight heart caths, and several stents. When I had my first heart attack, I waited two hours in the ER while people with feet problems went ahead of me. The reason for that is the triage nurse was sure that I was not having a heart attack but that it was only esophagus problems. Had I been a 75-year-old male with chest pains, I would have gotten immediate attention. This is a real problem. Is there a group of women like me who have been through this and been discriminated against because of their gender? I am looking for a support group and also want to be a voice crying in the "gender-biased wilderness" to change the perception that heart disease is for men only.” - Brenda

“When I first went to my new doctor, I thought I had a virus. I was breathless after short walks, had chest pains, was tired and dizzy all the time, and my heart was racing. Thankfully, he sent me in for a stress echo test and I was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. I am so grateful to this doctor. Earlier in the year when I complained of these symptoms, my former doctor diagnosed me with chronic bronchitis, put me on antibiotics and told me to go home and get some rest. I just wanted to tell anyone reading this if you feel unusual symptoms, go to a doctor and get properly tested. I am only 31 years old and heart disease was the last thing on my mind.” - Monica

“I went to my doctor with chest pains and swelling in my legs. She didn't listen to my heart and just told me it was stress-related. When I finally went to the ER, I'd had a heart attack. They gave me TPA that only caused bleeding in my pericardium. My ejection fraction was down to 15%. I went into cardiac arrest three times but, incredibly, I pulled through.” - Tessa

“Five days after my C-section, I woke up at night with chest pain, coughing, and problems breathing. It got so bad that I couldn't even hold my new born to my chest to breastfeed. I went to the ER and was continually dismissed as having "baby blues." After much persistence, a male nurse checked my blood pressure and pulse. I was put on oxygen immediately and a doctor was called. An EKG and X-ray later, I was told I had postpartum cardiomyopathy, and a 90% chance of dying within the next few days, and that most women with my condition don't live for more than six months. Well, a year later I'm still here and almost back to normal. My two main regrets are having to stop breastfeeding and losing the decision to have more children. But something good came out of this too - I was forced to slow down. Work is no longer important, my family is. I play with my children first now, the dishes can wait.” - Naomi

“I had a severe angina attack and had to call 911. When I got to the hospital, the doctors were awful. One doctor told me I was having an anxiety attack and I should go for therapy. Much later, a second doctor diagnosed my angina and admitted me. The woman in the bed next to me had high blood pressure, was getting bad headaches and fainted. She was also told she had anxiety. I guess anxiety is the new illness.” - Debbie

“I am a 38 year old nurse who has had periodic palpitations, dizziness, a near black-out, and three abnormal EKGs. The first doctor diagnosed sinus tachycardia, told me I wasn't going to die, handed me some Tenormin samples and a prescription, and sent me home with no follow-up visit scheduled. Another doctor just told me to lose weight, cut down on drinking coffee and reduce the stress in my life. I am scared that, because I am so young, my symptoms and risk for heart attack are not being taken seriously.” - Kim

“I called 911 when I had severe heartburn and back pain, sweating and short of breath. The ER doc discharged me, but said to stop and buy a bottle of Mylanta on my way home. Twelve hours later my mother found me on the floor, nearly unconscious and having a full-blown heart attack. It's amazing I'm still alive.” - Susan

“On my first visit to a cardiologist, he came into the exam room and asked me why I was there. I told him that a prior EKG showed a possible heart attack and that my younger sister had died of a heart attack at 42. He replied, "Well, we all have to die of something, don't we?" Needless to say, he's my former cardiologist.” - Helen

“I had a quadruple bypass a year ago. Four months later I was in pain so I returned to the ER, where I was treated as a hysterical woman, told I had gastric reflux and discharged. Two weeks later I again returned to the ER where it was found that three of my four grafts had failed and, at some point, that I had had another heart attack. When I think of how arrogantly the surgeon treated me and the poor level of care I received, I am angry and despondent” - Madeline

“A young woman in my town had been complaining to her doctor of chest pains, but he told her repeatedly, over many months, she had acid reflux. Last month, after another doctor visit, this woman went home, had a massive heart attack and went into a coma. Last week life support was pulled off and she died at age 42. We women are being misdiagnosed to death.” - Martha

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Early Detection    Accurate Diagnosis    Proper Treatment    Hope and Survival