Real life story
Rebecca's story: "I thought I was having a heart attack but pushed that thought away"
Rebecca Hutchinson, 57, from Gosport had a heart attack in 2018 when she was at home alone. Despite having crushing chest pain, she put it down to indigestion or a chest infection.
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“I woke up feeling really unwell, as if I had a weight on my body and I couldn’t get up. I thought I had the world’s worst trapped wind and I practically drank a whole bottle of heartburn medicine.
By lunchtime, it felt like I had on a really tight corset and it was squeezing and creating pressure around my chest. I was getting chest pain every time I moved. It was also moving round to my back, between my shoulder blades.
I did think I could be having a heart attack, but I came up with every excuse possible to get rid of that thought.
I eventually realised something was seriously wrong when I started getting pain down the left side of my neck and arm. I called 111 and they sent paramedics, who took me to hospital. There I had tests and doctors told me I’d had a heart attack.
I didn’t call 999 because I was afraid of making a fuss. I would say to others, know the symptoms of a heart attack and, if you need to, call an ambulance.”
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