They Thought It Was Neck Pain or a Stomach Bug—Their Symptoms Were Actually a Heart Attack
Now they're speaking out about the sneaky warning signs they nearly missed
When you think of how heart attacks are portrayed on TV and in film, often a person doubles over in pain, struggles to breathe or may even pass out. Surely a heart attack wouldn’t begin with symptoms that feel like a stomach illness or a mild pressure in your neck, would it? Yet those are exactly the kinds of symptoms the two women featured in this story experienced before learning they were having heart attacks. Keep reading to learn what they want you to know about recognizing the warning signs—their stories of survival are empowering.
Shanelle Dawes, 44: ‘I thought it was a stomach bug, but I was having a heart attack’
In fall 2016, when I was 35, I decided to add more physical activity to my daily life after noticing I had gained some weight. My mom has always been a runner and walker, completing marathons and half marathons, so I had a built-in walking buddy to get started. It wasn’t unusual for us to walk several miles together.
On September 27, I started the morning with a walk with my mom. We were preparing to complete a half marathon in a few weeks, and I felt great. After a full day at my assistant principal job, I went home to make dinner for my son, who was nine at the time. He wanted spaghetti. After we ate, I sat down on the couch to relax.
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The symptoms that didn’t make sense
That’s when the symptoms started. I suddenly became extremely nauseous and began sweating heavily. It felt like a stomach bug. My son noticed something was wrong and offered to get me a glass of water, but by the time he returned, I had already run to the bathroom to vomit.
When I went to lie down, the chest pain hit. It felt like a huge weight pressing down on my chest and I couldn’t sit up. The pain was so intense I started crying. My son tried to help and even asked if he should call 911, but I told him, “I’m going to be okay.”
After about 20 minutes, the pain eased. I knew something had happened, but at the time, I didn’t think it was something so serious. I assumed I was coming down with a bad cold or stomach bug that had just hit me harder than usual.
A shocking diagnosis
For the rest of the week, I took it easy. I still had some lingering discomfort, but otherwise felt mostly fine. By the end of the week, though, I felt ready to get moving again. My mom came over to walk with me, but as soon as we picked up the pace, the symptoms came rushing back: nausea, sweating chest pain.
“Mom, I need to go to the ER,” I said, now realizing this was more than just a minor problem.
By the time I arrived at the hospital I could barely speak. An EKG revealed that what I thought had been a stomach bug was actually a heart attack I had experienced a week earlier.
What happens during a heart attack?
“During a heart attack, medically known as a myocardial infarction, blood flow through one of the heart (coronary) arteries suddenly becomes blocked,” explains Kardie Tobb, DO, MS, FASPC, FACC, a Board‑Certified Preventative Cardiologist and Medical Director for the Cone Health HeartCare Women’s heart Health and Cardio-Obstetrics Clinic. “Most often this happens when a fatty plaque in the artery wall ruptures and triggers the formation of a blood clot. When the artery is blocked, oxygen-rich blood can’t reach part of the heart muscle. Because the heart relies on a constant oxygen supply, those cells begin to suffer injury within minutes and can start to die if blood flow isn’t restored quickly.”
A second chance
My arteries were severely blocked and blood flow was limited. Unfortunately, a stent wouldn’t be enough—I needed open-heart surgery that same day.
Afterward, I spent about two weeks in the hospital where I started cardiac rehabilitation that later continued as an outpatient program. For six months, I learned how to safely exercise and rebuild my strength. I took my recovery very seriously.
Doctors later told me my case was rare. They believed a problem with one of my arteries arose when I pushed myself during exercise, which ultimately led to the heart attack. I had no family history of heart disease, which made the diagnosis even more surprising.
Today, nearly 10 years later, I’m grateful for the second chance I was given. I now volunteer with the American Heart Association and share my story so others recognize the warning signs. I want women to know that if something feels off, don’t ignore it. It never crossed my mind I could have a heart attack in my 30s, but it can happen to anyone.
Beth Opel, 66: ‘My neck pain turned out to be a heart attack’
In March 2022, when I was 62, I took a break from my marketing job for a long weekend trip to Las Vegas with my sister. We went to see Dua Lipa in concert and had a blast doing all the things you do in Vegas: enjoying great food, drinks, music and quality time together.
But as we were driving home to Utah, I started to feel a little strange. At first, I assumed it was just the aftermath of a weekend of overindulging. But as the drive continued, I noticed a light pressure in my throat, almost like someone was gently pressing on it. It wasn’t sharp pain, just a vague achiness and growing discomfort that made it impossible to get comfortable.
I began squirming in my seat while my sister drove. I loosened anything that felt tight, my bra, the top of my jeans and even my seatbelt, trying to find relief.
My family history raised the alarm
When I started feeling pain in my arm and back, that’s when I began to worry. Heart disease runs in my family. My mom had a heart attack at 50, my father had a pacemaker and my younger brother had triple bypass surgery just two months earlier. Because of that history, I knew these symptoms could be serious.
I turned to my sister and said, “Susan, I think we need to go to the hospital.”
We were in a rural area, and the nearest hospital was about 50 miles away. I called 911 and the operator told us they could send help if we stopped and gave our mile marker. Instead, we decided to keep driving to get closer to a hospital.
At one point, we had to pull over because the nausea had become so intense. My sister stayed calm while driving, though she later admitted she was panicking inside. When we finally reached the emergency room, doctors initially wondered if I might be having a panic attack. I waited on a bed in the ER for an hour before tests revealed the real problem: I was having an active heart attack known as a widowmaker.
What is a widowmaker heart attack?
“The term ‘widowmaker’ refers to a severe blockage in the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, which supplies blood to a large portion of the front of the heart,” explains Dr. Tobb. “When this artery is suddenly blocked, it can cause a massive heart attack because so much heart muscle is affected. That’s why it’s considered particularly dangerous without rapid treatment to restore blood flow; it can lead to sudden cardiac arrest or extensive heart damage.”
A lifesaving procedure
Once doctors realized what was happening, everything moved quickly and I was rushed into surgery, though I don’t remember any of it. My sister later told me doctors explained it was a high-risk procedure and that I could die. She signed the paperwork and told them, “Get in there and take care of it.”
Doctors placed a stent to open the blocked artery, and incredibly, I was able to go home the next day. Although I had a family history of heart disease, I didn’t have other common risk factors: I’ve never smoked, I didn’t have high blood pressure and I’ve always tried to stay active. That’s part of the reason I now share my story through the American Heart Association.
Heart attacks don’t always look the way people expect. Even if you think you’re healthy, it can still happen. Knowing your family history and listening to your body could save your life.
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