Gigi Campos, 35, had aheart attackin February 2023.
Though she had risk factors, doctors had always told her that she was young and healthy.
Heres her story, as told to health writer Julia Ries.
Photos courtesy of Gigi Campos
My story begins on one of my regular morning walks with my husband in Miami, Florida.
Around 6:30 a.m., in the middle of our two-mile stroll, I felt somechest pressure.
I thought, Maybe I slept weird, or Imanxiousor a little stressed out.
After all, I had a high-pressure operations job at a nearby hospitalI knew stress well.
I stretched out my body, but the pressure persisted.
We went home, and I showered, got dressed, and drove to work.
At a mid-morning meeting, I still felt off.
It was like someone put a weight on my chest, or was pressing their hand above my breastbone.
I thought, Somethings not right.
After the meeting, I drove to an urgent care clinic.
Because I worked in hospitals, I knew that doctors examine your heart if you use this phrase.
Still, I didnt think anything was seriously wrong.
Around this time, I developed a strange, radiating pain along the right side of my neck.
The urgent care workers said I was probably anxious.
When the results came back, the providers said something didnt look right and wanted to repeat the test.
They suggested I get a full cardiac evaluation, gave me an aspirin, and called an ambulance.
My husband met up with me at the urgent care as the ambulance arrived.
My husband thought this was totally plausible, since Id been so stressed out about work.
Id probably had PVCs my entire life, they assured me, and just didnt know it.
Again, I was told Id be fine because I was young and healthy.
A paramedic asked me to rate the intensity of my chest pressure on a scale of 1 to 10.
I gave it a sixit wasnt necessarily dire, but it was definitely uncomfortable.
At the ER, a nurse hooked me up to a heart monitor and ran blood tests.
I was told there was a 30% chance Id be able to go home that day.
If your troponin levels are higher than 30, youre likely having some kind of cardiac event.
My number was 1,416.
I was wheeled to a laboratory so a cardiologist could perform a catheterization to look for clogged arteries.
This entire time, I felt mostly fine.
I could havetotallyignored mysymptoms.
Thats the big thing: Heart attacks really are a silent killer.
I passed out, and as I learned later, my arms and legs shot out and up.
They initiated a procedure to implant a stent, a little mesh tube that opens up clogged arteries.
I had gone into cardiac arrest again.
When I stabilized, they performed the catheterization and found that two of my arteries were incredibly blocked.
I received two stents that day, and another two days later.
If I hadnt gotten immediate medical attention, I could have died.
The gravity of the situation didnt hit me until a week later.
I felt a high right after my heart attack, but then there was aseriouslow.
I started seeing a psychologist and was prescribed an antidepressant.
These medications impacted my energy levels and made it difficult to think quickly and multitask.
The ER doctors had encouraged me to live normally again, but I wasnt ready.
I was scared to walk or workI didnt know if my heart could handle it.
Instead, I took a month off from my job and enrolled in cardiac rehab.
It was an amazing source of care and motivation.
(They told me I essentially had the heart of an unhealthy 60-year-old womantheir words, not mine.)
That said, I have a 20% chance of experiencing another heart attack in my lifetime.
My best bet is to control my risk factors, including my cholesterol and stress levels.
Im doing everything I can to improve my odds.
I know Im lucky to be alive.
Looking back, I wish thedoctors had taken me seriouslywhen I informed them about my family history.
I wish they had listened when I said I had high cholesterol.
Know your risk factors and repeat them as often as possible to doctors.
This is absolutely crucial for advocating for yourself if you end up in a medical emergency.
If something feels off, like it did for me that day, keep pushing for answers.
When I tell people I had a heart attack, they cant believe it.
They always say, But youre too young for a heart attack!
I want to respond, I knowbutIm not the only one.
Other people my age are having far worse outcomes.
