The Day My Heart Betrayed Me

Even now, writing this, I feel phantom symptoms rippling through my body. That's what trauma does - it embeds itself in your cells, ready to whisper reminders when you least expect them.

But I need to tell you about SCAD - Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection - a heart attack that primarily affects women between 30-60 years old. A heart attack that happens without warning, without the classic symptoms, without explanation, and can happen multiple times after its first occurrence.

A heart attack that happened to me, a healthy woman with no known medical issues.

The Morning Everything Changed

May 4th, 2023 began like any other Thursday. The familiar rush to get my son ready for school. The mental checklist of the day ahead. Nothing unique.

I sprayed some new rice water treatment on my hair - a new treatment for hair health that I'd been looking forward to trying. Little did I know this mundane detail would become significant, acting as a distraction from what was actually happening in my body.

As I dressed for the day, an intense tingling swept through my head. So intense I couldn't continue changing my clothes. Dizziness followed. Light-headedness. Something was off, but I attributed it to a reaction from the spray.

My husband, noticing my discomfort, offered to take our son to school. I agreed - driving didn't seem wise while feeling this way. After they left, I rinsed my hair, thinking that would wash away whatever was causing this reaction. I drank about 16 ounces of water, hoping to flush my system.

That's when the tingling spread to both my arms. Then both armpits began to feel an awkward pressure - not exactly pain, more like throbbing. I tried massaging what I assumed were swollen lymph nodes.

When my husband returned from dropping off our son, I described these strange symptoms. Because they affected both sides of my body, I remained convinced it was a reaction to the hair product with its biotin and caffeine. After all, I'm sensitive to medications and supplements. This made more sense than any alternative my mind refused to consider.

Then came the nausea - sudden, overwhelming. I rushed past my husband to the bathroom without a word, barely making it before vomiting violently. All the water I'd consumed was gone in an instant.

"Are you throwing up?" my husband called from the doorway.

"Yes, and all the water I drank is gone," I managed to respond.

"Do you feel better?” he asked.

“Not really,” I replied while still unsure.

If you're not better in an hour, we're going to Urgent Care," he said firmly. It was about 8:35 a.m.

I sat down, tried to eat a cracker, couldn't. Tried to rest, couldn't. The jittery restlessness wouldn't subside. By 9:30 a.m., nothing had improved. He insisted we go to Urgent Care, and I agreed, mainly to confirm my vitals were normal and rule out anything serious.

Still, I thought: once we know I'm fine, it's just a matter of time until this strange reaction passes.

"You Are Having a Heart Attack"

We arrived at Urgent Care around 10:15 a.m. and waited in the queue. An hour later, we were finally called into a room. The PA took my blood pressure: 140/65. High for me. My temperature was normal.

When the RN came in, she ordered blood tests and, surprisingly to me, an EKG. This seemed excessive for what I still believed was a simple reaction to a hair product, but I was grateful for the thoroughness.

After the EKG, the RN returned with words that shattered my reality:

"You are having a heart attack."

I stared at her, disbelieving. My husband's face registered the same shock.

"What? I feel fine," I protested in the face of something serious.

"You need to get to an ER," she replied, already calling 911. "This is what a heart attack looks like on an EKG. You need to get to an ER now."

Within seconds, firefighters and paramedics filled the small room. They ran their own EKG, confirming what the nurse had seen. Decisions were made rapidly around me - apparently, I needed to go to a larger hospital with more resources, not the closest one. That sounded serious.

They lifted me onto a gurney, wheeled me out to the ambulance. My husband would follow in our car with the concern about me and what this could mean for our family.

Life really does change on a dime as they say….

Meanwhile, I couldn't believe this was happening. The surreal sight of my own body being loaded into an ambulance, sirens wailing. This was something that happened to other people, not to me. I didn't even feel the crushing chest pain I associated with heart attacks.

Organized Chaos

We arrived at the hospital around 12:45 p.m. The first nurse I saw as they wheeled me in remarked, "You look fine."

I shrugged, still in disbelief. "I know."

Within seconds of entering the ER, at least ten people surrounded me. Taking vitals. Running another EKG. Inserting IVs. Drawing blood. A synchronized dance of emergency medicine.

"You were reported as having a heart attack, so we're going to treat you that way," the same nurse told me.

Despite the gravity of the situation, I maintained my composure, still in disbelief. When they needed my weight and the bed scale malfunctioned, I stepped onto a regular scale, joking that no one should reveal the number. "Thank God it's in kilos," I quipped, drawing laughter from my suddenly acquired medical audience.

I later learned my troponin levels- enzymes that indicate heart damage - were at 6,000 upon arrival. They would rise to 12,000, then 27,000. Normal is 45 or below. My heart was in serious distress, even as I made jokes.

The Diagnosis: Not Your "Normal" Heart Attack

They wheeled me into an operating room for an angiogram - a procedure where they insert a catheter through your wrist or groin and inject dye to visualize the heart's blood vessels. I didn't fully understand what was happening, but gathered they expected to find a blockage.

As I drifted in twilight sedation, I prayed. Prayed I wouldn't need open heart surgery. Prayed for my family. Prayed for understanding of how I - a healthy woman in her 50s with no high cholesterol, no diabetes, no artery issues, who ate well and exercised regularly - could be having a heart attack.

During the angiogram, the cardiologist identified the culprit: either a blood clot or SCAD - Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection. He suspected SCAD, a condition where a heart artery spontaneously tears, and that tear itself creates a blockage of blood flow.

His assessment proved correct. SCAD was the final diagnosis.

Surprisingly, the treatment wasn't what you'd expect for a heart attack. No stent. No surgery. These interventions might actually worsen the tear. Instead, the treatment was medications to lower my blood pressure and heart rate, allowing the heart to heal itself by not having to work so hard. Let that sink in – the heart heals itself with proper care!

I spent the next 24 hours in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, monitored constantly. Every vital sign, blood test, bodily function tracked minute by minute.

Searching for Answers

Both my cardiologist and internist visited separately, explaining that SCAD is often associated with other arterial issues in the body. Since I had already had blood tests galore that didn’t indicate concerns, they ordered a full CAT scan, which came back "unremarkable" - medical speak for no abnormalities found.

With no clear cause, the doctors theorized about potential factors: the challenging workout with heavy weights I'd done earlier that week, genetic predispositions, hormonal fluctuations. But these remained theories. I was left without a definitive explanation.

On May 5th, I moved to a regular cardiac room with less intensive monitoring. By May 6th, I was released to go home - forever changed.

Seeing my husband and son that day brought tears of joy. I could start living again. Life with SCAD, that is.

Living in a New Normal

Life after SCAD isn't my old "normal." The medications initially prescribed proved too strong, lowering my vital signs too much. My cardiologist and internist advised discontinuing them. I also developed an allergic reaction to the blood thinner, Plavix, so now I take baby aspirin.

I've had to adjust my exercise routine. Monitor my sleep and stress levels more carefully. Become even more mindful of my body's signals.

Here's what puzzles me: My heart attack wasn't related to stress, diet, or cholesterol - at least according to my doctors. Yet I can't help but wonder about the timing.

I received my second COVID-19 vaccine in April 2021 and experienced heart palpitations almost immediately afterward. I contracted COVID-19 for the first time in April 2023. My SCAD happened on May 4th, 2023. My belief is the vaccine weakened my heart. Contracting COVID-19 further compromised my heart. Then perhaps a challenging weight workout was the trigger for the dissection.

I'm left with questions that medical science hasn't answered. All my tests came back normal. The CAT scan showed no abnormalities. My doctors have no explanation.

What You Need to Know

If you take only one thing from my story, let it be this: Your body gives you cues and clues before your brain registers the severity.

My symptoms - tingling in my head and arms, pressure in my armpits, dizziness, nausea - didn't scream "HEART ATTACK" to me or even to the medical professionals initially. It took an EKG to reveal what was happening inside my body.

Be aware of any unusual symptoms, whether they match the "heart attack checklist" or not. Remember - the body always leaves clues!

SCAD predominantly affects women between their 30s and 60s with an average age of 42. Some experience it after childbirth or during their menstrual cycle, suggesting a hormonal connection. Others may have genetic predispositions. Some have tissue disorders associated with a SCAD event. Some have multiple SCAD events. For many, like me, there's no clear explanation (yet).

This experience has transformed me into an advocate. I've joined SCAD community groups, connected with other survivors, and committed myself to raising awareness about this little-known but potentially fatal condition.

My life has changed in profound ways. I've gained a deeper appreciation for each day. A more acute awareness of my body's wisdom. A stronger commitment to helping others and to recognize the subtle signals that might save lives.

Moving Forward

Today, I navigate a new relationship with my heart - one based on respect, care, and vigilance. I'm learning that healing isn't linear. That recovery involves both physical and emotional dimensions. That a heart attack leaves invisible scars alongside the visible ones.

If my story resonates with you, or if you're navigating your own SCAD journey, please reach out. There's healing in connection. Strength in shared knowledge.

This is my story. It continues to unfold. And I'm grateful to be here to tell it.

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Sandra White is a SCAD survivor, advocate, and wellness coach focused on helping others navigate health challenges, confidence and build resilience. For more information on SCAD - https://scadalliance.org/ DM to connect or email SchiSandra.life@gmail.com.