I had a heart attack at the age of 41. I had just lost 90lbs and was eating great, my cholesterol was in the normal range but at the high end. I was sitting on my couch, reading the paper on a Sunday morning and my RIGHT arm started to ache. We had laid ceramic tile the day before so I thought it was aching from that. I got up and took some Ibuprofen and returned to reading the paper. My RIGHT arm started aching so bad I couldn't hold up the paper. I noticed a thumping in my ear, which was elevated blood pressure, and then the pain crawled up my arm to my jaw. I became nauseated but couldn't throw up. Suddenly the pain stopped. Then it came back twofold. I became clammy and sweaty. That's when the EMS was called. I didn't throw up until the EMTs got there. They did an EKG in my house and it didn't show anything abnormal. I almost refused to go to the ER. But, I am a nurse so I knew better. No lights or sirens the EMTs said. When I was in the ambulance, they did a different EKG. I could tell it was abnormal and I said, "What does that mean?" and they said You are in the middle of an MI (mycardial Infarction). Lights and sirens blaring now!! This all started at 9:30am and by 10:30 am, I was in the Cardiac Cath lab and two stents had been put in my heart. I was fortunate, I never lost conscieness and I was only hospitalized for 3 days. Unfortunately, I also did not have any health insurance as I had just started a new job. That was the main reason I did not want to go to the hospital. I'm glad that I came to my senses and did. . .