Heartburn was actually a heart attack (From Bucks Free Press)
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Heartburn was actually a heart attack for councillor
7:30am Monday 1st October 2012 in News By Luciana O'Shea
Heartburn was actually a heart attack
A COUNCILLOR has urged sufferers of chest pain to get checked out after what he thought was heartburn proved to be a heart attack.
Cllr Michael-John Saunders and his family were stunned after what he believed was a minor ailment led him to having heart surgery.
The 51-year-old, representing Cookham and Bisham at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, has vowed to change his lifestyle and spread awareness after his unsettling experience.
After visiting his GP at the beginning of this month with heartburn-like sensations he was rushed to Harefield hospital to be treated for a heart attack.
“In my case, three of the arteries feeding blood to my heart became blocked causing the heart to suffer a trauma,” Cllr Saunders said.
“After a blood test, they identified an enzyme which only exists if the heart is suffering.”
Cllr Saunders laid awake on an operating table where tiny holes were made to his thigh to unblock the arteries and stents were inserted.
The councillor believes genetics and a past smoking habit were probably the main causes.
“I will definitely never smoke again, watch the consumption of animal fat, exercise more and avoid alcohol,” he said.
It has been a testing time for the family, with wife Karen finally now declared cancer free after five years battling breast cancer.
He hopes to return to work soon and said he will now spread the word about the condition.
He said: “If you don’t have previous experience of heart attack, you wouldn’t know you’re having one and I intend to follow up in order for this to be better understood.”
He had this message to others: “If you are having pains in your chest, it is important to report to get it seen as it will be most likely a heart trauma.”
He praised the NHS staff at Harefield, which is a renowned heart specialist hospital, in Middlesex, close to the Bucks border.
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Comments (3)
8:23am Mon 1 Oct 12
schumachergirl1956 says...
9:21am Mon 1 Oct 12
AmyQ says...
After having my first son I started to experience severe heartburn and not knowing what it was I feared the worst and called an ambulance, only to be told that it was only heartburn, to not be silly and try not to phone an ambulance again! For anyone not knowing what these symptoms are can be very frightening as heartburn can often lead into panic attacks which raise your temperature, cause acute pain to the chest and a dizzy sensation - professional advice on when and how to get checked out would be appreciated.
10:58am Mon 1 Oct 12
JACK-Wooburn says...
n. However after a few more days of chest pain, my friend decided to see another doctor for a second opinion. The 2nd doctor sent him for tests and it turns out my friend had been having heart problems and was having small heart attacks. He was immediately sent to hospital and had 5 heart stents put in. My friend doesn’t drink or smoke. Thankfully he has now made a full recovery. God knows what would have happened if my friend didn’t go and get a 2nd opinion.