Women's Heart Health: Would you know if you were having a heart attack?

GREENVILLE, N.C. - If you were having a heart attack, would you know it?

For men, it’s easier to detect a crushing chest pain. But for women, the symptoms are anything but typical.

And when it comes to heart disease, you need to know this is not a “men’s” disease. In fact, it is the number one killer of women.

9 On Your Side sat down with a local woman who has had not one, not two, but five heart attacks. She wanted to share her story in hopes of helping save your life.

For Irma Jean Boyd, life as she knew it changed four years ago.

“I wasn’t aware I was having a heart attack, it was just my legs hurting. I actually thought it was just varicose veins. I didn’t know you could know you were having a heart attack by aches in your legs,” explained Irma Jean Boyd, heart attack survivor.

But she was having a heart attack, a major one.

A year and a half later, she had a second heart attack while she was in a doctor’s appointment.

Months later, she didn’t feel right. She felt something was off.

“I did feel tired then and I had pain in my shoulder and jaw so I went to the emergency room. My blood pressure was sky high,” said Boyd.

Irma was having her third heart attack.

All of her symptoms: textbook for women.

“Pain in the jaw, pain down the arms, in between the shoulder blades, fatigue and shortness of breath,” pointed out Dr. Noel Peterson, East Carolina Heart Institute.

Irma says there are moments when she is petrified.

“You always waiting for the next heart attack and every time something doesn’t feel right, I’m assuming it is one. If I’m tired, I’m scared I’m having another heart attack. You live in fear, you really do,” explained Boyd.

And she had reason to live in fear. In the span of just 4 short years, Irma has had five major heart attacks. She now lives with 5 stents in her heart.

“Each time I was scared and not only was I scared, I was a little disappointed too. Felt like I was in the hospital more than home,” said Boyd.

But things are much different at home. Those five attacks forced Irma to make drastic changes in her every day life, just to survive.

“It has slowed down considerably. I used to walk 3-4 miles a day, can’t do that no more. I’m only doing two. I find myself worrying less about the things I can’t control. Helps me keep going,” she added.

Irma has a slew of pills she takes everyday to make sure her heart is working properly. She also keeps aspirin by the bed in case she starts having those familiar symptoms.

But it’s far more than the medicine that keeps Irma healthy.

She has a vital message for all women, and coming from her experience, it could help save your life.