49yrs and mild heart attack

[Changename5000]

Yesterday I was sat on the sofa having a cup of tea, chatting to my partner.

I started having pains in my chest just behind my breast bone, pain down my left arm, and across my back.

Thought it would pass but soon realised it wasn't, partner gave me some aspirin and after 10mins an ambulance was called.

Paramedic arrived and did their stuff, within 40mins I was in hospital.

I had suffered a mild heart attack they believe. The NHS is bloody amazing and I have been well looked after.

No visitors allowed, so spent most of yesterday in shock and crying.

I am a key worker, so should be working normally, however I'm going to need a bit of recovery time, but will a heart condition put me in the "at risk/vulnerable" section!?

I'm so scared, I knew after finding my happy ever after, something would come along to mess it up

Hi OP I had a very similar experience although I was younger (late 30s)- non smoker, pre menopause, vegetarian, average weight, no family history
I have had NO further 'episodes' as they like to call them. I'm probably fitter now than I was then, I took up running and liked it much to my surprise as I hate sport in all forms. As PP have mentioned, the fact that I had to take (I think) 6 weeks off work allowed me to re assess and I got out of something that wasn't really going anywhere and got a job I loved.
They put me on statins which I take with no problem, although the dose went up after menopause.

So that's all the good news. The downside (which I wanted to alert you to) was that it caused me considerable anxiety, which I really struggled with. For example, if I saw a newspaper article about heart disease I didn't dare read it. I could never relax because when I did, the anxiety would take over. I got over it and am now almost entirely free of it, thanks mostly to CBT and extra sessions with an OT.

It's my belief that this anxiety could have been avoided if there had been more support for mental health immediately after the heart attack. I went to cardiac re hab which was good in many ways but did not address mental and emotional health- perhaps it has improved since then.
When I was discharged the consultant told me to go away and forget it ever happened (oh, but do take these pills for the rest of your life) In terms of my physical health he was right. But I always take the opportunity when I come across women with this experience to say - pay attention to your mental health and get help sooner rather than later if you feel you need it
which you may not of course
whatever, stay well

My es husband had one at 44, no warning, we were at our caravan for the weekend, he got up to go to the shower block in the morning, stepped out the caravan in to the awning & collapsed. He was in hospital 4 days, then sent home, had an angiogram a couple of months later but it was clear.