by Pamela M. on Friday, November 2, 2012
Lynn Paulson South Dakota
For two years, I played a dangerous game with my heart. I kept experiencing a racing heart and shortness of breath episodes that lasted a few minutes at a time.
With my busy work and travel schedule, I just chalked it up to normal anxiety and stress, but when my symptoms worsened, I went to the doctor. They placed me on a portable heart monitor and diagnosed me with atrial fibrillation, a disorder found in about 2.2 million Americans.
To rid my heart of the extra electrical connections that were causing my heart to beat irregularly, doctors performed a cardiac ablation. Today, I am back to my normal self, working out regularly and enjoying life.
As a volunteer for the American Heart Association, I am sharing my story with others – especially women because, like me, we have a tendency to ignore the signs and symptoms of heart disease – so that other lives can be saved.