I Had a Heavy Feeling in My Chest—I Didn't Know My Heart Was Failing

Not being able to breathe freely is terrifying—especially when you don't know why it's happening.

In January 2018, I was finding it increasingly difficult to lie down at night. I felt as if something heavy was on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I went to an urgent care, and they suspected it was an issue with my heart, so they referred me to a cardiologist.

Unfortunately, while I did have a heart issue, it would be years before I received the correct diagnosis.

That first cardiologist told me—then a 41-year-old—that I had the heart of a 90-year-old and diagnosed me with heart failure. I went home with medication to address fluid retention and instructions to come back in six months.

My condition was much more severe than it was originally made out to be, but I didn't know that yet. I didn't have all the information. I just went on with my life as usual, unknowingly getting worse day by day.

I knew in my gut this wasn't what I needed. I sought the opinions of two other cardiologists and got more "water pills"—including medication that I now know has been shown in studies to not be as effective for Black patients like me.

Unfortunately, my health wasn't improving. Even after I received both a defibrillator and pacemaker to try and improve my heart function, my health continued to deteriorate.

I especially started to struggle following my wedding to my incredibly supportive husband, Jean. It breaks my heart to this day to think about how much my health was worrying him.

In December 2021, at the urging of a dear friend, I got a new appointment with a heart failure specialist—which I hadn't even realized was an option before.

After three years and three cardiologists, I finally received the correct diagnosis: Non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. It's a condition where the left ventricle of the heart is enlarged and stretched, preventing the heart from pumping blood effectively.

At this point, I was literally at death's door. Luckily, with the correct diagnosis, the heart failure specialist was able to identify the treatment that would keep me alive: A left ventricular assist device (LVAD), also called a heart pump.

I was implanted with a life-saving heart pump in January 2022. It's connected to my heart and helps pump blood throughout my body. It didn't just save my life—it gave me my life back.

The change I noticed was almost instantaneous, and now, I'm truly living life to the fullest. I'm going to the gym, cooking and running my own catering business. Most importantly, I'm spending more time with the people I hold most dear—Jean and my girls.

As a mother of four daughters, my determination to see my children thrive has played a central role in this journey. I knew I needed to be resilient in order to be there for them.

Any heart-related diagnosis, including heart failure, can be scary—that's why I share my experience and offer support to other women going through similar struggles. Part of that involves sharing what it's like to live with a heart pump. It's connected to my heart, with the battery stored in a small bag—"my heart in a bag."

I will always be honest about my medical journey. An open-door policy works best—fear and lack of understanding should never prevent someone from finding the care they need.

We all need to pay attention to what our bodies are telling us. So often, we ignore the signs and symptoms; it's easy to say it's because we are tired or stressed. But we all need to pay attention to our bodies. We need to go to the doctor and get checked out.

Nothing in my family history indicated that I should be looking out for heart failure, but it affected me anyway. If I hadn't listened to my body—and my loved ones encouraging me—I probably wouldn't be alive today.

I am so grateful to be here, raising my family, pursuing a job I love and sharing my story with others. My hope is that more women feel empowered to seek out answers and pursue the solution that works best for them. I did it, and they can too.

Lakeisha Brown is a mother of four daughters, wife, chef of her own catering business, LA Browns. She is a self-proclaimed real-life Iron Man, and advocates for all mothers facing heart failure, and that her Abbott heart pump saved her life.

All views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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