Not Every Heart Attack Feels like a Heart Attack

2/16/2026

Heart attacks don’t always announce themselves with crushing chest pain – and for one Crown Point resident, the first warning signs felt more like the familiar heartburn he had managed for years than a life-threatening emergency.

On an October day, Fogg stopped by a rental office, picked up a mountain bike – his own was in the shop — and headed to the Creekside Trails in Valparaiso, expecting nothing more than a few hours of riding. At 55 and in good health, he felt strong that morning, full of energy and ready for the trail.

But partway through the ride, he began to notice chest discomfort – not the crushing pain where it feels as though an elephant is sitting on your chest – but a familiar sensation similar to chronic acid reflux. Assuming a big breakfast was to blame, Fogg kept riding. Instead of fading, the discomfort slowly intensified, and with it came nausea and lightheadedness. He eventually pulled over to rest, but the pain didn’t subside.

“It was very persistent,” Fogg said. “I got lightheaded and intuitively felt this was a different experience. I started to panic a little, and to calm myself, I began taking deep breaths – but the pain, nausea and anxiety just kept getting worse. That’s when I started to think this might be it for me.”

A few fellow riders soon stopped to check on him. One quickly rode back to the bike shop to get help, while two others stayed by his side, making sure he wasn’t alone. From there, events moved fast. Within minutes, emergency crews arrived on the trail and, recognizing the seriousness of the situation, urged Fogg to go to Northwest Health – Porter since it was clear he was having a heart attack.

Once he arrived at the hospital, the pace only accelerated. His care moved swiftly, with medical teams springing into action to confirm the diagnosis and begin life-saving treatment without delay. Doctors soon confirmed he had a 100% blockage in his left anterior descending (LAD) artery – often referred to as the “widow maker” because of how deadly it can be without rapid treatment.

Despite the quick care and diagnosis, Fogg was not out of danger. He flatlined twice – first in the emergency room and again while being transported for an angiogram – suffering cardiac arrest both times before his healthcare team was able to quickly respond and stabilize him.

“I stood there – between being stunned and watching his color change drastically,” said Fogg’s wife, Katrina, who witnessed his first cardiac arrest. “I went out in the hallway as everyone was running in. As I was praying, a nurse came and stayed with me, giving me encouragement. Everything was very fast and furious – it was just seconds at most. I was grateful to see people jump into action. You could tell they were very, very well trained. It seemed like muscle memory. They were on it like white on snow.”

As his awareness went in and out, Fogg said his sense of what was happening disappeared. In reality, his medical team was moving with urgency – working to diagnose the problem and rush him into surgery as soon as he was stable enough so that Dr. Sandeep Sehgal, an interventional cardiologist with Northwest Medical Group, could place a stent and restore blood flow.

“Dr. Sehgal inserted four stents, what’s also known as a ‘full metal jacket,’” Fogg said. “The four stents are overlapped for strength. He did an amazing job, and I told him afterward that I wanted him as my cardiologist from then on because he saved my life.”

Fifteen years prior to Fogg’s heart attack, he had his heart checked after experiencing chest pain. Doctors diagnosed him with chronic acid reflux, and his arteries were clear. An active mountain biker, Fogg says he also ate a healthful diet. Fogg admits all of this gave him a false sense of security.

“With chest pains, you don’t want to ignore them,” he said. “In my case, the heart attack masked itself pretty well at first. The only difference was that I got very lightheaded and nauseous.”

Now, he urges others to remember that heart attack warning signs can vary widely – and that it’s always better to seek medical care quickly if something feels off, even if it ultimately turns out to be nothing serious. Fogg also encourages people to stay aware of their surroundings, especially when exercising or spending time outdoors, noting that trail markers, mile signs, or landmarks can be critical details to share with emergency responders if help is ever needed.

Heart attacks cause chest pain or discomfort in about 80 to 90% of patients, but the other 10 to 20% have what are known as “silent” attacks. They may experience other symptoms that can be written off as other ailments – fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, and back pain.

Women are more likely to experience silent heart attacks, though the warning signs can be easily explained away by anyone when they fall outside the classic “crushing” chest pain narrative.

With a renewed awareness of his health and surroundings, Fogg has completed physical therapy and is back to brisk walks, and he’s looking forward to hitting the trails on his mountain bike again this spring.

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