I AM YOU is hosted by Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC—board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real women’s stories and expert insights that help women understand their unique heart health, navigate a healthcare system that often overlooks them, and take charge of their well-being. Dr. Alvarez’s mission is clear: to inspire every woman to become the CEO of her own health—with knowledge, confidence, and community.
In this episode, Dr. Alvarez sits down with Barbara Filipiak, a woman who spent years fighting for answers in a medical system that repeatedly dismissed her pain. Barbara’s journey began in 2017, when she woke in the middle of the night with symptoms that felt exactly like a heart attack—neck pressure, chest pain, radiating discomfort into her jaw and ear. But like so many women, she pushed her health aside to show up for her family, hoping the symptoms would simply pass.
What followed was a long and frustrating search for answers. Even after undergoing a heart catheterization that showed only mild blockages, Barbara continued to suffer frightening episodes that no one seemed able—or willing—to explain. She was told her symptoms were “too vague.” She was told “everything looks normal.” She was even told it might be indigestion, despite never having a single GI symptom in her life.
Yet Barbara knew something was wrong. She lived in her body, and she trusted her instincts—even when the system didn’t.
Her persistence eventually led her to Dr. Alvarez, who recognized that Barbara’s symptoms could be rooted in microvascular disease, esophageal spasms, or both—conditions that often go undiagnosed, especially in women. With the right guidance, proper referrals, and a willingness to keep searching for the truth, Barbara finally began a path toward clarity.
Barbara’s story is a powerful reminder that women experience heart disease differently—and that a “normal” test does not mean nothing is wrong. It’s also a deeply emotional testament to self-advocacy, resilience, and refusing to settle for “we don’t know.”
This episode is for every woman who has ever felt unheard, dismissed, or misunderstood in her health journey. It reinforces the importance of listening to your body, seeking second opinions, and never giving up until you get the answers you deserve.
