Channi Singh thought his heart problems were indigestion

He talks for the first time about his heart attack.

I had some pains that were quite bad.

I thought at first it was to do with my indigestion and they remained for about 10 minutes.

Dial 999 and call for an ambulance. You can't judge yourself what the problem is Channi Singh

I took some indigestion medicine and walked around the house for about 10 minutes and then the pains disappeared.

I was completely alone when it happened as my wife and daughter were out.

When I told my wife about it later she asked why had I not called her, but I had just thought it might be my ulcer.

I went to see my GP for a routine check-up a few days later and told him about the pains.

He told me that I had high blood pressure. He said he wanted me to have an electrocardiogram (ECG) of my heart and sent me to the hospital.

It came back abnormal and the doctor asked me to go on the treadmill to reassure me.

Channi needed two stents

They said there was a 10% chance of there being something wrong.

Then the doctor asked me to have an angiogram - an X-ray of blood vessels which shows narrowed arteries - done.

It was then that they found that two of my arteries were 80%-90% blocked and that they needed to put in a stent (a mesh tube).

They said I had a silent heart attack, which had not done any damage, which was lucky.

It only lasted about 10 minutes, but during that time it was difficult to breathe.

I did not know what was happening, but now I know the signs and tell other people.

I am quite a positive person and I am quite an active person, even on stage.

I also jog and run and do exercises.

So I thought to myself that things were going to be OK.

The treatment, which I had four or five years ago, was putting two stents into two of my arteries to keep them open.

I had to go back three years later to get them done again, but the stents they use today are specially drug-coated so they will not need replacing again.

I was awake and able to watch the wire being put into my groin with all the dye that goes into it.

It was interesting watching it go into the arteries and the small veins.

Now I am fine. I do my yoga and my jogging and I feel fine.

My message is that if you have anything like this don't sit idle.

Dial 999 and call for an ambulance. You can't judge yourself what the problem is, that is the job of the professionals.

It is a big problem in the South Asian community and there are people trying to get the message across about the risks.

They are taking their message to the temples and the community centres.