Growing old is not for the faint-hearted. Women face hot flashes, thinning skin, graying hair and restless sleep, often while caretaking ill family members. Still, many women enjoy newfound freedoms that come with age. During this busy life stage, it's especially important to pay attention to what your body is telling you.

You might feel that some of the changes you are experiencing are just natural part of aging, but some could be warning signs of a serious health problem. That's why it's important to know the warning signs and when to see a doctor.

Heart disease, cancer and stroke are by far the biggest threats to women. They are even a bigger problem for African American women who are at a greater risk of death from these conditions. But for all women over 55, your risk for these killers increases with age. So it's important to know the signs.

1. Signs of a heart attack may include any of the following:

• Chest discomfort. It may last more than a few minutes or it may go away and come back. It can feel like pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain.
• Shortness of breath. You may be short of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Upper-body discomfort. This could be pain or discomfort in the back, neck, stomach, jaw or in one or both arms.
• Other symptoms. These include nausea, feeling lightheaded or breaking out in a cold sweat.
• Women may experience heart attacks differently than men for many reasons. Women may still have the classic heart attack symptoms: chest pain, pressure, tightness, squeezing, burning or heaviness, but they are also likely to complain of the "other" symptoms, including shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting and pain in the neck, jaw or back.

2. Signs of a stroke can include one or more of these:

• Sudden weakness or numbness of the arm, leg or face, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden vision problems. This may happen in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble speaking or understanding, or confusion.
• Sudden problems walking.
• Feeling dizzy and loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden and severe headache.
• Passing out.

Symptoms of a heart attack and stroke are an emergency. Call 9-1-1 right away if you or someone else has any of these signs.
Cancer is also a leading cause of death for women over 55. It can cause different symptoms depending on which body part it affects.

3. Some signs of cancer to watch for:

• A thickening or lump in the breast or any other part of the body
• Vaginal bleeding or discharge after menopause
• Persistent bloating and pelvic pain
• Hoarseness or a cough that does not go away
• Changes in bowel or bladder habits, rectal bleeding or blood in stool
• Difficulty or pain with swallowing
• Weight loss with no known reason
• Feeling weak or very tired
• A new mole or a change in an existing mole or a sore that does not heal
• Swollen lymph nodes or lumps on the neck, underarm, or groin

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms.
Frequently, other conditions besides cancer may also cause these symptoms. But your doctor will need to check so you can be sure.