A young man who had his ‘debilitating’ chest pains misdiagnosed as anxiety for a DECADE was actually suffering from a heart condition.
Tom Roberts endured heart palpitations for years but doctors could never identify a cause. The 27-year-old often suffered a racing heart and serious bouts of fatigue but the symptoms were dismissed as panic attacks.
Tom was placed on numerous medications for stress and anxiety but nothing seemed to work. It wasn’t until years later that a heart abnormality appeared on a test for an unrelated matter – prompting an immediate referral to a cardiologist.
It turned out that Tom has Wolff-Parkinson White (WPW) syndrome - where an extra electrical connection in the heart causes it to beat abnormally fast at times. And, while at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport , Tom learned he needed a surgical procedure to destroy the additional electrical pathway. Without the operation, doctors said he may not live to 40.
“Throughout my teens and early 20s, I was affected by numerous vague – yet often debilitating – symptoms. These ranged from palpitations and chest pain to a racing heart and serious bouts of fatigue, even though I was a young and seemingly sporty youngster at the time,” Tom said.
“However, no-one could identify what was wrong or causing the symptoms, so it was usually put down to stress and anxiety. Very sadly, this was all further exacerbated when my mum tragically passed away in my early twenties – but at no time was I offered an ECG to explore any potential problems. Instead, I was just prescribed betablockers and anti-anxiety medication.
“I continued getting on with my life, the best I could – travelling when possible and enjoying my job in conveyancing – where I still work now, with very supportive employers.
“But it was only some years later, when during investigations for an unrelated complaint, I was finally offered an ECG which picked up my WPW and I was immediately referred to a cardiologist.
“I was scared, petrified in fact, but determined that after everything I’d been through, I would survive,” he said. “And 8 months later I was successfully treated, following a 4-hour procedure at Manchester’s Wythenshawe Hospital.
“Now, a year on from my initial diagnosis, I’m delighted to say that I feel better than ever and excited to be taking part in the Heart 2 Heart event and doing all I can to raise awareness of CRY and hidden heart conditions in young people.”
To mark the first anniversary of his initial diagnosis, on June 18, Tom will be joined by best friends Rochelle Antley and Billy Clements as they kick off the Heart 2 Heart Fundraising Walk, completing 20 miles from Edgeley Park, to Old Trafford, over to the Etihad and back to Edgeley Park.
Tom added: “Over the past year, undiagnosed heart conditions have often been in the news, following the on pitch cardiac arrest of Danish footballer Christian Eriksen and the premature retirement of Man City legend Sergio Aguero.
“That’s why we’re encouraging all participants in our walk to wear their Club’s colours with pride to show solidarity across all sporting communities, not just football, but for those who are diagnosed later in life. CRY helps to screen young people for these conditions which may not fully affect you until your adolescence or early adult life, providing essential diagnosis that can lead to effective treatment and surgery.”
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