Living with right ventricular outflow tract ventricular tachycardia (RVOT-VT)
I have represented Great Britain in Bobsleigh since 2006 and In October 2007 I crashed in a race and sustained fractured vertebrae and tore all the ligaments in my thoracic spine. I was out of the sport for the rest of the season while I recovered and had rehab.
In April 2008, a month after returning to training, I began to feel dizzy, faint and breathless while I was training.
My heart would feel like it skipped a beat and then race out of control – over and over again while I trained. I went to the doctor who did a basic ECG and told me it was stress and signed me off work for a couple of weeks.
Initially I was only getting symptoms in the gym and track so I was sure it wasn’t stress. I called my team doctor who immediately called me to the Olympic Medical Institute for an exercise ECG. I met Greg Whyte and some of the CRY team and less than two minutes into the test my symptoms started and the test was suspended and I was rushed straight to hospital for an echocardiogram. A week later I was back in London for more tests and an MRI scan. My ECG and symptoms were consistent with two conditions – arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (a condition that can cause young sudden cardiac death) and right ventricle outflow tract – and they had diagnosed which I had. I was diagnosed with right ventricular outflow tract ventricular tachycardia (RVOT-VT).
The treatment was a lifetime on beta-blockers, which pretty much ended my chances of continuing with competitive sport! As soon as I took the beta-blockers I felt great – my symptoms stopped and I could start to train. I just managed to retain my place on the GB team for the 08/09 season but over the next few months my fitness just got worse and worse. I ended up as a reserve for the season and every time I tested my power, speed and strength, my scores were declining at an alarming rate. In March 2009, I came off the medication as I was so unhappy with the effect it was having and my symptoms returned even more severe than before. I decided to try and live with it, which turned out to be impossible.
I was exhausted all the time – sleeping 10 or 11 hours a day – and at its worst I couldn’t even walk without feeling faint. I couldn’t complete a full training session and was devastated, I just felt ill all the time. I lost my place on the GB team and with it my health insurance, so CRY stepped in and put me in touch with Dr Sharma [now Professor Sharma] who has been monitoring me ever since.
He has explained the condition and the triggers which are not completely understood, but for me appear to be a combination of adrenaline, exercise and stress. RVOT-VT is caused by an extra natural pacemaker that starts firing as well as the main pacemaker and causes the heart rate to shoot up and all the symptoms I experience.
In December 2009, as mysteriously and suddenly as my symptoms started, they virtually stopped. I have been able to start training fully again. I decided to compete in Figure Competitions (a type of women’s bodybuilding) as I needed a goal to aim for and I have placed second in three competitions this year and qualified for next year’s British Finals.
My goal is to compete internationally in 2011 in Figure Competitions. I have also decided to train for the World Master Athletics Championships in 2011. In November this year I was able to return to international Bobsleigh, competing in a European Cup race and achieving a start placing top 10 in the field, which I was really proud of considering I never thought I’d race for Team GB again!
I know my symptoms can return at any time so I am enjoying feeling well and making the most of being able to train again. I also now have the support of CRY and Professor Sharma, so as soon as the symptoms return to the severity I had before, I will have a radiotherapy ablation to cure the problem.
Although the thought of surgery is a bit scary, just knowing that there is a cure if and when I need it, means I don’t have to worry any more. In the meantime I fully intend to make the most of every opportunity I have!
In February 2010 I competed in the British Masters Indoor Athletics Champs and won Gold in both the 60m and 200m for my age group (W35). Now I’m aiming to compete at the World Masters Athletics Champs in the summer – as long as the condition doesn’t get worse I think I could do well! It’s funny, a year ago I didn’t think any of this could be possible and although I know I could get ill again, I know it can be treated so I’m not worrying about it! Just enjoying life and never taking my health for granted any more – just making the most of every day!
