By Gem O’Reilly
It’s a funny thing being told you could potentially go into cardiac arrest for something you can’t necessarily see or feel. It’s a surreal, intangible experience and very scary.
That’s what happened to me when I was 16. I was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome, which basically means my heart struggles to control its electrical system and I have to be very careful with my health. It is a congenital condition that impacts the repolarization (relaxing) of my heart after a heartbeat, giving rise to an abnormally lengthy QT interval.
Therefore I should avoid extending my QT interval as it may struggle to return and put me at risk of cardiac arrest. I’ve been living the last 29 years without backup, also known as, beta blockers. But more recently I’ve had ectopic heart beats and dizziness that has meant beta blockers have become more pressing to protect myself and my body.
So here I am on my first day of taking bisoprolol. How do I feel? Kind of absent, kind of fuzzy, kind of tired and kind of scared. But it isn’t as bad as I was expecting and I feel comfort in knowing my body will adjust to them. I also feel a new found confidence that I may have found a mitigation to my heart condition, which if left out to fester, could be highly dangerous for me.
There’s a huge psychological impact of knowing your life may be at risk because of a condition that is part of your genetic make up, it’s talked about in many ways, for many reasons. I think the psychological impact on me has been profound. But it has never stopped me and it’s never been quite as profound as the difference I know I can make. If anything, my heart condition has made me pursue every day like it’s my last. It’s made me so determined to make a difference to the world and to people who really need a warm heart, forgive the pun.
So to my fellow heart condition buddies, don’t fret, we are all here and we are all strong. We have the power of knowledge at our fingertips of our risk. Let’s help others by raising awareness and keeping ourselves as healthy as possible. That way you’ll never miss a beat.
