"Suddenly I became much more aware of my life."
HEART DISEASE - FROM THE HEART
Jens (33) from Genk had to give up his passion for rugby because of an enlarged heart and scar tissue. He talks about the sudden awareness of his heartbeat and the adjustments he had to make in his life. Despite everything, he is grateful for the attentiveness of his family doctor and hopes to be able to notice any heart problems in his own children in time as well.
When and how did you discover you had heart disease?
Playing competitive rugby was an important part of my life. I trained twice a week and played matches on Sundays. To be allowed to play rugby, you have to have a medical chit completed by your family doctor every two years. Fortunately, my family doctor took this seriously and also performed an EKG, which is often not done when filling out the medical sheet. He noticed a small discrepancy on the EKG. Even though this could be an error in the machine, he referred me to the cardiologist to be sure. The cardiologist took another EKG and an MRI of my heart. At first glance, everything seemed fine, but he still sent the results to a specialist in cardiac arrhythmias. Shortly thereafter, I was told to stop exercising immediately.
What heart disease was diagnosed?
I have scar tissue on my right ventricle. Because I played competitive sports, my heart had also grown; it had to work harder because of the scar tissue. This could potentially trigger cardiac arrhythmias, but fortunately, after extensive research, I have not had any. The cause of my condition is unknown. It could be due to too much exercise, a past infection, a hereditary disease that has not yet been discovered, or something else.
"It is important to recognize the emotional impact of such a diagnosis."
How has the diagnosis affected your daily life?
The biggest emotional impact came from having to quit competitive sports. It was an important part of my life and I had a very hard time with this for the first few weeks. I trained twice a week and played games on Sundays. Now I'm still allowed to play sports, but only if it doesn't put too much strain on my heart. This means no endurance sports at a low heart rate, nor a high heart rate in a short period of time. Having to stop suddenly was difficult, but on the other hand I am grateful for the attentiveness of my family doctor and cardiologists.
In addition, I suddenly became much more aware of my life and especially of my heart. It feels like a separate organ in your body, as if you constantly feel it sitting there. In the beginning, there was some uncertainty about the diagnosis and its consequences. You start coming up with scenarios and thinking about "what if. In the meantime, I have been able to give it a place.
What treatments did you have to undergo?
For the tests, they did minor procedures, such as checking for cardiac arrhythmias through a catheter through the groin. I have to take three types of medication daily. In addition, for three years I had a monitor under my skin at the level of my chest to monitor my heart for arrhythmias. For a year now, this monitor has been removed and not replaced. In the beginning I had frequent check-ups with the cardiologist, now it is yearly, with a visit to the family doctor every three months for prescriptions and blood pressure measurements.
How did your family and friends respond to your situation?
Initially, they were concerned because it was unclear at first what impact it would have on my life. As the tests progressed and it became clear exactly what was going on, they were especially relieved that my family doctor had noticed. There was also a lot of support at the rugby club, because they saw how difficult it was for me not to be able to play anymore.
Where do you see improvement in dealing with heart disease?
It is important to acknowledge the emotional impact of such a diagnosis by, for example, asking further questions or possibly referring to professional help. Moreover, it is not always easy to understand the diagnoses explained by the doctor. Therefore, I would recommend taking enough time to explain everything clearly. The feeling that your heart is suddenly very consciously present, especially in the beginning, seems to me to be something that is difficult to understand for people without heart problems.
How do you see the future? Are there things you are looking forward to or worried about?
Good! I cycle a lot and have changed my athletic pursuits to leisurely fitness. I do worry a bit that my children, or other family members, are also predisposed to this and that it is hereditary. So once they turn 12, they will also have to be checked regularly. Fortunately, the problem is known to me now, so possible problems in the children will be discovered in time.
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