I’m a 44 year old married woman and mother of two amazing children.
For over 30 years I’ve suffered palpitations and collapse with a loss of consciousness. From the age of 13 I was passed from doctor to doctor who couldn’t tell me what was wrong. I was never taken very seriously as my tests were always “normal”and I was made to believe it was just hormone related.
At the age of 23 I collapsed at work and rushed to a London hospital where I was finally told I was suffering from Supraventricular tachycardia. Over the next 7 years i collapsed in every place imaginable, train stations, fitting rooms, nightclub toilets. I even collapsed walking down the road at 7 months pregnant. I had a couple of catheter ablations, but the palpitations and collapsing never fully went away.
As I got older that gap between episode seemed to get wider, and when I did have an episode I’d end up not bothering to go to hospital as I knew by the time I got there and had an ECG my heart rhythm would be normal again and I’d be told there was nothing wrong. I was made to feel like this was all in my head and kept being told it was just panic attacks. I knew my own body and knew something wasn’t right but I felt stuck as who else could help me? I couldn’t get private medical either because it was a pre existing condition, so I ended up just living with it and trying to be as healthy as I could, but the episodes never fully stopped. Luckily I’ve always had amazing bosses who have been supportive and not made me feel like I was overreacting when needing time off work.
Then this year on the 17 February, a week after my 44th birthday I suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at home. I had no previous symptoms and felt fit and healthy. Thankfully my husband revived me and I was taken to hospital.
After CT scans and MRIs I was fitted with a pacemaker, and the best news is that after 30 years I finally received a diagnosis of sinus node dysfunction, a malfunction of the hearts natural pacemaker. I was only able to receive a diagnosis because I was hooked up to heart monitors in hospital for 24 hours a day, for 7 days!! This along with the MRI was able to let the doctors see what was actually wrong. It’s just madness that it’s never been diagnosed earlier, even after 24 hour ECGs, tilt tests etc. it just shows how important it is to monitor the heart for longer than a couple of days as during one or two days you may not have an episode, but that doesn’t mean there’s not something wrong.
The recovery is now the difficult part as I’m scared to close my eyes at night, so I’m keeping myself awake until early hours of the morning which I know isn’t the right thing to do. Its just hit me what’s really happened and what I’ve been through and also what my poor husband had to witness. However, I’m so grateful to be a survivor and be given another chance in life!
Written by
Mummybear81
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi - breathing exercises and meditation have good effects, cost nothing, can't hurt you, and are therefore worth a try. There are lots of different techniques, everyone who uses these eventually ends up with a personal favourite. The theory behind them is simple: by focussing on something simple the mind becomes quieter and this can also have good physiological effects. Steer clear of anyone who wants to charge you.
Thank God you are still here i had a HA and OOHCA 8 weeks ago there is a wonderful group on face book called sudden cardiac arrest uk it's a great community and everyone understands they have been where you are xGood luck with your recovery xx
Huge hugs and sending so much respect to you ! You’ve conducted yourself so incredibly well through all this Mummybear 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻❤️❤️❤️. It’s a shocking account but I know we are all so relieved that you are here to share the experience l. Are you able to use any other platforms that would highlight this type of issue so that many more women ( and men who ignore symptoms) might join the dots and recognise their symptoms?
It’s quite understandable that you are now struggling mentally with all this. I’m sure I had (have a touch of PTSD after my nstemi heart attack and quadruple bypass July 2023. My last cynical scars remind me everyday of what I went through but they are healing well and fading. Acceptance and yielding to the new me and gratefulness for my rebirth have helped immensely. I’ve stopped questioning why did it happen and now focus on all the opportunities I’ve now been given … it’s taken time to get there and that came with making sure I had goals to achieve , small ones and lifetime goals. Please keep us posted on your progress , this is a wonderful , supportive forum. Glad that you are still here to contribute!
Thank you so much for your comment. Wow sounds like you’re a true warrior too! I’m glad you’re now healing well and it’s given you a positive outlook in life. I am now certainly grateful for being given another opportunity in life, I have a newfound respect for life!
I have a call today to have an assessment for counselling as I’m just not sleeping and so scared at night and I think I just need to talk about it. I know it’ll get better over time and this is all still quite raw.
I have received lots of questions on my Facebook so I have highlighted my journey on there and just hope my journey might help someone.
“We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one” Confucius. This quote resonated with me.
I cried like a baby , twice, while in hospital. The day after my heart attack i had angiogram , thought I would be having a stent or two like my old school chums.. the shock of being told “it’s open heart surgery for you , no stents , at least triple bypass “ .. after my family left from visiting I balled my eyes out . I couldn’t understand it .. I was the fittest in my peer group .. no one could understand it.. that’s the hardest part .. accepting it gives peace , I don’t have to keep asking why , it’s done . 👊🏻❤️
What a journey you've had. I'm so glad that your husband was with you that day, though that must have been very traumatic for him. He may well need support too. The pacemaker will prevent another arrest from arrythmia so keep that in the forefront of your mind when feeling anxious, you are probably safer now than you have been all those years. Follow the advice of the professionals, I assume you have been referred for cardiac rehab? Take care and look after yourself.
Thank you so much for sharing this inspiring tale. Be kind to your self, you have experienced a traumatic event and it will take time to process it all (as they say) and to put it in perspective. Reading about your journey it gives a timeline, you are now the right side of the traumatic event, and a survivor, and maybe you are now safer than you have ever been, due to both the pacemaker and being better informed. I wouldn’t bet against you finding your way. Best of luck and thank you for sharing.
Hi there, im glad you are sorted now. Similarly to your issues i collapsed 3 times, cardiac arrest all within a space of 7 years but last year i was finally diagnosed with prolonged QT. Its genetic in my family and has caused alot of sudden death in very young ages too mostly under 40. My last incident was this year January and i ended up in CCU for three weeks and was on 24 hour monitor and finally had an ICD procedure. My sister has one too. I am 40 she is 44 but had hers done 10 yrs ago. I am still in recovery now cos its been almost 3 wks since i had it. It however has not stopped the symptoms i previously had but it has taken the worry off of wondering whether i would survive the next episode. I have 6 children and they are so traumatised by these incidents.I wish you all the best and LONG LIFE TO US ALL ❤️
Oh wow what you have been through….I'm so sorry to hear that it’s taken so many lives in your family but I’m so glad you finally got the diagnosis you needed and like you said it might not have stopped the symptoms but you now know you’re safe and you will have a long life with your children. It is traumatising for them. My children are 13 and 9 and it was my 13 year old daughter that called the ambulance.
I’m so grateful to be given another chance at life! I wish you a healthy happy long life and thank you for sharing your story too xx
You have been through so much. So glad you’re a survivor as I’m sure you’re aware of the odds being against SCA’s.
I had one almost 3 years ago on holiday in Crete at age 43. For about a year after, I had to bring my dog in the bed as I felt he would alert my husband in case it happened again, I would have panic attacks when I was left on my own even with my new ICD, I couldn’t think logically. Have you had cardio rehab? After mine, they offered talking therapies which had some helpful panic tools but didn’t remove it completely. Time helped.
I feel very blessed to be here and lucky I was at home and my husband was here to save me.
I haven’t been offered rehab, but I have spoken to a support service through my work who have arranged some counselling sessions for me as I think it’ll be good to talk through how I’m feeling and the constant fear I have of closing my eyes at night.
Often I’m falling asleep and then I jolt up in a panic and then can’t breathe. I know I can breathe really and it’s just panic attacks. I seem to be ok during the day. It’s the nighttime that I’m petrified.
You poor thing. I was exactly the same at night - would drift off to sleep and wake up in a panic. It will get better over time and the counselling will give you tools to help you. One thing I’d warn you against is using sleeping pills - my mum had a stroke in her sleep and had a fear of falling asleep. Instead of working through the fear, she still can’t sleep without sleeping pills 30 years later.
I’m ok now - it all feels like a bad dream. It happened in Crete and my husband would always wake before me and sit by the pool drinking coffee before coming to wake us. That morning he decided to come back to bed for some reason and I remember thinking “Yes! More sleep” and a few minutes later it happened. I spent a week in hospital in Crete before getting airlifted to Athens - I was there for almost 2 weeks as the insurance company wouldn’t let me come home without various tests. Eventually I was airlifted back to England, straight to Liverpool Heart and Chest hospital and fitted with an ICD with pacing leads a few days later. It’s not happened since and may never happen again but I have such peace of mind now that I eventually learned to trust my device. I recently had cardiac surgery to fix a leaky valve and ablate my heart to stop persistent atrial fibrillation so I’m hoping once I fully recover, I can get my life back.
I really hope you find peace of mind soon and feel free to PM me if you need to chat xx
An amazing story from a brave lady. Thank you for sharing and glad you are now receiving proper treatment. The pacemaker will keep you safe so as time goes on hopefully the trauma will be a distant memory and you will get your confidence back. Sending you well wishes xxx
Sorry to jear this mummybear. When i started going to movies i sometimes flaked out in the movies Eventuall i learnt to hang on and keep .yablation. do head down but it still felt rotten. Even as an 82 yo adult this can happen so i dont like going out naturally with crowds. I was eventually sufferring from AF. I was eventually fitted with a pacemaker and recently had an AV node . Dont know if any of this is interconnected. I do know i fell off a swing with my aunt working the swing high up. I was knocked out. Could have affected me. All the best to you. Colin, NZ
I’m so sorry to hear what you’re going through. Being disbelieved is very traumatic on top of your physical symptoms. Have they given you a reason why you have the sinus node dysfunction? I’m just wondering about a genetic cause? If you are able to get or afford therapy it would be useful to talk through or have trauma therapy to deal with the past and what you are currently going through.
I have had many symptoms for years and have been dismissed many times. Last year I was told I have a LMNA gene variant, it was found after whole genome screening was done after seeking a second opinion for neurological symptoms. This gene causes arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy and muscular dystrophy.
It is really important to listen to your body and your gut instincts. I wish you well in your recovery. Also, I’ve heard cardio rehab is very good.
Best wishes for a good recovery. I'm amazed that doctors never suggested fitting you with an implanted loop recorder. I got mine (on the NHS) after just two episodes of palpitations. I've since been diagnosed with AVNRT which is a form of SVT.
I relate to your story, without going into to much detail I've been passed from pillar to post in the past, they said I had anxiety was out on meds and had to see a councilor and all the time I knew I didn't have anxiety, then I was sent to asthma clinic as I could catch my breath and this was after pace n ablate and pacemaker fitted, eventually diagnosed with heart failure.All my life I have suffered bad palpations, I was diagnosed with Wolff Parkinson's white syndrome but even now after having 2 pacemakers fitted in 3 years, ablation and cardio version I still get pounding and palpitations to this day.
Raised it with EP, Docs, pacing clinic and I can't get answers, all they say is things are fine, eat healthy stay off caffeine and limit my alcohol consumption which I do anyway.
I even asked to be monitored and nothing has come of it!
Had loads of 24 hr heart tape monitors and sods law nothing happens.
Must be a method of longer monitoring but I've never been offered anything.
I get on with things now but do feel have plenty of occasions where I feel at risk.
Thank you for sharing your story! I’m sorry to hear you’ve gone through all of this and still not getting the answers you need.
I definitely think a lot more could be diagnosed through longer monitoring. These 24 hour tapes are pretty useless especially when you need to remove them when showering etc so you never get a full 24 hours.
That’s the thing…we do need to just get on with it don’t we as things just seem to take forever!
Do you have a pacemaker with home monitoring? I have a big machine next to my bed and the doc said it sends any activity from my pacemaker direct to the hospital.
Totally agree with the monitoring, yes I have a bedside monitor, I'm still unsure when it sends the reports to the hospital, I think it's only if the pacemaker records an event and they only measure issues to do with the electrical system of the heart anything else goes unnoticed
what a story of survival and fight - sadly should not be like this in 2025 you are a strong woman and fought like a lioness to get the right help and hopefully going forward your in a better place . Long term trauma like this takes its toll on a persons wellbeing.
I so understand the worry on closing your eyes at night - I woke up in middle night when a stroke hit me. Thankfully recovering slowly. What I find helps me are sleep meditations using an APP called Calm.
I struggle to fall asleep without it now- but it was a breakthrough for me as I could not calm my fear of it happening again to the point I would take nightly panic attacks.
I hope you find some peace as you recover and keep fighting for your best self
Thank you so much! I will take a look at that app. My fear is definitely that it’ll happen again or I’ll close my eyes and not wake up. I know I’m more protected now with the implant, but my brain just does its own thing!
What a brave person you are Mummybear81. You certainly live up to your online name! Now you have a pacemaker you have a guardian angel.
Like you I have the Sick Sinus Syndrome but was lucky in that my GP quickly referred me to cardiology after my first faint. ( Never fainted in my life before.) It was after I dropped off the seven day heart monitor, - heck, I even did the Parkrun wearing it- that I received a phone call where I truly believed they’d got my name/ notes mixed up with someone else, and was told to stop driving and report to cardiology ASAP. My feet didn’t touch the ground.
But you are here, and young, and have the rest of your life to enjoy with your family and friends. Be brave and strong. ❤️
thank you for your message, can I ask how you are now?? I’m worried that because it’s been a long before being diagnosed that I’m now at risk of heart disease etc. I don’t know if I’m just reading too much into it.
Im hoping now with the pacemaker I can have a relatively normal life and still live a long and happy one!
Hi Mummybear81, I’m now doing well with ‘Gerry’ as I named her. I don’t take any heart medication at all. During all my tests I was told I had a Rolls Royce engine, ie the hear as a pump with all its tubes etc was working perfectly. Unfortunately, there’s no point having a Rolls Royce engine, but nothing to start it, aka a good, consistent electrical signal! I live an active life; Parkrun, cycling, swimming and looking after energetic young grandchildren. Look after your health, try to eat a well balanced diet and keep moving, which I’m sure you do with a young family. I fully intend to get the most out of every day for a very long time yet. Like you will🤗
Scary and eloquent account. It's good you finally have management of the symptoms and an understanding of the fault. But I imagine you're now only part way along the journey. I guess you'll want to know more and seek more knowledge, genetics for example. I think you're likely to find even more questions than there are answers. You may also find that Drs don't have the time or resource to investigate further unless you can get into the surveillance of a teaching or research hospital.You'll have to work hard to get a balance by finding things, you have children for example, to focus on, distract you and allow you to escape the nagging questions, fears and anxieties. You have the pacemaker as a constant reminder, however snug the fit. My ICD after 12 months still feels intrusive and alien.
Sharing your story is a brilliant way to order your thoughts and find a new perspective. Health Unlocked is a great safe space to do this. The feedback, even if left field, is always helpful.
Yes you’re right, I seem to have a lot more questions now. The doctors didn’t really take time to explain the condition to me and whether there’s any long term Impact on my heart and I suppose I wasn’t quite with it at the time to ask too many questions, but the more I look on line the more confused I get as there’s a lot of mixed information and I don’t know what to believe.
I just hope I can still have a relatively normal life and it doesn’t reduce my life expectancy. Sounds silly when I write it down as I don’t believe it to be a too serious condition but it’s still heart related which is scary!
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
you are a strong woman and fought like a lioness to get the right help and hopefully going forward your in a better place . Long term trauma like this takes its toll on a persons wellbeing. 
Support and help after heart attack and cardiac arrest
advice on cardiac arrest 
Worried and awaiting diagnosis
