I was recently diagnosed with a Long Q Rhythm. I'm wondering if there is anyone else out there with this problem.
My Dr. recommends Beta Blocker and no more racing. He also commented that I've had this condition all my life so I'll probably be ok.
I would like to PM with anyone out there who is swimming with a similar situation. I am feeling very conflicted and would like to talk to someone in the same boat.
I read the paragraph about the sisters who swam in Nationals with a Long Q diagnosis, in fact that article motivated me to go to the electrophysicist (sp) and get this checked out by a specialist.
So the worry is that really maximal exercise might somehow trip your heart into v-fib, which is fatal unless it gets shocked back into normal beating via a defibrillator?
I can see why open water swimming might be problematic, but what about pool meets? Most facilities have AEDs now, and if you told the meet director about your condition, then they could be ready to snap into action if you needed it, right?
You are more of a distance swimmer than a sprinter, right? I have a friend with a-fib who had to stop sprinting but was able to continue racing longer events. His heart rate would pick up, but not to the jack rabbity levels of a drop dead sprint.
Anyhow, I wonder if you could talk to the doc again and explain how important exercise is to your life and see if he can provide "off the record" (i.e., you won't sue!) parameters for how much you can do, and what kinds of events, if any, you can compete in? Seems to me you might be able to still compete in 500s, 1000s, 1650s, hour swims, etc.
One other note: what I read was that there are a variety of genes that can cause this. I think your insurance company should pay because it's possible your kids could have the same thing. And if it turns out you don't have any genetic markers, maybe it was a false positive test after all? The result of some medicine or electrolyte imbalance or too much chard following a dehydrating workout?
So the worry is that really maximal exercise might somehow trip your heart into v-fib, which is fatal unless it gets shocked back into normal beating via a defibrillator?
I can see why open water swimming might be problematic, but what about pool meets? Most facilities have AEDs now, and if you told the meet director about your condition, then they could be ready to snap into action if you needed it, right?
You are more of a distance swimmer than a sprinter, right? I have a friend with a-fib who had to stop sprinting but was able to continue racing longer events. His heart rate would pick up, but not to the jack rabbity levels of a drop dead sprint.
Anyhow, I wonder if you could talk to the doc again and explain how important exercise is to your life and see if he can provide "off the record" (i.e., you won't sue!) parameters for how much you can do, and what kinds of events, if any, you can compete in? Seems to me you might be able to still compete in 500s, 1000s, 1650s, hour swims, etc.
One other note: what I read was that there are a variety of genes that can cause this. I think your insurance company should pay because it's possible your kids could have the same thing. And if it turns out you don't have any genetic markers, maybe it was a false positive test after all? The result of some medicine or electrolyte imbalance or too much chard following a dehydrating workout?
