[ad_1]
A nurse who diagnosed herself with a blood clotting disorder revealed that she was equipped with a pacemaker at age 25 because of another sinister heart condition.
Katie Barber, of Long Island, began to feel short of breath after climbing stairs and pain in her leg.
The doctors confirmed Ms. Barber's own belief that she has deep vein thrombosis and a bleeding disorder called a prothrombin gene mutation.
This condition, coupled with his recent surgery for gymnastic injuries, caused blood clots all over his body, making his movements difficult.
But while she was on physical therapy, Miss Barber had episodes of vertigo that would leave her unable to stand up.
At the hospital, CT examinations revealed that she also had an abnormal heart rate, diagnosed as a junctional rhythm, that caused fluid to accumulate in the lungs.
Miss Barber had no choice but to have a pacemaker, which left her feeling of deflation as she was dealing with her elderly patients generally over 75 years old.
Katie Barber, of Long Island, began to feel short of breath after climbing stairs and pain in her leg. The doctors confirmed Ms. Barber's own belief that she has deep vein thrombosis and a bleeding disorder called a prothrombin gene mutation.
A few weeks later, having dizziness, Miss Barber returned to the hospital, where CT examinations revealed an abnormal heart rate, diagnosed as a junctional rhythm.
Doctors were reluctant to implant a pacemaker, but it was for Ms. Barber the best way to regain her quality of life
Miss Barber, who had her pacemaker installed this month, said, "Being 25 years old, I was reluctant to get a pacemaker, but the unpredictability and symptoms associated with this abnormal heart rhythm have significantly affected my lifestyle.
"I was very nervous and honestly, angry. I wondered why these things keep happening to me.
"Whenever I thought I was getting better, something else seemed to hinder my recovery.
"It sounds vain, but being a young woman, I had a concern for the aesthetic appearance of a pacemaker. I thought it would look weird to wear a swimsuit, for example.
Miss Barber was a talented gymnast during her childhood and was still active.
At the age of 13, Miss Barber fractured the growth plate of her right hip while she was on the way to the tumble. In 2018, a scanner revealed a torn labrum, caused by progressive wear.
Miss Barber said, "My orthopedic surgeon has estimated that over time, bone degeneration has resulted in significant wear of the right labrum.
In March 2018, I underwent arthroscopy of the right hip to repair this problem. For two weeks, I did not carry any weight and used crutches. My surgeon then allowed me to start physical therapy.
However, a month after her recovery, Miss Barber began to self-diagnose.
She said, "I regained my strength when I noticed a shortness of breath while climbing the stairs. As a nurse, I began to wonder if it could be due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) .
"I had never thought something like this would happen to me, but I went to the hospital just to be safe. Well, I'm glad I went, because it turns out that I had a TVP in the right leg with bilateral PE.
"I discovered a bleeding disorder called the prothrombin gene mutation, which pushed my body to promote clot formation.
"This condition, combined with recent surgery, was the likely cause of clots in the leg and lungs."
In the UK, more than 2 million people suffer each year from arrhythmia, while an estimated 4 million Americans suffer from recurring irregular heart rhythms.
After weeks of physical therapy, Miss Barber was dizzy. In September 2018, she returned to the hospital.
Miss Barber was a talented gymnast and skater, resulting in hip problems and surgery.
Miss Barber, recovering after adjusting her pacemaker, said she was reluctant to do so as she treats patients aged several decades.
Miss Barber, photographed before her problems began in 2018, said her heartache would leave her so dizzy that she was unable to stand
She said: "I was in physical therapy and on the path to healing when I encountered another hurdle.
"I noticed these sudden dizzings coming and going. Sometimes they could come every day and last all day, at other times I could feel good a week or two.
"I had the impression of not being able to get up from my bed. I was weak and I could not stay up for more than a few minutes at a time.
After being diagnosed with cardiac malformation, Miss Barber was hospitalized for eight days in the hospital because of low blood pressure.
She said, "The next day, I had chest pains and breathing difficulties. A chest X – ray revealed the presence of fluid in my lungs, requiring oxygen for a few days.
Miss Barber tried various medications to avoid pacemakers because of her young age, but there was inevitably no better option.
A pacemaker consists of a generator that is a small device placed in a pocket under the skin and connected to the heart with one or two thin wires. It sends small amounts of painless electricity to the heart to make it beat.
Miss Barber said, "Initially, my doctors wanted to try to adjust the medications to avoid implanting a pacemaker in such a young patient, but that was my next and only option.
After her diagnosis, Miss Barber was hospitalized for eight days in the hospital because of low blood pressure. A chest X-ray then revealed the presence of fluid in his lungs.
Miss Barber, photographed with her parents in November, said she was ready to start life when she had the pacemaker installed this month.
"On February 5, 2019, I was ready to resume my life and therefore placed a Medtronic Azure pacemaker.
"As a cardiac intensive care nurse, I'm used to seeing patients with pacemakers. Most are much older, but many younger patients also need these devices.
"It seems that people without formal medical training do not understand the purpose of pacemakers, and more importantly, the normal lifestyle that we can give"
Miss Barber now hopes to show that pacemakers are not just for older patients, as she had imagined.
She said, "When I told people I was getting a pacemaker, or now, when people find out that I have one, they are shocked and often tell me that I am too young for one. It's a little frustrating to hear that.
"I noticed more energy and no episode of fatigue or dizziness related to the junctional rhythm. Overall, the device does its job and I'm not afraid of dizziness.
"Despite the difficulties, which may seem unfair to someone of my age, it is important to stay positive and consider that many other people have undergone similar procedures and have a better quality of life."
You can see more by visiting @katiiebarber.
[ad_2]
Source link