At the age of 19 I become Miss Minnesota in March of 2009. I made several appearance's at county/city pageants, county fairs and community events where I was often the guest speaker.
In late August of 2009 I began having symptoms of chest pains, fatigue and a rapid heart beat. After a few days I ended up in the emergency room as my symptom's persisted. With some concern they kept me in over night. The next day, still with unanswered questions, I was sent home wearing a heart monitor for 30 days
I was diagnosed with a condition called Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT). An episode of SVT is when the hearts electrical system does not work right, causing the heart to beat fast. On December 17, 2009 I went in for an ablation surgery to correct this condition. After 2 hours of surgery the doctors discovered that I did not have SVT.
I actually had a condition called Inappropriate Sinus tachycardia (IST). IST is a condition in which an individual's resting heart rate is abnormally high (greater than 100 beats per minute) and their heart rate increases rapidly with minimal exertion. The sinus node is the hearts natural pace maker. IST is most common in young women in their 20's and 30's.
During a follow up appointment later in December, the doctor discovered that I had another condition called Postual Orthostatic Tachycardia (POTS). Standing up is something most of us take for granted, we've been doing it since childhood. Our bodies automatically adjust to the pull of gravity and we stand with little effort. However the simple act of standing up can be a challenge for me. A person with POTS will experience heart rates that will increase 30 beats or more per minute upon standing and/or increase to 120 beats or more per minute upon standing. The symptom's of POTS are life altering and debilitating at times. It is now estimated that one out of every 100 teens has POTS.
There are no effective treatments for these conditions at my age. Many drugs available are for older patients; the side effects are greater than the conditions themselves. I have become educated on my conditions and live with them every day. In the future maybe research will come up with a better plan. ~Maddy Thoele
Please contact Karie Bundridge at (952) 278-7914 or at karie.bundridge@heart.org if you have any questions.
The American Heart Association is the largest voluntary health organization working to prevent, treat and defeat heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. These diseases, the Nation's No.1 and No.3 killers, claim more than 865,000 American lives a year. Thanks to all our walkers, donors and volunteers who have accepted the challenge to help fight heart disease and stroke. We cannot achieve our mission without each one of you!
For more information please contact one of your Start! Heart Walk staff partners at (952)278-7914 or via email at twincitiesheartwalk@heart.org
