A mother of two was repeatedly told by doctors that her symptoms of breathlessness and fatigue were caused by anxiety and panic attacks. Abigail Louise, 36, sought medical attention multiple times between 2021 and 2025 for her symptoms, leading to several referrals for therapy. However, in December 2024, an emergency visit revealed a more serious underlying condition.

During a visit to her local hospital's A&E department, Louise struggled to climb a flight of stairs at work and experienced sharp chest pains. Tests conducted at the hospital identified a right bundle branch block (RBBB), a condition affecting the heart's electrical impulses and the contraction of its right ventricle, along with a suspected heart murmur. Further consultations with specialists, including a 24-hour ECG and an echocardiogram, confirmed she had a leaking heart valve.

She was then referred to Royal Brompton Hospital in London, where she was diagnosed with Ebstein's anomaly, a rare congenital heart defect characterized by a malformed tricuspid valve. This defect impedes blood flow between the heart's chambers and can cause the valve to close improperly, allowing blood to leak backward into the upper chambers of the heart.

Louise underwent a nine-hour surgery in May 2026 to reconstruct her tricuspid valve using her own tissue, a procedure known as a cone procedure. This surgery restored near-normal valve function. She had previously lost 22 pounds to reduce surgical risks.

Nine weeks into recovery, Louise is preparing for 12 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation. She expressed surprise that her condition had not been discovered earlier, particularly during her two pregnancies. The rarity of Ebstein's anomaly means its cause, whether random or hereditary, is not fully understood. Approximately 40,000 people worldwide have the condition, with most being infants.

Louise recalled experiencing a "weird heart rhythm" and shortness of breath as early as 2021. She also remembered childhood instances of being unable to keep up with other children and having blue lips. Despite these experiences, her visits to the GP over four years were met with suggestions of anxiety and panic attacks, leading to multiple therapy sessions.

Following her A&E visit in December 2024, Louise was referred to cardiology, which led to the Ebstein's anomaly diagnosis. She noted that only three surgeons in the UK had experience with the specific surgical procedure she required. Her surgeon performed his fiftieth cone procedure on her.

Despite complications after the surgery, including pneumonia and lung collapse requiring a four-week hospital stay, Louise was discharged in mid-June. She also experienced a period where her heart entered complete heart block but regained its rhythm. She remains optimistic about her recovery, acknowledging that two years prior, her health was precarious.