Woman’s Chronic Fatigue Misdiagnosed as Anxiety Until Rare Heart Defect Discovered
After years of being labeled anxious, 36-year-old Abigail Louise was diagnosed with the rare congenital condition Ebstein’s anomaly following a cardiac emergency.
Abigail Louise, a 36-year-old mother of two, sought medical help repeatedly from 2021 onward for persistent breathlessness, fatigue and weight gain, but doctors repeatedly attributed her symptoms to panic attacks and referred her to therapy. A severe episode in December 2024, when she could not climb stairs and experienced sharp chest pain, led to emergency investigations that uncovered a right bundle branch block and a suspected heart murmur.
Subsequent cardiology assessments identified a leaking tricuspid valve, and referral to Royal Brompton Hospital confirmed she suffered from Ebstein’s anomaly, a rare congenital heart defect affecting roughly 40,000 people worldwide. She underwent a nine-hour cone procedure in May 2026 after losing 22 pounds to reduce surgical risk, and endured post-operative complications including pneumonia and temporary heart block. Discharged in mid-June, Louise is now nine weeks into recovery and will start a 12-week cardiac rehab program at the end of August, hoping to regain normal activity levels.
Why it matters
The case highlights how rare heart conditions can be mistaken for mental health issues, stressing the need for thorough cardiac evaluation.
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