Heart scare big blow for James (From York Press)

Heart scare big blow for James

3:20pm Tuesday 30th September 2008 in Search By Mark Stead, mark.stead@thepress.co.uk

WHEN super-fit cyclist James Lee discovered he could not keep pace with the competitors he was racing against, he knew something was wrong – but he did not know what.

Despite not being out of breath or in any pain, he suddenly discovered it was a strain just to reach the finish line as he took part in time trials.

And although the 45-year-old, from Alne, near Easingwold, completely dissected his training regime in an attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery, he found no answers and began to suffer near-blackouts while at work.

Eventually, Mr Lee was diagnosed with a rare heart condition called cardiomyopathy, which affects only one in 1,500 people and can cause heart cells to die and be replaced by fatty and scar tissue.

Now the married father-of-three has revealed his battle against the potentially lethal illness to raise awareness of the illness.

Talking about the moment he realised all was not well, Mr Lee said: “It was just as if somebody had flicked a switch off – I could only just manage to turn the pedals to get back to the finish line.”

After the initial scare, he started noticing a bumping sensation in his chest while resting, saying: “My GP couldn’t detect anything wrong and a heart specialist told me I was very fit and could resume training and racing.”

But the lack of improvement meant more tests, a course of beta blockers and an anxious wait until his condition was finally diagnosed. It has left him unable to cycle competitively since, but he says: “It’s very important that more people are aware of cardiomyopathy, its symptoms and its implications.

“It is not rare and it is the biggest medical cause of sudden death in the under-35s. There are good treatments for it, and with proper care most sufferers can lead a long and full life.

“The condition is often inherited. If somebody in the family has it, it’s important that close family members have heart checks so they can be diagnosed early.

“My sons are receiving regular heart checks, which so far show they are unaffected.”

Mr Lee is now a member of the Cardiomyopathy Association, which provides information and support to affected families and funds specialist nurses at UK hospitals. For more information on the condition, call freephone 0800 0181 024 or log on to cardiomyopathy.org