Franklin Aribeana, 35, from Houston, Texas, was finally diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat after 25 hospital visits over 15 years.
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Doctors believed the cold water after workouts caused the organ to beat too quickly and irregularly, known medically atrial fibrillation.
He was given heart surgery to correct the issue, which can be deadly if left unchecked.
Describing the first time he noticed symptoms, Franklin told ABC News: “As I’m drinking the water, I feel probably the most noticeable thud in my chest. I’d never experienced it before. ”
He added: “I took a sip of cold water, and the next thing you know, literally palpitations out of my chest.
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“They took off my shirt, and you could see my heart literally pounding out of my chest, and then I passed out.”
Atrial fibrillation is the UK’s most common heart rhythm disturbance, affecting around 1.4million Brits.
It can cause the organ to beat too fast, causing problems like dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness.
The condition can also increase your risk of stroke by five times.
Franklin first collapsed in 2007 when he was 18 after drinking cold water while playing golf on a hot summer day.
He had previously been diagnosed with an enlarged part of his heart and arrhythmia — a different type of irregular heartbeat.
Doctors believe that when he drank the cold water, it irritated the vagus nerve that connects the brain to the heart — triggering the atrial fibrillation.
This could be caused by the diving reflex, when exposure to cold water causes the heart to slow down and blood vessels in the extremities to restrict to conserve oxygen.
If you feel something, don’t be afraid to tell your physician next time you go in for an appointmentFranklin Aribeana
They operated on him to sever the connection between the nerve and his heart.
Franklin said he hasn’t had any complications since the surgery and can now drink water without any issues.
He is still taking medications for his genetic heart condition and wants to raise awareness for heart problems.
Franklin told Live5News: “If you feel something, don’t be afraid to tell your parents.
“Don’t be afraid to tell your physician next time you go in for an appointment, or if it feels emergency-related enough, don’t be afraid to go to the emergency room.”
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What are the symptoms atrial fibrillation?
In atrial fibrillation, the heart rate is irregular and can sometimes be very fast. In some cases, it can be considerably higher than 100 beats a minute.
You may be aware of noticeable heart palpitations, where your heart feels like it’s pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly, often for a few seconds or, in some cases, a few minutes.
Sometimes atrial fibrillation does not cause any symptoms and a person who has it is completely unaware that their heart rate is irregular.
See a GP or call 111 if:
- you have chest pain that comes and goes
- you have chest pain that goes away quickly but you’re still worried
- you notice a sudden change in your heartbeat
- your heart rate is consistently lower than 60 or above 100 (particularly if you’re experiencing other symptoms of atrial fibrillation, such as dizziness and shortness of breath)
It’s important to get medical advice to make sure it’s nothing serious.
Source: The NHS