Before he discovered he had a heart rhythm disorder, former Wales rugby star Alun Wyn Jones wondered if he might be suffering from chronic fatigue.
Swansea’s 38-year-old Jones, who played the most caps for Wales until hanging up his boots last year after making a record 158 appearances for the team, was feeling more tired than usual but ultimately dismissed it as ‘just’ part of his training regime at the time.
It was during a routine medical check-up in July last year, where Jones underwent an ECG (a test that records the electrical activity of the heart), that the truth finally came out. The rugby legend, who won three Grand Slams during his career with Wales and also played for the British & Irish Lions and Ospreys, as well as a brief spell with Toulon before retiring completely in November, joined the 1.4 million people in the UK who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition that causes a fast, irregular heartbeat, meaning blood is not pumped around as effectively.
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Jones recalls: “We wondered if I had chronic fatigue or something. But given the nature of the sport and the intensity of the training, combined with my age, we probably just ignored it. A lot of things [I’d noticed] We’ve probably dismissed it as nonsense, as some of the symptoms can resemble too much caffeine, indigestion and regular fatigue.
“But it was interesting that so many things can go wrong with the human body, you can sometimes make a choice, but [AF] was probably the last thing I would have thought about. It was a bit of an eye-opener.”
The British Heart Foundation explains that AF is the most common form of arrhythmia and occurs when electrical signals in the upper chambers of the heart (atria) are not transmitted correctly. The primary symptom is palpitations with a rapid, irregular pulse, which can occur in short bursts or continuously, accompanied by fatigue, increased difficulty moving, shortness of breath, dizziness and chest pain.
Jones admits that being diagnosed with a heart condition was “one of the last things” he expected, but in retrospect “it really connected the dots.”
Symptoms of AF can range from mild to severe, but treatments are available and the condition can be managed. This is crucial because AF significantly increases the risk of stroke (the Stroke Association states that about 20% of strokes are caused by AF).
However, it is estimated that thousands of people have AF without even realizing it, so Jones is sharing his experiences.
The father of three (he and his wife Anwen, a physiology and health teacher, have three daughters aged eight, six and one) has teamed up with medical technology company AliveCor to launch the ‘Let’s Talk Rhythm’ campaign, which aims to raise awareness about AF and the importance of getting checked.
Despite the unexpected diagnosis, Jones now says it’s “actually been a positive thing,” allowing him to monitor his condition and take early treatment steps. “Early diagnosis has been huge for me. The earlier you get diagnosed, the safer you are, so awareness is huge,” he added.
Jones underwent surgery last November to correct his AF (alternatives include medication or possibly a pacemaker). However, the problem could recur, so he continues to monitor his heart rate with a KardiaMobile, the first personal ECG to be recommended by NICE for use within the NHS in England and Wales.
Detecting heart rhythm abnormalities can be a challenge for doctors because an abnormal heart rate can fluctuate, making it time-consuming to diagnose.
There are also KardiaMobile devices available to buy (available from the AliveCor website, Boots and Amazon, from £99), which is exactly what Anwen did after her husband was diagnosed.
Jones now sees it as an “extra bit of knowledge” about his body and how to take care of himself. “My wife also comes from an athletic background, so we’ve always been health-savvy and diligent,” he says.
“It’s funny when you come out the other side [of professional sports]”Your priorities change from a performance element, but that shouldn’t apply to a health element. We are very aware of that.”
Jones has become an advocate for health awareness, particularly after his own experience with atrial fibrillation (AF), which he admits was a wake-up call about the importance of not ignoring unusual symptoms. He’s now spreading the word that thousands of people could be living with undiagnosed AF, and stressing the importance of getting checked out.
“Men are notorious for, whether it’s the dentist, the doctor, routine check-ups, putting it off, putting it off, putting it off,” he says. “But I can’t stress enough that [AF] is manageable, based on what I’ve learned over the past 12 months.”
The causes of AF aren’t always clear, but hereditary factors can play a role, and heart damage is a primary culprit, often due to high blood pressure, heart disease, cardiomyopathy, diabetes or stress. Age also increases the risk, but even physically active men like Jones, who was still playing rugby when he noticed symptoms, can be affected.
“One of the first things I was told was that [AF] is synonymous with triathletes and rowers. So bigger guys with a lot of cardiovascular output,” he explains. “I’m not saying they’re the only demographic, but that’s a very stereotypical demographic that it affects.”
Find out more about Alun Wyn Jones’ story and get 10% off Kardia devices with code AWJ10 at alivecor.co.uk/letstalkrhythm.