A woman who had been experiencing dizzy spells for years, attributing them to her lack of fitness, was surprised to learn that she had been living with two uncommon heart conditions.
Denisa Fraser, 33, from Horsham, West Sussex, had been disregarding her dizzy spells and feelings of faintness, assuming they were due to her poor physical condition or stress. However, during a complimentary workplace health assessment at the Clevedon Clinic London Hospital in March 2026, she was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a rare heart rhythm disorder.
Further examinations revealed that Denisa had a large coronary sinus diverticulum, a rare abnormal pouch in a vein of her heart that complicated the treatment process. After undergoing two procedures to identify and address the irregular electrical pathways in her heart, including an extensive eight-hour surgery, she was able to resume physical activities without experiencing any symptoms.
Originally from Czechia, Denisa confessed, “I genuinely thought everyone felt like that. I thought it was just going to be an MOT because I considered myself healthy.” She had been practicing yoga, attending spin classes, and taking up running, attributing her struggles during running sessions to her lack of fitness.
Denisa frequently experienced episodes where her heart would race, leading to dizziness and faintness. She also encountered heart palpitations at work but brushed them off as stress-related, believing these symptoms were normal occurrences.
Assuming that improving her fitness level would resolve her issues, Denisa intensified her running routine and even tried cold plunges to regulate her heart rate. However, a routine heart check during a workplace health assessment raised concerns, leading to further investigations.
During a procedure that was anticipated to last around 30 minutes, medical professionals triggered one of Denisa’s abnormal heart rhythms within minutes, causing her heart rate to spike to 260 beats per minute. Specialists identified more complexities than expected and decided to conduct additional examinations while Denisa was under general anesthesia for over three hours.
Ultimately, Denisa was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and a rare vein pouch in her heart that required a second operation lasting eight hours on May 22. Despite facing challenges during the initial recovery period, she noticed significant improvements soon after.
Following the second surgery, Denisa experienced a calmer heart rate, improved breathing, and a general sense of tranquility throughout her daily activities. Reflecting on her journey, Denisa emphasized the importance of not neglecting persistent symptoms and encouraged others not to disregard potential health concerns.
She advised, “If you’re offered a health check, just do it. Don’t assume you’re not in the risky category because you’re young or active.” Denisa urged people, especially women, not to dismiss symptoms as stress-related or normal occurrences, emphasizing the significance of addressing underlying health issues promptly.