Member-only story
How old can you get with Tetralogy of Fallot? TOF heart condition.
With untreated or “uncorrected” patients only 3% survive past the age of 40. But as with all things, there are exceptions to this. If the condition is corrected early the patient has a normal life expectancy. Even with corrective operations later, life expectancy can be normal.
I was wondering what the life expectancy is of a Tetralogy of Fallot baby because I am one. My TOF was corrected with surgery in 1976 in Bloemfontein South Africa. Except for some problems with Atrial Fibrillation I have lived a normal and full life. My name is Janco Vorster and I am a Tetralogy of Fallot survivor. I blog about Tetralogy of Fallot, Atrial Fibrillation, Ectopic heartbeats, PAC, Anxiety, Panic attacks, and #thoughtarrest. What is Tetralogy of Fallot, how serious is it and what are some of the success stories?
HOW SERIOUS IS TETRALOGY OF FALLOT?
If infants who have Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) are not treated their condition will in most cases become more severe. They can have “TET spells” which is caused by a rapid drop in oxygen in the blood. It can be seen in the skin, lips and nails becoming blue, usually after feeding, crying or when they are agitated. It is most common in infants from 2–4 months old.