Pain was so bad I feared I was having heart attack
Staggies new boy Josh opens up on health scare that threatened career
JOSH SIMS will never forget the terrifying moment a stabbing arrow of pain shot through his chest.
The previously super fit, rising star of the Premier League feared he was having a heart attack at 24.
Although taken to hospital feeling unwell in the weeks before, once in the back of an ambulance this was different and by far the worst episode.
The incident happened at the Southampton winger’s home last July, just the latest in a run of serious health issues following a bout of Covid-19 in January 2021.
Sims, now at Ross County, said: “It was a horrible pain.
“Lying there, I just thought this can’t be happening to me.
“As a young, fit guy, you don’t expect something like that. I thought surely it couldn’t be a heart attack but that was my fear.
“It was very scary and I knew I needed help.”
Never feeling quite the same after Covid, the rarely injured Sims started picking up problems while on loan at Doncaster.
Then came a hellish spell of unexplained lethargy, lost appetite and weight loss that was finally diagnosed as ulcerative colitis – the same illness that faced Darren Fletcher at Manchester United.
He could feel wiped out 30 minutes into a match. A
few weeks after his terrifying heart episode, it was explained as myocarditis – inflammation of the heart brought on as a highly rare side effect of tablets taken for colitis.
Sims feared he may never play again.
After nine months of hell, including six during which he was warned off any kind of serious physical exercise until heart swelling subsided, County stepped in with a two-and-a-half-year deal. Sims is just relieved to be back on the training ground and thinking about matches for the first time since May.
He said: “It has been a very long journey for me.
“It is over a year ago now since I first got Covid, then ulcerative colitis and then my heart scare.
“I’ll probably never know if it all started with Covid but the theory behind what happened in the summer is that my body reacted badly to the tablets I’d been on.
“It was just a super rare side effect that no one could have seen coming, causing inflammation of my heart.
“I’m through all that now and I’ve been able to rebuild my fitness in the last couple of months.
“At one point I did wonder if I could play again.
“I had all these horrible thoughts, just as big Championship clubs in
England were supposedly talking about signing me.
“To be back playing now, I’m forever grateful to everyone who has helped me, including Southampton who stuck with me.
“I almost had it all taken away from me.
“I’m more hungry than ever now to do well, not just for myself but for County and everyone who has helped me.
“Earlier this week was my first time back on a training ground with the boys. It was brilliant to be back.”
Staggies manager Malky Mackay, preparing to face Hibs today, said: “Josh is someone who has got great potential. He’s got Premier League experience.
“It will take a little bit of time just to get him up to speed but I’m really excited to get him.”
At one point I did wonder if I could play again. I had all these horrible thoughts JOSH SIMS FEARED HEALTH PROBLEMS WOULD PUT PAID TO CAREER IN GAME HE LOVES