Topic: Heart disease, heart attacks, cholesterol problems & the lot

[soxfan]

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[kavah]

sounds serious. I hope its fixable mate.

I'm just interested why you had all the tests done if there were no symptoms? Was it just a regular physical?
Sounds like you're in good hands anyway, Boston is probably the best place on the planet to get sick (if you've got insurance like

all the best

[TepidT2O]

A leaky valve can be relatively simple to fix can't it?

Ok, no heart op is simple, but sometimes I think they can get away with putting a stitch in the valve to tighten things up.

Good luck though!

[Fiasco]

I'm only 21 but it's always been something that's worried me. Throughout my life my diet has been poor, I'm a fussy eater and it's only been the past couple of years that's I've expanded my diet. I've been up and down with my weight, oscillating from 10-14 stone. Again, the past two years or so I've lost 3 stone and I am quite stable, exercise a lot more and stuff like that. I suffer with health anxiety so I fear that a lot of damage has already been done. I've had tests done, ECG's that have all came back clear. I don't smoke so I guess that's a bonus. I suffer a lot with chest pains and palpitations and have done for a while but my GP has assured me that's down to my anxiety in general.

Cholesterol is a problem on my Nan's side. She's had a quadruple by-pass and her valve replaced. My mum and dad's cholesterol is OK from what I know but I don't think it would hurt getting mine checked. It's never ever too early to start looking after your heart. Soxfan I hope everything comes back clear mate, let us know how it goes with the cardiologist.

[TepidT2O]

You are 21, you don't smoke.

That's massively outweighing you eating a bit unhealthily at the age of 21.

Eat healthier and you will be gone for decades.

[soxfan]

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[soxfan]

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[Pheeny]

Both my parents and one sibling died from heart related issues.

More or less why I stopped smoking and exercise daily.

[mart356]

I've a few issues with my heart. For the past couple of years i've had an arrythmia of some sort, a very random, uncomfotable momentary change in the beating of my heart, and it's worried me for a long time. I also have an incredibly fast heart when i carry out activities. For example going up the stairs get's my heart going 100 miles an hour, again it's pretty worrying. I've been to the GP several times, and had a few ECG's carried out. They showed nothing, but there's definitely something wrong, so i've gone back recently and they are going to book me to have a 24 hour ECG trace. I'm going to try and convince them to give me an ECHO and treadmill test. It's frustrating as I've felt for ages the Doctor's i've seen are just so reluctant to do anything. It's taken me over a year of going just to get a 24 hour trace.

Anyone had anything similiar?

[Dublin Red]

Bookmarking this one.

I'm 44, and got put on blood pressure tablets 3 years ago approx after a visit to GP for bad sore throat revealed I'd really high blood pressure.  Hadn't been to a GP in about 10-15 years before that.

Since then cholesterol has gotten higher - 5.9 on last occasion, so he's now put me on tables for that too.

My father died of heart attack aged 71 a couple of years ago (he'd a quadruple bypass aged 57), so i'm defo in an at risk category.

Doc has advised me to go have a coronary angiogram to check if there's any blockages so gonna do that next couple of weeks. Bit worried about the outcome of that one.

Will let you know how I get on.

[soxfan]

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[soxfan]

Doc has advised me to go have a coronary angiogram to check if there's any blockages so gonna do that next couple of weeks. Bit worried about the outcome of that one.

Will let you know how I get on.

Good luck my friend, we're rooting for you.

[mart356]

It's your life, and you have rights. There are other hospitals around, so go and get another opinion. Try to get into the best cardiac unit in your area. And yes, I agree with the echocardiogram and stress test. They didn't see my valve problem until I had those done. And perhaps you don't have anything major, so having those tests come out negative will ease your mind about having anything bad. You win either way.

Very true, i've sort of just whimped out the last few times i've been, and just listened to what they say, but next time i'm going to make them give me some more tests, and not leave until they agree.

[Banquo's Ghost]

I've a few issues with my heart. For the past couple of years i've had an arrythmia of some sort, a very random, uncomfotable momentary change in the beating of my heart, and it's worried me for a long time. I also have an incredibly fast heart when i carry out activities. For example going up the stairs get's my heart going 100 miles an hour, again it's pretty worrying. I've been to the GP several times, and had a few ECG's carried out. They showed nothing, but there's definitely something wrong, so i've gone back recently and they are going to book me to have a 24 hour ECG trace. I'm going to try and convince them to give me an ECHO and treadmill test. It's frustrating as I've felt for ages the Doctor's i've seen are just so reluctant to do anything. It's taken me over a year of going just to get a 24 hour trace.

Anyone had anything similiar?

Hopefully, I can settle your mind - though as soxfan writes, you should try and get all the tests covered just in case.

I had symptoms very like yours - occasional arrhythmia (quite disconcerting) and episodes of fast heartbeat. I was given the full review including a 24 hr trace (in those days, one was strapped to a thing like a cassette recorder) on three separate occasions.

Partly it was due to stress. Secondly, I was not fit enough - I had tended to reduce exercise routines each time I got an excessive heart rate, thus becoming a bit of a vicious circle - I had been very fit previously when in the Army. There was also a slight chemical imbalance which was easily addressed by a slight changing of diet, and by drinking a lot less alcohol.

Twenty years later, I don't have any of the symptoms any more. I exercise well, eat healthily and hardly drink alcohol. The prompt to change poor habits that weren't as yet ingrained was a good one, so it turned out well.

[rob1966]

I'm 47 (almost 48 now) and from when I was about 28-29, I started just throwing up for no reason. Over the next year or so it got a lot worse, so bad that at times I couldn't keep food down. Had all kinds of tests, camera down the throat etc. Went through a cancer scare after one of the tests and eventually I was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia.

Over the following year I noticed I was starting to get weaker, I thought I was getting unfit, the lads at work started asking if I'd been eating garlic as my breath stank at times. One day I noticed my legs were really swollen, so I popped to A&E. They did an ECG, then I saw some stupid doctor who asked was I doing drugs, said my ecg was fine, measured my calves and said as they were both the same size there was nothing wrong. Couple of days later, my legs swelled up again so I went to see my GP. He was genuinely worried, but as the hospital had said the ECG was fine, he sent me to a liver specialist. Anyway, after 2 months of tests, they came to the conclusion there was something wrong with my heart, but they didn't know what. I was told I wasn't allowed to do anything, including dishes and a heart transplant was mentioned at one point.

Over the next four months I was tested for all kinds, the consultant was just working through, eliminating one thing at a time. I had one test, which he told me there was no way I had what I was being checked for. When the results came back he said he thought I had this thing, but he'd never personally seen it, so he was having to look at text books. I was then sent to Wythenshaw to see a doctor and he confirmed I had constrictive pericaditis, a very rare condition where the pericardium (the thin membrane that surrounds and protects the heart) gets inflamed. Mine was so badly inflamed that my heart couldn't expand as it beat, it was battering away at 114bpm at rest, trying its hardest to keep me alive. My kidneys and liver weren't working properly and I was retaining massive amounts of fluid all over my body, I couldn't walk any kind of distance as was knackered all the time.

I now had a choice, surgery or die, so I chose surgery  . I was done in July 1999 at 32 years of age, chest opened up and they removed as much of the pericardium as they could. I didn't go on the bypass machine as they said they didn't want to actually remove my heart from the chest cavity, so they operated with it in situ. I lost 2 stone over the next 2 days as my body finally got rid of the fluid I'd been retaining. The doctors said my pericardium was 10mm thick when it should be about 1mm.

About 6 months after the op, my heart enlarged, but luckily it went back to normal size. I'm now fine and other than a massive scar on my chest, you'd never know what I'd been through.

[mart356]

Hopefully, I can settle your mind - though as soxfan writes, you should try and get all the tests covered just in case.

I had symptoms very like yours - occasional arrhythmia (quite disconcerting) and episodes of fast heartbeat. I was given the full review including a 24 hr trace (in those days, one was strapped to a thing like a cassette recorder) on three separate occasions.

Partly it was due to stress. Secondly, I was not fit enough - I had tended to reduce exercise routines each time I got an excessive heart rate, thus becoming a bit of a vicious circle - I had been very fit previously when in the Army. There was also a slight chemical imbalance which was easily addressed by a slight changing of diet, and by drinking a lot less alcohol.

Twenty years later, I don't have any of the symptoms any more. I exercise well, eat healthily and hardly drink alcohol. The prompt to change poor habits that weren't as yet ingrained was a good one, so it turned out well.

Thank you for the reply. The bit I highlighted relates to me so much and something I've explained to my GP too. I get so worried about how fast my heart goes when I exercise, or even go up a flight of stairs, that I just avoid it completely, which obviously makes me even more unfit and my heart goes even faster. A vicious circle as you say. Obviously i'm going to go in and (try) to make them give me an ECHO, but your reply settled my nerves a bit. I'm also a very anxious person, so stress could be playing a part.

[BCCC]

Since we have a thread on cancer, the enemy of many of our family and friends, I thought it might be good to have one on the other big one: heart disease and its related issues.

Feel free to talk about whatever problems you or your loved ones have. I'm sure many here have experienced them too and can give you some insight.

To start off, I actually have a question. Last week I was diagnosed with a slight leak in my mitral valve. Does anyone here have experience iving with this?

I had all sorts of tests done, including an echocardiogram and stress test on a treadmill. Other than the valve, my heart is in top shape. No big risk of heart attack and my cholesterol levels are good.  My resting heart rate was running between 52-60 with a low of 47 (!!), which was great for a healthy person according to the cardiologist. I am not yet experiencing any of the early symptoms of a mitral valve leak which tend to be fatigue and some palpitations. By sheer luck I actually managed to get an appointment for a 2nd opinion with the chief of cardiology at one of the top US heart hospitals in Boston later this month. Looking forward to his thoughts.

Thanks for any advice. And again, to anyone else, post your issues here and maybe others will chime in and help out.   

I had the exact same condition mate. I'm currently recovering from heart surgery for it that was performed in June. Like you I had all the tests that showed other than a leaky mitral valve (most people have it to some extent) my arteries are clear and I had no other issues. I was referred for port access surgery which negates the need for open heart surgery and the complications of cutting the breast bone.

As I do a bit of cycling and that's how I became aware of the condition, I tend to post my updates in there so there's some progress reports you can refer to. I have developed arrhythmia post op and am back in for another procedure to try to correct this soon.

[BCCC]

Doc has advised me to go have a coronary angiogram to check if there's any blockages so gonna do that next couple of weeks. Bit worried about the outcome of that one.

Will let you know how I get on.

Don't need to worry mate, it's a straightforward procedure. Out of all the tests this was the one I was most worried about but although a strange feeling it wasn't painful at all and you're in and out in a day.

In preparation they get you to shave your groin so I did mine and the bastards ended up going in through my wrist.

[Dublin Red]

Don't need to worry mate, it's a straightforward procedure. Out of all the tests this was the one I was most worried about but although a strange feeling it wasn't painful at all and you're in and out in a day.

In preparation they get you to shave your groin so I did mine and the bastards ended up going in through my wrist.

Cheers, I'm rather more worried about the outcome than the procedure itself though.

I read about the groin bit, hoping they go in through the wrist myself! You don't need to shave in advance from what I've read, they do it if needs be.

[BCCC]

Cheers, I'm rather more worried about the outcome than the procedure itself though.

I read about the groin bit, hoping they go in through the wrist myself! You don't need to shave in advance from what I've read, they do it if needs be.

Got to be positive, you'll know where you stand afterwards and be able to get the right treatment if necessary or maybe even none is required. My admission letter told me to shave in advance and the nurse checked my handiwork on admission but the doc decided wrist. Our NHS trust must be voyeurs, sadists or both.

[RedSince86]

Since we have a thread on cancer, the enemy of many of our family and friends, I thought it might be good to have one on the other big one: heart disease and its related issues.

Feel free to talk about whatever problems you or your loved ones have. I'm sure many here have experienced them too and can give you some insight.

To start off, I actually have a question. Last week I was diagnosed with a slight leak in my mitral valve. Does anyone here have experience iving with this?

I had all sorts of tests done, including an echocardiogram and stress test on a treadmill. Other than the valve, my heart is in top shape. No big risk of heart attack and my cholesterol levels are good.  My resting heart rate was running between 52-60 with a low of 47 (!!), which was great for a healthy person according to the cardiologist. I am not yet experiencing any of the early symptoms of a mitral valve leak which tend to be fatigue and some palpitations. By sheer luck I actually managed to get an appointment for a 2nd opinion with the chief of cardiology at one of the top US heart hospitals in Boston later this month. Looking forward to his thoughts.

Thanks for any advice. And again, to anyone else, post your issues here and maybe others will chime in and help out. 

Is that the same hopsital who gave a 2nd opinion on loic remy.

[soxfan]

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[soxfan]

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[BCCC]

Thanks! When I have some time I'll go and find your posts in the cycling thread. Good luck with your recovery, hopefully the arrhythmia clears up. What exactly will they do to fix that?

It will be a second cardioversion, the first was done in hospital about 6 days after my op. Basically it's a "jump start" using a defibrillator that shocks the heart back into normal or sinus rhythm. Sometimes it works and sometimes it drops back into arrhythmia as mine did about a week after I came out of hospital.

[mart356]

Had my 24 hour ECG earlier this week. It was quite frustrating, in the sense that the thing i'm most worried about is the random arrythmia that happens, I was hoping it would happen whilst I had the gear on so they could see what I was on about, but it didn't, and lo and behold, a few hours after the wires were off it did it, twice.

[TSC]

I'm only 21 but it's always been something that's worried me. Throughout my life my diet has been poor, I'm a fussy eater and it's only been the past couple of years that's I've expanded my diet. I've been up and down with my weight, oscillating from 10-14 stone. Again, the past two years or so I've lost 3 stone and I am quite stable, exercise a lot more and stuff like that. I suffer with health anxiety so I fear that a lot of damage has already been done. I've had tests done, ECG's that have all came back clear. I don't smoke so I guess that's a bonus. I suffer a lot with chest pains and palpitations and have done for a while but my GP has assured me that's down to my anxiety in general.

Cholesterol is a problem on my Nan's side. She's had a quadruple by-pass and her valve replaced. My mum and dad's cholesterol is OK from what I know but I don't think it would hurt getting mine checked. It's never ever too early to start looking after your heart. Soxfan I hope everything comes back clear mate, let us know how it goes with the cardiologist.

Get a grip.  You're 21 not 61.  At your age I was a washed up mess in between fortnights on Ibiza, Kavos, etc.  You've about 5 decades to go before worrying about health.

[Latenight Surfer]

Get a grip.  You're 21 not 61.  At your age I was a washed up mess in between fortnights on Ibiza, Kavos, etc.  You've about 5 decades to go before worrying about health.

  

[soxfan]

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[BCCC]

Soxfan, great that you have a diagnosis but not so great that you are not being listed for surgery now. I got the diagnosis for mitral valve regurgitation and was referred directly to a specialist to discuss surgery. Luckily he explained the change in thinking with regards to performing this surgery sooner rather than later. The main reason is quality of life, why spend 10+ years of younger adult life suffering and waiting for definite surgery when you could be getting the most out of life? Secondly your body will recover more easily from the surgery now rather than in 10+ years.

If I were you I'd be back to argue your case for quality of life and get listed otherwise you'll be like a car being run for 10 years before getting a tune up only to find that the other parts have worn out.

My surgery was a success and hopefully now the atrial fibrillation is under control. I feel better now than I did five years ago only 3 months after surgery and I turn 50 this week. If you send me a pm I'll pass on the name of my consultant, he may be able to write to yours in support.

Best of luck.

[Guz-kop]

Soxfan, great that you have a diagnosis but not so great that you are not being listed for surgery now. I got the diagnosis for mitral valve regurgitation and was referred directly to a specialist to discuss surgery. Luckily he explained the change in thinking with regards to performing this surgery sooner rather than later. The main reason is quality of life, why spend 10+ years of younger adult life suffering and waiting for definite surgery when you could be getting the most out of life? Secondly your body will recover more easily from the surgery now rather than in 10+ years.

If I were you I'd be back to argue your case for quality of life and get listed otherwise you'll be like a car being run for 10 years before getting a tune up only to find that the other parts have worn out.

My surgery was a success and hopefully now the atrial fibrillation is under control. I feel better now than I did five years ago only 3 months after surgery and I turn 50 this week. If you send me a pm I'll pass on the name of my consultant, he may be able to write to yours in support.

Best of luck.

if one isn't experiencing ANY symptoms why on earth go through surgery?

Interesting how health views in the US are so different.

[TepidT2O]

BCCC I read all your info, good luck to you. You gave me some insight, thanks.

Well here's my update. As I said earlier in the thread, I was scheduled to see a really top cardiologist to review the findings of my local hospital. They had said I had mild mitral valve regurgitation. Well, I saw the new doc Thursday & he disagreed -- watched my echo with me, explaining everything. I have a prolapsed posterior leaflet and have moderate regurgitation, not mild. He said I am 50/50 for heart surgery within about 10-15 years to repair the valve. Lovely.  Of course the worse part would be the deteriorating symptoms beforehand while I'm still trying to work. I'm not really worried about the surgery as it has less than 1% mortality.

Almost as if on cue, I've had palpitations every day this week, worsened by coffee. I'm wondering if it is partially in my head as I wasn't bothered much by them before. Not scared by them, just annoyed at the fluttering. Anyway, I've got to live my life and be thankful I don't have a more serious problem like some do (cancer, etc). I am thankful -- this is fixable, it won't kill me. But I just am a bit down this weekend knowing that I have this chest pain, fluttering and later on some worsening fatigue crap to look forward to for the next 5, 10, 20 years, who knows how long?   

I know someone who has had the exact same problem as you.

But they had the problem at 25 and it was far more serious than yours.

They had to have the op fairly urgently as the surgeon reckoned it may have had serious side effects otherwise.

Anyway, they opened him up, put a couple of stictches in and he's never looked back and has had no side effects since.

It wasn't nice having the op, but was a lot more routine than you might think.

Just thought this might put it in some context for you, it's not as bad as you might think.

[BCCC]

if one isn't experiencing ANY symptoms why on earth go through surgery?

Interesting how health views in the US are so different.

If one isn't experiencing any symptoms why would one go to the doctor in the first place?

[Guz-kop]

If one isn't experiencing any symptoms why would one go to the doctor in the first place?

I have absolutely no idea. Some people in countries where the health service allows it do, however because they are concerned for other reasons.

[capt k]

Almost as if on cue, I've had palpitations every day this week, worsened by coffee.

I got off the coffee a month or so ago for this very reason. late night palpitations, would fall asleep and within a few minutes both arms "dead"  and hanging like wet spaghetti ,fingers feeling like  gloves filled with concrete.
i was drinking far too much coffee for years tho, at least 10 cups a day. Now just a few cups of tea and a lot more water and its no where near as bad.

[soxfan]

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[soxfan]

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[soxfan]

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[swoopy]

In late January I had a bit of an episode at work where I had some chest pain and my heart rate sped up to being much faster than normal. After about 2 hours I decided it was time to go to A&E to get it looked at. By the time they'd done an ECG all had calmed down again and was asked to see my GP. He sent me for a blood test which showed I had a slight iron deficiency. Put on iron pills and thought nothing more of it.

In mid-February the same happened again and my heart sped up faster than it should be mid-afternoon. I again went to A&E and all had calmed down by the time an ECG was performed. I was asked to go to my GP again. This time he put me on some beta blockers.

I've been feeling very tired at times and getting dizzy sensations, and no one seems to be able to find what's causing it.

Last Tuesday (15th March) the same thing happened again as I was preparing to go to bed. This time it didn't stop or slow down and started getting worse. Back to A&E and we go .... This time when an ECG was performed they managed to capture many palpatation and things not beating quite right. My heart rate was getting as high at 218 beats per minute which is a bit worrying when you're lying there seeing the monitor being set off constantly! Tried me on some stronger doses of beta blockers and although it came down, it wasn't coming down enough.
Was admitted to hospital and put on a telemetry machine which was monitored by the CCU ward. Mid-morning last Wednesday was moved to CCU who performed an ECHO of my heart and confirmed that the structure of it was fine (thankfully!) but it was not beating correctly. Couldn't even get out of bed to go for a wee as it would shoot back up to 190 beats per minute. CCU were planning to put me to see and performing Cardioversion on me, but about an hour before this was due to take place my heart rate came back down to a normal rate of about 75 beats per minute. In total I was in this state for a total of 19 hours of raised heart rate which was slightly scary.

I have been diagnosed with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

Not sure if I am going to be having an ablation carried out or anything yet but things are going to be monitored over the next few weeks and I'm being kept on Bisoprolol Blockers. Trying to stay positive that only at the age of 25 that this has happened to me. Even more gutted I've pretty much got to remove beer from my life, but thinking happy of all the money I'm going to be saving
Had to cancel a cruise I was due to go on in 6 weeks which I've been looking forward to for just over a year which has got me a bit down, but it's not being covered by the travel insurance hopefully until we get it under control, and it's far too much of a risk going to the US without cover for this unless I have another episode.

Chest has been a bit sore since Wednesday but I believe this is normal and my body adjusting to the new pills...

From doing a quick RAWK search I can see I'm not the only one who's had this. Any advice from anyone on how to live with this? Thanks

[BCCC]

I have Paroxysmal AF swoopy and is a result of heart surgery for a torn Mitral Valve. Op went ok but developed AF as a result post op. I suffer from a low irregular beat that happens during the night and ealy morning when I'm resting. I'm currently on warfain to control clots blood clots which are a result of AF and put me at risk of a stroke. I don't let it affect me and keep active by cycling as much as I can but I have virtually stopped drinking, I've only had a pint since Christmas and don't miss it (maybe the quality of the draught Budweiser in The Sandon helped).

Luckily I don't get palpatations or a racing heart rate so don't need beta blockers even though I was offered them and listed for a pacemaker that I declined. You'll come to terms with it soon and then learn to live with it. The only advice I can give is listen to your body and consider carefully any treatment you are recommended. Don't be scared of asking questions of the doctors and specialists including alternative treatments to those recommended, ask why that treatment above all the others? No doubt you will read up on stuff from the net but remember there's both good and bad advice out there. Your condition is unique to you even though everyone will try to fit you into a category.

Good luck with it, keep us informed.

[swoopy]

Thanks BCCC

I'm already starting to get used to it. I think if anything it will start to help me eat better and especially lack of booze will help my overall health and probably lose a bit of weight!
At the moment I'm just a the worried stage of what can I / can't I do without triggering it off. On Sunday went out for a little walk and then lied down to go to bed. Shortly after lying down, my heart started racing again but thankfully it only lasted for 20 seconds before returning to normal.

Today is the first day I've been feeling really good actually. Every morning I've found myself alarmingly tired or dizzy. But today I feel quite bright and chirpy which is good. Still getting the odd bit of pain around the left side of the chest area but I believe this is something that may last for a few weeks and a side effect of Bisoprol. It's not worrying me which I suppose is the most important thing.

Been reading all about possible treatments as you say, I know there are various things that can be done. People seem overly worried about me at the moment and looking for specialists etc. but I'd rather just let it play out as normal at the moment by getting the Telemetry Monitor on for a few days and letting them see what they can find.

Glad to hear you are able to go out bike riding and get on with your life as normal. Thanks for the support