Member Profiles
ANDREA
Hi,
My name is Andrea and I was recently diagnosed with Idiopathic Dilated
Cardiomyopathy. On January 26, 2002 I went to the emergency because i was tired
and becoming short of breath. The ER said i was having an anxiety attack. They
put me in a little room all the way in the back and I was finally taking for a
chest x-ray. The next thing I know I am being wheeled to the trauma room and
they're telling my husband he has to wait outside. Never, never in a million
years would i have ever thought i was in major congestive heart failure. I was
so stunned I didn't know what to do. Isn't that something that happens to older
patient. My step father had suffered from it but he didn't take care of himself
didn't listen to his doctors. I exercised four days a week ate healthy didn't
drink or smoke; never did drugs (which the doctors asked over and over). Later
they did and echo and told me that I would have probably died if i had not come
in then. It took two and half weeks for them to get me stable enough to go home.
I celebrated my daughters 3rd birthday in the hospital. The doctor was almost in
tears when he told me i couldn't have children and would probably need
transplant surgery. They told me i would never work again, It looked pretty grim
for the next year and half. The beta blocker they put me on finally began to
work and i slowly began to improve. I have an internal defibrillator that has
gone of too many times for me. I had a rapid heart rate anytime i tried to do
any thing physical and they didn't know what to do. They finally preformed a
Ablation this January and it so far has worked. My heart function is great for
me and i feel much better and i am so greatfull to be here to watch my daughter
grow. My only complaint is the weight gain. I am 5'3" and weigh 162 pounds
nothing i do seems to keep it off or get rid of any of it. I exercise 5 days a
week for an hour and do strength training three days a week i also do weight
watchers all to no avail. I am writing this hoping some one has had similar
problems and can offer some solutions and to share experiences with others
dealing with heart disease.
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