Have you had a echocardiogram yet? Any medication for something like this? I understand how its still scary but now you can take measures for it.
EKG is part of the Treadmill Stress Test; it’s basically running on a treadmill with the EKG. I also had the before/after running Ultrasound of my heart, and a bubble test; which is where they found the hole. They saw some weird blood mixing on the ultrasound, then injected air bubbles into my bloodstream and watched the ultrasound to see if the bubbles crossed over/were on the side of the heart they weren’t supposed to be… and they were.
No meds for the hypertension at this point, I’m JUST over the limits and into the mild; as such it should be treatable with exercise and diet change. And to Fry’s point, the diet has been changing/research has been done for a while. I had a bad Triglyceride test a year ago that prompted a huge diet change + meds, and I now have that mostly under control; this is just some further refinement of the diet plus trying to add in gym time, which is now a necessity. (EMBA + work + family = limited time; have to add gym time in now which makes it worse, but I have no choice at this point!!!).
Nothing can be done at this point for the hole. It’s not large enough and not causing any real serious symptoms where we need to worry about it. Just need to monitor it and be aware of it for now. Which means a Stress Test/Ultrasound every couple years from now on.
:tup: Good luck dude.
I was talking about the ultrasound. I know they do a ekg during the stress test. I wore one for 2 weeks and also had a few done at dr’s.
Well… shit happens… Looks more like an ASD than a PFO… More tests to determine if I need to have the hole patched. Go in the end of next month for a transesophageal echocardiogram to asses the size/location of the hole.
ASD…PFO? Stop speaking Lockheed!
I assume not what you wanted to hear. That sucks.
so an anti-slip differential instead of a pizza for one?
PFO - Patant Formane Ovale - It’s the “bypass” valve for your lungs between the 2 small chambers of your heart (Left & Right Atrium). It’s open when you’re in-utero (you’re not breathing/using your lungs when you’re inside your mom); and closes upon birth. It normally seals permanently by the time you’re 3 years old. 20-25% of the population the flaps that make up the valve don’t completely seal, and “blow open” to some degree when you’re heart is stressed. This is what they originally thought; that I was one of the 20-25%.
ASD - Atrial Septal Defect - The Atrium (left and right) are the small chambers in your heart. There’s a wall they have in common, the Septum. And a Defect, is well a defect; in this case it’s a hole in that wall; which is supposed to be a solid wall. The hole allows un-oxygenated blood (pre-lung blood) to mix with oxygenated (post lung) blood. Thus my heart never pumps “fully oxygenated” blood, it’s always some lower % oxygen than it’s supposed to be. This is what my Cardiologist is 90% sure it is instead; I’m shunting (Mixing the blood) at rest, not just when my heart is stressed.
I’ve got a test in a month to verify the problem and determine if I need heart surgery or not.
Fucking scary shit. Even though the repair is not open heart surgery, and can be fixed via a catheter from the thigh. Doesn’t matter.
Makes you look at life a little different when you have a ticker issue… And a 18 month old…
Damn dude, hope it all clears up well for ya.
God damn. Feel better my friend. Hopefully it gets straightened out.
I’m here if you need anything.
Thanks!
I’ll know a lot more the first week of March. I’ll keep people posted if they’re interested.