malibu82
Well-known member
so with the constant chest pain/pressure and last echo results i have realized i can not move forward until i know exactly what is going on. so i made an appointment to see the cardiologist today downtown at northwestern. i am very happy i did.
she was very real with me, and genuinely cared about the fact that i am still having problems. she also wants me to move forward of course. so i explained all of my aches, pains, worries, concerns with her. she answered all them kindly and truthful. she wants me to get a cardiac mri which i am so happy about. she said they are equal to a ct scan in my case to see what is going on if anything.
she said she believes the aches and pains to be musculoskeletal, and that it may just be something i have to learn to live with. it may be something that goes on for the rest of my life - the new "normal" for me
i asked her realistically, when does she think i will need another surgery? she said probably 5-10 years, she is obviously hoping for the 10 years.
i asked her if with the current status of my valve can i still have a child? she said she would say yes but would like to wait for the cardiac mri results before we jump into anything. i told her my local cardiologist told me that i should wait a year and then decide after another echo and she said she thinks he is just being conservative and that she sees patients in this condition and is comfortable in talking about pregnancy being a definite possibility.
i asked her about the relation of the anerysm graft affecting the actual numbers and readings on the echo about my aortic valve, and she said she went over it with their top echo-cardiogram tech, and they agree that my valve looks great and is functioning perfectly, and that the graft can sometimes affect readings.
i told her i had a situation last week where i woke up in the middle of the night to pee, and while i was sitting there i was counting my heart beat because it seemed slow, then suddenly for about 45 seconds it got so fast i could barely count it, then went back to normal. she said that if it starts to happen regularly to let her know because she wants to throw another halter monitor on me.
she also told me that she doesn't believe i am having phantom pains and that my pain is real. so that was comforting. she also told me the surgeons nurse was worried to hear i was still having problems because they don't want me to live like this. i told them the dizziness is gone and they were so happy. they couldn't believe getting glasses fixed it!
so when i told her that i was so glad i am getting answers because i dont want to go on anxiety meds because of this, she said that there are studies that in heart patients 40 and under there is higher incidences of anxiety and depression. she said they have two psychiatrists at the hospital that only see heart patients so it might be beneficial to have a visit or two with them. i think so too. i think that might help me.
and of course she wants me to go back to cardiac rehab! thank god i could use some structured work out time away from the house.
then it was cool we sat for 20 minutes talking about our kids and different things about raising children! she has 3 similar ages as mine.
im so happy i went down there today..i am so glad she was honest and answered my questions the way i expected her to without dancing around the answers.
i do like my local cardio, but i think i might just stick to using them for my cardiology and say my goodbyes to the local doctor. its only a 40 minute drive downtown....
so my cardiac MRI is on january 31st. so thats about all i know for now. thanks everyone for listening and always being there for me without making me feel so stupid!
she was very real with me, and genuinely cared about the fact that i am still having problems. she also wants me to move forward of course. so i explained all of my aches, pains, worries, concerns with her. she answered all them kindly and truthful. she wants me to get a cardiac mri which i am so happy about. she said they are equal to a ct scan in my case to see what is going on if anything.
she said she believes the aches and pains to be musculoskeletal, and that it may just be something i have to learn to live with. it may be something that goes on for the rest of my life - the new "normal" for me
i asked her realistically, when does she think i will need another surgery? she said probably 5-10 years, she is obviously hoping for the 10 years.
i asked her if with the current status of my valve can i still have a child? she said she would say yes but would like to wait for the cardiac mri results before we jump into anything. i told her my local cardiologist told me that i should wait a year and then decide after another echo and she said she thinks he is just being conservative and that she sees patients in this condition and is comfortable in talking about pregnancy being a definite possibility.
i asked her about the relation of the anerysm graft affecting the actual numbers and readings on the echo about my aortic valve, and she said she went over it with their top echo-cardiogram tech, and they agree that my valve looks great and is functioning perfectly, and that the graft can sometimes affect readings.
i told her i had a situation last week where i woke up in the middle of the night to pee, and while i was sitting there i was counting my heart beat because it seemed slow, then suddenly for about 45 seconds it got so fast i could barely count it, then went back to normal. she said that if it starts to happen regularly to let her know because she wants to throw another halter monitor on me.
she also told me that she doesn't believe i am having phantom pains and that my pain is real. so that was comforting. she also told me the surgeons nurse was worried to hear i was still having problems because they don't want me to live like this. i told them the dizziness is gone and they were so happy. they couldn't believe getting glasses fixed it!
so when i told her that i was so glad i am getting answers because i dont want to go on anxiety meds because of this, she said that there are studies that in heart patients 40 and under there is higher incidences of anxiety and depression. she said they have two psychiatrists at the hospital that only see heart patients so it might be beneficial to have a visit or two with them. i think so too. i think that might help me.
and of course she wants me to go back to cardiac rehab! thank god i could use some structured work out time away from the house.
then it was cool we sat for 20 minutes talking about our kids and different things about raising children! she has 3 similar ages as mine.
im so happy i went down there today..i am so glad she was honest and answered my questions the way i expected her to without dancing around the answers.
i do like my local cardio, but i think i might just stick to using them for my cardiology and say my goodbyes to the local doctor. its only a 40 minute drive downtown....
so my cardiac MRI is on january 31st. so thats about all i know for now. thanks everyone for listening and always being there for me without making me feel so stupid!
