Recently my
echo cardiograms have shown a
deterioration in my ejection fraction. That is basically the measure of how
efficient your heart pumps out blood. This
deterioration is believed to be a result of my chemotherapy. Okay, I am willing to have some heart impact as long as the cancer is gone. Well, my oncologist wanted me to follow up with a cardiologist to confirm the results and see what their recommendation was in regards to starting up on the
Herceptin for the remaining 6 months. The cardiologist said that the current ejection fraction is
manageable...no major impact to my life but it is not in the normal range. His recommendation was to not start on the drug again because who knows what my heart's reaction would be. While I was there, he found another heart issue. That is right, I go in for one thing and come out with another issue. Apparently my electrical wiring in my heart may be
mis-wired. Sometimes I have a shortness of breath but thought it was all related to this ejection fraction thing. Well apparently I have some cells that are functioning as a pathway for the electric information in my heart that isn't supposed to. The cardiologist said that some people faint from this or feel lightheaded. I don't have any of that. But he wants me to be monitored for the next month and follow up with an
electro-cardiologist. Great, more doctors. So I was set up last week with this 30 day monitor- it is like a pager with electric nodes.
I do not have to wear it while sleeping or showering, but pretty much the rest of the day I am wired up. It was really annoying day one. It has become less annoying as the days progress.
The one major concern I have is what if I don't have any episodes while wearing this damn thing!! Then it was all for not. If I do have an episode, this thing records my heart beat and then I am to call the
Lifewatch people and download the info via the phone. They basically have 4 possible responses:
1. Recording not received, please resend
2. Recording received, thank you
3. Recording received, abnormal heartbeat detected, proceed immediately to emergency
4. Recording received, abnormal heartbeat detected, an ambulance is on its way!!!
A little scary. They claim that this heart issue is not due to the chemotherapy. That this is something that I have had all my life...I think they are wrong. I am pretty sure that I never had these shortness of breath issues before BC but could be wrong. Anyway, that is the latest doctor's info from me...stay tuned, as I will give updates of an actual episode.
I do not have to wear it while sleeping or showering, but pretty much the rest of the day I am wired up. It was really annoying day one. It has become less annoying as the days progress.
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5 comments:
hang in there kid... you've made it through all that's happened in the last year and we know you'll handle what's yet to come... we love you...
it's weird that they think you have had it all your life...you would think you would have noticed it before! Good luck with the monitoring...
Not to be a pessimist, but i know 2 people who wore these things and neither of them had episodes while wearing it!
Weird that they are finding all of this now. Not that we want you to have an episode, but we hope that you will get some answere after wearing this for so long. Crossing our fingers that this turns out to be nothing to worry about.
I think you are healthy and fine and many people have these things that don't turn into anything. 8 years ago they thought I had something wrong with my heart and I didn't. It is good that if there was anything they could detect it and fix it though. Wearing that thing must suck. I'm sorry. I miss you and love the pumpkin patch photos.
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