posted
echocardiogram shows that I have an enlarged heart. have appt. with cardiologist Thursday to discuss.
after doing a quick search I saw some other people dealt with this. Is it common with TBI's?
thanks.
Posts: 44 | From Pa | Registered: Feb 2011
| IP: Logged |
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i, too, was diagnosed with an enlarged heart. the cardio i saw said not to worry. however, another gastro did seem concerned.
i don't know what to believe.
let me know how it goes.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
philly78
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31069
posted
Wow. The cardio told you not to worry randi? That just seems odd to me. Did they do tests to figure out what caused it? I would think they would want to figure that out.
I don't know much about it in relation to TBIs but it seems very plausible to me. Lyme can affect us in many ways and I see this as no exception. It can happen when too much stress is placed on the body and Lord knows we are stressed!
Depending on what is causing it, it will go away when the underlying condition is treated.
I just did a search on google and here is what the merk manual has to say on lyme and enlarged heart. ----------------------- Myocardial abnormalities occur in about 8% of patients within weeks of EM. They include fluctuating degrees of atrioventricular block (1st-degree, Wenckebach, or 3rd-degree) and, rarely, myopericarditis with chest pain, reduced ejection fractions, and cardiomegaly. -----------------------
Very brief but it is mentioned as a symptom.
Here is another link with a few things to say concerning cardiomegaly.
-------------------- When faced with pain you have two choices....either quit and accept the circumstances, OR make the decision to fight with all the resources you have at your disposal. Posts: 1000 | From PA | Registered: Mar 2011
| IP: Logged |
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
nope, the doc said not to worry. i, too, read about enlarged hearts and it wasn't good.
i've had high bp for years and apparently the doctor was not treating it properly. the cardio doc said i was not on high enough bp meds so they increased my diovan from 160 to 320.
my father had an enlarged heart and died of a heart attack at 67. it does run in my family.
i would like to go to another cardio doc and have a different opinion.
he did that gel thing with the wand and found it. i passed the treadmill stress test with no problem.
his advice -- loose weight.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
karenl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17753
posted
Me too. I think people with parasites have it. Will see what Gael knows about this.
Posts: 1834 | From US | Registered: Oct 2008
| IP: Logged |
momintexas
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23391
posted
I also have a "slightly enlarged" heart.
I passed all cardio tests just fine and was told not to worry about it as well.
My cardiologist is keeping an eye on it and feels it will go away once the infection is gone.
I go every 3 months to have it checked.
Posts: 1408 | From Tx | Registered: Nov 2009
| IP: Logged |
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
geez, my doc said "call if you have problems".
uhh, like what, a heart attack?
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
momintexas
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23391
posted
Randi,
Did your cardiologist run tests to see if your heart was functioning normally??
Mine also said "call if you have problems" but said he wants to see me every 3 months regardless.
Posts: 1408 | From Tx | Registered: Nov 2009
| IP: Logged |
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
yeah, he ran tests. treadmill, etc., all kinds. no invasive stuff tho.
he didn't seem, well, concerned. he almost made a remark to my husband, which po'd me. that i was a "classic type a" and asked him "is she always like this?"
i was very nervous and was swinging my feet while sitting on the table.
duh...so that makes me classic type a? nerves...
what the hell did he mean by that?
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
momintexas
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23391
posted
Ohhhhhhh that would make me mad!
I'd find another cardiologist!!
I really like mine, but he'd be kind of far for you.
Posts: 1408 | From Tx | Registered: Nov 2009
| IP: Logged |
philly78
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31069
posted
I would find another cardio too. Enlarged heart is a symptom...not a disease and there has to be something causing it.
-------------------- When faced with pain you have two choices....either quit and accept the circumstances, OR make the decision to fight with all the resources you have at your disposal. Posts: 1000 | From PA | Registered: Mar 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
I had a slightly enlarged heart, diagnosed several years ago. It was cardiomyopathy.
The way they diagnose it is by using that 'gel' and 'wand', but that's really called an echocardiogram.
They should also state what your ejection fraction is (55%+ is normal. 50%+ semi-normal). If it's below that level, your heart isn't beating as strong as it should be.
It is important to find out the reason for any enlarged heart. Reasons can vary from clogged arteries, previous heart attack, cardiomyopathy (usually genetic or viral), and several other diseases. In my case, I just take heart meds and my heart returned to near-normal.
Anther worthwhile test to consider is a heart MRI. More detailed than an echo and also more accurate.
Posts: 584 | From NY | Registered: Feb 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
back from cardio consult. my numbers were a little high. he said it might be normal for me considering my athletic past but ordered a nuclear stress test and holter monitor to be safe.
I asked about Lyme and he actually did not laugh. said he knows about the damage Lyme can do to the heart. he did not say this was the reason for my problem.
thanks for the replies though it looks like one of the parasite replies disappeared unless I am losing my mind again.
Posts: 44 | From Pa | Registered: Feb 2011
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic