Help! I'm 22, with CHD having severe symptoms and I'm being refused help by doctors…?
I’m am a 22 year old female with a repaired VSD in 1996. I have been cleared from the doctor that I was a-ok since then. About a year now I have been experiencing some serious problems. My whole life my cholesterol, sugar, potassium, blood pressure, and what have you- have been perfect. My blood pressure now jumps from the 130’s/90’s to 170’s/150’s! I have episodes of extreme heart palpitations where it makes me feel faint, and there are times when my heart just pounds extremely hard, like it’s going to beat out of my chest. At times it is pounding so hard I can feel it in my lips, fingers, toes and it gets so loud I can barely hear anything around me. I will get chest pains some shard, some stabbing, some squeezing. Although I never have the pounding/palpitations with chest pain.I get exhausted so easily, I am constantly dizzy and nauseous. If I am ever out and on my feet I end up being pushed in a wheel chair because I cannot stand without wanting to fall over.
Since I’ve graduated from high school in 2006 I have been experiencing extreme fatigue. It’s a daily thing with me, especially recently, if given the opportunity I can sleep for an entire day-no exaggeration there. I would skip school, and I have even missed work because of my lack of energy.
I took myself to the emergency room one night, because I was scared. They did a full heart attack work-up. Heparin drip, Nitroglycerin patch, Oxygen, Blood work every four hours…they kept me for two days. The nurse noticed an abnormality on my first EKG, and noticed several PV-C’s. Nothing of this was ever mentioned again, not even by the on-call cardiologist. I was referred to the MACH clinic in Detroit, the Adult Congenital Heart Clinic. I was put on holter/event monitors, had echos done, and more EK-Gs. The doctors there said I was in perfect condition and sent me home, come back in one year they said. Since then I have been in the hospital six more times, conditions worsened, including extreme dizziness to the point of passing out and nausea.
I have been through 6 cardiologists who either shake their heads refusing to treat me because of my history and severity of symptoms and refer me back to the clinic, or have no clue on whats going on with me. I have been on a number of blood pressure medicines toprolol, metroprolol, bystolic.. of course their working for my blood pressure but it actually makes my symptoms worse. Currently my doctor has me on Lisinopril, Hygroton, and Atenolol and I have never felt so sick in my life.
A year later I have ran out of resources, me being so sick if effecting my life severely, it is hard for me to do my job, I have had to post-pone making wedding arrangements, and it’s almost impossible for my to start my career now that I am done with school. I am so frustrated and looking for a little light on my situation. I am only 22 years old, I do not want to take dozens of pills for the rest of my life. I cannot find a doctor who will just listen to me- it’s not panic or stress and these blood pressure medicines will be the end of me! HELP!
Filed under: Potassium Side Effects
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Coronary Heart Disease Symptoms & Signs
The symptoms associated with coronary heart disease may be pronounced, but they can also occur without any noticeable symptoms.
Chest pain (angina) — This is the most common symptom, and it results from the heart not getting enough blood or oxygen. The intensity of the pain varies from person-to-person. Chest pain may be typical or atypical. Typical chest pain is felt under the sternum and is characterized by a heavy or squeezing feeling, it is precipitated by exertion or emotion, and it is relieved by rest or nitroglycerin.
Atypical chest pain can be located in the left chest, abdomen, back, or arm and is fleeting or sharp. Atypical chest pain is unrelated to exercise and is not relieved by rest or nitroglycerin. Atypical chest pain is more common in women.
http://health.allrefer.com/health/coronary-heart-disease-symptoms.html
These symptoms are a sign of vitamin B12 deficiency. It can’t hurt to have this tested. Dr Chandy put a B12 diagnoses test online and although not every symptom is listed…i have auto immune pernicious anaemia (unable to absorb B12 in the digestive system) it seems very good. I myself had palpitations and chest pain, severe fatigue and many other conditions. Everyone who has B12 deficiency suffers different symptoms but there are main symptoms that are more common.
Vitamin B12 is essential to lower homocysteine..an amino acid in the blood and in high levels causes major damage to the body and is the leading cause of heart attack and stroke. Low B12 causes cardiovascular problems which can lead to high/low blood pressure. Elevated homocysteine can cause an increase in blood pressure also. Low B12 levels affect the parathyroid gland which affect calcium levels and in turn affects vitamin D levels. Low calcium can cause high blood pressure. Blood pressure medications cause a lot of ill health. Please see the website below! Tests i would recommend:
Urinary methylmalonic acid test (most accurate at picking up B12 deficiency) and a B12 serum test..should be at least over 600pg/L but optimal levels are way over 800pg/L.
"Ionized" calcium (full calcium level in the blood) and vitamin D levels.
Vitamin B12 test:
http://www.b12d.org/content/B12-signs-symptoms-assessment-form
Vitamin B12 deficiency:
http://b12d.net/book/export/html/29
Homocysteine - the silent killer:
http://www.squidoo.com/homocysteine-hcy
Dangers of blood lowering medication:
http://www.healthmyths.net/view_learning.php?learning_id=6
maybe you could try to get into the Mayo clinic in Minnesota? I know how you feel, im only 17 and i also have CHD(aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, bicuspid aortic valve and an enlarged aorta) i have not had surgery yet, but i get severe shortness of breath with exercise, i get palpitations alot, heart pounding, dizziness, headaches, increase in appetite(i am literally always hungry, i always have that hollow hunger feeling in my stomach), extreme fatigue(i have missed school because of it also), chest pain, my hands and feet go randomly cold ect. I have gone to 2 cardiologist both saying my heart defects arent severe enough to cause problems, i have had an exercise stress test-only thing it said was my heart rate went up fast, and down slow, i have been to a pulmonologist and they said my lungs were perfect. So now i have no idea what to do, my parents dont really believe me and they think since the doctors say im fine then i am. So now i have no idea what to do.
Maybe you should try other doctors other then a cardiologist? explore possibilities that it may not be your heart, it could be something else but from your symptoms something is DEFINITELY wrong and it sure isnt stress or anxiety.
Good luck!!!!
You may need a pacemaker or defibrillator implant I am not trying to scare you but, something is going on it took several years for the doctors to pinpoint my problem also even after losing my mother, sister and brother to heart disease, not to mention a few other relatives. Have they check you for sleep-apena also. When the heart is not functioning correctly it leaves you very fatigue stay on your current doctor about this. I hope you have health insurance request to wear a monitor for a period of time you, just might have a episode. I am not a doctor but, I have been on the same track you are on it is frustrating when something is going on and the doctors act as if nothing is there. Pray that God show them. I will pray with you also. Good Luck!
check your blood sugar.