Anyone with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy please answer this question!!!?

Question

If any of you have Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) can you please tell me what kind of tests you have to do and what really happenes to you? I really want to know more about this and i can't seem to get info from real people with it. So if you could please tell me your story i would really appreciate it. Thank you! Oh and if you watch One Tree Hill, Lucas kind of made it famous! LOL just to give you something kind of cool about it.

Answer 1

I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and so does my mother and so did my oldest sister who passed away.

My sister had the most dramatic case. Right out of highschool she entered a secretary school and then got a marginally decent but high stress job, and then another, and then another. The stress kept causing health problems. I believe she ended up in the hospital two or three times for major problems. At age 26 her physical ability went from a high endurance walker to being able to walk 100 foot distances at a time before resting. Her heart was growing more so on one side so that it was cutting off blood to her heart and damaged multiple valves. She had open heart surgery and spent the next six months having us put pans on the stove, opening drawers and anything else that might take up 5 pounds of weight.

The problem was she didn't embrace the freedom of being able to lift more after the doctor gave permission. After a year she was still paranoid about lifting anything. That paranoia would just get worse. Her cardiologist once made the mistake of telling her to avoid dust. That cause problems you don't want to imagine for everyone. In recent years her fears were giving her migraines and similar problem. In the last couple years she stopped seeing her cardiologists because "I would know if there is a problem" and "the tests never turn up anything but do cost money". She died most likely from ventricular fibrillation at age 35. She collapsed on the bathroom floor in floor in front of her 5 year old daughter who spent the next 4 hours sitting where she could see both the TV and her mother. She didn't know how to call anyone.

In my mother's case it is a little happier. She started getting tested after my sister had heart surgery. I think she has had every test in existence done. I couldn't begin to list them. Echocardiogram is probably the most common of them. After five years the doctors gave her the option of treatment. She had the procedure where they insert a balloon into the heart and inject alcohol. This causes a heart attack in a portion of the heart killing some tissue and reducing the heart growth. Instead of a year, eight days later( and 30,000 dollars from the insurance company) she was back to normal. Now this last year both her and myself got to have defibrillator implantations to prevent what killed my sister from killing us.

My self, I have had an echocardiogram, a few visits to a couple cardiologists, and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator put into me in the last 8 months. Thus far that is more or less all I've gone through.
The echocardiogram was kind of cool. It is a sonar examination of the heart. They put a dozen really cold pads on you and press another device against your front and back. On the screen you get to see your heart while it is beating. The wall between the chambers of my heart is 3 times thicker than normal.
From that the doctor recommended a defibrillator implantation. Damaged heart valves and a wind blown heart beat is all the results of the heart disease. My heart sounds like "thump,blow,thump,blow" instead of thump,thump..thump, thump like a normal person's heart.

The only realistic problem I could have at this point is my heart going to fast to pump blood. Based on that I got to get a ICD.
If you want a recount of that, you will have to visit my past answers:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqsTeYUEVFVkTJ_FgD0yQVEjzKIX?qid=20061101140534AAlJOAk
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqNE8alBIk6tvNnqs14f1p_sy6IX?qid=20061120110346AA8I7qr&show=7#profile-info-AA10970901
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApyHYnMNWhsQrTWAnXNK1o7sy6IX?qid=20061104142212AA0vFWM&show=7#profile-info-AA11966213

Answer 2

First of all, I don't have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. I do have advice (from my education).
It is a disease that basically causes an "overgrowth" of heart tissue. That's a very simplified answer. It makes the heart less efficient: it doesn't pump blood as well. It can also lead to arrythmias. When the heart is distorted by the abnormal musculature, it can lead to valve problems and decreased ability to pump blood. People with this have been known to die suddenly, especially with exercise. Sorry, I'm not trying to scare the crap out of you.
Test wise:
EKG: measures the electrical activity of the heart from the outside. Uses little sticky leads. Doesn't hurt.
Echocardiogram: an ultrasound test that looks at the structure and function of the heart. Also doesn't hurt.
Stress test (some people get it): Looks at how your heart functions whill exercising. May be done with exericse on a treadmill or with a chemical that makes the heart work like you are exercising.
Genetics: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is often hereditary, and a blood test may reveal this.

Depending on the results of these tests, there could be others. Be sure to ask your cardiologist ANY questions you have. There is no such thing as a stupid question when your health is the topic. Good luck.

Answer 3

I've got Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and so does my mother. I was diagnosed at age 13 by a routine echo cardiogram. My activity is limited -- can't do any strenuous activity. So, that means no weight lifting, no running for long distances, etc. Unfortunately, one of the symptoms of HCM is atrial fibrillation... My mom and I both had problems with this. Medication and electrical cardioversions could not keep us out of aFib. So, we both ended up having open heart surgery to correct the aFib and we also had a septal myectomy done at the same time to remove some of that thick heart muscle. Luckily, I've stayed out of aFib, my mom is back in it, though... She's now looking at an ablation to correct that problem. We both had ICDs, too. Vtach is common with HCM, and my mom has had issues with this -- her ICD has saved her live twice. Mine hasn't had to do anything yet, though. Medication is normal for HCM. I take Toprol XL, my mom takes Toprol XL and Coumadin (for aFib). If you want a lot of good iinformation, you really should contact the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA). They are some of the most knowledgeable and nicest people you'll ever talk to. They're always willing to talk to someone about HCM.

Answer 4

You can get Stress Thalium test done. It is a non invasive test costing in India about rs. 7500 per test in Mumbai and 5500 in Pune. Take Rudved an ayurvedic capsule for coronary artery disease.