Is there a beta blocker that can be taken during pregnancy? Has anyone had to take a BB or know someone who has?
I was trying to get off my medication but my symptoms started coming back so I had to increase it again. I am only 30 and I want to have a baby in the near future,but without this medication I will not be able to.

Any feedback or advice would greatly be appreciated.

Please ask your doctor as he or she will know for sure. But my guess is it is absolutely
ok for you to continue your meds and still get pregnant without hurting the fetus.
Please call the doctor though first.

Hi Ladybug,
As far as meds during pregnancy go, you'll want to go on "catagory B" meds. These are the safest for pregnancy. (Actually, "catagory A" is the safest, but most companies are not willing to risk a lawsuit!) I am currently on Sectral (Acebutolol) which is a beteblocker and was told by my doctor that it is safe during pregnancy. Try putting "catagory B medicines" in your search engine and you'll find a list of meds and their ratings. Good luck!

Mom

Hi Ladybug,
As far as meds during pregnancy go, you'll want to go on "catagory B" meds. These are the safest for pregnancy. (Actually, "catagory A" is the safest, but most companies are not willing to risk a lawsuit!) I am currently on Sectral (Acebutolol) which is a beteblocker and was told by my doctor that it is safe during pregnancy. Try putting "catagory B medicines" in your search engine and you'll find a list of meds and their ratings. Good luck!

Mom
Thank you so much.
I am going to do that right now :)

Hi Ladybug,
Were you able to find anything on the internet? I typed in what I told you to type in and couldn't find the site I was looking for--go figure!! I finally typed in the name of the medicine and then "category B" and found a pretty good site. Amazing, but "The Pill Book" lists almost everything as being dangerous for pregnancy, but they don't list it by category either.

Mom

Hi Ladybug,
Were you able to find anything on the internet? I typed in what I told you to type in and couldn't find the site I was looking for--go figure!! I finally typed in the name of the medicine and then "category B" and found a pretty good site. Amazing, but "The Pill Book" lists almost everything as being dangerous for pregnancy, but they don't list it by category either.

Mom
I have now by typing in the medicine first and then category B. I found out that the medication I take Coreg is a category C. So I will most likely have to find a new beta blocker to take. Hopefully there is one out there. And your right about the pill book they are no help at all.
Thanks for your help. :)

Hi, I just wanted you to know that I was on Atenolol thoughout my entire pregnancy with my son-who's now three and there were no complications with me or the baby and he is healthy and normal. Hope this helps.

I was also on Atenolol during my pregnancy, and everything worked out fine!

Good luck!

I was also on Atenolol during my pregnancy, and everything worked out fine!

Good luck!
Hi abbygirl & mummu,
Thank you so much to both of you for letting me know you used atenolol during your pregnancy.I now have much more hope that I can do this. I have been doing alot of researching on the web and all I can find are category C medications. It is so much nicer to hear people actually used a medication and everything turned out great. Can I ask why you both needed a beta blocker during pregnancy?
Thanks again. :wave:

Can I ask why you both needed a beta blocker during pregnancy?

I was/am still on Atenolol because I have Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and my heart rate is too high. I think most people take it for high blood pressure though.
I don't think that Doctor's will tell you it is absolutely safe because there isn't enough evidence of that, but from what I have found just talking to people, is that it is relatively safe during pregnancy. In fact I have yet to come across anyone that had negative effects from Atenolol during pregnancy. Good Luck.

Is there a beta blocker that can be taken during pregnancy? Has anyone had to take a BB or know someone who has?
I was trying to get off my medication but my symptoms started coming back so I had to increase it again. I am only 30 and I want to have a baby in the near future,but without this medication I will not be able to.

Any feedback or advice would greatly be appreciated.


Hi there....

I have been reading your posts and am new to the board. I too, have recently been diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy. My OB/GYN and Cardiologist have BOTH agreed that I should not get pregnant. I'm 35 and a newly-wed, so this has been very devastating. What type of cardiomyopathy do you have and what is your EF? Mine is 25% and I'm 35 years old....... I'm trying to stay positive though....and I'm also on all the drugs, Coreg, Vasotec, Potassium, aspirin, and Lasix.

My husband has awesome faith and says that these Doctors aren't "God"!

Hang in there!
Carla

Hi there....

I have been reading your posts and am new to the board. I too, have recently been diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy. My OB/GYN and Cardiologist have BOTH agreed that I should not get pregnant. I'm 35 and a newly-wed, so this has been very devastating. What type of cardiomyopathy do you have and what is your EF? Mine is 25% and I'm 35 years old....... I'm trying to stay positive though....and I'm also on all the drugs, Coreg, Vasotec, Potassium, aspirin, and Lasix.

My husband has awesome faith and says that these Doctors aren't "God"!

Hang in there!
Carla
Hi Carla,
I am very sorry you are in the same boat as me. I also have viral as per my doctors who really can't tell me how I got it or which kind it is. There guess it is viral because nothing else really applies to how I got it. When I was diagnosed a year ago my ejection fraction was 45%. It is now at 60% thanks to coreg. It is good that you stay positive. The medications you are on will help to raise your ejection fraction. When did you find out you had this? Did you have any symptoms? I had a very rapid heartbeat w/ minimal activity. I have been seeing 2 cardiologists. I just saw one of them on March 5th and he gave me the green light on having a baby. I just have to change my beta from coreg to inderal though out pregnancy then I can switch back to the coreg. I have another appointment this month on the 29th with my other cardiologist,so I want to see what he has to say. Plus I want to have another echo to see exactly where I am at before I go ahead.
Take care and keep me posted on how you are doing :wave:
Christina

I'm so pleased to hear that you've been given the go ahead! We are still "early" in the game, I hope! This all showed up in late December/early January as my Internist was trying to find a safe BP medication for me to use if I got pregnant. I've had High BP for many years (hereditary) She switched
me to Aldomet and everything was looking great....and then all "hell" broke loose. My ankles started swelling and I woke up one night feeling like I was drowning. Plus, my pulse was racing around 115 at rest. My husband took me into the ER where it was determined that I had an enlarged heart. Within a few days.....I had an echo done and the EF was determined at 25%. I haven't had another echo done since January 13...so I'm hoping for a miracle and that my EF has improved. It's so frustrating because I "feel" so good. I've been walking 2 miles and day and haven't missed a "beat"...pardon the pun. Wow, you've been dealing with this for a while now! And, it's good to hear something positive. My Doctors have suggested that I go ahead and get a "tubal", but we believe it's TOO EARLY for that....and you're proof that things might be alot different in a year or so.

I'm thankful to find any support that I can right now......sometimes the Prozac doesn't cut it when a dream is lost!

Carla

Wow that's exactly around the same time I found out a year ago. (late December/early January). I know how you feel right now.In the begining it's very scary. I didn't know where to turn for support.
As far as your doctors suggesting that you get a tubal I think it is way to early to tell what these medications can do for you. Maybe you should seek a second opinion. They should not be crushing your dreams of having a baby now. It is to soon to tell where you will be in a year or two from now.
I think as long as you can get your ejection fraction back up to at least 50% you should have no problems but you will need to stay on some kind of medication though pregnancy. That is what I have been told. And Coreg is a wonderful drug.
I am waiting to hear now what this next cardiologist is going to tell me on the 29th. Even with them giving me the green light I am still a little scared. But that's where my panic disorder kicks into overdrive. The what ifs...
Anyway I will let you know what this next cardiologist tells me next Monday.
I am keeping my fingers crossed. I am also going to my GYN on the 24th to run this all by her so we will see.
Take care
Talk to you soon. :wave:

How did the appointment with your OB/GYN turn out????? Just curious what their take on all of this was???

:) Carla

How did the appointment with your OB/GYN turn out????? Just curious what their take on all of this was???

:) Carla
Hi Carla,
Well, I went to see the OB/GYN on Wednesday and they really weren't much help with this condition. She gave me a number for a genetics center (high risk) for a consultation. I am still trying to get an appointment with them. I also saw my other cardioligist today and he said go ahead and have a baby. He said many women have had babies with cardiomyopathy. It was really what I needed to hear.
How have you been?

Hi Carla,
Well, I went to see the OB/GYN on Wednesday and they really weren't much help with this condition. She gave me a number for a genetics center (high risk) for a consultation. I am still trying to get an appointment with them. I also saw my other cardioligist today and he said go ahead and have a baby. He said many women have had babies with cardiomyopathy. It was really what I needed to hear.
How have you been?

Hi Christina,

Maybe we should carpool !!!! We're going in the same circles :eek: Anyway, I had my follow-up echo done with my Cardiologist yesterday. Again, he said that it would be "too risky" to contemplate pregnancy.....that at some point and time, my heart would need support and I would probably end up in Intensive Care and possibly lose the baby and MYSELF! So, I then said, well, let's get the tubal scheduled with my OB as I'm tired of wondering and worrying.....plus, this hasn't been too great being a "newlywed" thinking you could die if you have sex with your husband and accidently get pregnant!!! He then said "well, let's see what THIS echo shows"! Patience has never been one of my virtues.....so, we're either giving up or we're not! And, I know that they can't TELL me what to do with such an important decision as this. So, my husband and I have went ahead and scheduled an appointment to see a Perinatologist (High-Risk) on May 18th. He will be our last step before we make a drastic decision.....

Keep me posted!
Carla

Hi Carla,
Did you get the results of your echo yet?
Well I went to the genetics MD and they are doing a whole bunch of blood and urine tests on me. They are trying to find out if I got cardiomyopathy from some kind of an enzyme that maybe is not breaking down correctly. I am not to sure. These tests are very specialized and will take up to 4 weeks to get the results. I am going to pull out my hair by then!!

Hope all is well with you

Hey Cristina...

I actually go TODAY to see my Cardio. However, he did call and let me know that there was a "slight" improvement. I should be happy....right??? :confused: Sooo.....I'll let you know more tomorrow!

Carla

Hello again....

Got in from my appointment....and I'm doing better. However, I set myself up to see great results! My heart is slightly reduced in size and my EF is a little better. So insignificant that he didn't even go into %'s. Plus, my previous echo had been done at another facility. My doctor assured me that it will just take time...lots of it. So, my Hubby and I decided to cancel my appointment with the High Risk doctor for now......it would be a waste of time until I get better.....

I just still can't believe that this is all happening to me. I know I should be thankful to be alive and getting "better".....but I wanted to have a child so badly........

Maybe in a year, things will be very different!

Hi Carla,
I know how you feel but thank God there is improvement. It may be slow but that's ok as long as your getting better. You have to give yourself atleast a year before you know if you will be able to have a baby, just don't give up now, like I said before it's to soon to know. Look at me, a year and a half later and I am just getting the go ahead. I am also still waiting for my lab results to come back,they should be in by next Wed or Thurs so we will see what that shows. I just can't wait for all these tests to be done with so I know for sure what I should do.
Hope all is well with you :)

Take Care,
Christina

Thanks Christina......

I really needed some encouragement! Please let me know what you find out from all of these tests. I know, I feel like a pin cushion these days myself!!! And, you're right.....it's too soon to totally give up.

Carla

I was on it with my 2nd child, also. Worked well, and allowed me to keep her in until 38 weeks!

Christina....

Have you gotten your genetic test results yet??? Just curious to hear if they've pinpointed anything!!!!

Let me know!
Carla

Hi Carla

Yes I got them back yesterday and of course they show nothing as to where I may have gotten this from. Back to square one. I am happy they were all pretty normal but it doesn't give me any anwsers as usual.
All along I thought they were high risk doctors. I feel so stupid. They referred me to a pernantologist which I will see tomorrow. Then I will know for sure if I will be able to have a baby. I know the cardiologist both said it was ok but I just need that extra reassurance from a high risk MD. So wish me luck.
I will let you know what he says.
Talk to ya soon.....
Christina

Well I have mixed feelings about this perinatologist I saw. I don't know what to think now. He didn't tell me I couldn't do this but he said there are risks with ever pregnancy and my case was just slightly higher a risk then someone who has no conditions. He said from a medical opinion no one should ever be pregnant. WHAT?!!!!! I don't know I am very nervous about this now. I don't know if he knew much about cardiomyopathy. He had like 3 different answers to 1 question. I just left there very confused. I just wanted to know that this would not kill me. He said I would probaly have a better chance of getting hit by a bus. He said something about a study done in New York that out of a 100,000 women 12 die from pregnancy. I said I don't wanna be one of those 12. The reason for some of these deaths was no prenatal care or they didn't speak english. I don't know what that is all about.Basically he said there are no guarentees with any pregnancy.He said I should be fine and he sees no problem but there could be a small chance that I could get unlucky.He also said he sees no reason I could not stay on Coreg through a pregnancy after he said I could stop taking it see how it goes and if I need a medication I could use Inderal. I told him I am not going to stop taking this medication. I tried that all ready and it didn't happend. I had to get right back on it.My cardiologists said no to Coreg. He just gave me a million different answers to all my questions.I think I walked out of there more confused then when I went in. I was very upset.I don't know where to turn now. I think I want to make another appointment with the cardiologist again and see what they say about what I have been told by him. I don't know if he really knows what he is talking about when it comes to this particular heart condition. He says that any pregnancy is more of a workload on any heart so the fact that I have a heart condition he tells me it can be a risk.Yeah well so is getting in my car ever morning to go to work.I think I am going to just do a lot of praying that I can get through this and hopefully my brother will be watching over me.
I am going to call them tomorrow and see if I can get in there for another echo or muga scan.They are probaly going to refer me to shrink...lol.
My family doctor(I work for) said yesterday this is not going to kill me, I am going to kill me stressing over this everyday.She told me to just relax.
Easier said then done.
Will see what happens.
Sorry this is so long.

I took Tenormin 100 mg. throughout my pregnancy. 41 weeks later, my healthy daughter was born. She is now 16 and has been in the gifted class for years, plus she is beautiful and normal. I also nursed her while taking the Tenormin! :)

Best of luck!

Gees....will we ever get a straight answer???? I too am so disappointed for you. This sounds like my last visit with my Cardiologist........ I tried to pin him down as to true odds, and he said, "well, if you're hell bent on doing this...we'll do everything to help you through it, we won't abandon you. However, understand you will spend time in the ICU unit". I then said, "well, that solves it....let's do the tubal"....and he said "well, lets give it a few more months before we decide"....... :eek: I think the docs are just too scared to tell us one way or the other with such a serious condition, they have to protect themselves. I do know of a group out here online that has had peripartum cardiomyopathy and a few of them have gone on to have children. I believe now....that if you have a good team of doctors, that you feel totally confident with....it can happen. And, just remember...out of that 100,000....there are 99,988 that had HEALTHY BABIES and everything went fine. I feel now that if I continue to improve, someday we will try. However, I don't have time on my side right now...as it may take a couple of years to get my EF where it needs to be. I feel that if you're EF is good and you're OK on the Coreg......find a good team and go for it!!!!!! Good luck!

Hey Christina.......

How are things going?????????? Hope you're doing OK. Nothing new on this end.....just waiting and hoping for more improvement. I go again to see my Cardio this next week and will hopefully have another echo done soon. I've visited with my OB about the Mirena.....as my husband and I have decided to wait at least a year before we give up and do a tubal. Supposedly, the Mirena is safer than the pill..... I missed my appointment with the Cardio a couple of weeks ago as I was in a car accident on the way to the appointment!!!!!!!! Go figure......is that a sign???? I couldn't figure if God was saying "quit trying to control everything" or "quit worrying so much about your heart.....you could die from a car wreck!"

Take care!

Hi Carla,
I am sorry to hear about your car accident. How freaky on your way to the cardiolgist. Are you OK?

Well,I am back to square one again. The pernatoligist was just a waste of time. He told me something totally different then he told my other doctor. He said he would moniter me during a pregnancy and it would be fine to stay on the Coreg. Then he goes back to my doctor and tells her he does not advise that I get pregnant and that I should consider adoption. What is wrong with this jerk? He calls himself a doctor. Why couldn't he just tell me this to my face. I have to hear it from someone else after I think it's OK. My world just came crashing down on me last week. I think I am getting somewhere and then get thrown back to where I started. It is so ridiculus!! Well it took me a few days to bounce back and decide to get a second opinion. I am going to go up to Boston. I hear the doctors there are excellent and specialize in cardiomyopathy. I faxed them all my test results and they are going to look them over and try to tell me which type I have since nobody else can. They also have their own perinatoligists at the same center. So we will see how this goes. I am planning to go in July. Wish me luck.

Good luck Christina!

I know....I feel like my docs talk totally different behind my back. I've been struggling with the birth control thing and they're even confused on that! One will say he called the other, or wrote a letter........but they never offer any information on what was said..... Don't I have a right to know what was said???? UHHHHH! Anyway, yes, I'm OK from my accident and my little Mustang held up quite well. Just a sore upper body as I saw it coming (I was rear-ended) and held on really tight to the steering wheel. So.....I will go again to see my Cardio on this Thursday. I just think that these doctors are so scared of us since we're young and are in our child-bearing years. Most people with this stuff are well passed where we are ! We will just have to continue to be patient and, most of all.....continue to improve! We'll show 'em!!!!! Take care!

Just checking in to see if you've made your appointment with the new doc yet???? Keep me posted. I have another echo next week. I'm feeling great......doing yardwork in the heat and feeling fine! We're staying as hopeful as we can!!!!! Take care!!!!

In canada, the beta blocker of choice in pregnancy is labetolol.

I am in Canada, and both my cardiologists recommended Atenolol over anything else. Must depend what province your in.

Hi Carla
I am glad to hear you are doing well and staying positive.
I did make my appointment with the doctors up in Boston. One with cardio and one with high risk. I go July 14. I have them both on the same day. I can't wait to hear what they have to say. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

I don't remember if I asked you or not..... But I was just wondering what medications are you on I forget if you take Coreg or not. The only reason I am asking is because I am having a really hard time losing weight on this medication just wondering if it is just me having this problem.

I will let you know how Boston goes.
Take care :)

Yes Ma'am.....I take Coreg. And, I was doing so well with my weight loss until I got to this last step of 25mg twice a day. My docs refuses to think that has anything to do with it....... But, I am still trying to watch what I eat, as I don't have much of an appetite with all of the stress anyway, but the pounds are coming back on. It's not fluid, as I do see or feel any swelling. This is what I take:

Coreg 25 mg / twice a day
Vasotec 10 mg / twice a day
Lasix 20 mg / twice a day
Aspirin 81 mg / once a day
Spironolactone 12.5 mg / once a day
Potassium 100 MEQ / once a day

And, on another note.....I got my echo results from Tuesday, and I'm holding at 25%. I'm very disappointed that I haven't seen any strengthening yet. Although, they say it takes time on these meds to see improvement. But, I'm not getting any younger either! Keep me posted!

I am in Canada, and both my cardiologists recommended Atenolol over anything else. Must depend what province your in.
Good point abbygirl! I probably should have said Ontario...the guidelines here suggest methyldopa as a first line agent to bring down high blood pressure in pregnancy, and labetolol as a second line agent.

ok, now we have problems....I'm in Ontario too. Ok, maybe it depends on what town. :) However I was already on Atenolol so maybe they just chose not to switch me.

Abby

ok, now we have problems....I'm in Ontario too. Ok, maybe it depends on what town. :) However I was already on Atenolol so maybe they just chose not to switch me.

Abby
Heheehee..oh well, I guess my argument goes out the window! :)

Did you have pregnancy induced hypertension, or did you have hypertension prior to being pregnant? Did you have any other problems during your pregnancy (i.e. protein in your urine, or changes in your liver enzymes? Are you on blood pressure control now?)

The other thing we failed to get across, when were you actually pregnant? Was it within the past 10 years?

I actually was not on it for blood pressure, but heartrate control. I have HCM(Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy). My heartrate was quite high when I was diagnosed not to mention the arrhythmias, and that was the first and only med they prescribed for me. I was at 150mg daily when I first got pregnant, they dropped me to 100mg. Now I only take 50mg as I have since lost some weight(and my blood pressure became too low). Even at 50mg my BP is only 100/55ish.

Yes it was in the past 10 yrs, my son is 4 now. Still healthy as can be(knock on wood). :)
I didn't have any other problems during the pregnancy at all, in fact I felt great the whole time. My guess is that my cardiologist just didn't want to switch me while pregnant. I would love to have another child but I know there is a risk and I have been blessed with 2 healthy children already, so don't want to push my luck. I'll have to do some serious soul searching to come to terms with having no more children.

You sound like you know alot about the heart, do you or does someone close to you have a heart condition?

Anyway, hope this answers your ?????'s
Take care,
Abby

I actually was not on it for blood pressure, but heartrate control. I have HCM(Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy). My heartrate was quite high when I was diagnosed not to mention the arrhythmias, and that was the first and only med they prescribed for me. I was at 150mg daily when I first got pregnant, they dropped me to 100mg. Now I only take 50mg as I have since lost some weight(and my blood pressure became too low). Even at 50mg my BP is only 100/55ish.

Yes it was in the past 10 yrs, my son is 4 now. Still healthy as can be(knock on wood). :)
I didn't have any other problems during the pregnancy at all, in fact I felt great the whole time. My guess is that my cardiologist just didn't want to switch me while pregnant. I would love to have another child but I know there is a risk and I have been blessed with 2 healthy children already, so don't want to push my luck. I'll have to do some serious soul searching to come to terms with having no more children.

You sound like you know alot about the heart, do you or does someone close to you have a heart condition?

Anyway, hope this answers your ?????'s
Take care,
Abby
AHHHHHH Abby, you kept something from me. You have HOCM....i.e. Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy...yes, it's a rare condition, but one that is seen quite often in internal medicine clinics. Don't believe me? Well, it's the heart murmur that is made louder by having the patient kneel while you are listening to it! Of COURSE they put you atenolol when you were pregnant! I am very happy to hear that your children are healthy. But honestly, you kinda failed to tell me that you had a health condition, because otherwise, the drugs I mentioned to you are the recommended ones during pregnancy! :)

Anyway, this is not mean to be a "who's right" battle, we're just talking about each other's experiences.

No, I've never had HOCM, but like I've said in the past, I'm very familiar the condition (including MVP on the other board that we've been having a discussion) and I just want to help people who have been suffering from the condition.

I actually was not on it for blood pressure, but heartrate control. I have HCM(Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy). My heartrate was quite high when I was diagnosed not to mention the arrhythmias, and that was the first and only med they prescribed for me. I was at 150mg daily when I first got pregnant, they dropped me to 100mg. Now I only take 50mg as I have since lost some weight(and my blood pressure became too low). Even at 50mg my BP is only 100/55ish.

Yes it was in the past 10 yrs, my son is 4 now. Still healthy as can be(knock on wood). :)
I didn't have any other problems during the pregnancy at all, in fact I felt great the whole time. My guess is that my cardiologist just didn't want to switch me while pregnant. I would love to have another child but I know there is a risk and I have been blessed with 2 healthy children already, so don't want to push my luck. I'll have to do some serious soul searching to come to terms with having no more children.

You sound like you know alot about the heart, do you or does someone close to you have a heart condition?

Anyway, hope this answers your ?????'s
Take care,
Abby

Hi Abby,
I am just curious as to why you say you cannot have any more children? Did the cardio tell you not to get pregnant again? You did have HCM the first 2 times you were right? And also knew before? If you were already on meds I am asuming yes. I have viral cardiomyopathy (dialated) I don't know if the 2 are even close to being the same thing or totally different but I am hoping some day I can have a baby and I am happy that you are a positive inspiration that some day this will happen for me.
Take care,
Christina

Christina, both are cardiomyopathy's, they are similar in some ways yet quite different in others. There are three types of cardiomyopathy: "hypertrophic", "dilated" and "restrictive". Dilated Cardiomyopathy is aquired, while HCM is inherited.
The main feature of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an excessive thickening of the heart muscle. Thickening is seen in the ventricular septal measurement and in weight.
It can sometimes progress to dilated cardiomyopathy though.

Like I said, HCM is hereditary which right there was a BIG reason not to have anymore children. I did not know I had HCM with my first child, we had just decided to start trying for a second child when I was diagnosed. Everything went perfectly fine during both pregnancies and my cardiologist said there was no reason to have another child if we decide to do so. I however have a hard time keeping up with a very active 4 yr old and am not the mom I always wanted to be. The reason is more emotional than physical though, the constant worrying about whether they will inherit the disease from me is a daily battle.

Anyway, I hope you continue to get better and reach a point where you and your Dr's are comfortable with you getting pregnant. Do you have any children or would this be your first?

Butterflytrans, you know, I was sure I had mentioned it in a previous post, sorry. :(
I know I don't ALWAYS mention it because I sound like a broken record and I usually say HCM because it is more common, but it is indeed HOCM, as I am obstructed. It is good to know that word is getting out about it. And I don't doubt your knowledge at all. You seem to know what you are talking about. :) :) :)

Well I am off to enjoy the nice cool day....
Take care,
Abby

Christina, both are cardiomyopathy's, they are similar in some ways yet quite different in others. There are three types of cardiomyopathy: "hypertrophic", "dilated" and "restrictive". Dilated Cardiomyopathy is aquired, while HCM is inherited.
The main feature of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an excessive thickening of the heart muscle. Thickening is seen in the ventricular septal measurement and in weight.
It can sometimes progress to dilated cardiomyopathy though.

Like I said, HCM is hereditary which right there was a BIG reason not to have anymore children. I did not know I had HCM with my first child, we had just decided to start trying for a second child when I was diagnosed. Everything went perfectly fine during both pregnancies and my cardiologist said there was no reason to have another child if we decide to do so. I however have a hard time keeping up with a very active 4 yr old and am not the mom I always wanted to be. The reason is more emotional than physical though, the constant worrying about whether they will inherit the disease from me is a daily battle.

Anyway, I hope you continue to get better and reach a point where you and your Dr's are comfortable with you getting pregnant. Do you have any children or would this be your first?

Butterflytrans, you know, I was sure I had mentioned it in a previous post, sorry. :(
I know I don't ALWAYS mention it because I sound like a broken record and I usually say HCM because it is more common, but it is indeed HOCM, as I am obstructed. It is good to know that word is getting out about it. And I don't doubt your knowledge at all. You seem to know what you are talking about. :) :) :)

Well I am off to enjoy the nice cool day....
Take care,
Abby
Thanks abby!

Yeah, HOCM is maybe not quite as widespead in terms of knowledge as something like cancer in the general public...but yeah, it's quite extensively talked about in medicine.

Has the doctor ever told you to kneel down when listening to your heart? Have you ever had any complications with your HOCM?

Yes my cardiologist has had me bend down, bare down, kneel down, hold my breath...all different kinds of things, actually I feel kind of stupid doing it all, but I know its for a good reason. I am one of the lucky ones with this disease, I have no family history of sudden death. So far everyone in my immediate family(including grandparents) and several aunts/uncles/cousins has been checked, nobody else has it...I am a mutant :)
Fortunatley I have had little problems since I have been on medication, the worst being when my BP dropped really low and I ended up in the hospital. They adjusted my meds, and all was good. I am tired, short of breath on occassion and get angina from climbing the stairs. Arrhythmias(skipped beats) are my worst symptom though. I do not have a pacemaker or ICD which several HCMer's seem to have.
I have been feeling quite badly for the past 7 months now but my cardiologist doesn't think its heart related. Thats about it.
Abby

Hi Carla,
How have you been? I haven't heard from you in a really long time. Are you still on these boards? Hope to hear from you soon.
Christina

Hi there! :wave:

Yes, I'm still here!!!! I usually check in everyday and see what's going on with everyone. Nothing new here. My last echo in August showed no improvement....still at 25%. So, they've added ANOTHER pill, Digoxin. It's frustrating, but it's totally out of my hands. As if I didn't have enough stress in the last few months, I had to have my 14 yr old cat put to sleep. He had developed diabetes and had alot of complications. My "maternal" emotions are at an all-time low!!!!!!! We're not even talking pregnancy options anymore.....as it seems we're destined for the tubal. Plus, I think my Doc would kill me if I bring it up again !!!!! I'll have another echo in December, and January will be 1 year since my diagnosis....although it had been around for a while. So, we'll probably go ahead and do something more permanent after December........ I hate it, dreams die hard. But, what other choice do I have???? I want to live to be an old woman and grow old with my new husband.........
Carla

Hi Carla,
I am so sorry,I don't know what to say. I will pray that things improve for you on your next echo. Keep me posted.
Take care,
Christina