Hello,
I am 58 yo and was diagnosed with HOCM about 7 years ago. At the time, my resting gradient was about 100 and with exertion went up to about 190. Septal thickness was 16.
I switched to a cardiologist at UCLA. She put me on bisoprolol, verapimil, norpace, spironolactone, and diovan-hct. Immediately my resting gradient went way down and stayed between 15 and 25 until last year. But with exertion the gradient stayed around 150. My HR went down to 55 and my BP to about 125/75 on average.
However, last year and just recently my resting gradient was measured at 105 and with Valsava maneuver the gradient was about 190. So, it looks as though the above meds have stopped being effective. I am back where I started.
I've never had many subjective symptoms and still don't. My numbers say I am a candidate for surgery or ablation, but I am about a I or II on the NY scale. So, I thought I would ask you if you had any comments on my options. I think that walking aroudn with the above gradient numbers is probably dangerous and definitely very scary for me.
Part of me feels like just getting the surgery over with at Tufts, Cleveland or the Mayo Institute, although I know it is a big deal. Ablation for some reason I don't trust as much. But the other issue is, would surgery be done with more symptoms and open heart surgery is also a frightening prospect. For me, anyway.
Sorry, for the long note, just reaching out nervously. Thank y ou
Daniel
I am 58 yo and was diagnosed with HOCM about 7 years ago. At the time, my resting gradient was about 100 and with exertion went up to about 190. Septal thickness was 16.
I switched to a cardiologist at UCLA. She put me on bisoprolol, verapimil, norpace, spironolactone, and diovan-hct. Immediately my resting gradient went way down and stayed between 15 and 25 until last year. But with exertion the gradient stayed around 150. My HR went down to 55 and my BP to about 125/75 on average.
However, last year and just recently my resting gradient was measured at 105 and with Valsava maneuver the gradient was about 190. So, it looks as though the above meds have stopped being effective. I am back where I started.
I've never had many subjective symptoms and still don't. My numbers say I am a candidate for surgery or ablation, but I am about a I or II on the NY scale. So, I thought I would ask you if you had any comments on my options. I think that walking aroudn with the above gradient numbers is probably dangerous and definitely very scary for me.
Part of me feels like just getting the surgery over with at Tufts, Cleveland or the Mayo Institute, although I know it is a big deal. Ablation for some reason I don't trust as much. But the other issue is, would surgery be done with more symptoms and open heart surgery is also a frightening prospect. For me, anyway.
Sorry, for the long note, just reaching out nervously. Thank y ou
Daniel
Comment