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all,
i went for my stress echo-cardiogram with dr. shah at hoag hospital in newport beach yesterday. i am glad to report that the results were all good with my heart rate and blood pressure changing appropriately during different levels of the supine bike (more exercise than i'd done in ages!) and no obstruction presenting itself upon exertion. i also did the amyl nitrite (nitrate?) inhalation thing--not the most fun thing in the world. my first breath was real deep and i took the second one without fully exhaling--man! my head felt like i'd put a cup full of wasabi in my mouth! anyway, my response to that was fine too. i've now been cleared to do reasonable levels of cardiovascular exercise.
i want to second (third? fourth? twenty-fifth?) all those who've been recommending seeing specialists. my experience at hoag with dr. shah has been so excellent (the echo quality was amazing, the staff was knowledgeable and friendly, dr. shah was present for the entire echo and explained everything as it went on and afterwards again) i am going to try my best to see him once a year even though i am moving to colorado this month--hopefully the new insurance will cooperate.
the other good news i've gotten is about salt. my regular cardiologist had told me to eat a low salt diet. dr. shah's put an end to that--noting, as some of you have here, that for the hcm heart low salt is worse than normal or even slightly high salt.
anyway, don't want to go on too long. i just want to say that since i have seen dr. shah i am for the first time truly comfortable in my mind about my condition. i feel like i know enough, have a clear sense of what's happening in there, and that the future, while not guaranteed, is an open book. i want to thank cynaburst, who first recommended i see dr. shah, and lisa, who all but insisted. i also want to recommend him to all west coast hcm'ers who do not have access to specialists close to them.
hope everyone has had a good day and that this will continue into the weekend.
mongo
i went for my stress echo-cardiogram with dr. shah at hoag hospital in newport beach yesterday. i am glad to report that the results were all good with my heart rate and blood pressure changing appropriately during different levels of the supine bike (more exercise than i'd done in ages!) and no obstruction presenting itself upon exertion. i also did the amyl nitrite (nitrate?) inhalation thing--not the most fun thing in the world. my first breath was real deep and i took the second one without fully exhaling--man! my head felt like i'd put a cup full of wasabi in my mouth! anyway, my response to that was fine too. i've now been cleared to do reasonable levels of cardiovascular exercise.
i want to second (third? fourth? twenty-fifth?) all those who've been recommending seeing specialists. my experience at hoag with dr. shah has been so excellent (the echo quality was amazing, the staff was knowledgeable and friendly, dr. shah was present for the entire echo and explained everything as it went on and afterwards again) i am going to try my best to see him once a year even though i am moving to colorado this month--hopefully the new insurance will cooperate.
the other good news i've gotten is about salt. my regular cardiologist had told me to eat a low salt diet. dr. shah's put an end to that--noting, as some of you have here, that for the hcm heart low salt is worse than normal or even slightly high salt.
anyway, don't want to go on too long. i just want to say that since i have seen dr. shah i am for the first time truly comfortable in my mind about my condition. i feel like i know enough, have a clear sense of what's happening in there, and that the future, while not guaranteed, is an open book. i want to thank cynaburst, who first recommended i see dr. shah, and lisa, who all but insisted. i also want to recommend him to all west coast hcm'ers who do not have access to specialists close to them.
hope everyone has had a good day and that this will continue into the weekend.
mongo
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