HCM, Pregnancy, & Exercising

[mdolls68]

Hi All,

I'm new to the group. I recently had an Echo and EKG done to determine why I have high blood pressure (HBP). I'm currently 20.5 wks pregnant with our 2nd child, 35 yrs old, female. I thought I was in super good health, excellent shape. My doctor did a number of tests and everything came back great and they determine my HBP. They sent me to a cardiologist to get the Echo and EKG and the Echo showed that I have HCM. It was such a shock to me and today is the first day I started searching the web for information about this condition.

I am an avid exerciser....as Celtic and others are. I also have a type A personality....very driven and competitive. I play racquetball, run, aerobics, weight lifting, yoga, pilates, swim,....basically LOVE to exercise and typically had been exercising 2-3 hrs 6-7 days/wk on top of my full time job as an engineer, wife, mother. I didn't really think much of things and thought it was normal and great to lead this kind of life.

After reading some of the posts, I am now disheartened regarding the exercise. I really, really LOVE to exercise and I am intense about it. However, I want to live for a long time with a great quality of life...not confined to a bed or wheelchair or die suddenly.

I read many of the posts to Celtics on exercise earlier. Has anyone been an avid exerciser, pregnant, in their 30s, in good shape (for the most part) with HBP as a symptom? What did you do? Did you continue with the exercise that intensely? I have greatly reduced my exercise to 2 hrs/time 4-5 days/wk instead. I am trying to keep my heartrate 120-140 bpm, which is often not even breaking a sweat for me. I'm also limiting my weight lifting time to no more than 1 hr-3 days/wk and no real heavy weights, rather light weights lots of reps. Is this still ok?

I love exercise a lot and can't imagine not being able to do much more than walk or swim. The weight lifting gives me muscles, tone, definition and keeps my metobolism up. But, is this bad? I read some posts where some people have given it up altogether or greatly reduced.

Don't want to have an unhealthy pregnancy, cause harm to myself or the baby in any manner.

Thanks for any feedback I may get.

[Reenie]

Re: HCM, Pregnancy, & Exercising

Hi Doris, and welcome. The first thing I would suggest you do is contact the HCMA office (973-983-7429) and talk to Lisa. She can direct you to an HCM specialist near you. It sounds like you have cut back on the intensity of your workouts and that's great. In order for you to continue the exercises that you are accustomed to you really really really need to consult a specialist and get some guidelines. Unfortunately most cardiologists just aren't knowledgeable enough about HCM to be of much help to you.

Your pregnancy is sort of a different ball of wax. Congratulations! Most women with HCM who have children have no problems, but you should be aware of any symptoms of shortness of breath or other complications. Also, some women find that having epidurals during childbirth is not a good thing. It can make your blood pressure plummet, putting you and the baby at risk.

Since this is a new diagnosis for you have you had time to consider having family members tested yet? Any biological family, parents, siblings, offspring should be tested. HCM is a genetic condition and is a dominant trait. There is a 50/50 chance that your children could have inherited this from you. Odds are that someone else in your family has it too.

Good luck to you. You are on the right path, the path to information. Good luck and we will be here if you need us.

Reenie

[Sarah]

Re: HCM, Pregnancy, & Exercising

Dear Doris,

Welcome!

First of all, please understand that HCM is not a death sentance nor a wheelchair sentance or anything like that. Yes, we are told to stay away from sports and heavy exercise but that is a long, long way from being in a wheelchair. As you read further, you will find that many with HCM do exercise --just different things than before perhaps. (basketball seems to be a big killer, literally.)

Also, the vast majority of HCMers live a full life-span.

I recommend that you call Lisa and get info on specialists. There is such a thing as peripartum cardiomyopathy and you need to make sure that you have true HCM or just pregnancy-related CM.

keep us posted!

S

[Cynaburst]

Re: HCM, Pregnancy, & Exercising

Doris - I am 38 and have an 18 mo. old son. My OB told me when pregnant that your heartrate (i.e. the heartrate of a healthy woman w/out heart problems) shouldn't go over 120 when pregnant. I was very careful during my pregnancy to watch my heartrate and now, not pregnant, I was told by my cardiologist not to exceed 110. I take beta blockers, so it stays low anyway, but I would watch it, esp. now.

You may want to see a perinatologist too and make sure your cardiologist knows what's going on. You could now be playing with fire.

By the way, I had an epidural, and passed out a few hours later from the low blood pressure. If I had to do it again, I am not sure I would. Be very careful.

[Reenie]

Re: HCM, Pregnancy, & Exercising

Doris, I just had a thought. Did your cardiologist say anything about the possibility of your heart being thickened from the high blood pressure and intense workouts? I wonder if your septum might decrease some through deconditioning and controlled blood pressure. What were your measurements? It's just a thought, but something you might want to ask.

Reenie

[Lisa Salberg]

Re: HCM, Pregnancy, & Exercising

Doris,
I would want to start from step one before we get into the "excercise -yes or no" question.
1. What is your septal measurement (the doc has that on your echo report) and are you obstructed?
2. do you have a family history of heart disease, early deaths or other problems?
3. Have you "deconditioned" yourself to see if the Hi-Blood pressure and hpertrophy decrease at all?
4. Did the doc start you on any meds?

Lets start there and move forward - feel free to reply on the board or in a private message if you wish.

Be well,
Lisa

[mdolls68]

Re: HCM, Pregnancy, & Exercising

Thanks for all the responses from everyone. I don't know the thickness of the wall. My ND (natural doctor) already has me working with a perinatologist and will be transferring my primary care to her. I will check to see if my cardiologist specializes in HCM. And, I will also check on the exercises I'm doing. If feels a little like a death sentence to not do some of the things I love exercise wise, but I can adapt and find other things that I would enjoy in a different sense.

I'm very holistic/naturalpathic in my approach to healthcare, so even taking this blood pressure med (aldomet?) is going beyond what I would like. It seems I have a fairly high tolerance for pain. I didn't realize I was even in labor in my first pregnancy and when I realized I was in labor, my daughter popped out with a few pushes. I had no physical problems when I had her at 32 yrs old, but I exercised much less intensely then. I'm hoping that I will not do any pain meds of any type when giving birth to our 2nd child.

After I get a better understanding, talk to both the perinatologist and cardiologist within the next couple weeks and get more information, I'll also inform my siblings, parents about my plight and have them get tested for HCM.

Anyway, I work for Medtronic where our specialty is medical devices for the heart. I'll hopefully be able to get answers to the other questions that you all asked. The blood pressure med I am taking is Aldomet, 500 mg (3x/day).

I'll try to check back to this Message Board, but I don't get to get on much these days, so my responses may take a longer than some.

Thanks so much!!

[Sarah]

Re: HCM, Pregnancy, & Exercising

Dear Doris,

I think you are a long way from having to cold turkey on all your exercise. We are all just expressing our concern and our belief that _right now_ would be a good time to slow down a bit and figure out what is going on, adapt as need me and move forward when you know exactly what you are dealing with.

We know Medtronic very well here!!! Many people on the board have Medtronic devices in them.

Please call Lisa to get a specialist's name near you. Your local cardiologist would probably be very happy to get input from an HCM specialist.

keep us posted,

Sarah

[Darren1]

Re: HCM, Pregnancy, & Exercising

Doris-

Thanks for sharing your concerns! I especially like your candid "no-nonsense" way of posting. Being a fellow exercise freak and type "A" personality, the whole exercise thing with HCM has been a really interesting topic for me. It seems from what I've read that we want to stay in shape but not overdo it. Now, what that means is anyones guess. I myself do less of the burst sports (basketball/raquetball) and more of the gradual cardio exercises (hiking, easy jogging, LIGHT weight workouts). Since I'm male, I can't help with the pregnancy questions but I can tell you that if I was in your position I'd take it VERY easy while expecting. Perhaps others here would disagree with me but I feel that exercising in moderation and within the limits of your specific diagnosis is much better than not. I've had very few symptoms of HCM in my 34 years on the planet, but when I'm out of shape and/or stressed, I feel the most at risk. Well, that's my 2 cents. Congrats on the soon to be new arrival!