I’m trying to make sense of a diagnosis that came up during the Stress Eco test that they did for me nearly two weeks ago. I experienced tachycardia following the test with a heart rate peaking at 184 before they got it stopped. Then, the pressure in my pulmonary artery at 51. The pressure being high in the pulmonary artery is the part that I’m concerned about. This is called Pulmonary Hypertension and if left unchecked it continues to worsen and eventually cause right-sided heart failure. The GOOD news is that I have no heart involvement, now. As a chiropractor, I am wired for prevention. I am just learning about these two conditions and am motivated to learn how best to live in a positive way with them. I’m hoping that my blog will help others deal with this, too.
If this is happening to you, you’ll be frustrated like I am that pulmonary hypertension involves both the heart and the lungs, can be caused by many things or caused by nothing they can put their finger on. Unless inherited, I personally believe that there is always a cause and that unless that cause is unchangeable, treat the root of the illness to slow or stop the progression. THAT IS the preventative mind-set and the philosophy chiropractic. Remove all the reasons to be ill and focus on all the reasons to be well. In most illnesses, the body will take care of itself. Living with this philosophy may not keep me from being sick. It may not keep my illness from progressing. But, I am truly convinced that I will live longer and happier if I hold onto this value and people around me will be happier and less effected by what is happening to ME if I keep a positive and wellness oriented outlook.
My husband, an MD, is forever griping about the dependence the medical profession has fostered in patients on doctors. That everyone is geared to run for answers and take no responsibility for themselves and the outcome of their illness. I completely agree with him. I am reading everything I can about this problem and using that information to plan for my life. But, be careful. Some of what you may read is quite disturbing and could cause a terrible little panic or sadness. Let this troublesome information punctuate the fact that this IS serious. You don’t have a choice whether to live differently or not. You HAVE to accept some limitations and do some special things for yourself, now. That may go against everything you believe. Maybe you’re a hard worker and take care of everyone around you. Maybe you never focus on your health and live like there’s no tomorrow. The first step to changing anything is accepting the fact that you have to change. Accept that with a shrug and then say to yourself, “OK, what needs to change? Let’s get on with it!”.
When reading all that material, don’t focus on the worst. Focus instead, on the fact that YOU are among the unusual outcomes. YOU are not average and YOU will survive long past what’s expected and with a smile on your face. You’ll cry and be angry some days. But, with God’s help and the understanding of those around you, you will LIVE and live well.
I’m at that stage of reading everything I can find on the Internet and ask of any doctor. Read it all, ask it all and you’ll recognize when someone has published or says something that isn’t correct. There is MIS-information out there. No one monitors the Internet for correctness and not every doctor knows what they’re talking about. Read the sites that are obviously published by reputable clinics like the Mayo Clinic or the Cleveland Clinic and Wikapedia. Then branch out and read things like MY posts that will come as I uncover more information and how to positively live my life.
I hope if you follow my blogs, YOU too will live more positively with this disease. The next blog will tell you the first in my personal plan of attach. In the meantime, Remember to pray…and stay positive! You are not defeated!
Thanks Dr. Mary. My daughter was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension as well. There is so much negative information out there that it’s easy to give up and be depressed. She’s only 23.
Dear Paula, You are so right about the negative information out there. That’s why I wanted to write some things to encourage people. There are worse things to live with, but you wouldn’t know it from most of what you read. I’m sorry that you are facing this with your daughter. What I’m finding is that there is a lot of misdiagnosis of this condition. I don’t know her particulars, but hang in there and possibly it will regress or turn into something else. Mine turned out to be a false positive on the testing because I was having tachycardia that they later found and then took care of mostly with an ablation. I still have bouts of shortness of breath, but after two years I’m feeling better than for years before. It’s very important that she not get discouraged and keep doing what she can and with a smile. Exercise at least every day, starting very slowly and working up to doing more will give her the best prognosis. Look up exercising with Pulmonary Hypertension. From what I found with others and with what I read was that you begin moving as slowly as you need to to try and not be breathless. If you get out of breath, stop until you can breath normally again and then exercise a little more. It’s important not to push it, but to keep after it every day. I really think that keeping a positive attitude, finding purpose and things you CAN do without a lot of struggle, and prayer are her most valuable tools. She can send me a message if she’d like to be in touch with someone. God Bless you.