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Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Fatigue???

What are typically the symptoms that would be from worsening LVH.  I had an echo a year ago and was told I had mild left ventricular enlargement (6.2 cm end diastolic).  I have been on a beta blocker and an ace inhibitor for a year.  As some of you may have read in other posts, I have lately been having symptoms of great fatigue, cold hands and feet, foggy head, etc...   The fatigue comes on as a sensation in my arms and calves, and sometimes my neck.  This is very concerning.  I have noticed some changes in heart rate response (faster at times, maybe due to anxiety from all of this) and some increases in pvcs after eating certain things and upon waking.   Does this sould like it could be a heart problem, or does it sound more like something else?  I have been tested for Lyme, RA, Lupus, and all have come up negative.  I got retested for Lyme and still waiting on those results.

Overall I feel just awful.  I have had various blood tests, etc... my PCP tells me that I need more exercise and that I am just depressed.  I am getting that way from all of this, but it was not the cause...it is tough when you know your body better than anyone else and you just can't seem to get the help you need.  Thanks all.
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Avatar universal
sorry I have not replied until now.  

I am sorry to hear about your troubles...I suppose everyone here has them, if only psychological.  You problems are organic, but hopefully you are feeling better.  I understand your concerns, especially when it must feel that something should be done, yet surgery is "not yet needed".  

I really do hope you are feeling better.  I was feeling better for a few days last month, and now my symptoms are back and this time with more weakness in my neck and legs.  It could all be somatization disorder, but it certainly feels like more than that.  I am at least having an echo this week so I at least I will know how the pump is doing.  

Kind regards,

Bill
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214864 tn?1229715239
So glad to see a response to my reply. They seem to be scarce, lol. I just wanted to mention that I have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and Fibromyalgia. This was a couple of years ago. I also have osteoarthritis of the spine, and a few more places. I haven't felt good in years.......

I went on a long journey to study these conditions. I learned a lot about herbs and natural supplements. Alternative medicine has some place in the lives of the sick. I just never could figure out what and where :)  One thing great about alternative medicine is that these doctors treat damage done to the body by traditional doctors and their medicines ( not pertaining to cardiology here).

I am very depressed about not receiving to me, what would have been"life saving surgery". I just got back from the Cleveland Clinic after completing an evaluation for minimally invasive bypass surgery (MID-CAB) of the LAD. I was turned down. My doctor never talked to me while I was sober about why not. I was told, while under the influence, that the blood flow through the 4 stents in my LAD was still good.

I guess that I will forget about coronary artery disease, and enlarged portions of my heart with abnormal ventricular wall movement and hypokinesis. I will forget about the peripheral artery disease (PAD) which I was tested for and have. It was treated as no big deal because surgery is not yet needed.

Gee I am so frustrated. Excuse my venting on your thread. I need to take my own advice above :)

I just hope that you can get back to some normalcy with your energy level, and that the fatigue will be gone. I hear that exercises is great. It is hard to do when you constantly feel like heck, and have "exercise intolerance", either due to taking beta blockers for years, or the chronic conditions I mentioned earlier..

Be strong and determined. You are way too young to let your health rob you of your strength. Do whatever it takes to "get fixed up".

Best to you,

Jack



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Avatar universal
I appreciate your comments.  I just can't believe (or don't want to believe) that heart failure could be the root cause of this terrible fatigue I am feeling.  This morning I felt fine...went to Church and lunch with no fatigue or pain, but once I returned home I felt so dizzy and lightheaded and severely fatigued.   I felt it in my arms and legs as described above.  Of course this led to anxiety, which increased my heart rate, etc...
I calmed myself down, but even here tonight I still feel the fatigue all through the body.  I know the positive attitude can only help.  I am only 34 years old...had the mild LVH last year and have been treated for that...even had an MRI for ARVD that was negative last year and my EP doc (had an ablation for SVT) said that things were fine at that time.  Perhaps I should pay him a visit to rule things out...until then I'll try to be positive.

Thanks again,
Bill
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214864 tn?1229715239
Like John said, "Fatigue is very common in heart failure." I have some degree myself. I am in the early stages of placing all the data together.

I know my body and I have pain and extreme fatigue. Anxiety has little or nothing to do with it. I truly believe my problems are due to the adverse effects of the standard round of medicines we take, and heart disease. I really wish that doctors would put more thought into this.

I really wish that the pharm companies could come up with a new medicine that would let us "gitty up" a bit without being dangerous for the ticker :)

I hope you feel better soon. Our attitude, or outlook on life can surely affect our physical abilities, I think. Be positive as often as possible. A very dear friend once told me to live life like a rock star, deep within, and I always get a lift, mentally and physically when I think of this mantra or motto :)

Jack
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your comments.  Perhaps my anxiety is getting the best of me.  I do still have quite a lot of pvcs after eating.  Perhaps I tend towards reactive hypoglycemia.   It goes away after a couple of hours (back to normal pvcs).  I just want to feel good again, so perhaps I will investigate the mental aspect yet again in the hopes of finding some relief and healing.
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Avatar universal
Fatigue is very common in heart failure. Based on your description your LVH is well controled. Beta blockers can also cause fatigue and depression, these are common side effects especially at larger doses. Anxiety and depression can mimic a lot of diseases and there are meds to treat these problems. Changes in heart rate are common with anxiety, the fight or flight response is activated, catecholamines are released in response to this and your pulse goes up, all of this is normal and this is how your body is supposed to respond. With anxiety the "fight or flight " response is activated when there is no real danger present, hence the fast pulse rate. Exercise is an excellent idea and a treadmill or exercise bike are good investments if you can't get outside.
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Avatar universal
any ideas/help out there?
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