Left ventricular hypertrophy

[bike_88fxrs]

Left ventricular hypertrophy. I have been told that this is what I have. I have been told my heart wall thickness measures at about 1.3. I have no insurance except for my Vet Admin. benifits and they are VERY hard to talk with or get a straight answer from. Great doctors and nurses, but just way over worked to sit and talk with individuals. I started my problems with the typical shortness of breath and swelling of the feet and lower legs. When the swelling started I noticed discoloration around my ankles and credit the spotty brown and blue color to the swelling. It has been 5 months since this all started and I have been on all the proper meds, the swelling has been all but gone for the last few months, with few exceptions and those exceptions were very minor swelling. According to the V.A. I am not diabetic either. That was a breif history.
My question, which no one at the V.A.  can answer for me is why  the discoloration of my ankles has not only not gone away but has gotten worse.

[kenkeith]

Skin discoloration is common in peripheral vascular disease secondary to impaired circulation resulting in poor dermal nutrition and changes sometimes due to poor venous return (LVH can be the underlying cause for poor venus return, etc.).  The hyperpigmentation (brown color) is not treatable and posses no problem for the patient. Skin breakdown if it occurs is a greater problem.

[markmsn10]

A LV thickness of 1.3cm should not cause this, in fact is such borderline it should cause no symptoms at all.   The LV wall would need to be near 1.8cm or larger before anything noticeable happens.    How were the other values with your echo study?