I'm 30 years old. When I was 24, I developed shortness of breath, swelling, etc., and was finally correctly diagnosed with congestive heart failure. My ejection fraction was about 10% by the time I was admitted to the hospital. I had a severely enlarged heart. I was discharged after 7 days and treated aggressively with medication. Within 9 months, my EF was up to 65%. I've never had a biopsy or any other heart surgery.
When I was 26, I became pregnant. I had to go off most heart meds, and I developed heart failure again once I approached the 2nd trimester. My EF went from 65% to 40% in just 3 weeks and I terminated the pregnancy at 15 weeks.
I see my cardiologist annually and get an echo annually. I take lisinopril, labetalol, lasix, spironolactone. Since my pregnancy, my EF is around 55% each year. All my echos since the hospitalization show mitral valve regurgitation (mild or moderate). I have palpitations and an irregular heartbeat. My EEGs show damage to the heart.
Being so young, my arteries are perfect without blockage. I've never smoked, drank, or use drugs. I am overweight, but engage in light activity like walking my dogs most days of the week. I consistently have chest pain when I exercise too strenuously.
Prior to my cardiomyopathy diagnosis at age 24, I had some high blood pressure over several months each: maybe 140 or 145/85. But then I was taken off birth control and it went down, so I never took high blood pressure pills before the heart failure.
What's wrong with me? Why is my heart like that? What's my prognosis? Am I always going to have to take these medications? Is there a cure or at least a surgery to correct this? What should I be asking my cardiologist about? Am I too young to have developed cardiomyopathy due to high blood pressure?