Peri Pardum Cardiomyopathy

I was diagnosed with Peri Pardum Cardiomyopathy 2 & 1/2 weeks ago after delivering my first child, I'm only 18 years old, I've never had any heart trouble, & even my doctor is shocked because of my age, but there sure its what i have after doing an echo, While in labor i started having trouble breathing & evendually led to an emergency c-section, I am just wondering what my chances are & if theres been any other cases where the patient is my age? My pregnancy was weird I had all the symptoms however my ob-gyn didnt do any tests & in my opionion it could have been prevented by my b-gyn but he didnt take the time to check me because he has so many patients.. My question is what my chances are of a full recovery? my first echo showed a 10% flow of blood to my heart but 2 days later it showed 20%, I go back in 3 weeks for another echo, but does everything sound like maybe i'll recover? Ive been put on blood pressure medicine, But my doctor has took me off of one b/c my blood pressure got to low, & now im on Coreg & another beta blocker, So does it sound like my condition is improving since my blood pressure is doing better?? Thanks!

[Meika997]

I am 28 yrs old I have two children ages 1 and 6. I had some shortness of breath with my last pregnancy. I went to the emergency room and I was told I had bronchitis. I had complications again two months after I had my daughter. I went back to the emergency room and I found out I had cardiomypathy.  I was on 8 meds  I am currently on 6. I was pumping at 10% now I am at 30%.

[ireneo]

Have either of you tried posting on the heart disease board? There are folks there with cardiomyopathy and can discuss ejection fractions, meds and so forth over there. Hope that will help.

[msrux]

i had my daughter in august of 2006. 3 days after the c-section (she was 7 weeks premature) i noticed shortness of breath and a crackling when i exhaled. i was in heart failure. my heart was at 25%. it turns out i have a defect in my heart and the pregnancy brought on the heart failure. while i was pregnant, i gained close to 45 pounds of water weight. my ob said it was normal. how is that normal??

anyway, 2 years and a tubal ligation later, my heart is at 50% and my doctor thinks i will be fine. i know how scary this is. please let me know if you ever want to talk.

meghan