High BP and resting heart rate

[psrorrer]

I had a 'fluid overload' in a 1999 surgery resulting in an enlarged heart, it resolved and I was left with "just thickened walls" and high BP and was told to worry no more about it.

Lately I have noticed a wide varience in my BP readings (130/89 to 190/110) and my pulse/hr is rarely under 100, my ears ring constantly and I cannot do simple chores without my heart pounding and feeling like I am going to pass out... heat makes it much worse.  I am on Hydrochlorothiazide for the bp, but my doctor has dropped my insurance and it has been difficult to find a new doctor that takes it. Swelling is all on my left side only... left arm and hand, left side of face, left leg... at times my left arm and hand will be much larger than my right.  I wake a night gasping for breath as if I have forgotten to breath while sleeping (apnea has been ruled out) and find myself gasping unexpectedly during the day... everything is 'normal' then all of a sudden I gasp loudly.

Do these symptoms fit for hypertrophy or should I press my insurance company to let me see a cardio to make sure that the CHF has not enlarged my heart again... or could all this just be stress related?

[lak]

THANKS

[psrorrer]

hypotrophy is thickening of the heart walls, mine came from an enlarged heart due to a surgical mistake (they gave me a fluid overload in surgery, my bp went up, they treated it and my bp went away... completely... my heart enlarged to 4 times normal and they did not expect me to survive the night... but a week in CCU on a respirator and hard dedicated work from the CCU docs and I pulled through)

[lak]

What is Hypertrophy?  I have exactly the same symptoms.  I have have thousands of PVCS though daily.  But everything is always on my left side.

[Cleveland Clinic]

psrorrer,

Im not sure you need to immediately jump to fighting your insurance company to see a cardiologist. Your constellation of symtoms is concerning, but a good general practitioner or internist should be able to initiate the workup and then make the referral. I would start with a visit to your physician ASAp and discuss your new symtoms.

good luck