CFS and ASDs

[coco74]

Hi, I'm 34 have had Chronic fatigue syn for few years, anyway went to cardiology for orthostatic hypotension and they found some ASDs.  Have had bubble echo they could see it shunting but could'nt see enough to determine much.  In the meantime the Dr keeps telling me it's unrelated to my symptoms, however, after reading on the net the basic symptoms of symptomatic ASDs is chronic fatigue, exersise intolerance, breathlessness, which often appears in 3rd decade of life!! any of this sounding familiar? I can't help wondering which part of my symptoms are not related to this.

Also have read Dr Cheney's articles on ASDs in patients with CFS and he thinks 78% of CFS patients have ASDs, he believes they are aquired not congenital.  Anyway, he warns about traditional treatment for ASDs in those with CFS as he believs they physiology is different and traditional treatment detremental.  What I want to ask is he advised me to take 3 grams of salt daily to raise my BP however do you think that could increase the chances of stroke or pulminary hypertension depending which way the shunt is? or do you think low BP  maybe a protective factor?

thanks for you time and any advice gratefully received.

[coco74]

Sorry to bother you again and thank you for your reply but I forgot to ask about something else.  

When my pressure rises I seem to get pain and pressure in my neck veins, they throb with my heart beat.  I get this with exercise too when my heart rate speeds up I guess.  
Could this be related to the ASDs or heart pressures in any way?

By the way it is ASDs not PFOs and they think two.

Thanks x

[Douglas Bogart, MD]

First you need to know if you have a PFO or an ASD as the prognosis can be very different.  If the shunt is small from the defect then the 3 gm sodium diet should have no effect on pulmonary hypertension.  The degree of shunting will determine the prognosis  regardless of CFS.