Multiples

Heart Issues after Pregnancy (a little long)

Oddly enough on Valentine's Day I started to experience chest pain, 4 weeks postpartum. I already had an appointment with a cardiologist that day, due to chest x-rays showing my heart was slightly enlarged. The cardiologist blew me off, probably because I am much younger than his typically patient. Several days later the pain got worse so I went to the ER. After a chest x-ray, EKG, blood tests, Echocardiogram and CT scan I was diagnosed with Pleural Pericarditis, Cardiomyopathy and a Pleural Effusion. I had the fluid around my lungs drained (OUCH), and was admitted to the hospital for constant monitoring of my heart. My pulse was high (130-140 at rest), and my blood pressure had been high until my OB put me on a beta blocker. The doctor's (internal medicine, cardiologist, perinatologist and my OB) all scratched their head as to why this was happening. 

I was placed on ibuprofen, lasix and a small dose of a different beta blocker. The chest pain is finally going away after almost 2 weeks, but I am still very week.

The doctors mentioned that sometimes a pregnancy with multiples can place a lot of stress on the body and cause the heart to work harder. I was wondering if there are any other mama's of multiples that have experienced this, and if so, how the recovery has been and has the condition gone away?

Thank you!!! 

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Married 09.9.11 (Me:31 and DH:31)
Left Tubal Ligation in 2004
1.2.12 BFP
1.16.12 LAP due to Ectopic @ 7w, Right Tubal Ligation
3.19.12 IVF #1 - Stims (Lupron + Gonal F + Luveris)
3.29 ER - 6 snowbabies (ET postponed due to OHSS)
FET 6/6 - transferred two 4AB snowbabies
Beta #1 6/16 = 683, Beta #2 6/18 = 1703, Beta #3 6/20 = 4073, u/s #1 @ 5wks = TWINS!!, 7w u/s two heartbeats <3<3 TWIN BOYS<br>

***SAIFW & PAIFW***

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Re: Heart Issues after Pregnancy (a little long)

  • Mine didn't happen directly after I had my boys ...I was born with something called Wolffe Parkinson White where I have extra pathways in my heart making it beat more.  Last year on Valentine's Day I started to have something called SVT's which are a fast heartbeat caused by the pathways to loop and kinda be stuck like that.  I had surgery where they laser zapped 2 pathways from my heart.  I still have more but they couldn't get to them.  My symptoms are not as frequent now.  

     

    Take care of yourself! 

  • I don't have any experience, but I wanted to say that I hope everythingis alright and that you feel better soon. (((((hugs)))))
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  • I have extremely high out of control blood pressure and rapid pulse. The doc's been adding and changing up my med's since the twins were born. Then to add to the fun I have some nerve damage too .. fun fun. I had been feeling very weak but mostly in my arms. The neurologist said I suffered some nerve damage and then the pregnancy made my carpel tunnel flare up really bad, I have to have surgery on my both my hands now. Do you get out of breath a lot? Dizzy spells? I am always out of breath even just doing the smallest thing.I have a lot of dizzy spells too and headaches. I never had this problem before. My doc is slow moving though he wants to only help with one thing at a time so meanwhile I suffer! 

    I hope they were able to get you all fixed up. Keep us posted if you get any info that you think could help some of us out too!   =)  good luck and I hope you feel better. 

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  • imageDenaRenee78:

    I have extremely high out of control blood pressure and rapid pulse. The doc's been adding and changing up my med's since the twins were born. Then to add to the fun I have some nerve damage too .. fun fun. I had been feeling very weak but mostly in my arms. The neurologist said I suffered some nerve damage and then the pregnancy made my carpel tunnel flare up really bad, I have to have surgery on my both my hands now. Do you get out of breath a lot? Dizzy spells? I am always out of breath even just doing the smallest thing.I have a lot of dizzy spells too and headaches. I never had this problem before. My doc is slow moving though he wants to only help with one thing at a time so meanwhile I suffer! 

    I hope they were able to get you all fixed up. Keep us posted if you get any info that you think could help some of us out too!   =)  good luck and I hope you feel better. 

     

    I would get your heart checked just to be safe. I had really high blood pressure after delivery and high pulse and we just thought that it was taking time to return to normal. If I didn't go to the hospital for severe anemia, they would never had done a chest x-ray and seen my enlarged heart.

    I had shortness of breath and that was due to the pleural pericarditis - the heart muscles were inflamed and that was causing fluid to build up around my lungs. I had to have the fluid drained and they removed a liter of fluid that was putting press on my lungs. They said my lung capacity was decreased by 1/3.

     I truly hope there is nothing wrong with your heart, but after what I have been through the last 5 weeks I would take every precaution. 

    imagePhotobucket

    Married 09.9.11 (Me:31 and DH:31)
    Left Tubal Ligation in 2004
    1.2.12 BFP
    1.16.12 LAP due to Ectopic @ 7w, Right Tubal Ligation
    3.19.12 IVF #1 - Stims (Lupron + Gonal F + Luveris)
    3.29 ER - 6 snowbabies (ET postponed due to OHSS)
    FET 6/6 - transferred two 4AB snowbabies
    Beta #1 6/16 = 683, Beta #2 6/18 = 1703, Beta #3 6/20 = 4073, u/s #1 @ 5wks = TWINS!!, 7w u/s two heartbeats <3<3 TWIN BOYS<br>

    ***SAIFW & PAIFW***

    Pregnancy Ticker

    imageimageimage

  • I am a cardiac nurse and while most of my patients are older I have heard of pregnancy induced cardiomyopathy in multiples pregnancies. Typically you do make a full recovery. They will likely treat you conservatively with meds for about 3 months then re-evaluate. 

     

    For the other person that said she was short of breath and weak but her doctor only wants to address one thing at a time..... Run don't walk run to another physician. That is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard!!!!! 

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