BNP levels

[Jeder]

Hi everyone - it’s been a few months since I posted - I‘be been away from London in Greece and felt the best I’ve felt since being diagnosed with Hypotrophic cardiomyopathy- on returning to London for the first time in a long time I’ve felt breathless lying down and felt congested in my chest - It lasted a couple of nights but was better in the day. I went to my gp and they suggested an X-ray and blood tests. Fortunately the X-ray is now all clear but My bnp level is now up from 3000 - 4000 and suggested to go back on ferosimide.

Doesn’t anyone have experience of changing environments and changes in bnp level - just it seems strange to me that I’ve been so well and then in London it got worse - I was thinking humidity / pollution etc might make my breathing worse then put my heart under more pressure.

[jimmyq]

It might be the air pollution in London. Where were you in Greece? Somewhere with cleaner air?

[Jeder in reply to jimmyq]

Mykonos Greek island

[Kaz747 in reply to Jeder]

Sounds like Mykonos is better for your health 😎✈️

[jimmyq in reply to Kaz747]

Yep! What Kaz747 says.

[Kaz747 in reply to jimmyq]

The Greek Islands are always a good idea 😎

[stevejb1810]

I can't answer the bit about BNP levels but I recently spent 2 weeks in China where it was hotter than the UK, more humid that the UK and an awful lot more polluted than the UK and I certainly noticed the difference in my breathing when out there (it just felt harder to do!). I spent as little time outdoors as was possible and as much time in air conditioned areas as I could!

So, not definitive proof by any means, but it's possible that climatic conditions and pollution levels might be having an impact on your breathing which might be due to BNP levels.

[IanMK]

I am not qualified to diagnose although I can’t think why there should be any direct link to your BNP. As you say - it is likely that your heart had to work harder on your return.

I’d prescribe a return to Mykonos. 😎

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I am struggling with the heat (now over a month post bypass). A friend took me over to Dunstable Downs recently and I noticed the difference compared to the local gridlocked high street. Yes, I think pollution has an effect!

[P0rtnahapp1e]

Ah Jeder , you made me smile.

I took a great yearning to see Santorini for a few days and casually mentioned to my husband that I was booking flights for myself, my daughter, and granddaughter. He was aghast and muttered about third world hospitals etc.

He almost put me off, but I checked and that island has a couple of hospitals, one of which boasts a cardiologist, so the trip is booked and I’m almost tempted to shove your post up his nose!