Two weeks ago my 46 year old husband suddenly collapsed.
He doesn't remember any of it but the only warning I got was him saying "I feel odd", staring blankly at me, turning grey, then dropping to the floor. Ten seconds or so later, he was awake trying to get up, I made him stay down and rest. I called an ambulance because of the colour he went (he's never fainted or collapsed before). When the paramedics completed his observations, his ECG was abnormal and he had a bradycardia, so off we went to A&E.
All OBS, bloods etc. completed, to be then told he'd had a heart ache. Following a week in hospital, angiograms, MRI, cardiac echo, bloods, he was told he has dilated cardiomyopathy and will need an ICD. It was a lot of information to take in, we got our heads round it, to then be told it's not that, it's Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (broken heart syndrome).
He now has a "loop" fitted, I understand it as an internal ECG, daily medication and will be reviewed in six weeks. He's been told to carry on as normal, advised not drive, until review and that he'll probably need a device of some sort.
I'm a midwife by profession and my healthcare head is telling me "It could be worse. The cardiac team know what they're doing and he's being monitored etc...". I'm finding I'm monitoring his pulse when he's asleep (during his hospital stay, he had bardycardias when laying down...) and he has sleep apnoea's (which he's had for years). I'm trying not to fuss him but he's told me I am, I'm frightened he's going to collapse again...
Has anybody else experienced something similar?
Written by
Weazt
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Hello, my husband has Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) too. We found out when he wasn sent to hospital by the GP on the basis that his chest infection had perhaps caused a little blood clot on his lung. Nothing to worry overly about said the GP. We both found it a really worrying time. These’s loads to get your head around. Cardiomyopathy UK have really good website and excellent nurses you can phone too, not just for factual information but some support. I worried about him before he was diagnosed because he just wasn’t himself and the “chest infection”wasn’t clearing up and I still worry about him now. I know I fuss and I probably always will. I still check he’s breathing when I wake up at night and first thing in the morning. I still nag when he does too much. Fortunately he now says I’m allowed to. It takes time to get over the initial shock and to get used to the idea and find out what it actually means for day-to-day life. My husband’s condition improved greatly with the right drugs therapy and Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR) as he had a bicuspid valve which wasn’t at all happy with the cardiomyopathy. It’s a big shock and it’s frightening too. It takes time to get used to, for both of you. In time you’ll both settle, the drugs etc will become routine and a normal part of daily life.
I’m sure loads of other people will be along soon with their stories and words of support and encouragement too. In the meantime, take care of yourself too and ask for help when you feel like it. Best wishes to you both. Xx
I live with an unusual difficult heart condition too which took a while to diagnose and it can be very bewildering at first. The most useful thing I found was talking to someone else with my condition.
Cardiology doesn't have some of the certainties of midwifery. A woman can never be a little bit pregnant but you can have a little bit of a heart attack!
Yes three months ago I had pains in my left side and turned grey I called help line who ordered an ambulance. Hispital bloods high told heart attack then after a week of test told Takabuso, I'm on a lot of medication but still have chest pain fatigue, and no one seems to give me any answers, I think it's a rare condition, there is a Facebook page, hope he gets well soon.
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Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy 
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy 
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy 
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
