Today is the two year anniversary of my Pericardioectomy (5 hour open heart surgery procedure involving the removal of my pericardium to resolve my chronic Pericarditis). As a result of the op I’ve got my life back. And all credit goes to the surgeon and staff of Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, my own cardiologist and his team at Arrowe Park Hospital here on the Wirral, and also the cardiac rehab team at St Catherine’s Hospital Birkenhead. My strength and vitality are fully restored and I walk at a fast pace for exercise 3-4 miles daily.
However from a wider standpoint I am concerned that Pericarditis, and especially the chronic (long term version) gets very little research funding probably because of lack of attention in the media even though quite a high proportion of patients that visit A&E with chest pain are diagnosed as having Pericarditis. It’s also little known that famous people such as Mozart and Bob Dylan suffered from the condition.
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Philra
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Very interesting! And brilliant you’ve ‘got your life back’.
During quite a few admissions, I have had one tentative diagnosis of pericarditis. I might be wrong, but I got the impression it was only considered when other ideas were exhausted.
You are correct. I’d had Pericarditis for 5 years before a Pericardioectomy was sanctioned. All medicine treatments inc colchicine, methotrexate and prednisone ultimately failed. I had pericardial effusions including one that caused Tamponade (severe compression of my heart).
Incidentally myself and two other UK Pericarditis patients have set up a closed group on facebook. We already have over 220 members. You are welcome to join:
Thanks for your response to Kristin 1812, I have taken up your link - so appreciated as not enough people understand Pericarditis and most of all GP's and Cardiologists outside of specialist hospitals need better diagnostic information.
Absolutely- I totally agree with you. I’ve beeh lucky in that both my GP and cardiologist have a comprehensive understanding of the treatment protocols regarding patients suffering from Pericarditis.
Hi, glad you are so much better, I didn’t have pericarditis but I had a triple bypass at Liverpool last year after an angiogram at Arrowe Park & then Cardiac Rehab at St Caths. I cant praise them enough either. At the moment I am half way through the cardio fit course at West Kirby Concourse still run by the cardiac rehab team. Jean
I’m glad you’re recovery is going well. I too use the West Kirby concourse gym. Although when I completed my cardiac rehab programme at St Cath’s in Birkenhead I later after a few months joined the West Kirby concourse gym as a public member.
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Update to A year with Pericarditis - Pericarditis to Pericardiectomy 
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