Enlarged Heart Chamber information

[JenWro]

Hello everyone,

I have just been diagnosed with an enlarged heart chamber after years of testing and symptoms. It is inherited lassification since my maternal side of the family have heart concerns and my only brother died suddenly with it in 2017, that when I decided to look into the odd feelings I had. So after many cardiologist, respiratory appointments, scans etc it’s finally been diagnosed

I would welcome advice and others experience on how to improve the situation , I will be placed on medication to date I have no idea what it will be, since I went into shock and hearing went into …no. Not hearing mode 😂❤️…. All help and advice greatly appreciated.

[Zaj23]

Hi there, I'm glad you got to the bottom of your symptoms, I know how difficult that can be! Can I ask how you were diagnosed as having a enlarged heart chamber as on an echo this year they found I have basal right ventricular dilation, I'm just wondering if this is the same thing?

Hope they get you on the right treatment path soon

[JenWro in reply to Zaj23]

Not sure if it’s the same thing..different descriptions but I would ask your cardiologist. I had ECGs, echo’s scans and had been discharged as normal, but I had a brilliant GP who listened and following trips to AE, was diagnosed with missed heart beats, I was fortunate to be in A E when a visiting cardiologist was on duty due to strikes …I also had breathing difficulties (I do yoga so I couldn’t even connect to breath) . i phoned the cardiologist department following another echoscan because I was not happy with the response in writing from the cardiologist who had not seen me, talked to me or even knew what I looked like, (while having the scans I could see from the screen and the discussions with the people conducting the ECG that there was something a miss ) That week my GP received a letter stating my heart and values were normal. ..but I questioned it again since the Respiratory Specialist had sent a detailed report stating it was signs of heart concerns.

So please ask, ask them to explain in full what it means and if you are not satisfied ask for a second opinion which you can get on NHS without going private . Good luck and please don’t Dr Google talk to a specialist but ask please ❤️❤️

[Deejay62]

Hi I was diagnosed with an enlarged heart when I first became ill. I was breathless and could hardly walk and I also had atrial tachycardia.

I got diagnosed via having a chest X-ray. Later I had an angiogram which diagnosed atrial tachycardia and dilated cardiomyopathy. I’m not sure if enlarged heart chamber is the same as an enlarged heart. I was diagnosed 20 yrs ago so I’m not sure if the terminology as changed. All the best.

[JenWro in reply to Deejay62]

You have just described my symptoms. I can hardly walk due to problems with breathing and climbing stairs is a no go. Hence why the medical doctors thought it was lungs.

[Deejay62 in reply to JenWro]

I have pulmonary hypertension too so I wonder if my breathlessness is to do with that amongst other things. Also Afib doesn’t help.

[JenWro in reply to Deejay62]

I find the whole aspect very confusing to be honest. I studied sciences and practised during a full career until retirement . But the complexity of medical terminology I just can’t grasp when it’s concerning my health…It’s as if the brain just decides to go on holiday, so I always ask the professionals in the medical arena please layman’s terms since its not my specialism Did you have the same reaction at first or is it just second nature to you ❤️

[Deejay62 in reply to JenWro]

They usually explain it as clearly as they can but I don’t remember things anymore. They also put our discussions in a report to me, but then they always add something to that report that we didn’t discuss. It’s so frustrating. I think their memory isn’t very good either.

[fishonabike]

I am sorry to hear that you are struggling with this news - it must be scary if you know of others in your family and have watched their experiencean enlarged heart chamber is noy a condition in itself, it is usually a symptom or result of a condition which is making the heart work much harder e.g. heart valve defect, high bloodpressure, cardiomyopathy - so you might get more helpful advice if you could be clear about the diagnosis you were given

you mention "inherited lassification", but i wonder if that is a mis-spelling or a misunderstanding as it is not a term i recognise in connection with heart conditions - may i suggest that you have a type of cardiomyopathy which is inherited? there are treatments for this and early diagnosis is important

i hope you can find relevant help for your concerns

[JenWro in reply to fishonabike]

Hello Fishonabike,

Thankyou for all this information very much appreciated. The need for myself to be clear about my diagnosis….

The diagnosis I was given was via a telephone consultation appointment from the cardiologist on a Saturday afternoon therefore the call was very brief ….

The discussion was that I had an enlarged heart chamber and that the heart itself was large, that they were now aware that my breathlessness, inability to walk far was not my lungs due to the in -depth report from the respiratory department. That my doctor would be sent a letter with instructions to introduce medication for a couple of weeks and then the cardiologist department will revist the situation to ascertain the next stage of treatment, This was as clear as the cardiologist was on Saturday really

What I wasn’t clear about in my initial post was that there had been a little admin error with regards to the hospital system, the letter with the findings which had been sent to my doctor was regarding another person ….it came to my attention when I viewed the letter and reports sent to my doctor since the basic information was different. The discrepancies were unfortunate but a relief when I saw them …. I have a very common name and also the same dob as another patient and it was only when I questioned my height , weight and another statement that it was clear that something was amiss ……. Therefore the phone call from the cardiologist was an apology with instructions on what was true state of my health and what would be the next stage.

Inherited classification was a typing error it should have read an inherited condition.

Thankyou again for all your knowledge it is appreciated and once I get an appointment with my doctor I now know what I have to ask to get the full diagnoses Thankyou

.

[JenWro in reply to fishonabike]

Love the name by the way ♥️