Cirrhosis and now Pulmonary Hypertension - please help [yet again]

[puddy68]

Hi Everyone. If it doesn't rain it pours. As many of you will know I have recently been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and I also have an anxiety disorder, and it's taken me several weeks to get my head around the cirrhosis diagnosis, and get past the anxiety attacks about this. I am now living "clean" - no alcohol/cigarettes for 5 weeks, trying to improve my diet and I've joined a gym.

Anyway, on Friday I went to hospital for a gastroscopy, and the anesthetist was looking at my notes from the hospital from 2 years ago, when I was admitted to ICU with Infleunza Type A and pneumonia. A section of my discharge notes read, in reference to a scan done on my heart: "Normal LV ejection and valvular function. Impression of dilated RV with reduced contraction. Mild to moderate pulmonary hypertension."

There was no recommendation to follow up with a heart specialist. She asked me lots of questions about this and any symptoms I may be experiencing. I mentioned that I do get short of breath if I have to walk a medium to long distance, yet I have no problems on the rowing machine at gym [although admittedly I don't push myself very hard], yet I do 20 minutes on it. No shortness of breath when doing normal activities at home. No fluid build up anywhere. My Dad also has an enlarged right side of heart, but his doctor said that his was due to too much exercise [he's a fitness fanatic]. He's had a couple of stents [stints?] put in, and is on beta blockers.

She recommended that I see my doctor to get a referral to a specialist to see about the above information [even though it's been 2 years]. I am now absolutely petrified, my heightened anxiety has kicked in again, and I've been looking at google sites where they are telling me only have 2 - 3 years to live. To say I am anxious is an understatement.

Could someone please, please help? Thank you so much.

[Ericabear]

Well done on the new lifestyle changes! Keep it up! All you can do is follow the advice and trust in the process. I think, and please note this is just my personal opinion, that when you have one diagnosis every other aspect of your health gets scrutinised, just to be on the safe side and not to miss anything. I know it's hard but do what you are doing and try not to worry. DON'T GOOGLE! this was my first piece of advice from this forum and am so glad as had Google been right I would be a widow by now. Thankfully I am not and we are both doing ok, living life and planning holidays . Xxx

[puddy68 in reply to Ericabear]

Thank you so much, Ericabear, I really appreciate your reply. And you are so right......Google is BAD - the very worse thing to do. Thanks so much once again. God Bless.