coincidence?

[meandthree]

Did anyone else have anemia during pregnancy, eclampsia, a blood transfusion after hemmoraging during delivery, or a very fast delivery? All of these? My docs are trying to find any reason they can for a connection of these situations. I did find out last week that my EF was 47% at the time of diagnoses, which was within 48 hours of onset of symptoms. I go in this Wednesday for another echo. They reduced my Toprol to 50 mg 2 times a day until the results, and I am still not supposed to lift weights of any size. What about my baby? They are still very persistant with the preaching that I should not have another child even though this all happened with my 3rd baby.

Kim in Colorado

[heartfulloflove]

I was diagnosed with cardiomegaly and an EF of 49% at 11 weeks postpartum. I had a 6 hr labor/delivery and was mildly anemic, but I was far more anemic during my first pregnancy, and I had no heart problems at that time.

Other than that I had a very normal, very happy, very healthy pregnancy and enjoyed all but the morning sickness in the beginning. I had no clue anything was wrong until weeks later.

[Janelle]

I am and was anemic and took extra iron supplements thru my entire pregnancy.

[Nadine]

I was also anaemic during both my pregnancies. I had a 2 hour labour second time, don't know if that's considered really fast, but I thought it was great!

Nadine

[SerenaWelsh]

I'd say wait and see what your next echo shows. If you're recovered, and having more children is still a consideration, seek out a specialist.

[JAMESFETT]

May I suggest this? There are important questions to answer in order to make future decisions:

1)Did you have heart failure? Did you have signs and symptoms of that and was your blood B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level elevated?
2)Did you have a diagnosis of PPCM?
3)Did you have evidence of an inflammatory process in the heart? Was your blood high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) elevated? Is it now?
4)Did you have evidence of an autoimmune process involving the heart? Do you have autoantibodies in your blood of the type a)cardiac myosin autoantibodies or b)cardiac beta-1-adrenergic receptor antibodies?

Those are questions that will help you to know more about your diagnosis and your future decisions regarding additional pregnancies.

JDF

[JAMESFETT]

P.S. All of the heart "stressors" that you had (pre-eclampsia, anemia, serioius postpartum hemorrhage, blood transfusion) could make mild heart failure worse and cause heart failure to show up where it would not if any or all of those stressors were not present.

JDF

[amyls]

I had preeclamisa...and emengency c-sect and blood transfusions. At 28 wks I had an EF of 61% I had an ECHO because I was in A-fib..at 35 weeks it was 20%. So in just 7 weeks I went from completely healthy to CHF and a stroke.

amy

[JAMESFETT]

AMY, your experience is not uncommon in PPCM. Progression from normal to very low EF may occur in hours, days, or weeks.

JDF

[amyls]

I'm just glad they found it when they did, at the time, they didn't think I would make it through the night.

Is there any correlation between all of that and not a full recovery, while I am fine with 45% I would much prefer 60! :)

I am also having problem with a very fast HR (uo tp 124 at night), so they are uping my Toprol XL to 200 mg.

amy

[heartfulloflove]

May I suggest this? There are important questions to answer in order to make future decisions:

1)Did you have heart failure? Did you have signs and symptoms of that and was your blood B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level elevated?
2)Did you have a diagnosis of PPCM?
3)Did you have evidence of an inflammatory process in the heart? Was your blood high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) elevated? Is it now?
4)Did you have evidence of an autoimmune process involving the heart? Do you have autoantibodies in your blood of the type a)cardiac myosin autoantibodies or b)cardiac beta-1-adrenergic receptor antibodies?

Those are questions that will help you to know more about your diagnosis and your future decisions regarding additional pregnancies.

JDF

Here's my problem. I never had any of the bloodwork. As far as the autoimmune items, I still have a slip from my Rheumatologist (was having a number of autoimmune-like symptoms early this year) for a fairly detailed workup. I just never did it because she mentioned Fibromyalgia and I figured she was a quack and stopped pursuing it. Might it be worth still having that done, or would all of the levels be normal now that my heart is?

[JAMESFETT]

No, I don't think there would be any usefulness to try to go back on those because you are normal. Should you contemplate a subsequent pregnancy, some of the autoantibody search--when and if it becomes an applied clinical tool, as opposed to a research tool--could be useful. For example, someone with postive cardiac autoantibodies and at higher titers could be more susceptible to a relapse of ppcm with a subsequent pregnancy than someone without those(hypothesis).

JDF

[heartfulloflove]

For example, someone with postive cardiac autoantibodies and at higher titers could be more susceptible to a relapse of ppcm with a subsequent pregnancy than someone without those(hypothesis).

That would be the only reason I would have for the testing. As of this exact moment in time, I don't see myself trying again, however, stranger things have happened.

Thank you Dr. Fett.

[miachic]

Shannon - I just had some tests and such drawn a few months ago by my OB. He also had some coagulation studies drawn. Everything came back normal and fine so he said that everything he was concerned about is on the right track. He drew the studies because he said he was looking into my preeclampsia and possible things that might correlate with that and my anemia.

Anyway. All that to say, I would say that if you are thinking of trying again, definitely get them drawn. Definitely ask for every blood test you could ever imagine to be drawn so that they have your "normal" state of bodily function and health on record in case something does go wrong so they know what they're looking at.

[heartfulloflove]

Thanks Emily :)

I kind of wonder though...are we ever really - I mean really really - normal again after this?

[miachic]

I don't think so but it's at least a baseline reading of what your body's most "normal" state is without being pregnant. :D

[meandthree]

Well I had my echo and my Ef is 53%. At this time they are talking about taking me off of the Lisinopril and i am considered recovered.. Three of my valves are still mildly leaking ( I was not aware that this was happening to begin with) My actual cardiologist is on vacation so I was seen by her partner. It is going to be a long weekend!

Kim E