Heart scans

[Laurenharrix]

Kind of a long post.

i had my son last March, after a few scans and appointments it was found that he had between 3-5 small holes in his heart. That was a journey in itself. I felt every emotion, the main one being guilt as in it was my fault I made him that ways (silly I know).

I was asked about family past and had to explain that my dad passed away at 37 due to a heart attack and his mother passed away at 34 whilst having heart surgery. So because of this they wanted me to have a few tests. They explained that the holes my son had wasn’t hereditary but just for me to have peace of mind with my heart.

now I’ve always been worried about my heart because of my history, I have had health anxiety to the point I would dread going to sleep incase I’d never wake up.
i have had a few ECG’s which have come back fine.

i recently had an echocardiogram (referred from my sons heart doctor). I wasn’t expecting anything back but my letter came back that I had a mildly dilated left ventricle using volume. They would like to see me again for a scan in a years time.
i know it’s nothing too series but I wasn’t expecting anything at all. Now im just worried.
maybe the next heart palpitation I get will be my last? I’m almost 30 and that in itself have always given me worry as my dad never passed his 30’s, how long have I got left?

point of this post is anyone been through similar? Just needed to rant.
thanks.

Find a well reputed cardiologist and see him/her annually. Palpitations are not life threatening but you do seem to have a unique profile re: LVH (left ventricular hyper trophy) and young familial heart related deaths. History risk is now assessed 1 siblings 2 parents 3 children. Having a child with heart issues increases risk for you hence your child’s doctor recommending echocardiogram. Establishing care with a cardiologist is your best plan of keeping ahead of any heart issues. You don’t detail a lot of personal history but cardiologist can assess and advise re: risk factors of I.e smoking weight activity level diet exercise etoh use sleep apnea risk. Good you are seeking care and being proactive op

Ask your GP to refer you to your local inherited cardiac conditions clinic. The staff there are very used to assessing family history and can help make sure all family members who need it get regular heart screening. It can be scary but cardiology care is so much better than years ago

Definitely with health anxiety, I think it's best to be informed & assess your own risk.

I've been wondering about booking an appointment with a cardiologist as I might have FH & figure it might be an idea to have tests to work out my current situation & then I'll be about to make informed choices.

Work on how anxiety affects you physically too as keeping calm is good for your heart. I think once they know you might be higher risk, you can have extra help like regular scans, so that's good.

I’d like to share a personal experience related to heart scans that might be helpful. A few years ago, my uncle, who was in his late 50s, started experiencing some unusual fatigue and occasional chest discomfort. Despite being relatively active, he decided to consult his doctor, who recommended a heart scan as a precaution.
The heart scan was quick and non-invasive, and it provided valuable information about his heart health. It turned out that he had some plaque buildup in his arteries, which was a wake-up call for him to make some lifestyle changes. Thanks to the early detection, he was able to adjust his diet and start an exercise program, which helped him manage his heart health more effectively.
If you or someone you know has risk factors like a family history of heart disease, high cholesterol, or lifestyle habits that could contribute to heart problems, I would definitely suggest considering a heart scan. It can provide peace of mind and, more importantly, help identify any potential issues before they become serious. Early intervention can make a significant difference in maintaining heart health!