Heart Question?

Maree72

Hello all,
its been a hot minute since I've been on here, but I'm back with a heart related question please?

After my treatments chemo, stopped in Easter this year, long story but I got 1/2 way though the 16 cycles,
Radiation completed on 5th July after 6 weeks.
Not yet on hormone blocking tablets, that's another story for another time. Waiting on my KI67 results before I make that choice.

But I got given my results today from my echocardiogram done 2 weeks ago - my oncologist has now referred me as a cat 1 to the cardiologist as they have found thickening of my heart chamber on the outside, this wasn't present in the echo prior to chemo starting. They say its not life threating and I'm unlikely to just up sticks as have a heart attack, always good know.

So has anyone else out there in the breast cancer land experienced this?
Not to sure what to expect, or how to manage this, I still get fatigued, I still have brain fog days or moments, 

I've returned back to my swimming pool exercises and swimming, the gym - as well as yoga and all my physio exercises I do.

So I'm pretty active - I don't drink ( very much or at all) , my choice, think the last glass of wine was over a few weeks ago, I'm not a smoker, I watch what I eat since this dam cancer nightmare, 
I take all my victim's and supplements,

I'm in menopause,  sleeping is very very difficult due to the insomnia - I retain fluid, in my ankles and hands, this is how the oncologist picked up on this, that and I got on my high horse about testing the heart after all the treatments had been done, to see if there are any changes - after watching breast cancer trials webinar about heart health and breast cancer, it was an incredible watch, so much info given and shared. So they agreed to do a follow up echo.

And now this ?? 

So any one out there with anything they would like to tell me about, share etc,
I should hear back from the cardiologist department at the hospital with in 30 days, guess Ill know more then, just for now, I'm completely guessing as to what happened now? 

Thanks so much
I'm not worried (much)

Afraser

Not the same thing, I developed an arrhythmia but I understand about the unease caused by what I initially considered a Heart Condition (with capitals). 11 years on I am much more relaxed! The heart’s a wonderful
organ and with reasonable care ticks on remarkably well. You are looking after yourself and your prognosis is good. You have every reason to be confident. Stuff happens but a good cardiologist and a positive attitude can put the world to rights again. Best wishes. 

arpie

Well done on being proactive after seeing the webinar, @Maree72? I am guessing you didn't have any Pain or palpitations previously?  I know it really scared me, when I started having mine!      

I was diagnosed with an abnormal heartbeat a couple of years ago, 4 years after my BC surgery - I didn't have chemo.  But my father had heart problems as well and passed away at age 51 (possibly caused by/made worse by an injury during the WW2) .. I am now 71, so, so far, so good!!  I am now on a small dose beta blocker to control the wonky beat .... and I've not had a recurrence (even tho I forget to take the tablets .... oooops!)

It sounds like you are doing everything right in your life, so well done YOU!!  Roughly what age are you?  It could well be an age related thing too ... I think mine is.  

take care & all the best for your ongoing treatment xx

Maree72

Hi @arpie thank you for your reply, I'm turning 52 this December - no pain, just fluid retention in my ankles and legs.
I have this since I can remember like young adulthood (I think) fluid retention in my hand and fingers, since the radiation the shortness if breath have become more notice able, along with the fatigue, I've always suffered with dizziness, light headedness -

I always put it down to low bp, I now retain fluid in my underarm and left breast since they took all the nodes, so I try my best to stay on top of that too, there is just so much to try and juggle now with all the extra side effects and health matters since breast cancer.
My second b/c surgery is also not far off its 1st year mark, November this year, 
until I can get in and see this cardiologist I can only start to guess what will the the treatment plan, and everything else, 

I've done a bit of a google search with the finding my oncologist told me they have found, and if it is what its come back at, then I'm 100% certain this is the same heart condition, my late mother had before her life was cut short of a heart attack at the age of 57, one month off her 58th birthday, 19 years ago, 
Mum didn't tell any of us she was on heart medication, I found that after her passing in her bedroom, and didn't know why she had been put on heart medication, I put a call through to her medical clinic the other day, but of course as its been so long now all her medical records have been destroyed, 

the oncologist has said that the heart is still pumping well and the arteries that take in the blood are also working well, its the thickening of the heart chambers on the outside wall, that is present, now compared to the echo before the chemo and radiation started. 

Its just another waiting game again, and think wat now?? 
bit like when the GP tells us we have breast cancer, next stop the hospital team, and your left sitting there wondering what the, till you get that 1st appointment to explain about the cancer that has been found and what the plan is etc.

I just like to arm myself with as much information as I can these days, ive been on the health journey thanks to this breast cancer, long enough to know you have to do your home work, to ask all the question you can, 

again thanks for you response

arpie

That's very interesting @Maree72 that your Mum had a heart condition (tho no records of it now.)  Does your GP know about it?  Cos it is a bit of a coincidence that you have it now, similar age to when your Mum was probably diagnosed!   That's good that your heart is pumping well! xx

Gosh!! If you've had this fluid retention for all these years, that really should all have been investigated properly before now too!      Have any of your siblings got similar conditions?  It could be hereditary!

Did you have radiation on your left breast?  Special breathing techniques are usually involved to try & prevent radiation damage to the heart & lungs .... Were both your BCs in the one breast?

Yep, I am a bit like you too, but be wary of Dr Google too    Some stuff might be totally irrelevant to your condition .... and just scare the pants off you!  Best to trust your Medical team on this one.  Hopefully you'll see the cardiologist soon ...

What area do you live in (Town/Suburb - you can add it to your profile.). Members may have some suggestions, relative to your location xx

take care  

Maree72

We are all from NZ,  so mums GP was back in Christchurch NZ, I moved to Perth 08 after her passing in Jan of 05, now in QLD Brisbane since 2018, I've told the GP about my mother, its noted, but no one takes me seriously at all. It seems to be the way with Dr's I've come across over my life. 
Mum was a diabetic for many years, 

So far the GP has tried to say the typical loose weight, due to your BMI I'm classed as obsess (thanks so much) I'M only 5 foot 1 so of course any weight I do carry is classed as over weight,  and you have vertigo,  my med team like to fat shame me, with you must loose weight, blah blah blah, 
I'm getting to the point that I most likely need to live at the gym or the pool 24 7 and not eat to make them happy, 
They forget that menopause makes you gain weight and hold fluid, along with the side effects to the cancer treatments too, but all they can say is loose weight, my original oncologist told me I was meant to loose weight and not put weight on while under chemo, that was very nice of him, I fired him not long after that comment,

Brother is now a diabetic, partly inherited, mostly poor life style choices, he has high blood pressure .

So yes I'm thinking it was an inherited cardio issue that was brought to light after all this breast cancer treatment,

Yes left breast with the deep breath holding pattern done during the treatments,
Yes both breast cancers were in the left, first medical team left the cancer behind in the lymph nodes giving me a false negative result, and everything was clear, with in 8 months a reoccurrence had happened in the breast and the cancer still in nodes, its been a journey that's for real, clearly I switched out medical teams and hospitals to the one I'm with now after the 1st muck up.

I expressed my up most concern about radiation, and the possible side effects to the heart prior to treatment, only to be again dismissed and told its very very rare.

Due to my mother passing of a heart attack, again not really listened to, as radiation is a must have part of this course, I personally didn't want radiation, but only agreed to it for the sake of my husband and sons wishes that I try to kick the cancer in the butt this time around. 

but her I am! 

yes will be very keen to hear what the medical team in the cardio department have to say and recommend. 
possibly more monitoring I would think? hopefully no medication at this point.