Heart health after radiation
Has anyone been diagnosed with hert problem eg mildly enlarged heart 2 years post radiation
Forum Discussion
@Indexia
My left ventricle is slightly enlarged and doesn’t clear blood through as effectively as it might, I have a arrhythmia (irregular heart beat). You of course may not have any such problem.
I had an irregular heartbeat for decades before bc but it was a regular irregularity which is quite common and no problem. Now I have the common, garden, plain old irregularity! But I had chemo and no radiation. Lots of theories - it may have been the chemo, it might not, it might have reverted to normal once chemo stopped if chemo caused it (it’s improved but not gone), it was just ageing (catch all for anything), or some combination of all the above and surgery (my preferred theory!). Main thing is it’s entirely manageable. After eight years I manage it with two small tablets daily, one is a blood thinner to obviate any chance of clotting, which in my case isn’t high anyway. That’s it. I feel fine and live normally. I agree with @arpie, good to get it checked out with a cardiologist. Sometimes it’s just something to be aware of, nothing more. Best wishes.
My left ventricle is slightly enlarged and doesn’t clear blood through as effectively as it might, I have a arrhythmia (irregular heart beat). You of course may not have any such problem.
I had an irregular heartbeat for decades before bc but it was a regular irregularity which is quite common and no problem. Now I have the common, garden, plain old irregularity! But I had chemo and no radiation. Lots of theories - it may have been the chemo, it might not, it might have reverted to normal once chemo stopped if chemo caused it (it’s improved but not gone), it was just ageing (catch all for anything), or some combination of all the above and surgery (my preferred theory!). Main thing is it’s entirely manageable. After eight years I manage it with two small tablets daily, one is a blood thinner to obviate any chance of clotting, which in my case isn’t high anyway. That’s it. I feel fine and live normally. I agree with @arpie, good to get it checked out with a cardiologist. Sometimes it’s just something to be aware of, nothing more. Best wishes.