Roadtrip Calif. to Eugene Oregon with RBBB
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Last yr we took a family roadtrip from So. Calif to Oregon. Elevation can be pretty high driving thru Mt. Shasta. I began feeling ill but brushed it off to the stress of 4 digs, wife, 2 grandkids on trip. After 3 days at location in Oregon, symptoms became worse. Sweating, nausea, heart palpations, no appetite, couldn't sleep, ankles swelled. We cut trip short and return home only to be rushed to hosp. via Paramedics with difficulty breathing. Diagnosis after several test: RBBB. Its never happened again on mild elevation trips, the only meds I take are foe Hypertension, 2. Amlodipine and Lirsartan. I was told after a stress test not to worry and just monitor with reg. checkups..okay..not worry? We need to take another roadtrip soon to Oregon again and Im terrified of it happening again or worse..I am a 8 ur survivor of 2 brain bleeds at the Thalamus.
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lyn1951 mac964
Posted
That would be terrifiying, and just the thought of it happening again, I can sympathise.
Would you cardiologist be able to supply you with extra oxygen supply, especially for high areas.
I think I would also at the same time have a check before you go on that trip.
Husband has both LBBB firstly and then later seven years later, RBBB block, his heartbeat dropped to 30BPM at home, that gave me a fright, took him straight to the heart hospital, good decision I was told by consultant, where after an argument about what was wrong, junior cardiologist thought it was just his meds, consultant agreed with my diagnoses, his branch bundles had stopped working I said, they installed a 3 lead pacemaker as it was found his was not intermittent, but 100% branch bundle block.
He also has dialated cardiomyopathy, but interesting is that his arteries in his heart are clear of any blockages, and has huge lung capacity.
Does not get swollen ankles, is that because of his clear arteries, I don't know and nobody has really been able to tell me why not, but I have worked out that if his forearms are sweating he is overloaded with fluid, just being married to him for 45 years, I know when he is not well.
I have guessed right now 5 times, even against local GP's advice, when told nothing was wrong, consultant told me if I had nursing degree he would employ me.
How did I know he was sick 7 years ago, took me a long time to figure it out, than I realised my dad also had dialated cardiomyopathy, his entire life, in fact when I was born he had it, just not diagnosed until about two years before he died, so of course I would recognise the symptoms because I had lived with it from the time I was a child, consultant agrees with me, when I told my story after he had the sense to ask when husband in heart hospital, and junior cardio was sneering at me, she's only a member of public, knows nothing about it, not in sooo many words but got the message loud and clear, so did the junior cardio when the consultant glared at him, and told junior cardio in front of us that Mrs R, is right, my office now, and bring Mr R's file with you. Consultant came back about 15 mins later and apoligised to us, and again said you were right, nodding to me, and how many times have you saved your husband life now, 5 times I said with a grin, keep up the good work consultant said.
Never saw the junior cardio after that, nurses on the ward said laughing, he would not come near you, just tooo dangerous, damn'd right I'm dangerous, with the consultants direct mobile phone number given to me at the time, have never had to use it, thankgoodness.