A month ago, a heart cath revealed that I am in the early stages of diastolic dysfunction (early heart failure, it is called). This is one where there is a pressure difference between the left and right chambers. I had told my cardiologist that I had been getting breathless very easily, even after the pacemaker was implanted a year ago. She went ahead and did the heart cath. Did find I have very clear arteries for 67!
After questioning all my doctors and doing some research, it seems that the chronic inflammation throughout the body from PsA can stiffen and thicken vascular walls and heart muscle.
Bottom line, not much they can do about it. They put me on expensive Jardiance and told me to lose A LOT of weight and exercise. We all know how well exercise programs go for us. My exercise stopped two weeks ago after I fell off one of my retaining walls (4 feet) and jammed my big toe about an inch into my foot. Broke it nicely, and that required surgery, screws, and pins. I have to be off it for a month at least. I have managed to drop nearly 30 lbs, and need to drop 30 more. At 6’5” and originally 350 lbs, I need to get down to 270 or lower. I still get breathless, but it is a little better.
Update - Doc put me on Simponi infusion back in February so Medicare would cover it. I had been on Rinvoq. After 7 months, I am battling terrible SI back pain. TERRIBLE. If the maximum out of pocket on Medicare Part D is going to stay at $2,000 a year, I asked my rheumy if I could go back on Rinvoq. That will start in late August or so. Hope it clears up the back pain. Pain management folks did SI area steroid injections. Little to no help. Informed my pain management folks that I was going back to MY neurosurgeon for back pain control. He wants to ablate the tiny nerves that come out of the SI joint. He told me I get a “try before I buy” on the ablation. He will inject Novocaine into the nerves first to see if it helps. I had an ablation done on C2/C3 years ago. Worst thing I ever did. Changed neuros right after that.
Anyone else dealing with new heart problems related to PsA?
Hey it’s good to hear from you, that’s quite an update! Ya the battle of the bulge never ends does it? I find maintenance of a good weight is easier than reducing. It does take a lot of discipline. Many make the mistake of coming to a conclusion that X number pounds be lost in X number of days and the expectations and failure are just plain discouraging. Most of us gather weight over many months or even years but don’t allow ourselves to lose it over time. As I previously posted, I am pretty sure that my recent high blood pressure is the over all result of PsA/
The day before I got the cast off last week, I took a bad fall down my basement stairs. I made a bad decision to try to carry a box up with my foot in the cast. Got to the top of the stairs, and my weight shifted back, and that was it. I tumbled down the stairs ass over tea kettle and landed on my wife at the bottom. I pulled the handrail off the wall, trying to hold on, and that pulled my left arm out of joint at the shoulder. I guess it popped back in. I have no bruises around my shoulder, but it is ruined. It was three days before I could move that arm, and it is still very painful.
12 X-rays later, nothing broken. Foot doc took all the x-rays the next day.
I lay on the basement floor for about 10 minutes assessing what was broken and what would still move. I am lucky the fall didn’t kill me or break my back or neck!
I have many large bruises all over me. Cut on my head, and a lot of pain. AT 67, I used up at least 2 of my remaining 9 lives.
Well, we definitely don’t bounce like we used to, at any age a tumble like that could have been far worse. Perhaps your wife will go up the stairs first from now on. You’re not too old for a GoPro camera…please video it all next time. Stay well!