HEART DISEASE

[Dreams008]

Ok,
Call me a worry wart, but I have this huge fear of heart disease due to limited mobility and the inability to exercise. My weight is healthy, good cholesterol, non-smoker, no family history, good blood pressure, good recent echo, and a pretty regular 48-hr holter. However, I know those tests don't show all factors of a healthy heart. I experience chest pains at times, tachycardia at night, but also have GERD and experience anxiety attacks. I'm scared. They say the main reasons for death in those with MS are stroke, heart attacks, etc. I'm diagnosed with PPMS so I can' move much, as my right side is paralyzed. Anyone else worry about this?

[KatieAgain]

Probably not the best person to answer this because I have no fear of dying. Your tests are all really good. I would say your anxiety and GERD are contributing to most of your worry.

[jreagan70]

They say the main reasons for death in those with MS are stroke, heart attacks, etc.

That's to be expected because the #1 cause for death in the US population as a whole is heart disease. The #4 (or #5, depending on the source) cause for death in the US population is stroke.

That means that, even if you didn't have MS, you still have the greatest chance of dying from heart disease and stroke, with cancer coming in at #2, just like everybody else.

People with MS don't die from heart disease and stroke because they have MS. They die from heart disease and stroke because they're people. And because MS usually isn't fatal, people with MS have to die from something else. So it makes sense that the something else they die from would be the major causes of death for everybody else.

What's hard on a heart is the constant stress of chronic anxiety. So it's likely that what you're worrying about isn't going to kill you. What might kill you is the act of worrying.

Is that enough motivation for you to begin actively working to get your anxiety under control?

[mjan]

Actually, I can appreciate why you are concerned given your immobility issues. I would not worry about it, but ask your doctor/nurse about your concerns. Do you get home care?

You don't have most of the risk factors, but not exercising and sitting is not good for any of us.

I'll be thinking of you and hoping you are getting the information you need.

Hugs, Jan

[marti]

I am a born worrier. Especially about this subject. I've had many trips to the E/R with heart symptoms. I had terrible palpitations for a few years. Turned out my thyroid was on the blink.

I also have gastritis, gerd and IBS which all produce heart type symptoms. So yes, I am a scaredy cat. Constantly taking my blood pressure and heart rate. I end up at the doctors at least 3 times a year with the same old pains etc and I hear the same old words. I've had all the usual heart tests. Seems to be ok for a 65 year old crazy woman.

I don't have any answers for you. I'm still looking for them myself. But I keep in mind all my gastric and muscular problems and that kind of helps me get through the rough patches. Usually I just take half a Xanax and calm down. If I had been having heart attacks all these years I guess I wouldn't be here, responding to this post!

[Tawanda]

My MS SIL's story...

The title of your thread caught my eye. After reading your post, it sounds like you, personally, have been taking care of business and your numbers are in range (I can't say the same), so why buy trouble? The MS is enough for right now.

My SIL, who had MS for 30 or so odd years, did technically pass away from a heart attack, but really, MS was the biggest culprit in her demise. At the end, she was completely bed-ridden and post-menapausal. As such, she no longer required very much in the way of calories. As far as I could tell, she wasn't living on much more than air and I could not believe how big she was at the end...spilling out over her tiny little hospital bed. In the final analysis, calories in = calories out. MS does not change that formula.