Current Events > They're dropping one of my chemo drugs out of concern for my heart.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Specifically my left ventricul(sp?) Which had about a 7% drop in... something (function?) from 50% to 43%

It's never fucking simple
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It's most likely ejection fraction that they're referring to. How much blood you're pumping out of the ventricles in your heart. You can't realistically pump out ALL of the blood, it would literally mean your heart forms some weird ass shape that completely pushes out all of the blood from the ventricles. Usually 50 and above is fine and below fifty it's not good.

https://www.123sonography.com/ebook/left-ventricular-function

They even have a sample clip showing all the differing ventricle ejection fractions there. Someone who has below 30% you can hardly see the ventricles contracting.

Of course this all relates to how much oxygen your body and brain gets. If you have a lower performing heart, you can have fainting spells, feeling weak, slower, sluggish etc, you can even have moments of seizures as your brain could lack oxygen, this is in the worst case where people's hearts just stop pumping for like 10 seconds after having inadequate oxygen for about 15 minutes.
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@Rainbow_Dashing

If my function is damaged what can I do for it? Long term I mean
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Doom_Art posted...

@Rainbow_Dashing

If my function is damaged what can I do for it? Long term I mean

That's something you ask your doctors about. You really should've asked more specifically what the percentage stuff was about instead of waiting after. Some random guy on the internet with no access to your case files and probably a partial test result, I've got no right in saying what should be done.

BY FAR though, the number one thing that improves your heart is exercise. Cardio is called cardio for a reason it's about improving your heart. Running, biking, swimming, high heart rate activities sustained for long periods of time drastically can improve your heart. Granted...most doctors often give up on mentioning exercise because most people don't bother doing it. But it DEFINITELY will. CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT WHAT KIND OF EXERCISE YOU CAN DO THOUGH I have no clue what type of condition you're in, whether you can even handle running, or whether starting exercise can fry your heart and you'll die from a heart attack because of too much stress. But definitively exercise always helps, just be sure to not over do it.

This goes in line with exercise, you're overweight because fat (some people can be overweight because of muscle this doesn't apply to them)? If you are manage your weight. Being overweight puts undue pressure on your body via circulation and your heart. Your heart has to work harder for unhealthy reasons and that puts stress in the long run that harms your heart.

Salty foods, lower your salt intake. Having more salt makes your body retain more fluids which again....puts more unnecessary stress on the heart.

No alcohol or smoking. I think this is obvious.

Stress also has an impact on your heart. Honestly...exercise helps a lot with stress. But try to find ways to reduce your stress.

These are all methods, but I put exercise first because it will help THE most and solve most of the rest. If you don't want to exercise, you'll have to worry about your diet, your stress, managing your weight, taking some random pills for blood pressure and other garbage.

But really though, CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT WHAT WILL WORK BEST FOR YOU He has all the test results, he knows exactly what your lung function is, what medications you're on, what weight you're at, what blood pressure, your medical history, what you're predisposed to, if you're actually lacking salt and need more, whether you need more potassium, a ton of stuff I have no clue about. This is general stuff that helps in general and should have been done already. Your doctor probably can have some targeted treatment plan that will help you drastically help more than I've recommended. I don't know.

Having cancer sucks (I'm assuming because of chemo, but you could be using it as an immunosuppressant), but I'm sure you're being closely followed by a doctor who is trying to help out. Help him help you by asking questions and being interactive rather than blindly listening.
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You'll make it through.
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@LanHikari10
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Ejection fraction is the measure of your left ventricle function which is shown in a %.

65% is the normal average for everyone.
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Rainbow_Dashing posted...

That's something you ask your doctors about. You really should've asked more specifically what the percentage stuff was about instead of waiting after. Some random guy on the internet with no access to your case files and probably a partial test result, I've got no right in saying what should be done.

This is totally fair. In my defense I didn't expect to meet with her today nor did I expect the bad news about my heart so I was a bit gobsmacked and just kinda at a loss.

Regardless I will definitely ask the oncology cardiologist about all this when I see him next week.

What you said helped though. I've been lethargic since starting treatment so perhaps that had a negative effect. Been trying to get more active again lately on my off weeks though.

megamanfreakXD posted...

Ejection fraction is the measure of your left ventricle function which is shown in a %.

65% is the normal average for everyone.

Yikes that ain't great then
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Guessing you are the one who in the confession thread, said you are dying?
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Technically isn't that a 14% drop? <.<
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Sayoria posted...

Guessing you are the one who in the confession thread, said you are dying?

Nope that ain't me. I'm stressed about treatment and side effects but thankfully not dying or anything that severe. All things considered Hodgkins Lymphoma (my form of cancer) has something like a 90% cure rate within a year.

There's just these repeated complications and the prospect of long term side effects that have me stressed. Plus treatments once every two weeks sucks a bag of dicks.

I'm luckier than most, all things considered so I really should quit complaining as much as I do I guess.

legolas0008 posted...

Technically isn't that a 14% drop? <.<

>.>

Shhhhhhhh
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Also if it's the post I'm thinking of I unfortunately no longer have an SO to keep my cancer from
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Doom_Art posted...

This is totally fair. In my defense I didn't expect to meet with her today nor did I expect the bad news about my heart so I was a bit gobsmacked and just kinda at a loss.

Regardless I will definitely ask the oncology cardiologist about all this when I see him next week.

What you said helped though. I've been lethargic since starting treatment so perhaps that had a negative effect. Been trying to get more active again lately on my off weeks though.

No I totally understand, you get in the room get diagnosed with something that comes out of left field and you're just in shock and have to process it all. In that case I think it's best to tell your doctor that and then come back later with questions. But all too often I just see nodding of heads and then they go on facebook asking for help understanding and all of a sudden they're on homeopathic medications or... they hear I had that and I stopped taking my diabetes medications and I've felt better since, and so they stop too.

In general though...chemo gets people tired. You're blasting all the rapidly dividing cells in your body with an agent that kills them off basically you won't digest food as well, you won't create blood as well and your hair will fall off. It wouldn't be surprising if you get tired, you aren't getting 100% from your food as you used to and you aren't getting as much blood as you used to as well. Not to mention your immune system takes a hit as well. Being tired will definitely happen. Best you can do is get the fluids and stay hydrated as much as you can and eat properly so your body can sustain.

It seems like you haven't been too long on chemo, but it wears you down. If you can keep your energy up you're doing well.

But do talk with your doctor about your concerns.
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