I had an abnormal stress echo today- Can anyone help me with this?

[Paris]

Hi, I am cross posting this from the herceptin/tykerb board. I saw a cardiologist because I was having heart palpitations and shortness of breath whle running. I had a stress echo and my heart is adding in many extra beats. Also, the left lower wall of my heart doesn't contract well when physically stressed. It is totally normal when resting. I now have to have a heart catheterization. While the cardiologist thinks it's no big deal, the idea of having a catheter placed upto my heart makes me nervous! He and my onc. are not sure it's from the herceptin (I am about to go for round 13). It could be a blockage but I am in excellent health apart from having breast cancer. Oddly enough, my MUGA scans are 67% but I am lying still so the problem doesn't show up.

Have any of you had anything remotely like this? If you had a heart catheterization what was it like? I go on Tuesday for the procedure and until then I'm not allowed to exert myself at all which is hard for me since I enjoy running. It's so tricky to know what the culprit is.

On a side note, it seems like alot of people who have to be taken off herceptin have it happen around cycle 13.

Hoping some of you will chime in. Thank God for zoloft!

Jamie

[Lolly]

Hi Paris; I had to have a catheterization for an issue unrelated to Herceptin, and it was pretty painless if a bit weird: They gave my a sedative so I'd be relaxed but still awake, and I got to watch the whole thing on the screen along with the doctors. While the catheter was in my heart, there was some slight discomfort as when the catheter would brush up against the wall of my heart it would cause a slight "zing" feeling, kind of like a very, very slight electric shock. But all in all a simple procedure, and it seems a necessary one for you so they can determine what's causing the problem. Hope you can remain on Herceptin.

<3 Lolly

[Mary Anne in TX]

Hi Paris!
My husband has had 2. One when he had a heart attack and one just to check the functioning of his heart. He did just fine. The 2nd one told him his heart was super and gave him years of peace.
I'll sure be thinking of you on Tuesday and praying for "running results"! Hope it's just some left overs from chemo. ma

[Joan M]

Paris,

Perhaps you should consult with another cardiologist for a second opinion to get additional feedback.

If possible, you might try a major medical center where they see a lot of different conditions.