Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with HCM in March of 2023, at age 62. No family members had this. I was a fitness instructor/trainer/weight lifter for 32 years, so this came as a complete shock.
I was sent to Mayo, in AZ, in January of this year after having congestive heart failure while lifting heavy weights.
They realized that if I do the valsalva maneuver, it has a negative effect on my heart and I don’t get the blood supply needed.
My Troponin levels went to 12,000!!!! ER doc thought I may have had a heart attack, but no.
My BP was at 69/45 for about an hour, until they were able to get it back up with some drug and angling the bed so my head was lower than my feet.
Anyway, I do at least an hour of cardio a day, staying under 120 BPM and I now lift light weights, 15 reps, 3 sets, 3 days a week.
I am finding not many Docs know about weight lifting and HCM.
My Cardiologiat had said I was fine to lift weights, because my septum thickness was only 13mm. But she didn’t realize have the info about the Valsalva Manuever for some reason. It was on my Echocardiogram, they have me bare down during the test, but she must have missed that. So after my second ER visit, the hospital cardiologist saw that on my Echocardiogram there. She consulted with my Cardiolologist and they ended up sending me to Mayo to see a specialist.
I only have breathlessness if I eat complex carbs or eat too much and try to walk uphill or exert too much. Otherwise, I am perfectly fine.
I am glad I found this site, thank you all for sharing, and God Bless!