Had Septical Myectomy six Months ago and it returned

There is the Samaritan Fund at Mayo Rochester, it's used for various things pertaining to Mayo and patient care. I have been contributing to it yearly since my surgery in 2022. Please look into it, Holly.

My cardiologist said that for my HOCM, which has become obstructive, septal myectomy (I think that's the one where a chemical is used to thin your heart walls?) would not be for me, and that some sort of cutting or shaving of the heart walls would be what I would get. But she told me that the drug Camzyos would be the first step. I started Camzyos about a month and a half ago and symptoms are better, but stress makes them worse. And the constant monthly rules every single month to get the next month's supply of Camzyos are a pain in the neck, with the fear that at any moment, I might need heart surgery anyway... Has anyone had the "cutting or shaving" heart surgery to thin their heart walls for their HOCM? What was it like? What was recovery like and how long did it take? How long in hospital?

My cardiologist said that for my HOCM, which has become obstructive, septal myectomy (I think that's the one where a chemical is used to thin your heart walls?) would not be for me, and that some sort of cutting or shaving of the heart walls would be what I would get. But she told me that the drug Camzyos would be the first step. I started Camzyos about a month and a half ago and symptoms are better, but stress makes them worse. And the constant monthly rules every single month to get the next month's supply of Camzyos are a pain in the neck, with the fear that at any moment, I might need heart surgery anyway... Has anyone had the "cutting or shaving" heart surgery to thin their heart walls for their HOCM? What was it like? What was recovery like and how long did it take? How long in hospital?

My cardiologist said that for my HOCM, which has become obstructive, septal myectomy (I think that's the one where a chemical is used to thin your heart walls?) would not be for me, and that some sort of cutting or shaving of the heart walls would be what I would get. But she told me that the drug Camzyos would be the first step. I started Camzyos about a month and a half ago and symptoms are better, but stress makes them worse. And the constant monthly rules every single month to get the next month's supply of Camzyos are a pain in the neck, with the fear that at any moment, I might need heart surgery anyway... Has anyone had the "cutting or shaving" heart surgery to thin their heart walls for their HOCM? What was it like? What was recovery like and how long did it take? How long in hospital?

You came to the right place because MANY of us have had surgery for HOCM! You are at the "sorting it all out" stage and asking questions. The chemical treatment is called alcohol ablation, not right for me, either, per both my home cardiologist and the Mayo team, because of the location of my obstruction. The surgery is septal myectomy and the procedure removes the obstruction. Going to a COE (Center of Excellence) for the surgery is highly recommended because of the expertise and experience of the surgeons. What was it like? It is major surgery and each of us had different specific experiences. I was 75, active lifestyle, the recovery was not difficult for me but took several months - hearts undergo trauma and must heal. I was in the hospital 5 nights. I hope I answered your questions. Debra @karukgirl, our mentor, started another related blog about how it all went, do look for it.

Did you have your surgery at Mayo?

That's wonderful that a COE for septal myectomies is in LA if you live near there. what is the name of the hospital that's a COE? That means they do many of these surgeries every year. I have no chest pain, others may. I initially had no pacemaker, about 3 weeks after surgery I started experiencing dizziness sometimes with vertigo. To make a long complicated story short, I got a pacemaker 4 months after surgery after my cardiologist and his colleagues figured out the reason. It's my buddy!