Congestive Heart Failure in young people
My daughter, Heather, passed from Congestive Heart Failure at the age of 25. This was a total shock as she was very healthy and no examinations have ever revealed this possibility. She did have a kidney infection in Dec 2015 and went for diagnosis twice when she had the symptoms. Both times the doctors just passed it off as anxiety. She died in Feb 2015 at Tampa General. The surgeon tried to install VADs on both sides of her heart. When he came to us in the waiting room he said he never saw anything like the scars inside her heart.
I would like to know if anyone else has a story like this. We can only surmize that Heather must have had a dormant virus that was activated by something she took or was exposed to. I wished now we would have had an autopsy done but there may still be no way of finding out how she contracted this evil in her heart.
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Hello @brian_j. I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your daughter, how very tragic. The fact that you had no warning makes this all the more difficult. I can understand your confusion about this and I'm so glad that you have joined Mayo Connect. This is a great online community that seeks to support and encourage patients and their loved ones. I anticipate that you will receive other replies in the near future. Please take care of yourself, you have obviously been through quite a shock.
Thank you for your response I appreciate it. I'm trying to play detective because I saw one other case where the kidney was infected which also happend to my daughter.Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
@brian_j It will be interesting to see if any others on Mayo Connect have had the combination of kidney infection and heart failure. The American Heart Association has an online patient support network. Have you tried to post your questions there as well? I can understand why you playing detective. Please keep us posted.
What was her symptoms?
weakness, nausea, bloated up to waist, shortness of breath, pain in neck,. She had a kidney infection 2 weeks before and did not go to er till 2 days later. They gave her antibiotics which seemed to work. I suspect the kidney infection may have gone past the kidney to her heart. The staff at Tampa General weren't sure if it was viral or bacterial version. The doctor that opened her heart to attach a VAD said there was significant old blood clots on the heart walls.
I would love to know how the infection got in her body. Was it a dormant virus or was it something she was exposed to?
weakness, nausea, bloated up to waist, shortness of breath, pain in neck,. She had a kidney infection 2 weeks before and did not go to er till 2 days later. They gave her antibiotics which seemed to work. I suspect the kidney infection may have gone past the kidney to her heart. The staff at Tampa General weren't sure if it was viral or bacterial version. The doctor that opened her heart to attach a VAD said there was significant old blood clots on the heart walls.
I would love to know how the infection got in her body. Was it a dormant virus or was it something she was exposed to? I need closure because I cannot lose someone dear to me without knowing why. I think she knew she was in bad shape because she was very smart and would have researched her symptoms online. There were just to many obstacles in her way and her thinking was clouded because she was taking ZANAX prescribed by a doctor who misdiagnosed her as having anxiety
@brian_j Thank you for sharing the additional information about your daughter's symptoms. I sense the disbelief as you write and I can certainly understand it. I hope that you are able to connect with a grief support group at some point down the road, I think it would be helpful for you. Please keep sharing your daughter's story. There still might be someone who will post a similar experience. Best wishes to you and your family as the holidays approach.
@brian_j, Brian, I just want to say how sorry I am this has happened to you. I have children and grandchildren .. I cannot even imagine the pain you are going through .. good for you that you are on Mayo Clinic Connect trying to find some answers .. AND maybe helping others. Sending you a hug! Katherine
So sorry to hear about your daughter. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to guess what might have caused her serious disease. There are some genetic forms of cardiomyopathy which do cause congestive heart failure in young people. Has anyone recommended that the surviving members of your family undergo genetic testing to see if this might be the case in your family? Also, if there are any blood samples left from your daughter, it may be possible for you to have those tested for genetic forms of cardiomyopathy.
I'm so sorry 🙁 may she rest in peace! I keep having pain on the right side of my chest all the time. Any idea towhat this would be.