Hi @michelep1964. I just happened to be here when you dropped in a few minutes ago. I had just looked in for information on cardiomyopathy myself and found your note. So here's where I found a lot of information: http://mayocl.in/1wmRKea.

Most interesting to me is that I'm being treated with most of the therapies mentioned in this article -- not because I have a lot of symptoms. I have a mild atrial fibrillation, and an echocardiogram a few years ago noticed some heart enlargement. I also am hypertensive. So I have been on Lisinopril and since then, Coumadin for the last three years, and Carvedilol (a beta blocker) for the same period. I have mild edema, but its from my kidneys (I think) rather than my heart. So a diuretic is a daily med. My energy level is fine, although my breath is starting to weaken (problem for me, a singer). Generally feel pretty good from day to day. Get moderate exercise regularly, which helps. A little overweight (10 pounds or so).

Most of the time, a distinct cause of cardiomyopathy is hard to find. It seems to be an accumulation of factors that eventually result in declining blood volumes around the organs (and the brain!). My best advice is to seriously plan and build a good medical team whose members will talk openly with you and show a genuine interest in alleviating any troubling symptoms. I'm lucky. My HMO helped me build my team, and we're doing fine: I see them or email them when I need to, and they respond with concern and care for me as a patient.

Do you have a medical team? What kind of doctors and specialists?