I want to emphasize how important it is to advocate for one self with cardiac issues. I am 71 years old female and have dealt with high blood pressure since I was 50. I live on a farm in southern Indiana, ride horses, garden, hike and generally live an active lifestyle. When I was 65 I started to have cardiac symptoms of shortness of breath, dizziness, lack of stamina and passed out once. My cardiologist diagnosed me with Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy after a Echocardiogram which presented itself as a growth on my septum wall in my left ventricle just below my Aortic valve which involved my Mitral Valve as well. I live in a small town and my local cardiologist told me to not worry about it, just go about my life and try to keep my BP down to a reasonable level with medications. After a number of years being told that and that I did not need to go to a OHCM specialist, I decided to go to Mayo in spring 2019 on my own initiative. My local cardiologist did not think that was necessary. At my first visit at Mayo I was told that things looked stable, continue with medications and lifestyle modifications, and come back in 5 years for a check up. In the fall of 2019, I decided to go to Cleveland Clinic to see a specialist there because it was so much closer than Mayo. I was referred there by a friend who works there and saw his colleague who is an experienced heart failure cardiologist. I was then told there was a significant issue with the obstruction, it looked stable and come back in 6 months or as needed. Well, things started to go belly up about a month later where I felt dramatically worst and my cardiac functions were dramatically effected. I pretty much could not do anything. After consulting with my CC doctor I went there in Feb 2020, I was told that I things progressed to a dangerous place and I needed a septal myectomy asap. On Feb 26, 2020 I had open heart surgery at CC. Part of my story is I returned to Indiana on March 9, 2020 and the world immediately shut down due to Covid. I was not able to get the proper follow care, cardiac rehab was closed, and I had to do my follow care with CC via tele health. If finally made it back to CC in March 2021 for the visit I was supposed to have in April 2020. I did see a local cardiologist when I returned but the docs at home were not experienced in follow up care to what I had done. I am now having issues with complete left bundle block and will see a local doc who specializes in electrical issues. The point of my story is that one must advocate for themselves, follow their heart and do what is best for yourself. It is important to see a specialist and get a second opinion when you are not getting the answers you need. If I had not taken the initiative I did, went to CC when I did and have the most experienced cardiologist and surgeon help me out, I may not have gotten the care I needed. Take care of yourselves, ask questions, and get the best care you can even if it means traveling out of town. I learned that things can change quickly in regards to cardiac issues. Best of luck to everyone out there with cardiac issues and a wonderful thanks to the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff who work so hard to help us out.

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