grizz

Hi all. It has been sometime since I have posted. I had a quick 6 month reprieve where there was 0 drinking in the house and it was amazing. My wife was back to the woman I knew, there was peace. However it didn't last and she is back to the same old, same old, although she doesn't get as angry. She had her annual check up with the doc last week and a heart murmur was discovered. She has had one in the past that showed up when she was pregnant, but that was over 20 years ago. Her dad passed away at 55 from a heart attack, so based on that and the fact the murmurs wasn't there last year, our family doctor has her going to the cardiologist. I have been doing some research and because of her heavy alcohol usage one of the possibilities could be a weak heart valve, or cardiomyopathy. I don't want to be an alarmist, or jump to conclusions, but it is a bit stressing. Anyone out there care to comment or give some advice?

Thanks,
Grizz

atalose

Will you be accompanying her to this doctor visit, where you can share your concerns about her drinking and family history? Left to face this doctor alone she may only disclose her father’s history of heart disease and make little to no mention of her struggles with alcohol. The last thing an alcoholic wants to hear is you can’t drink while taking this medication. Not that the doctor will be able to get her to stop drinking but at least he will have a clearer view of the entire picture while attempting to treat her heart condition.

AnvilheadII

hey grizz, good to see you, sorry for the current chapter you are living out of.

this is not medical advice, but a lot of people have irregular heartbeats or murmurs and they are not always detected with the stethoscope. i would hold off on any panic or Def Com 4 alarm until the cardiologist visit is wrapped up - they are the experts in all things HEART and will run a series of test to confirm or rule out any "issues".

My own mother died of liver disease at 57. She also had a bad heart to boot - had open heart surgery before the age of 40. I am now 56 and when i think back to the woman my mother was in her last year of life, how old and worn out she seemed (and WAS!) I don't feel that my chronological age is anywhere near where she was....so i DO get your concern....but you can't FIX her health problems any more than you can fix her HEAD problems or her DRINKING problems.

YOU take care of YOU, ok?

grizz

Thanks Anvillhead. I completely agree on your thoughts. Lord know I have tried over the years to try and "fix" her. It was all you on this site that showed me how futile that really is. I will keep you posted. the doc visit is on the 28th. May you all have a Blessed Christmas

Grizz