Does anyone know

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froggo

Active member
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
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I am wondering if anyone knows how long dressler's hangs around for I am coming up to my two year reuion. I have had dressler's or pericarditis quite a lot of times too many really to say can anyone help with this question. I am getting a little anxious it wont ever go away. Need others who have experienced it or know anything about it to help. Otherwise I have been well so it just seems if not for this I would be good as new. Thankyou for your time and also for other answers you have helped me with previously.
Froggo. :confused:
 
Pericarditis

Pericarditis

Dear Froggo,

It will be 1 year this Feb. I still have pericarditis. I have been, taking a low dose of prednesone (7 1/2 mg) daily. The cardio tried everything, and nothing helped the pain. The only thing that makes me feel 90% normal, is prednesone. When I taper down, then discontinue, it comes back within a week. My current cardio says he sees this alot, and the prednesone is the only thing that works. That it can take up to 2yrs to go away. He also told me he is certain that I will get better, and not to worry. Well, I am worried. I would say extremely frustrated. When I asked him about constrictive pericarditis developing, he says that is extremely rare, and he has never seen it. I have had 3 drs tell me the same thing. The only difference is, how long it will take to cure it. I am starting to wonder if there really is a cure, and do they really know that much about the condition? It seems to me the medical community should have a much better treatment for this post surgery complication. They've been doing open heart surgery since the 19 50's.

If anybody else has had, or does have a similar problem, I'd love to hear from you.

Good luck froggo! Kathy
 
Pericarditis

Pericarditis

Hello again froggo,

If you're doctor comes up with a resolution to this problem, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I will do the same.

Thanks, Kathy
 
Hi Woodbutcher,

Yes, the Dr tells me it is an inflamation of the pericardial sack that sometimes develops, from the surgery. They have never told me specifically, what causes this from the surgery. Seems that people that are affected, differ greatly on just how long it takes to resolve. It is extremely frustrating.

Regards, Kathy
 
Oh, thanks Kathy and Lyn.

I hope it manages to sort out one way or another. Great to hear you've been jogging and stuff, that seems like a long way off to me still. I still get all wobbly and weak feeling after a brisk 45 minute walk at the moment !
So Pericarditis... I'll add that on one to my list of things to worry about along with Pump head that I learnt about last night ...
 
I had it beginning about 8 weeks after my surgery - sometimes with fluid (effusion), sometimes without. Prednisone worked (along with strong painkillers for the first 4-5 episodes), but every time I tapered off, it came back. Vioxx worked better (no longer available). The episodes eventually got farther apart and less painful. I still have occasional bouts (maybe once a year), but I usually recognize it as soon as I feel the pain under my left collarbone, start taking Aleve immediately, and it goes away within a couple of days. If that doesn't work, I take Mobic, a prescription NSAID. I refuse to take Prednisone ever again because it causes so many other problems. I've also heard that Colchicine, a gout medicine, works, but many doctors don't know about it.
 
Dressler's is just pericarditis that first shows up after OHS rather than non-surgical reasons. My story mirrors Lisa's other than taking a Medrol dosepak when the pain starts (pretty much prednisone). Medrol (along with percocet sometimes) always works quickly for me and is so short term that I have no issues with side effects. I have been dealing with Dressler's for 28 years.

So, sorry, but there is a chance it will never go away completely but it does taper off and becomes a bit more tolerable. Or maybe we just get used to it because what else can you do? I guess I just think of it as a small price to pay for being around.
 
Pericarditis

Pericarditis

Hi Gina,

Well that's pretty much where I'm at right now. If I have to take low dose meds the rest of my life to control this I will. My main concern is constrictive pericarditis. That's pretty scary stuff. In the mean time, I'm just going to live my life day by day, the very best I can. I thank God I'm still around. I've gotta see those grandchildren someday!


Best regards to all, Kathy
 
I have had many bouts of pericarditis and was given Indocin and steroids and pain killers. Started after my second surgery which was over 23 years ago. I did develop constrictive pericarditis and had to undergo a pericardectomy 10 years ago. Since they did not take the entire pericardium just orange slice strips leaving as little as they could I still have bouts of unexplainable pain between my shoulder blades and taking a deep breath is very painful. I compensate with warm whirlpool baths, complete bed rest in nest made of bed pillows and pain killers. At times it goes away in a day or two other times a bit longer. I do know it is unusual and rare. I hope the hospitals are still pushing the spirometer to patients since I think it really does help.
 
Autoimmune response

Autoimmune response

Kathy McCain said:
Hi Woodbutcher,

Yes, the Dr tells me it is an inflamation of the pericardial sack that sometimes develops, from the surgery. They have never told me specifically, what causes this from the surgery. Seems that people that are affected, differ greatly on just how long it takes to resolve. It is extremely frustrating.

Regards, Kathy
Click to expand...

Hi Kathy, I was told by my cardio that Dressler's was caused by an autoimmune of one's body in response to the trauma of the surgery itself. The body's immune system over responds to the trauma and causes the inflammation of the pericardial sac, as well as the sac around the lungs. Don't know if that helps explain it at all.

Dave
 
Pericarditis

Pericarditis

Hi Dave,

Yes, that is what I have heard also. My previous cardio, sent me to a rhumatologist. They did tests for that, and told me I did not have an autoimmune disorder.

Much thanks for responding.

Best regards, Kathy
 
Kathleen said:
I have had many bouts of pericarditis and was given Indocin and steroids and pain killers. Started after my second surgery which was over 23 years ago. I did develop constrictive pericarditis and had to undergo a pericardectomy 10 years ago. Since they did not take the entire pericardium just orange slice strips leaving as little as they could I still have bouts of unexplainable pain between my shoulder blades and taking a deep breath is very painful. I compensate with warm whirlpool baths, complete bed rest in nest made of bed pillows and pain killers. At times it goes away in a day or two other times a bit longer. I do know it is unusual and rare. I hope the hospitals are still pushing the spirometer to patients since I think it really does help.
Click to expand...

Same situation here. My pericardial constriction was diagnosed 3 months post AVR so I think you're past the point of developing it a a year out.
 
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