I’ve been aware of an online patient support community called Cardiac Athletes for a while now. I got an email yesterday from Lars Andrews, their chief cardiac physiologist asking if I’d spread the word about their site.
Taking a look, the site brings together athletes from around the world with various heart conditions. There is some general information that will be useful to athlete patients, but the biggest opportunity here is the Forum, where athletes can connect with each other about their medical conditions.
So check out www.cardiacathletes.com.
Hi Larry;
First of all I like your material. Thank-you !
Here’s my question….at birth I was misdiagnosed with thymic hypertrophy and then radiated in my heart region. This error was widespread in the 40’s and 50’s….many such as myself developed thyroid tumors as adults.
Many tumors were cancerous and many people died as a result. I was misdiagnosed,in 1978,with cancer. Needless surgery followed and I recovered. Harvard School of Public Health has recently assisted me with detailed information and an upsetting illustration of a baby, strapped down, and being radiated. The Cancer Agency here in BC informed me that their technique was “sandbagging” the infant’s arms and legs to render the baby immobile. Health Canada has not issued an alert and remains silent regarding the hazardous application of radiation to infants and the catastrophic overall, long-term health implications. Does your heart health community have a position regarding overall health in relation to infant radiation exposure? I am 66, in good health and a 5x age-group short course triathlon champion(w60-64)(w65-69). I live a moderate lifestyle and train in a mindful way. Fun and connection are always my primary goals. I am not overly concerned about cancer but am aware that my heart must stay healthy and stress free on a daily basis. Yes I am Gordo’s Mum.
Jackie,
Thanks for sharing your story.
Radiation injury to the heart is actually fairly uncommon, even in individuals who share your story. In rare cases, often many years after the radiation, individuals can have problems with narrowing (stenosis) of the aortic valve or with blockages in the very beginning portions of the coronary arteries.
Warning signs would be chest pain, especially with exertion, or unexplained shortness of breath.
Larry