Quick Update

Just wanted to give you a quick update on my cardiologist appointment yesterday. I wish that I had more information to give, but I don't yet. The doctor did an EKG which was normal, with the exception of my heartrate of 120. According to my OB, high-normal for a pregnant woman is 110. The doctor thinks that there's a good chance that the "palpatations" that I've been having are my body's way of dealing with the extra heart-strain of pregnancy. When you are pregnant your body has a good deal more blood in it than it did before. That makes the heart work quite a bit harder to pump the blood throughout the body. I'm hoping and praying that this is all normal. The truth is, I have no clue what this point in pregnancy is supposed to feel like. I am dealing with the back pain and shortness of breath, getting dizzy when I stand up, lack of sleep, etc. pretty well. I just know that when my chest feels tight and I feel like I'm going to pass out after I've gotten dressed in the morning, something's not right.

Back to the doctor - he did an echocardiogram (ultrasound of my heart). During that, my heart went back and forth between 120 and 150 beats per minute. I was relaxed and laying down - no reason for a racing heart. I don't know the results of that because he hadn't looked at them at the time. They also made me wear a Holter monitor. It has 5 electrodes that connect to a monitor that I had to wear for 24 hours. I was able to take it off this morning and BOY was I glad! It itched and was even harder to sleep with. I go back to the doctor tomorrow afternoon and am doing a treadmill stress test and having the Holter read to see what's going on. Mom's going with me for moral support - mostly because I think it will make her feel better! I'll update tomorrow as soon as I know something definitive. Keep me in your prayers please!