This weekend I learned that in January one of my patients, Bill G, had passed away. When I first saw him in 1983, he was referred to me as a last ditch treatment effort of what was thought to be an incurable disease: Carcinoma of the esophagus. At the time, very few surgeons in Northern New England were involved with …
Long Term Survival of Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus
Carcinoma of the esophagus is a relatively rare but very lethal disease. 50% of all patients diagnosed will have adeno carcinoma, which has been associated with a very poor long term survival. During my residency, I had the honor of working with F. Henry Ellis, one of the giants of esophageal surgery in the US. Yet even he confessed that …
My Aortic valve is leaking badly
Q: Three years ago I was diagnosed with severe aortic regurgitation due to a Bisucspid Aortic Valve. I am now 31 years old with a blood pressure stats around 145/50. I’ve always been extremely active playing basketball and lifting weights regularly. Before diagnosis I felt great and had no idea anything was wrong with me. However, since being diagnosed I …
I am so worried about my PVCs
Q: Hi I am a 43 y/o female. I have had PVCs over the past 4-6 years two weeks ago they became frequent actually about 1000 on a halter monitor with a short run of SVT and I had several PACs. ECG normal, echo normal, I can exercise with no SOB, chest pain, dizziness etc. AM I healthy, will I …
I may have Paroxysmal Supra Ventricular TachyCardia (PSVT)
Q: I have had several episodes of what I am assuming is PSVT (I am a critical care RN by trade), 5 in the last 2 months. It doesn’t seem to corrolate with anything except it usually happens within the first 1-2 miles of my run..usually my HR jumps to 220-230, longest episode lasted about ten minutes and finally broke …
New onset of tachycardia
Q: About 6 months ago i started having fast heartbeat(110 to 130bpm) while just sitting around or in bed. My internist doctor did stress/blood/holter/pulmonary tests, said I have psvt and prescribed Cardizem, a calcium blocker. i took it for three weeks and stopped because it didn’t stop the symptoms and it made me dizzy. I am a 70 year old …
Leek, Onion and Potato with Green Pea puree soup
Once again, I am teaching medical students in Boston. This means I stay with my daughter during the week and the exposure to a fellow soup foodie’s preferences, this time potato and leek soup. Described in “ French women don’t get fat” by Mireille Guiliano, leek soup has taken on a certain “je ne sais qoi”, and I was curious …
History of CHF with painful cramps in armpits and breasts
Q: Hello, I’m a 55 year old woman, and a psychologist. Six years ago I was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and a cardiomyopathy. For the last 2 years, I have been getting excrutiating painful cramps that start near my armpit and go into my breast. The cramps last for about 10 to 15 minutes, my blood pressure gets …
Heaviness in my chest
Q: Hi I am a 26 year old female who is not in the best shape. I am 5’1 and about 145 pounds. I have been having slight chest heaviness on my left side of chest and left arm. It does not really hurt it is just annoying and concerning because it is constant. I was wondering if you know …
Long QT Syndrome
Q: Hi.I have many Ectopic beats, and have an Anxiety Dissorder. I read somwhere that poeple with Anxiety, Social Phobia have Longer QT intervels.Am I ate risk? Thanks.