Question: I have a history of pvc-induced cardiomyopathy which was reversed with an ablation. My heart is totally back to normal but I keep thinking I have symptoms, mainly water retention and decreased urine output. My labs like BNP, kidney and liver function are totally normal. My EF is now 63. Is it possible for me to retain water with those labs? A doctor I was seeing while sick told me I would always be sick but my current doctor says I am cured and will be fine now. I dont know who to believe.

Thank you, doctor. I was taking 5 mg of
Lisinopril and carvedilol 9.375 twice a day. No diuretic. I have been off of the lisinopril for 3 months and am beind tapered off of the carvedilol which is now at 6.25 twice a day. I am nervous about being taken off carvedilol. I am told it's a very good sign that my heart function remains normal off of the lisinopril.

I dont know if I am actually experiencing any decreased urine output or if it's OCD because my old cardiologist told me to weigh myself multiple times a day and go to ER if I went up in weight even just ounces. I am quite fixated now and always feel I may be urinating too little.

Dr. Teli,
Thank you so much, your words- as you are an experienced cardiologist, are very reassuring.
My pre-ablation EF was hard to determine as I was having 65,000 PVCs per 24 hours. MRI could not calculate and my doctors were guessing on echo that it could have been as low as 25 or more likely 30. Very scary. But just 3 1/2 weeks after ablation, EF was back to 55-60, and left ventricle was back to normal size.

So would you say my very quick recovery after ablation, low level of medications, and continued normal heart function after 3 months off ACE inhibitor are all good evidence that this was PVC only and I will continue to be well when I'm off of carvedilol too? Would you expect heart function would have declined off of lisinopril if my recovery was just based on medication? My last echo was just two days ago and EF remains above 60 and heart size normal.

So the drinking/urination fear is just my excessive worry and OCD as my heart, kidneys, and liver are all normal? As Ive said, I believe one doctor was trying to scare me as he disagreed with electrophysiologist who did my ablation. He told me cardiomyopathy is never cured and that I would always need medication and always need to watch for water retention. So you agree with my EP that I am cured, can drink freely and stop medications and stop monitoring my daily weight which causes me so much distress?

Thank you so much, doctor. You are wonderful and very helpful.

Thank you so much, doctor. You have been so helpful. It is so good to hear from
someone who has experience with PVC induced cardiomyopathy. Except for my EP, no doctor I've seen has ever seen a case like mine which is why I think I have gotten such confusing information. Most doctors still seem to think PVCs, even in high numbers, are benign. Thank you so much for reassurinf me about discontinuing medication. I want badly to be off meds but not at the expense of cardiomyopathy returning.

Two last quick things:
I have trace-to-mild mitral regurgitation. Have been told it is of zero clinical significance and It almost certainly will not progress to anything dangerous as it's incredibly common and mostly never a problem. Would you agree?

And last thing about water retention: with my normal heart, kidney, and liver function, is it impossible that I would be pathologically retaining fluid? I want to drink without fear but notice such varying levels of urination that I get frightened even though I know there are so many things that affect urination such as respiration and perspiration. But you are sure I dont need to worry at all? That is what my EP said but so frightened by words of the dr who said I would always have to worry about fluid and never be able to stop medication.

Thank you Dr. Teli,
I just had comprehensive thyroid testing and all was normal. My menstrual periods are normal and I don't get edema. I am simply obsessed with fluid retention because of my doctor telling me to weigh myself after every drink, meal, and bathroom visit. Its an embarassing experience. I dont know if its a form of PTSD as he is the one who told me a cure would not be possible.

Dr Teli,
Thank you. I know you're right. I am so afraid if cardiomyopathy returning that I cannot think of anything else. Because my former dr kept talking about fluid retention, it is what I worry about the most.

Do you guarantee that will normal heart function and with normal liver and kidney function, it would be impossible for me to have the fluid retention I fear so much? I am so frightened of retaining water.

I know having faith and deepening my spiritual life is the path to healing. If I could get over my fear of drinking then I think I would be so much better. My doctors say there are no more tests I need, such as 24-hour urine test, but I keep needing more reassurance. I am very traumatized. I want to embrace my life and be grateful but I am so scared. So scared my life will be taken away from me again. I find it hard to believe I went from so sick to completely normal again so quickly. I want to believe it. I need to get over my water fear, that is step 1.

Thank you. You are helping me very much.

Thank you very much, Dr Teli. I dont think I will go to my old dr with reports in case he tries to cast doubt on my recovery but I agree that I need to move on from his words which were deliberately supposed to scare me.

So my water retention fears are only in my head? My tests would show a problem if there was something going on? I couldnt have perfect test results if there was a problem?

Also- I know anxiety is bad and bad for health and I am taking medication, doing therapy, and working hard to get it under control. But anxiety cannot cause my cardiomyopathy to return, can it? I am worried that my fear of cardiomyopathy returning will actually make it come back.

Thank you so much, Dr. Teli. I am trying to heal my spirit and put my faith in God, as you have said. I know life has no guarantees but this brief bout with serious illness shook me to my core.

Thank you dr teli. And so you are assured that I can forget about water retention and embrace my health and recovery and live normally?