I was diagnosed with PPCM 2 years ago almost to the day, today is August 18, and I was diagnosed August 15, 1999. This was 5 days after my son was born.

While I was recovering from a C-section. I complained about not being able to take a deep breath. The nurses gave me pillows and told me to relax, I did and went home the next day. This was a Friday. On Sunday I woke up and could not take a full breath and was scared to death. I called my OB and his nurse said it was postpartum depression and give me a number to the hospital and a nurse who deals with this. I called her and told her I cannot breathe and she told me to call my doctor she felt I was having a panic attack (but in the mean time take two percocets to calm my nerves).

My husband called my primary doctor, because by this time I could no longer speak. He told the receptionist (who thought she was a doctor I think) that I could not breathe and told her that I had just had a baby. Without telling her what the other nurse said she diagnosed me with having a panic attack and called in a prescription for Prozac, that did not work and he called back, then they called in sleeping pills for me and nerve medication so I could get some rest. After the 4th or 5th call (and 12 hours later) my husband told the doctor that he was calling the ambulance for me, the doctor did not think that was necessary but my husband did anyway and off I went to the hospital, I was diagnosed almost immediately and treated, The ER doctor said it was a good thing I did not go to sleep with all those drugs in my system (from the original doctor) I would have never woke up.

I spent two days in the ICU and 4 days on the cardiac floor and was sent home with an EF of 30-35. I was taking Imdur, Vasotec, Lasix and the Prozac my first doctor had prescribed... By this point I was suffering from postpartum depression (or just scared out of my mind, all I did was cry) I came home and did my best to get my energy back and little by little I did...I had a tubal ligation, which broke my heart, but I knew I had to do it, my doctors STRONGLY suggested it.

I now have a normal EF, I still take Lasix and Vasotec. I have an appointment with my cardiologist in September to see where we go from here. If anyone has any questions or just need to talk please email me at courtsmom4@aol.com I know when I was first diagnosed I needed someone who had been there and they saved my sanity and I would be happy to do the same for someone else.