Can someone survive viral dilated cardiomyopathy if they are taking all the required medications but still drinking large quantities of alcohol every day?

Answer

It's Marcy and I don't usually post on top, but wanted you to see my reply. I actually owe you an apology because the 2 posts left on the board (one of them being mine) were confusing and left you feeling as if it was you were thought had the drinking problem. I didn't think you were rude at all and know that you were exasperated over your nephew. I have a nephew that does drugs and I had to finally walk away (he's 28.) So I certainly could undestand your frustrations and wanting to help.

If you want to post a question again you can simply click on your question once it's on the board and leave further details. Some people do this and it sure helps with a complicated matter. You weren't expected to know this.

I am so sorry you and your sister are having to watch this young man kill himself. This is a dirty trick (and can be risky) but if you and your sister get together and provoke him enough he may strike out and this is when you can call the police. I would first phone the doctor and see if he could "pink slip" your nephew (that's what it's called in Canada. This means once your nephew is arrested he could be put into a psychiatric ward and the doctor can "pink slip" him and keep him there long enough to perhaps start detox. There is no guarantee, but I have no idea what else you could do. I'd give it a go.

If you need any further help please feel free to post again and we'd be happy to do some research or give our opinions.

God Bless Hope it turns out!

Answer

Thanks a lot for your research and help, Marcy. I'm sorry if I sounded rude when I posted before, I certainly didn't mean it that way at all (sometimes it's hard to convey tone through e-mail I guess). I know you guys were trying to help. I just didn't want anyone misunderstanding, thinking I was the one drinking with a serious illness. Plus this site only lets you post a question in one sentence, so it was impossible to know all the details of this situation. But I truly appreciate all your help! Just as an update, my sister finally let the cardiologist in on what my nephew is doing, and I did finally get a definite answer to my question- no, he won't survive. When the doctor found out what was going on, he warned my nephew that in his condition, there is absolutely no way he will live if he keeps drinking. So now my sister is looking into some sort of forcible rehab, b/c that's really the only chance he has since he can't seem to stop on his own. So we'll see, but thank you again for your help!!! God bless.

Answer

I am the original poster of this question, and I think you guys who responded misunderstood what I was asking. My 25-year old nephew has viral cardiomyopathy, and is under the care of a cardiologist and is taking all of his meds for this illness. This question was supposed to be for people who have some medical knowledge, so if you don't even know that this disease is then don't bother posting a response. It is a very serious, often fatal disease; my nephew has a 50% chance of getting better, IF he takes all of his meds and does what the doctor says. However, he drinks a lot, is basically an alcoholic, and will not quit drinking despite his condition. He's depressed and doesn't seem to care all that much if he lives or dies, and is so addicted that he just can't seem to stop drinking; he basically needs rehab. I posted b/c I wanted the opinion of a DOCTOR, or at least someone who knows what this illness even IS. I wanted to know if there is any way at all he could possibly improve when he's drinking every day, even though he is still taking his meds and watching his sodium intake. He seems to be following his doctor's instructions on everything except the drinking. I was wondering if there's any hope left for him at all, with his current situation, and also how long would he survive if he doesn't quit the drinking? (rough estimate is all I'm asking for on that last question). Hopefully now that I've clarified this question, someone with some medical knowledge can provide some insight on his chances.

CARDIOMYOPATHY AND DRINKING

I am the person that posted that you already know the answer regarding the intake of large quantities of alcohol when your nephew has Cardiomyopathy and I am well aware of this disease although not a nurse or doctor. There is nothing on this board that states there are medically trained personnel and these are only opinions of possibly other people suffering from heart disorders or an opinion. We are here to do research for those that can't. No matter what the case each person who posted IS trying to help you.

I have no doubt you are very exasperated and worried over your nephew and when I made my post I am VERY well aware of what you are going through because my husband suffers from Atrial Fibrillation and I know what his Internist said to him about drinking (thank heavens he isn't a big drinker and only has the odd wine.) I know it leaves you feeling upset and I have no doubt you can't control this situation with your nephew and feel useless. He's an adult and can do as he pleases. The news he received certainly hasn't helped his situation and it sounds as if he is depressed.

Again I say YES this is cause for concern and I am giving you more information taken off a medical website so you can understand it a little better in regards to your nephew drinking.

Dilated cardiomyopathy has another name and that’s congestive cardiomyopathy. This disease is a problem in the heart’s muscles, which is clinically referred to as the myocardium. In a case of dilated cardiomyopathy, the myocardium becomes dilated or enlarged. And most of the time, it happens even without any underlying causes, at least not one observable by doctors. Usually, this disease is regarded to be congenital, meaning the condition is present during the patient’s birth.

There are three different types of cardiomyopathy, and dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common of the three. Most of the cases though are found in women rather than with men. And when it comes to age, it is more common to people from ages 20 to 60 years old.

Although dilated cardiomyopathy arises without any apparent reason at all, it is assumed to be the result of the damages sustained by the myocardium as it does its usual functions. And these damages can be due to the presence of infectious, metabolic, or toxic agents present in the blood. There are also theories that dilated cardiomyopathy is a consequence of a disease called viral myocarditis.

PLEASE NOTE: While these are the most common assumptions, several studies had also shown that dilated cardiomyopathy can be due to alcohol abuse and cocaine use. Links was also seen between it and other diseases such as tachycardia and certain types of thyroid diseases.

The most common symptom of dilated cardiomyopathy is chest pains. Some patients would have syncope, other would experience systemic embolism. But even if this is the case, dilated cardiomyopathy does not directly affect the person’s condition the minute it is diagnosed. In fact, acquiring the disease does not immediately limit the duration of a person’s life, nor its quality. This disease may go unnoticed for some years, because in reality, it has the possibility to be asymptomatic, meaning it does not show any symptom at all.

But when it does, the symptoms stated above are the ones most commonly felt. And as the disease progresses, the risks become higher. The probability of a sudden death on the patient that has it becomes real. Therefore, proper medical attention has to be performed accordingly.

To diagnose dilated cardiomyopathy, chest x-rays are conducted. The current enlargement of the heart is noticed with these x-rays allowing doctors to immediately assess the severity of a person’s case. The same is observed when a patient undergoes electrocardiogram. Usually, an ECG report would show the extent of the dilation of the ventricles, including the condition of the walls of the heart. Most of the time, patients with dilated cardiomyopathy have thinned heart walls.

Before the modern-day drugs for dilated cardiomyopathy, patients over 55 years old diagnosed with this disease dies in a span of 3 years. But with today’s effective drug therapy, the progression of dilated cardiomyopathy can be slowed down. And several patients are seen to be responding positively to the drug and the therapy associated with it that their overall heart condition improves.

The therapy used to treat dilated cardiomyopathy includes the reduction of salt in one’s diet while drugs like ACE inhibitors, digitalis, and diuretics are prescribed. Along with that, alcohol consumption should also be eliminated. For some advanced cases, the use of artificial pacemakers is required. This is to make sure that the person’s heartbeat is still within normal parameters. And as with any other heart condition, if any medical therapy is seen not to help the patient’s condition at all, surgery maybe the next option.

• • • PLEASE NOTE: These are just the common treatment methods of dilated cardiomyopathy. But doctors would recommend an individual course of treatment for every patient and by following the treatment as prescribed by the cardiologists, dilated cardiomyopathy is indeed conquerable.

I hope that this helps you more, but as I said in my other post high alcohol intake is not good for this condition. Unless you or someone else in the family decides to group together "intervention" and tell him you all love him and that there is no reason he can save his life if he would only quit drinking (entering into a Detox Center) then I am afraid you are going to have to let him decide how he is going to live his life.

I truly do understand how difficult this is for you and the feelings you must have of total exasperation and searching high and low for some answer or the right words for him to stop drinking. You are obviously an intelligent lady and already know his doctor has told your nephew he has to stop drinking.

If you wish to take this further and learn more about this disease then please go onto: www.google.com

Enter in: What is Cardiomyopathy?

I did the research for you and pasted it onto this board (which I really shouldn't have) but I can tell you are under a lot of stress. If you need further help you can either leave another post or click on the posters name of your choice and you'll see "private messages" click on that and scroll to the bottom and leave the message and it will be answered.

We are certainly here to help in any way we can and although we may not be doctors or nurses some of us certainly have either suffered from many diseases or had loved ones that have.

God Bless Marcy

Answer

If you have a drinking problem, then it is certainly not going to help anything you currently have and may cause other problems. Check your prescription advice to see if alcohol is prohibited for those meds. If you haven't already, advise your doctor of your drinking, especially if it is something you habitually do every day.

Answer

You already know the answer to this and want an easy way out. Yes, you can make matters worse. Talk to your doctor. Usually a glass of red wine once a day can be good for the heart, but again, you must talk to your doctors because alcohol may not mix well with certain medications you are on.

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