Health Expert Leslie Lafayette shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/647186/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/647186/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/647186/index http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/160512/anxious-stressed-don Thu, 09 May 2013 11:50:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette Much of my life I saw my heart as the enemy. From my first physical at the University of California, as a freshman of 17, and after running up a few flights of stairs, I was told I had a heart murmur and began to view my heart as something to fear.    It didn't help that my father, who was 40 years older than I, had a heart attack when I was only 11 years old. I haunted the halls of the hospital, held on to my mother's hand.... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/160512/anxious-stressed-don http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/143845/exercising Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:44:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette I apologize for being absent the last few weeks. About six weeks ago, I was in the car ready to head out for a nice drive in the Sierras with friends and my dogs. We had a picnic lunch packed and even some wine from a local vineyard. And then, the oleanders at the other side of my front lawn attracted my attention.   "Wait just a minute," I said in some famous last words," I want to check to be sure those oleanders are getting enough... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/143845/exercising http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/142778/diagnosis Sat, 13 Aug 2011 20:00:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette Whenever I go to a doctor, I expect a clean bill of health. In this, I suspect I'm not very different from most people. Even if a symptom is bothering me and I've managed to convince myself that it's serious - the stomach ache that means cancer, the dizzy spell that means stroke (you know, the self-diagnoses we make when our worrywart minds get out of control) I still, in my heart of hearts, fully anticipate that my physician will reassure... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/142778/diagnosis http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/142508/abnormal Sat, 06 Aug 2011 20:18:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette The first thing I noticed about atrial fibrillation had nothing to do with my heart or chest.  The first thing I noticed was that my lips for some reason felt tingly.  I would only notice this in the evenings, when I had settled down and was watching television. My lips would have a strange cold, stingy sensation. After a couple of days of this, I decided I must be anxious and hyperventilating.  Always one to go searching for... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/142508/abnormal http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/142004/understan Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:23:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette Last time, I talked about cardioversions, and their purpose. In today's blog, I'll talk about my own cardioversion.   Once I was given the diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation as the reason for my breathlessness and strange feelings in my chest,  I decided to go to a cardiologist who specialized in irregular rhythms called an Electrophysiologist.   His concerns were to manage and control the atrial fibrillation itself with medication... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/142004/understan http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/141998/cardiover Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:04:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette We've all seen the dramatic scene, which is almost required for any heart patient on House, Grey's Anatomy, and even General Hospital ...shocking an unconscious patient back to life with "the paddles."   "Clear!" shouts the doctor. Paddles applied. Patient jumps. Everyone looks worriedly at the monitor. Flat line. "Clear!" shouts the doctor again. Usually, after the third or fourth try, some kind of heart rhythm is restored and all breathe... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/141998/cardiover http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/140795/triumphs Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:12:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette The first few weeks after I got home from the hospital after having open heart surgery were actually pleasant.  The post-surgery euphoria, which so many of us enjoy after a stressful stay in the hospital, was helping me along. I was relieved to have the surgery behind me.   I was busy, too, busy with just getting well. There was, to start with, the business with the medications. There were plenty of them! They required careful... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/140795/triumphs http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/140023/recovering Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:52:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette In the last few weeks, I've been sharing my experience of undergoing mitral valve repair surgery. I've talked about making the decision, finding the surgeon, undergoing the surgery itself, and experiences in the hospital.  In this post , I'd like to address the true nature of recovery.   What does recovery really mean?   To begin, there is a difference between recuperation, which is the process of resting and gaining back... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/140023/recovering http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/139561/surgery Thu, 09 Jun 2011 01:46:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette A blood transfusion is a serious medical intervention.  When I first arrived at UCLA Medical Center to fill out forms, have tests done and get ready for my open heart surgery, I was asked to carefully read some very explicit information about blood transfusions, the blood supply, and to consider whether or not I would choose to have a blood transfusion.   Except in extreme emergency, a blood transfusion is always a choice, made by the... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/139561/surgery http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/138874/hospital Wed, 25 May 2011 01:08:00 -0400 Leslie Lafayette My journey from open heart surgery to being home in my own wonderful bed would last five days and be filled with rapid progress and scary setbacks. And enough bedpan moments to fill a girl's diary.   Actually, I'm foolin' with you.  They don't really use bedpans for open heart surgery patients for a few days. When you come out of major surgery you'll probably have a catheter. This isn't as creepy as it sounds - in fact, the foley... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/647186/138874/hospital