I'm from small town, southern Illinois. You know, everybody knows everybody. To have a community where everybody knows each other, it's a lot easier, you know, hey, I need help with something or hey, we're doing a fundraiser, you know, everybody pitches in.
When I got my diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension or PAH for short, I needed my community more than ever. Years before my diagnosis, I noticed that I was slowing down seemingly out of nowhere. All of a sudden, I couldn't stay focused at work, clean around my house, or keep up with my kid.
As a mother, that hurt a lot. Initially, I went to my doctor. They said my symptoms were due to weight gain.
I continued to try to live my life, but my symptoms weren't getting any better. I knew there was something more to this. Eventually, my symptoms got so bad, I had my husband take me to the hospital.
My doctor ran all kinds of tests, including a right heart catheterization, and that's what led to my diagnosis of PAH. I never heard of PAH ever. So, naturally, I started to do research online.
There is a lot of scary and outdated information out there. So, I spoke with my doctor to find a right path for me. The best option for me was a prostacyclin class medication along with a second treatment.
My doctor started me on a oral medication along with a prostacyclin class medication taken subcutaneously. I did experience side effects with the new treatments, including nausea, body aches, and diarrhea. But, I worked closely with my doctor to manage those symptoms.
It's so important to stay with it and to keep control over it as much as you can. Listen to your doctors. If you don't like something or if you have a really hard time with it, talk to your doctor.
You know, make sure you get that one-on-one time in that they're really listening to you. Now that I'm on a treatment that's been working for me, I plan on sticking to it so that I can continue to get back to the things that I love, like going out with my husband. My husband and I go to the fall festival every year. It's so great to get together with our local community.
I have participated in in-person support groups as well as online support groups. It is so nice to be able to hear other people's stories. It's really given me the confidence to share my own experience. It reminds me that I'm not alone.
There's a whole PAH community out there ready to help. With my support system behind me and my future ahead, I feel like I can take back control.
When Denise was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) she knew she needed help – from her family, her husband, and her community. Now that she feels better and taken back some control, she’s giving back, both to her local and PAH communities.
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Sign UpPAH is a complicated disease that can be difficult to understand. We’ve broken it down for you with easy-to-understand information, simple graphics, and informative videos from a PAH specialist.
What Is PAH?
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