Achi news desk-
Beth Slaunwhite was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) after years of being misdiagnosed and struggling with shortness of breath.
“I gave up and it just kept getting worse, and I thought I’d get better so I started walking the dog,” Slaunwhite said in interview with CTV’s Crystal Garrett on Wednesday.
Pulmonary hypertension is a rare life-threatening condition that affects the lungs and heart. It causes vessels leading from the heart to the lungs to become thicker, making it harder for blood to flow through them.
“Pulmonary hypertension itself is not a rare thing, he said. “There are about 400,000 Canadians who have PH. However, pulmonary arterial hypertension is rare.”
Slaunwhite said the signs of PH are similar to other diseases.
“It’s shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the lower legs and feet. You end up with chest pain, pressure, and an inability to do simple tasks like walking up the stairs,” he says.
At the age of 56, Slaunwhite was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension after a long journey.
“My doctor sent me to a respirologist early on when I started complaining. I said “You know this is ridiculous I can’t pretend to do anything my brothers and sisters can.” I also had small children at the time,” she said.
“I went to a respirologist who said none of your test showed anything, but it might be asthma. I had several PFPs and even looked for asthma and never got asthma,” he adds.
Ahead of World Pulmonary Hypertension Day on Sunday, Slaunwhite said she wants people with pulmonary hypertension to know there are resources available.
“You are not alone, the Canadian Pulmonary Hypertension Association has many resources for those with unexplained shortness of breath.”
