6-minute walk
This is solely my personal experience with the 6-minute walk tests done for judging the level of fatigue/shortness of breath experienced during the walk. I think this test is all wrong for truly determining the degree of symptoms experienced by someone with pulmonary arterial hypertension. First the test is performed inside in comfortable heating/cooling conditions. Second, you walk at your normal pace. Third, you stand straight up. My shortness of breath and dizziness occurs when I am exposed to cold and or hot temperatures. If I bend over I immediately get dizzy. I can walk all day inside and have hardly no distress but put me outside in the summer and I can't breath immediately. So much of my medications and overall treatment regime has been based on this walk test. I always do really good so my doctor keeps me on the same medications. Then after a year and a half I receive another heart catheterization which shows the right side of my heart bigger and my pressures way worse than my previous heart catheterization. Now my doctor switches all my medications and admits that the previous medications didn't help. Meanwhile I had been telling my doctor about my symptoms worsening.
Thank you for sharing and welcome to the heart failure community. There is more than one test to determine pulmonary hypertension. Echocardiogram, cardiac cath, 24 hours spirometer, 6 minute walk, and an enclosed spirometer test where you’re enclosed in a glass box and having to breathe air in a tube. Definitely understand about the 6 minute walk test. As a former half a functioning heart patient, who was in and out of heart failure through my life, I could consider that test the least of my favorites, but necessary along with the rest of the test to determine pulmonary hypertension. My O2 levels were in the mid 60’s and I could still walk pretty far, but with doctors and nurses panicking because of my low oxygen levels. Continue to advocate for yourself because if the doctors didn’t hear you tell your symptoms, try, try again because in the end they will. If the doctors don’t listen, you always have the opportunity to change doctors who will listen to you. Leslie (Community Moderator) 
Thank you for sharing your journey with us
. I'm so sorry to hear that the right side of your heart and pressures were worse this time around. I too got misdiagnosed and it wasn't until I suffered another stroke that I was diagnosed with advanced heart failure. I kept telling my cardiologist my symptoms yet, he didn't want to listen. You know your body. If something doesn't feel right and they don't listen you can always get a second opinion from another doctor. I hope this helps. Wishing you all the best. Olivia Rose -Moderator I got the mumps when I was 10 yrs old. This was back when Drs. made house calls.He also told my foster mom, she has a heart murmur, an Xray later showed an enlarged heart, activities were restricted,I was always active, now the nuns were making me sit on the sidelines and watch others play.It was very hard being treated like an invalid,after months they raised those restrictions. Fast forward 30 yrs. My dentist wanted clearence from a heart dr. They found a congenital hole in my heart.Now all this while I am still active and had no difficulties until Aug.2020 I went the ER on something totally unrelated but they found abdominal aortic anurysm, had that fixed but must have coded on the table and went into heart failure.Evidentally I'm a fighter and the good Lord looks out for me.Lynd
The feeling of being invalid is a terrible experience. I know as I shared the same experiences as a child, however I had congenital heart disease. Glad you’re still alive and still fighting. Thank you for sharing. Leslie (Community Moderator)
