My first echo and my BNP were fine, but I wasn't. My Drs. down at Yale New Haven continued to look and do tests. They suspected PAH because of my scleroderma but couldn't fully give me a diagnoses until I had my RHC the "golden standered". As they suspected I was a winner... lucky me 🥺. I've only been on the medications a couple of months but have started to feel slightly better. I'm still on oxygen but hopefully I wont need it all the time soon. I go regularly for blood work, PFT's and have another echo coming up to check on progression.

The only way they found out about my PAH was through a right heart cath. My scans were clear but I was having trouble with breathing.

It is alot but you need to do it the sooner the better to prevent more damage. Take care of your self. Good luck

Hi Marge6! I have heard this discussion before of the cardiac cath being the "gold standard". I was a nurse in Ohio for 44 years and at the end of my wonderful career, I appealed insurance denials for a large hospital system in Columbus. I have been retired now six years, and some standards may have changed since then. When cardiac caths first came out in the late 1980's, I'm sure that each one required a prior authorization. We all know that is easier said than done. We are in a rather rural area here in WNY. They do caths at the hospital in Jamestown, but if the patient requires a "stent", they have to go to Erie or Buffalo for that. Now a days, there are probably procedures that require prior authorization and it is best to check with your insurance company first to ask if one is needed. Offices today usually have one or two office workers working on these and who are familiar with the paperwork. My heart doctor has not recommended it for me because he said that my echo "was fine". But I'm sure that if I start having chest pain that they would want to do one as I also have a slightly leaky pneumonic valve. Hospitals due caths very frequently now and I am sure that the protocols are safe and standardized. Be blessed and have a great day!

My pulmonologist was persistent with my cardiologist until it was done, and it showed moderate PH.