Toni Braxton: Heart Disease

It is so awesome to see someone as well known as Toni advocating heart disease awareness in women. I am 33 and was diagnosed with Postpartum Cardiomyopathy at 27. Just a short 5 weeks after my twin daughters were born. There is more awareness now than there was then but every little bit helps. My condition is well maintained with a serious medicine routine and I also have an AICD. So I give Toni enormous praise for helping people to realize that this can happen to ANY woman... You go girl...

IT is so awesome to see someone as well known as Toni advocating heart disease awareness in women. I am 33 and was diagnosed with Postpartum Cardiomyopathy at 27. Just a short 5 weeks after my twin daughters were born. There is more awareness now than there was then but every little bit helps. My condition is well maintained with a serious medicine routine and I also have an AICD. So I give Toni enormous praise for helping people to realize that this can happen to ANY woman... You go girl...

To bb122895: Pericarditis may not be long term problem, but the resulting cardiovascular damage and the underlying hypertension (which she probably had before her pericarditis) is a problem that she may face for the rest of her life. Staying away from salt will not cure everything. I know plenty of women who are young, exercise, eat right, but have hypertension. For some women, it is a matter of genetics that you see a lot in the afro-american community. Her health problems are not a simple as you may state.

I had pericarditis and it was cured within a week with medication. That's not a long term illness she has to battle. Other than that, stay away from the salt, Toni. Her problems are fixable. Duh!

i learned of a condition called "microvascularspasm angina" from Newsweek rather recently, and then, subjected to a cardiac 'event" last week have experienced symptoms suggesting this condition. When I approached my internist about it, he immediately concurred, and has begun the workup--which is positive. After years of cardiac workup (including heart caths, radionucleide stress tests, etc.) they hadn't picked it up. It is because of Newsweek that this serious condition has been found and is now undergoing treatment. As someone who hopes to be of benefit to humankind, I can only thank you for your up-to-the-minute treatment and promulgation of medical science news--and the decimation of it to the public. Thank you "from the bottom of my heart".

I have two autoimmune diseases and wonder if they run in her family at all. I have celiac disease and hypothyroidism (celiac recently diagnosed very late in my life considering my symptoms - one of which is hypthyroidism, GERD and mock heart attacks upon rising from leaning over the tub giving my child baths ... her story and my subsequent research now has me thinking it could not be as simple as GERD, but pericarditis. A gluten-free diet has saved me Toni. I encourage you to look into it for you and your son. My daughter has Asperger's. I think of your sister often (from Starting Over) ... and wonder if her depression wasn't caused by gluten too (my lifetime of depression - once attributed to thyroid disorder - is gone with gluten-free diet and eating more veggies and fruits/absorbing nutrients.) I am enjoying the book, Good Calories, Bad Calories. We've been duped. JMHO. Peace to you on your journey Toni.