FixedAgain
Active member
This will be a strange story and while I could write a book on the journey I've taken since I had my Mitral Valve repaired for the second time 6 years ago.
I'll start with the great fact that the valve is holding up beautifully! On my last Echo Stress test, there was only Trace leakage, which is amazing.
For the sake of time and space, I'll just go over some key things that have happened. I am sharing this as some of the things I learned I think others may apply to their own conditions. Things I have experienced such as seeing my Ejection Fraction steadily decline a few months from surgery from 50 to 45 to 40 and then 35...
My cardiologist was clueless and rather than seeing the obvious cause (Hematocrit high due to Testosterone), prescribed Coreg and Diovan.
I literally figured out what was wrong and I donated blood several times and finally felt a lot better. Until the Coreg wore me down..
The biggest news of this update, is that after all these years and two different highly qualified from the best hospitals in this city (New York), finally the new doctor, took one look at my ECG and said, "Why are you on Coreg? You have first degree av block...
He immediately reduced it from 12.5mg 2x daily to 6.25 2x daily..Then after the Echo Stress Test had me wean off of it completely.
My ejection fraction was 55%!
For six long years I have suffered needlessly. I blame myself too as I was traumatized by the first doctor, who just didn't do his job and actually blamed me! Telling me I had a 'complicated condition" and I should see a psychiatrist. He really did say that.
I just finished weaning from the Coreg and 4 people in the last two days have commented on how much healthier I am looking. More importantly, I no longer have shortness of breath! This is crazy stuff. Coreg is a miracle medication for those who need it but I NEVER needed it.
My LA volume index is down from 59mm to 42 ml/m!!
My stress Ejection Fraction was 70%.
I do have other issues that were discovered. My first degree av block has worsened. I worry that 5 years of unneeded Coreg made it worse but not only can i not do anything about it, my cardiologist doubts that's the case.
I just did a Holter Monitor test that showed some irregular heartbeats...a couple of incidents of 2nd degree av block but...my new cardiologist (and best friend) said, "Look at my face. This is the face I make when I am pleased. I am very pleased with your Echo test and this test".
He's a great doctor I've seen him 4x in 5 weeks sorting all this out.
I know my story jumps around and leaves out a lot but heart patients and people who have been or are going through surgery, I am sure understand the gist of the story.
Most importantly, I am taking DEEP fulfiling breaths all day long. It's blowing my mind and i say it out loud to my poor girlfriend who has to hear me saying "Wow, that was an incredibly deep breath"..I think I said it 12x tonight!
All the cardio I've tried to do for the last few years has been brutal..The coreg did it's job and limited my Max heart range..I hated it to much.
Now, my maximum heart range for my age is 160 and I did 167 today for a minute (I know I shouldn't be doing that..just for a few seconds at most) but my indoor bike rides that track time, Max HR, Avg HR and calories is night and day different than it's been..Now I finally feel motivated to do cardio..for really the first time in more years than I can easily count.
Still have some hurdles...the blood test had a few ranges that are way high..Mean Platelet Volume is up 30% the last 18 months! No idea why..But I am on the case and did a new blood test today.. In my mind, rightly or not, I am blaming Coreg for that! I think I am allowed considering how much I've suffered for more than 5 years!
PS: I asked the doctor just for my own edification to let me do repeats of the stress echo in a few week as I bet I do even better. I also asked if he'd like me to do an MRI of my heart. I could tell he didn't want to stress me out asking but after reading and seeing them on youtube, I think it will be a valuable test to take and have on record. But I'm taking a few weeks off any more tests and am looking forward to a long fight to Asia in two weeks...For the first time I bet I am able to deeply breathe on the flight!
I'll start with the great fact that the valve is holding up beautifully! On my last Echo Stress test, there was only Trace leakage, which is amazing.
For the sake of time and space, I'll just go over some key things that have happened. I am sharing this as some of the things I learned I think others may apply to their own conditions. Things I have experienced such as seeing my Ejection Fraction steadily decline a few months from surgery from 50 to 45 to 40 and then 35...
My cardiologist was clueless and rather than seeing the obvious cause (Hematocrit high due to Testosterone), prescribed Coreg and Diovan.
I literally figured out what was wrong and I donated blood several times and finally felt a lot better. Until the Coreg wore me down..
The biggest news of this update, is that after all these years and two different highly qualified from the best hospitals in this city (New York), finally the new doctor, took one look at my ECG and said, "Why are you on Coreg? You have first degree av block...
He immediately reduced it from 12.5mg 2x daily to 6.25 2x daily..Then after the Echo Stress Test had me wean off of it completely.
My ejection fraction was 55%!
For six long years I have suffered needlessly. I blame myself too as I was traumatized by the first doctor, who just didn't do his job and actually blamed me! Telling me I had a 'complicated condition" and I should see a psychiatrist. He really did say that.
I just finished weaning from the Coreg and 4 people in the last two days have commented on how much healthier I am looking. More importantly, I no longer have shortness of breath! This is crazy stuff. Coreg is a miracle medication for those who need it but I NEVER needed it.
My LA volume index is down from 59mm to 42 ml/m!!
My stress Ejection Fraction was 70%.
I do have other issues that were discovered. My first degree av block has worsened. I worry that 5 years of unneeded Coreg made it worse but not only can i not do anything about it, my cardiologist doubts that's the case.
I just did a Holter Monitor test that showed some irregular heartbeats...a couple of incidents of 2nd degree av block but...my new cardiologist (and best friend) said, "Look at my face. This is the face I make when I am pleased. I am very pleased with your Echo test and this test".
He's a great doctor I've seen him 4x in 5 weeks sorting all this out.
I know my story jumps around and leaves out a lot but heart patients and people who have been or are going through surgery, I am sure understand the gist of the story.
Most importantly, I am taking DEEP fulfiling breaths all day long. It's blowing my mind and i say it out loud to my poor girlfriend who has to hear me saying "Wow, that was an incredibly deep breath"..I think I said it 12x tonight!
All the cardio I've tried to do for the last few years has been brutal..The coreg did it's job and limited my Max heart range..I hated it to much.
Now, my maximum heart range for my age is 160 and I did 167 today for a minute (I know I shouldn't be doing that..just for a few seconds at most) but my indoor bike rides that track time, Max HR, Avg HR and calories is night and day different than it's been..Now I finally feel motivated to do cardio..for really the first time in more years than I can easily count.
Still have some hurdles...the blood test had a few ranges that are way high..Mean Platelet Volume is up 30% the last 18 months! No idea why..But I am on the case and did a new blood test today.. In my mind, rightly or not, I am blaming Coreg for that! I think I am allowed considering how much I've suffered for more than 5 years!
PS: I asked the doctor just for my own edification to let me do repeats of the stress echo in a few week as I bet I do even better. I also asked if he'd like me to do an MRI of my heart. I could tell he didn't want to stress me out asking but after reading and seeing them on youtube, I think it will be a valuable test to take and have on record. But I'm taking a few weeks off any more tests and am looking forward to a long fight to Asia in two weeks...For the first time I bet I am able to deeply breathe on the flight!
