Blood Pressure

[Lisa45]

Can someone explain to me how does your blood pressure relate to Aortic Valve Regergitation. Mine was Severe than down graded to Moderate several times. I am at Moderate/Sev. now. I guess I am asking does taking blood pressure medicine I take lislinipril like zestril and lasix, do they effect the severity of the leakage of the valve if so how. What would you see on your blood pressure reading. For example would the systolic and diystolic go up or down if there was more leakage. What are some other signs of more leakage. Last question why would someone have an abnormal EKG reading and how accurate are Echo's and why are they so easy to miss read. Ok enough questions thanks guys.

I am getting scheduled for my TEE

Love
Lisa

 

[Swill]

ACE Inhibitors

ACE Inhibitors

Hi Lisa -

Don't quote me on this, but Lisinopril, which I take also, is an ACE inhibitor which acts to dilate the blood vessels. For people that have high blood pressure this would cause a drop in the pressure. I don't have that problem, but my understanding is that by reducing the back pressure it reduces the loading on the heart when the blood flows back into your heart. My blood pressure has always been low, and that's why I still haven't had this valve replaced after 5 years.

I was supposed to have my TEE today, but I pushed it back to next Tuesday because I had already commited to being a chaperone on my 9 year-old son's field trip.

Don't know if all of these are signs, but my cardiologist has now changed the TEE from being diagnostic to being in anticipation of surgery. Anyway, I've been told to quit the coffee. This is real hard, as I am a computer programmer and the coffee pot is right outside my office. Now I'm noticing how much the caffeine has masked the symptom of fatigue. I'm out-of-breath quite frequently now. I get light headed if I have to stand for a while. My attention span seems shorter, and I notice I'm forgetting things, like name of people at church that I have known for years. Granted, that last could be attributed to the fact that I past 40 a few years back .

I understand that the Echos are only as good as the tech and the person reading them. I was told that carrying a few extra pounds can skew the readings, and that the TEE gets right up next to the heart, therefore giving a better idea of what is going on.

By the way, I have an Aortic Regurgitation also. It's been severe for quite some time. I'm ready to get this over with and have the surgery...

I'll let you know how the TEE goes...

Cheers,

Will

 

[Mark Wagner]

signs ...

signs ...

Hi Lisa,
I'm not sure how blood pressure medicine would effect your valve, but I can tell you as your valve begins to increase in leaking, you may notice the heart beat speed up more often, sort of a 'going out of wack' sensation, then working to get itself back to a normal rythem a little more often. What I always woke up with in the middle of the night was that choking sensation, that is directly related to the valve leaking then having to pump that extra blood out.
The short time I have been periodically on blood pressure medicine, I have got that 'cough' at times that you read about with blood pressure medicines. So hopefully you in time can distinguish the difference.
The other thing, is fatigue. The more it leaks the harder your heart has to work, and the more tired you will feel, especially as your heart begins to enlarge. Before my surgery I was tired 2 hours after I went to work. When that happens waste no time, get the surgery done. I really believe that too many cardiologists, due to the side of caution, wait to long before recomending surgery. I had an estimated 6 month window for surgery, or my heart would have continued enlarging to the point of no return. Because I wasted no time, the heart almost returned to a normal size heart. My surgeon said he had seen people who wait to long. The heart enlarges to the point they cannot fit a valve into place.
I also seen two different cardiologists to get a second opinion. It is are lives where talking about, so I have no shame in that.
I know I am not very medically knowledgeable like some of the people here, so I can only speak on how my aortic valve affected me. Please forgive me. I am sure a lot of what I have said, you already know.
Take care 'Young Lady'
Mark

 

[Lisa45]

Aortic leakage

Aortic leakage

Thanks guys,

I am so confused. I know things don't seem right. I have chest pains more often. They have played with my blood pressure medicine and lasix so much and with being in the hospital so much it is hard to tell what is happening with what and from what. I have the infamous cough really really bad, the tiredness almost all the time, the racing heart, and the ringing in the ears OH MY GOD it is so loud that I can't believe the rest of the world can't hear it! The waking up chocking I have had and have but thought that was from the GERD? So I just don't know. I am due to get a TEE so maybe that will tell. I also think it is time for a second oponion. Thanks for the ideas and thoughts they help so that at least you know your not alone out there.

Lisa

 

[Mb]

Lisa:

Your comment about GERD made me think. My husband also has GERD, pretty bad. On medication for it for a year and a half. He goes to sleep most nights propped up with pillows. Last night he was just about upright, as we went out to dinner, and didn't finish eating till like 8:30 at night. He does better if we finish our dinner by 7:00. Then he has time to digest his food before going to sleep. This seems to help. I wonder now if some of his waking up is SOB at night.......hmmmm., and not always the reflux. Some nights he is up 3-4 times.

Marybeth

 

[Nancy]

Joe has had CHF for a number of years and many of the symptoms I hear in these posts are included in CHF symptoms.

Here's a link from the American Heart Association which outlines many of the symptoms you are experiencing.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=339

Of course your cardiologist is the best person to consult about it, but getting a second opinion from a specialist is always a good idea.

Joe's finally got so bad that's what we had to do. The combination of drugs they set up for him has relieved his symptoms tremendously, both for his CHF and pulmonary hypertension. Both conditions were in the severe category.

He has been sleeping on about 3 pillows for years, and prior to his recent hospitalization, he was sleeping sitting upright.

The cough is also part of CHF symptoms.

 

[Swill]

Confusion...

Confusion...

Thanks for the link Nancy. I've been having problems remembering simple things, like remembering friends names at church. It's very embarrassing to go up and hug a good friend and not remember their name. I see that is a symptom of CHF. I'm hoping that will clear up after my valve replacement.

My new cardiologist found out I had never been told not to drink coffee and was adamant that I stop it, along with a few of the other medications I have been taking. Luckily she's letting me keep the GERD meds. Amazing how the fatigue factor skyrockets when you can't compensate for it with caffeine. It's also difficult because I sit right next to the coffee pot at work, and we programmers need our caffeine...

Found a picture I could upload, you are getting the first look at it. The camera didn't make me look that heavy, I was that heavy. That picture was about 30 lbs. ago. With a new valve and 25 more pounds I hope I'll get my energy back...

 

[Nancy]

Hi Swill-

Don't be too hard on yourself with the weight issue, a lot of it could be fluid from an impaired heart function. It'll clear out after surgery, but not right away. Some people pack on some fluid in the hospital, but the healing process will get rid of it, plus some diuretics if you need them.

This latest episode, when Joe went into the hospital, he was 194, and he's really a slender man. He was 172 this morning. It was all fluid. But now we have to get some meat on those bones.

 

[Lisa45]

GERD

GERD

What do you think about the possible relationship between GERD and the heart Vavles or isn't there any? I take 40mg. Prolisec everyday and have a hyeital (sp?) hernia? What think docs?

Lisa

 

[Nancy]

HI Lisa-

Have you ever been diagnosed with CHF? If so, digestive problems happen big time with that problem. My husband has had it in a big way. It's in the list in the link, caused by less blood flow to the digestive tract.

 

[Lisa45]

CHF

CHF

So far no dx. for CHF but big time with GERD and the Hernia just the Aortic valve reg. so far as I know anyway.

Lisa

 

[Bunny_Rabbit]

Lisa

Lisa

Hi Lisa, you mentioned waking up coughing. Well I know that before I had my Valvuloplasty I would wake up coughing on occasion and I would also start coughing, choking, and suffer from serious SOB if I would lay down for awhile relaxing. I do believe it was related to my Mitral Stenosis and my Pulmonary Hypertension. Since the Valvuloplasty I haven't had the same problem.

Dunno if that helped...hope so.

 

[ccrawford]

ring a ding

ring a ding

Lisa - I've been plagued with tinitus (ringing in ears) since exposure to firearms as a young man, but recently since starting a lot of new drugs, it has gotten significantly worse. I woke up one night last week thinking the smoke alarm went off. I'm taking altace, toprol, coumadin,Wellbutrin, and zocar. Any idea which of these relates to tinitus ? The worst side effect of all of this stuff is the feeling of tiredness/dizzyness and lack of concentration. I can't seem to get any answers as to how to improve this. If anyone has had any success, should would like to hear from you. Chris

 

[Mark Wagner]

ringing in your ears ...

ringing in your ears ...

You may want to keep a real close eye on your INR. I also have ringing in the ears from weapons and equipment in the military. I notice an increase of ringing as my as my blood thins, especially when taking other meds.

 

[Lisa45]

Ringing Ringing Ringing

Ringing Ringing Ringing

I know the feeling guys. It was so bad and gets so bad that I will actually turn to my husband or whoever I am with and look at them and say do you hear that??? Of course they don't. My doctor suggested xeanxe. Sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't. My cardiologist says that some of his patients tell him the ringing goes away when the valve is repaired??? Who knows, all I know is that it drives me crazy! With regards to the cough: One thing scared me a little is that the cough is coming more and more frequently. I have to cough so so hard just to make that little tiny tickle way down low go away and know drinking or eating anything helps the cough. A friend of mine told me she had the exact same thing about 2 months before she was dx. with CHF she had a mitral valve leak, I have an aortic valve that is leaking that scares me, I don't want that with the stupid fibrosis. I think your right about the humdity too here in Texas been rainy and wet.

Lisa

 

[ccrawford]

Hope this helps

Hope this helps

Lisa - I'm an ex smoker so I'm used to having a cough from time to time "only the best from RJ Reynolds" You need to keep yourself hydrated anyway (my doc says 64 oz of water/day) so keep on drinking the water to sooth the dry throat-maybe add a little lemon juice for some flavor. I carry a nice water bottle with me just about everywhere. Re your leaking valve. You shouldn't be scared. Concerned, yes, but not scared. The valve leaks because it isn't closing all the way for whatever reason. This means that some of the blood that was drawn into the "pumping chamber" simply gets pumped back out where it came from, not where it needs to go. This, in turn, means that the heart is simply not working as efficiently as it could be. When the condition gets worse, at the appropriate time, your doc will advise you its time to fix the valve. Pretty simple concept, but an agonizing wait. In the meantime, hope we can solve some of these med side effects-collectively, they're about to drive me nuts. Chris

 

[Lisa45]

Thanks for the reply

Thanks for the reply

thanks for the infol. I think it is time for a second opoinion..know anyone good in the North Dallas area? I have Mod/sev aortic and rapid pulse. also some complicating factors. Thanks for the help.

Lisa

 

[ccrawford]

Right next door

Right next door

Lisa - You are very close to the Texas Heart Institute. They are very well regarded. I have heard them mentioned alongside Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, etc. Chris

 

[Lisa45]

Texas Heart clinic

Texas Heart clinic

That is awesome information! Do you happen to know where they are located? I have been having weird problems all weekend with my blood pressure up and down like a ping pong ball all the way up to 157/78 and even a little higher down to normal or below and my plulse as high 102 and higher. Back and forth. The ringing in my ears. Things just been really bad this weekend. I went to a workshow for 3 days a lot of running around which I don't usually do maybe it just took it out of me. My blood sugar also dropped down to 63 yesterday. I am taking new insulin so it could be an adjustment. If I were a car I would trade me in.

Lisa

 

[mamsram]

I wouldn't trade you in. You may have some parts going bad and sometimes run a little rough, but your still a good lookin model.