A
Ann L
Hi? this is my first post on this wonderful forum. Having resently discovered the site and after spending hours & hours pouring through the discussions, please let me say before I ask my questions that I think this is the most selfless, respectful, helpful group of folks I?ve ever had the privledge of reading in the cyber world. Here's my primary concern. I am curious if anybody has experienced stress test results that varied so much from year to year?.with the same cardiologist? where it appears their valve problems were improving?
My diagnosis background: In 1999 I was diagnosed with moderate aortic regurg, moderate mitral regurg, and mild ticuspid regurg calling it myxomatous valvular disease. I was 43 years old. My regular doc and the cardio doc decided against a beta blocker due to my asthma. I overheard the technician calling several of her associates in to listen to my stress echo tests and them saying that ???? was bouncing off of the back wall. I assumed that meant the regurgitation rate (?) At the time, my symptoms were exertional palpitations, lightheadedness, & some chest discomfort. (For right or wrong, I wrote it off to stress.)
My next cardio checkup wasn?t until 2004 (busy taking care of my ill father). These tests showed the same moderate aortic regurg but no diastolic murmur or systolic clicks. Symptoms: edema in feet/legs, a little short of breath with chest discomfort. Was prescribed furosemide and potassium supplement. Aside from mild symptoms, I was doing pretty well since the cardiologist said that they are not sure why some patients are substantially worse after 5 years and in my case, I hadn?t worsened at all. I didn?t need to return for a year. At this time I got these statistics. From what I've read here, they look kindda ok... maybe not warranting a "moderate" diagnosis???
Left ventricle: end-diastolic dim.= 4.6cm, end-systolic dimension= 2.0cm, IV septal thickness= .8cm, posterior wall thickness= .7cm. Right ventricle: diastolic dimension = 2.1cm. Aortic Outflow: aortic root dimension= 3.0cm, leaflet separation 2.3cm. Also, left atrial dimension 3.4cm. The aortic valve showed fibrotic calcific change (no other details on that). If any can please
Now back to my initial question: this time the mitral valve problem was degraded from moderate to mild and the tricuspid regurg was downsized too from mild to trace. This gets better?..
In the fall of 2005 I had a yearly checkup with the same doctor but didn?t get a copy of the stress test numbers for comparison. Should have. Symptoms were increased with edema and fatigue. The doctor said that my valve problem seems to have actually iimproved based on the report. I told him that the woman doing the test was (literally) banging on the echo equipment and said they weren?t the best. He seemed unfazed. I immediately called my family doctor afterwards and he suggested that I not take the cardiologist?s advice to wait a year for the next followup appt, and to schedule one no later than 6 months. Well that time is approaching and I?m having enough symptoms to wonder if it?s my heart or something else. I have ascites?to the point of looking 7 months pregnant, my feet-ankles-legs are always swollen despite the meds, fatigue has much worstened, weight gain of 15 lbs in 2 weeks (not pigging out), and I?ve had consistent chest pressure for the last 72 hours. It doesn?t really hurt?just pressure. But I am having pain in my upper right side for some reason. I don?t trust this cardiologist anymore and know it?s going to take some time to get set up with a new one. Any input on how the tests could show ?valvular improvement? but my symptoms getting worse? Can valves heal themselves (I'd like to think yes but rather doubt it)? And what do those numbers mean? What would you do to get a new cardiologist fairly quickly? Whew?that was more than I expected to write but please know I appreciate your thoughts and time in reading this.
My diagnosis background: In 1999 I was diagnosed with moderate aortic regurg, moderate mitral regurg, and mild ticuspid regurg calling it myxomatous valvular disease. I was 43 years old. My regular doc and the cardio doc decided against a beta blocker due to my asthma. I overheard the technician calling several of her associates in to listen to my stress echo tests and them saying that ???? was bouncing off of the back wall. I assumed that meant the regurgitation rate (?) At the time, my symptoms were exertional palpitations, lightheadedness, & some chest discomfort. (For right or wrong, I wrote it off to stress.)
My next cardio checkup wasn?t until 2004 (busy taking care of my ill father). These tests showed the same moderate aortic regurg but no diastolic murmur or systolic clicks. Symptoms: edema in feet/legs, a little short of breath with chest discomfort. Was prescribed furosemide and potassium supplement. Aside from mild symptoms, I was doing pretty well since the cardiologist said that they are not sure why some patients are substantially worse after 5 years and in my case, I hadn?t worsened at all. I didn?t need to return for a year. At this time I got these statistics. From what I've read here, they look kindda ok... maybe not warranting a "moderate" diagnosis???
Left ventricle: end-diastolic dim.= 4.6cm, end-systolic dimension= 2.0cm, IV septal thickness= .8cm, posterior wall thickness= .7cm. Right ventricle: diastolic dimension = 2.1cm. Aortic Outflow: aortic root dimension= 3.0cm, leaflet separation 2.3cm. Also, left atrial dimension 3.4cm. The aortic valve showed fibrotic calcific change (no other details on that). If any can please
Now back to my initial question: this time the mitral valve problem was degraded from moderate to mild and the tricuspid regurg was downsized too from mild to trace. This gets better?..
In the fall of 2005 I had a yearly checkup with the same doctor but didn?t get a copy of the stress test numbers for comparison. Should have. Symptoms were increased with edema and fatigue. The doctor said that my valve problem seems to have actually iimproved based on the report. I told him that the woman doing the test was (literally) banging on the echo equipment and said they weren?t the best. He seemed unfazed. I immediately called my family doctor afterwards and he suggested that I not take the cardiologist?s advice to wait a year for the next followup appt, and to schedule one no later than 6 months. Well that time is approaching and I?m having enough symptoms to wonder if it?s my heart or something else. I have ascites?to the point of looking 7 months pregnant, my feet-ankles-legs are always swollen despite the meds, fatigue has much worstened, weight gain of 15 lbs in 2 weeks (not pigging out), and I?ve had consistent chest pressure for the last 72 hours. It doesn?t really hurt?just pressure. But I am having pain in my upper right side for some reason. I don?t trust this cardiologist anymore and know it?s going to take some time to get set up with a new one. Any input on how the tests could show ?valvular improvement? but my symptoms getting worse? Can valves heal themselves (I'd like to think yes but rather doubt it)? And what do those numbers mean? What would you do to get a new cardiologist fairly quickly? Whew?that was more than I expected to write but please know I appreciate your thoughts and time in reading this.
