M
M&M
Hi All, I recently got my CRT echo stress test report. I'm happy to report my EP (electrician) doc said I don't need a biventricular device to replace my ICD device. Since my battery is getting low on my ICD - I was wondering if this test was going to indicate I needed a bivent - but luckily it didn't - I'll just get my normal ICD replaced when the battery dies. Its been indicating that I'm to have it replaced within a year - from last September. So, as we know September is just around the corner and I'm due for a replacement soon. Or hopefully just before it dies !! 
My ICD is suppose to give off some 'beep, beeps' - which has been driving me NUTS - cause everytime I hear a beep (cell phones) (alarms) - I get very nervous. Our fire alarm has gone off 3 times in the past week !!! I can't wait to get this darn ICD replaced and I don't have to wonder if its ME beeping..
I'm surprised at what the report DID say - rather than what it didn't say. I hate surprises - kind of like when the manufacturer of my ICD said they had 25 malfunctions on this particular brand - but we're not going to do a recall !!! Gee, thanks.
My report says: "The left ventricle is moderated dilated" which I guess since my mitral valve surgery it hasn't decreased in size that I was hoping would happen.. It has remained the same size since before my surgery !!! Its been a YEAR - its not to late for it to decrease do you think? Perhaps within the next year it will decrease? Can a left ventricle decrease long after your surgery?
Unfortunately, my EF rate actually went DOWN this past year since my surgery - yes I was at 40-45% before my surgery and I'm now down to 35% !! I know physically I can't do as much as I could a couple years ago. But its been suggested that I'm getting "older".. Isn't that nice of them to notice !! But I guess there's some truth to that - so I let it go..
My report also says: F/U Congestive Cardiomyopathy, Mitral prosthesis - F/U - I think the F/U stands for Follow up.. So I guess its saying I have: Congestive Cardiomyopathy !!! I don't know.. I'll have to ask my doc - do you think that's what the report is saying? I know I have a mitral prosthesis - and it mentions that - so I guess it's saying I have Congestive Cardiomyopathy. Maybe I'm wrong. I haven't spoken to my doctor -yet - I just got the electronic report of my echo -which I requested. I hate surprises and there's nothing worse than hearing this information for the first time in a doctors office.. I need to digest the information and ask pertinent information - not sit there and digest it.. and then come back later for a followup question. So I'm happy to know what the report said before I get there. I hope my stress echo says something 'good'.
The report then goes on to give lots of Systolic pressures and LV diastole and so forth - which some are within normal limits and some are above the normal limits.. But towards the end of the report it says:
The tricuspid valve appears anatomically normal.. and then its says:
There is moderate (2+/4+) tricuspid valve regurgitation...
But at the end it says: View Quality - Fair parasternal view - Fair apical view -Fair subcostal view..... which I think means - the above information may not be accurate - I mean if they don't get a good view - then I would assume the information is not 'clear'.. how can I have any confidence in this test !!! This was a specific CRT echo test - I go for my 'stress' echo this Thursday and the technician told me they won't gather as much information on that test other than what my heart does upon exertion - so that test won't really confirm or deny the above report.
Is this normal to have tricuspid problems after having my mitral replacement?
I thought I asked that they check all my valves out before my mitral surgery -so I guess my tricuspid got worse since my mitral surgery ?
I wonder when you get one valve fixed if it makes the others work harder as they're not working as efficiently - as with anything over time - its alittle less than perfect - but when you add a 'new' valve - it puts undue pressure on the other older valves??
I see my doc on Thursday and I hope to ask the right questions - any questions you can suggest I can ask I would appreciate it? I thought my breathing problems were from my programming of my ICD - and my on/off fatigue was also being caused from my programming. My doc suggested those symptoms were being brought on by things other than my programming. So he scheduled these echo tests and since my one anniversary is now - it made sense to see if my mechanical valve was working properly - which I thought it was - it clicks at night real normal - of course I don't always sleep - so I think it clicks quite loudly some nights. But I'm happy to report - my breathing is better since my surgery - but has been declining moreso since September of last year -when I was found to be in Full Heart block. Which when I think about it - I've been blaming all my symptoms on my electrical - and at one point I did need reprogramming.
I can't run anymore - I just do a light jog/walk - mostly a walk. I can't breath well at all to run and barely can walk on some days. But I thought maybe it would get better over 'more' time. Its been a year now - so perhaps I'm wishing the impossible at this point in time. My symptoms (fatigue, shortness of breath) kind of remind me of when things started to go downhill before my mitral was diagnosed !! It ended up that I couldn't walk, talk and breath before my surgery but I can't imagine things getting that bad AGAIN !!! I already noticed that in the past 6 mos - I can barely work 5 days a week - I just don't have the stamina to do that. I told my docs about that last January.
But anyways, if you have any suggested questions to ask my doc - I would appreciate it.. I had no plans on talking about congestive cardiomyopathy or tricuspid valves with my doc - so maybe I'm readiong more into this report than what I'm 'reading'... I mean it could be at 2+ regurgitation and not anywhere near 4+ and I could stay at the 2+ rate for years? I'm still trying to digest this 'report'.
Any input would be greatly appreciated..
Marilyn (runner)
My ICD is suppose to give off some 'beep, beeps' - which has been driving me NUTS - cause everytime I hear a beep (cell phones) (alarms) - I get very nervous. Our fire alarm has gone off 3 times in the past week !!! I can't wait to get this darn ICD replaced and I don't have to wonder if its ME beeping.. I'm surprised at what the report DID say - rather than what it didn't say. I hate surprises - kind of like when the manufacturer of my ICD said they had 25 malfunctions on this particular brand - but we're not going to do a recall !!! Gee, thanks.
My report says: "The left ventricle is moderated dilated" which I guess since my mitral valve surgery it hasn't decreased in size that I was hoping would happen..
It has remained the same size since before my surgery !!! Its been a YEAR - its not to late for it to decrease do you think? Perhaps within the next year it will decrease? Can a left ventricle decrease long after your surgery?Unfortunately, my EF rate actually went DOWN this past year since my surgery - yes I was at 40-45% before my surgery and I'm now down to 35% !! I know physically I can't do as much as I could a couple years ago. But its been suggested that I'm getting "older".. Isn't that nice of them to notice !! But I guess there's some truth to that - so I let it go..
My report also says: F/U Congestive Cardiomyopathy, Mitral prosthesis - F/U - I think the F/U stands for Follow up.. So I guess its saying I have: Congestive Cardiomyopathy !!!
I don't know.. I'll have to ask my doc - do you think that's what the report is saying? I know I have a mitral prosthesis - and it mentions that - so I guess it's saying I have Congestive Cardiomyopathy. Maybe I'm wrong. I haven't spoken to my doctor -yet - I just got the electronic report of my echo -which I requested. I hate surprises and there's nothing worse than hearing this information for the first time in a doctors office.. I need to digest the information and ask pertinent information - not sit there and digest it.. and then come back later for a followup question. So I'm happy to know what the report said before I get there. I hope my stress echo says something 'good'. The report then goes on to give lots of Systolic pressures and LV diastole and so forth - which some are within normal limits and some are above the normal limits.. But towards the end of the report it says:
The tricuspid valve appears anatomically normal..
and then its says:There is moderate (2+/4+) tricuspid valve regurgitation...
But at the end it says: View Quality - Fair parasternal view - Fair apical view -Fair subcostal view..... which I think means - the above information may not be accurate - I mean if they don't get a good view - then I would assume the information is not 'clear'.. how can I have any confidence in this test !!! This was a specific CRT echo test - I go for my 'stress' echo this Thursday and the technician told me they won't gather as much information on that test other than what my heart does upon exertion - so that test won't really confirm or deny the above report.
Is this normal to have tricuspid problems after having my mitral replacement?
I thought I asked that they check all my valves out before my mitral surgery -so I guess my tricuspid got worse since my mitral surgery ?
I wonder when you get one valve fixed if it makes the others work harder as they're not working as efficiently - as with anything over time - its alittle less than perfect - but when you add a 'new' valve - it puts undue pressure on the other older valves??
I see my doc on Thursday and I hope to ask the right questions - any questions you can suggest I can ask I would appreciate it? I thought my breathing problems were from my programming of my ICD - and my on/off fatigue was also being caused from my programming. My doc suggested those symptoms were being brought on by things other than my programming. So he scheduled these echo tests and since my one anniversary is now - it made sense to see if my mechanical valve was working properly - which I thought it was - it clicks at night real normal - of course I don't always sleep - so I think it clicks quite loudly some nights. But I'm happy to report - my breathing is better since my surgery - but has been declining moreso since September of last year -when I was found to be in Full Heart block. Which when I think about it - I've been blaming all my symptoms on my electrical - and at one point I did need reprogramming.
I can't run anymore - I just do a light jog/walk - mostly a walk. I can't breath well at all to run and barely can walk on some days.
But I thought maybe it would get better over 'more' time. Its been a year now - so perhaps I'm wishing the impossible at this point in time. My symptoms (fatigue, shortness of breath) kind of remind me of when things started to go downhill before my mitral was diagnosed !! It ended up that I couldn't walk, talk and breath before my surgery but I can't imagine things getting that bad AGAIN !!! I already noticed that in the past 6 mos - I can barely work 5 days a week - I just don't have the stamina to do that. I told my docs about that last January. But anyways, if you have any suggested questions to ask my doc - I would appreciate it.. I had no plans on talking about congestive cardiomyopathy or tricuspid valves with my doc - so maybe I'm readiong more into this report than what I'm 'reading'... I mean it could be at 2+ regurgitation and not anywhere near 4+ and I could stay at the 2+ rate for years? I'm still trying to digest this 'report'.
Any input would be greatly appreciated..
Marilyn (runner)
