Echo Results

[carlapv]

Just got back from my card and got the latest Echo report. I hope someone here can explain what it all means. I have absolutely no faith in my card. She has messed up several test results but luckily my PCP and my Pulmonologist have taken care of things.

I appreciate any help anyone can give.

M Mode
Ao root diam - 3.14cm, LA dimension - 4.19cm, LVSd - 1.61cm, LVIDd-5.23cm
LVINd - 1.69cm. LVIDs - 2.82cm
AV Doppler
AoV Vmax- 329.0cm/s, AoMaxPG - 43.3mmHg, Ao meanPG - 17.2mmHg, LVOT V Max - 161.0cm/s, AoV area (Vmax) 1.55cm2, AoV VTI - 81.3cm, LVOT VTI - 52.6cm , Ao area (VTI) - 1.83cm2

2D
LVOT diam - 1.90cm , EF (Teich)>60%

MV Doppler
MV pk E vel - 154.0 cm/s, Tissue D E'- 8.19cm/s, MV mn grad - 2.51mmHg, MV area (PHT) 2.62cm2, MV pk A vel - 63.2cm/s, MV E/A 2.43
TV Doppler
RVSP - 33.5mmHg, TR pk vel - 242.0cm/s
PV Doppler
PV Vmax - 81.9cm/s , PV pk grad - 2.68mmHg


Mild tricuspid regurgitation. RVSP 33mmHg
Mild right ventricular dilatation
MIld left atrial enlargement
Mild LVH

So what do you think? I am going to try and find a copy of the previous echo I had done, ( by the way, I had to absolutely insist that an echo be done. My surgery was in January of 2004 and this is the first echo I have had.) She seems just too nonchalant about everything.

Thanks for any information you can share.

Carla

 

[Ross]

You and I are about the same. It's not stellar, but it's not terrible. We are damaged goods no matter how you look at it.

 

[twinmaker]

Carla, is your cardiologist at Emory Crawford Long also? Noticed your surgeon was from there. Just wondering. I lived in Atlanta for five years and saw Byron Williams at Crawford Long. I really liked him. Just a thought in case you were thinking of trying another cardio. You sound like you don't really trust the one you have and that's a scary feeling. Let me know if I can answer any questions about Dr. Williams. LINDA

 

[carlapv]

Thanks Ross and Linda. My surgeon at Crawford Long was Robert Guyton and he was fantastic. However, because I live about 35 miles from Crawford Long and because of my severe asthma and my chronic A Fib I need to use the nearest hospital and the doctors from Crawford Long don't practice out here. So if I were to be hospitalized I would have to see these doctors anyway so I might as well stick to it. Also I have to go to their coumadine clinic. I have absolutely no faith in these cards but I am very fortunate to have a super duper PCP and pulmonologist to have really taken over.

Ross, Would you believe that my card said that everything was great and that it all looked normal? I knew something wasn't right. I was a bit concerned about the Aortic area being only 1.55. I figured that the new valve would have had a larger opening. Do you think all of this together could be contributing to my SOB?

Thanks again for your responses.

Carla

 

[Christina L]

Carla -

Carla -

I do not have any opinions on your echo as I am very unschooled in what is good and what is bad - according to cardiologists. In my experience, they ALL have different opinions!!

I don't think you have any major problems and if your cardiologist thought things looked okay, I would try to believe him (easy for me to say, I know).

I hope you will get some other opinions from the Vr.com members who know more about echos. I hope Marty sees this thread - he's pretty brilliant and should be able to set you straight.

Christina L

 

[carlapv]

Hi Christina,
Thanks for your reply. I wish I could believe in my card, but she has made too many mistakes. She ordered some blood work to be done and when the results came back she told me everything was normal, she also had me undergo a test for PAD which she also said was normal. Well the results also went to both my PCP and my pulmonologist who both called me right away and reported that my blood work showed hypothyroid problems and I do have PAD. Neither one could believe that the card did not catch either one. I am now on medication and I am just grateful I didn't have to rely on her. She also missed the fact that I am anemic. Lord knows I am not looking for anything to be wrong but I am grateful that the symptoms I have been having are being taken care of and that I know there is a reason for what I have been going through.

Hope you are doing well.
Carla

 

[twinmaker]

Carla, Just in case you want or can reconsider going down to Crawford Long, I lived in Dacula (close to Buford) which is a little further north of Lawrenceville. We lived in Hamilton Mill (one exit north of the Mall of Ga). I know it's a trek down 85 to Crawford Long but maybe it would be worth it to have a cardiologist you can have some trust in. I do understand though about being to the closet hospital and you liking your other docs. Just a thought. LINDA

 

[Granbonny]

Northeast Georgia heart Center in Gainesville..Not far from you. Dr's..marshall, Davis and Scully are the 3 best..Large group..adjoining the Northeast hospital with their own Heart Wing now..doing all types of heart surgeries. keeps one out of the Atlanta traffic. Bonnie

 

[Christina L]

Carla -

Carla -

Okay, now I understand about your doctor.

My cardiologist mentioned in passing about a year ago that "you have always been mildly anemic." What?? Never had told me that before.

Also as for hypothyroidism, I have been recently diagnosed and from what I understand about that, it is all subjective when it comes to doctors' diagnoses of hypo. My TSH was last checked at 4.7. Many think as long as it is under 5 it is okay. One PCP told me she doesn't treat people until they are in the 60s!! However, the normal range for the TSH is now considered to be 1-3. This is craziness!! Most today know that hypothyroidism should be diagnosed by symptoms (T3 and T4) and not solely by the TSH.

Hypothyroidism can wreak havoc, if not adequately treated, when it comes to people with heart problems.

It is good you are taking charge of your health. We pretty much have to do that these days - doctors are so overloaded and can't keep anything straight at times.

Christina L

 

[mntbiker]

Yeah, what Bonnie said, they are great. Must get Dr. Davis though, he called me directly presurgery and gave me his direct number in case I needed to call him for anything and he meant anything. He truly cares and he is really good.

 

[pipersmith]

I am also not schooled in reading results (yet ) however, if you have such trust and competence issues with your cardio - I would consider changing. Whenever my "little voice" inside just won't be quiet - my dad reminds me that we are given intuition for a reason. You should listen to it - even just to double check.
Good luck - Piper

 

[Rebecca]

About four years ago I had to find a new doctor because my doctor stops taking HMO. I now go to Cardiology of Georgia in Decatur. I drive from Roswell. I see Dr. Harris and I am pleased with him and his office. A few years before I went to him my sister had seen him once and he remember her and that she was moving to south GA. My sister internal medicine doctor of more than twenty years had referred her to Dr Harris. My sister always said that her doctor would never refer her to a bad doctor. Dr Harris gave me sample of med. before writing a pre. His nurse called once to see how I was doing on a new med. If I try to skip visits I get a call from his office to let me know that the doctor wants to see me and what tests need to be done. The office is like a maze (big) but I can get in and have an echo and than see the doctor in less than an hour. The office does lab and x rays and they may have a coumadine clinic and they practice at Crawford Long.