Endocarditis and Mitral Valve Replacement

[laltavilla]

My husband had endocarditis in January of 2008. It took 3 visits to the ER to finally diagnose, and after 35 days in the hospital, 3 months of IV antibiotics, a new mitral valve (St Jude) and 14 embolic strokes from the infected valve, he is doing GREAT. There are no studies that I can find about follow up visits. He had 18 MRI's in 2008 because of the strokes, but they have not done one since then. Just wondering if any of you know long term, if he should see someone? He does see his Cardiologist once a year, but that's all. Just want to make sure that I am doing all I can for him (I'm an oncology nurse).... I am 39 years old and he is 47, and we have 2 children who are 8 and 10....let me know if anyone has seen some studies out there for him or articles to keep me informed! Thanks!

Leslie

 

[OldNick]

I was finally diagnosed with endocarditis after several months of "fever of undetermined origin" in 1993. After treatment, both in hospital and at home, with two intravenous antibiotics, I had surgery to replace the damaged mitral valve and the aortic valve with St. Jude mechanical valves. I had only one episode with vegetation from the valve getting loose, and it ended up, painfully, in my heel. For the past 16 years I have seen my cardiologist once a year, at first receiving Doppler Echo exams at each visit, now having the exam every two years. At the last exam, about 18 months ago, the valves were found to be functioning perfectly. I manage my INR carefully, and have had no further problems from this episode.

Jim N.

 

[sue943]

My endocarditis was diagnosed a few days after I had a stroke, I had been unwell a few months before the stroke but other than to have an injection to stop me vomiting when I was first ill I didn't see a doctor until the stroke. I had both mitral and aortic valves replaced after my infection had been cleared. I have an annual echo, ECG and visit to the cardiologist.

 

[OldNick]

Hi Sue943. Is there a connection here? I also had kidney stones, requiring lithotripsy, at the same time I was dealing with endocarditis. The endocarditis was the more serious, but the kidney stones were more painful!

Jim N.

 

[Snoviper]

I am also 47. I had Endocarditis back in 2007, it took a few weeks to diagnose. They thought it was the flu. I ended up with sepsis, lost my kidney functions for a few weeks and had to go on dialysis, I was in the hospital 34 days. They found out my tricuspid valve was bad and after 5 weeks of antibiotics it still had a growth on it, so they replaced the tricuspid valve. I also had a TIA in the hospital when a piece of the growth broke off went to brain. After the first year, they only have me seeing the cardiologist twice a year.

 

[OldNick]

Hi Snoviper,
I had endocarditis in 1993, at age 63, and was treated for "fever of unknown origin" and sinus infections for several months before a heart murmur was detected, and the correct diagnosis was made. I went through the antibiotic route, both in hospital and at home, and decided to delay surgery, hoping to be able to continue flying. A couple of months later, a piece of the "vegetation" on the mitral valve broke loose and went down, not up, like yours. The pain in my heel was excruciating. My wife drove me back to Nashville and I went in for surgery. I see my cardiologist annually, and usually have a Doppler Echocardiagram every two years.