My Latest Echo.....Don't know what to believe...

[Harrybaby666]

Hi Gang,

I just had my follow up echo and the dr has told me that everything is "normal"....my question is this, could my valve issues have gone away completely? I was told that the atrium is still enlarged, but as far as the valves go, everything is "normal", and unfortunately, the way they do the echo report, they don't give you exact figures/measurements, they only tell you if something is normal or abnormal, and therefore, I came to the conclusion, after arguing with them on the phone over this, that I no longer wanted to see them as my cardiologist....IS THERE ANY CARDIOLOGIST IN THIS WHOLE WIDE WORLD THAT WILL TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLAIN THINGS IN TERMS THAT THE ORDINARY PERSON CAN UNDERSTAND???!!!???? I am just so frustrated at the fact that all the Dr. did was call me and leave the message "Your normal" on my machine and then they proceeded to tell me that they didn't need to see me again....AT All......but here is the tricky part...my Primary Care Dr. wants me to have a cardiologist on board.....there is obviously a reason for this, but why can't the cardiologist see this...moreover, I asked them to do other tests, (MUGA, TEE ETC.) and all I was told by the nurse was "Oh those are only for Fat people"....CAN YOU IMAGINE!!!????!!!! I also told them about having the event monitor, and when they gave me that to wear for two weeks, they told me to only call in during business hours, and if the machine loaded up after hours, to not wear the machine and wait until Monday morning to call it in "During Business Hours"...they told me the objective was to not "catch as many palpitations as possible" but to "get a few and record them to prove to them that what I am telling them is true".

Has anyone else gone through this horrible mess???? I just don't know where to turn from here, and I am still having severe Palpitations, SOB and a TON of Weakness, not to mention climbing the stairs is getting harder and harder by the day......Sorry for Venting....I am just soooooo frustrated...

Harrybaby

 

[geebee]

Harry,
I don't have any words of wisdom except to say that I went through many cardios to get to the ones I liked over the years. The good ones do exist but it takes determination to find them.
I guess there are meds that can assist in making valve problems better depending on the problem. However, your symptoms indicate SOMETHING whether heart or lungs or whatever.
Try not to give up.

 

[Ross]

Dude get a copy of this echo and post the results and lets see what we see. I'm no pro, but there are some telltale things it may say.

 

[Marguerite53]

Hi Harry. I like what Ross and Gina are saying. In the meanitime, can you talk to this doctor, your GP, whom you seem to like? I once made an appointment just to talk and it was such a useful thing. Maybe the GP can put your mind to rest about the whys and changes. At the very least, the GP should know how quick the cardio was to cut you off.

Sorry that you're having such a time of it. Wishing you the best!

Marguerite

 

[Harrybaby666]

Ok....Here we go....

Ok....Here we go....

Interpretational Summary:
Normal Transthorasic Echocardiogram

Left Ventrical:
The left ventrical is normal in size. There is normal left ventricular wall thickness. Left ventricular systolic function is normal. Ejection Fraction =>55% The transmitral spectral Doppler flow pattern is normal for age. The left ventricular wall motion is normal

Right Ventrical:
The right ventricle is normal size. There is normal right ventricular wall thickness. The right ventricular systolic function is normal

Atria
The left atrium is mildly dialated. Right atrial size is normal.

Mitral Valve
The mitral valve is normal

Tricuspid Valve
The tricuspid valve is normal.

Aortic valve
The aortic valve is normal in structure and function

Pulmonic Valve
The Pulmonic Valve is normal in structure and function

Great Vessels
The aortic root is normal size. The aortic arch is normal in size. The pulmonary artery is normal size.

Pericardium/Pleural
The pericardium appears normal

TA DA!!! LOL Harrybaby

 

[Wise]

Sorry for all your trouble Harry. You're obviously frustrated and understandably. Hope you get your health issues resolved and find a cardio that knows how to communicate better.

 

[tobagotwo]

Frustrating for you...

What you received was an "Interpretational Summary," not the original report. That's why you don't have the numbers. You should ask for the original report to go with it, including the numbers they used. "Normal" is a derived size, and if your left ventricle starts out smaller and has to grow a lot to become larger than normal, there is stress that's not being captured.

If anyone came to me with that echo, without any other background information, I'd say to them that they should be happy. It's a good result.

It sounds like your heart valves shouldn't be a real problem in your life, barring complete incompetence or swapped results on the part of the echo tech. The description of the basic heart function is largely typical of a nonproblematic heart. No leakages, 55% EF, normal ventricular size and wall thickness. Get the original report with the numbers.

Some types of arrhythmias can cause the symptoms you are describing. Also, they can be worsened by certain meds. Nor does this rule out small artery disease or more standard heart artery blockages.

The other system to look to is your lungs. You've been through some PH issues, I believe?

Best wishes,

 

[Ross]

Frustrating for you...

What you received was an "Interpretational Summary," not the original report. That's why you don't have the numbers. You should ask for the original report to go with it, including the numbers they used. "Normal" is a derived size, and if your left ventricle starts out smaller and has to grow a lot to become larger than normal, there is stress that's not being captured.

If anyone came to me with that echo, without any other background information, I'd say to them that they should be happy. It's a good result.

It sounds like your heart valves shouldn't be a real problem in your life, barring complete incompetence or swapped results on the part of the echo tech. The description of the basic heart function is largely typical of a nonproblematic heart. No leakages, 55% EF, normal ventricular size and wall thickness. Get the original report with the numbers.

Some types of arrhythmias can cause the symptoms you are describing. Also, they can be worsened by certain meds. Nor does this rule out small artery disease or more standard heart artery blockages.

The other system to look to is your lungs. You've been through some PH issues, I believe?

Best wishes,

Precisely, need numbers son. Get the report with the numbers.

 

[Harrybaby666]

I could understand this if I hadn't had any abnormal valve issues in the past...but

I could understand this if I hadn't had any abnormal valve issues in the past...but

Frustrating for you...

What you received was an "Interpretational Summary," not the original report. That's why you don't have the numbers. You should ask for the original report to go with it, including the numbers they used. "Normal" is a derived size, and if your left ventricle starts out smaller and has to grow a lot to become larger than normal, there is stress that's not being captured.

If anyone came to me with that echo, without any other background information, I'd say to them that they should be happy. It's a good result.

It sounds like your heart valves shouldn't be a real problem in your life, barring complete incompetence or swapped results on the part of the echo tech. The description of the basic heart function is largely typical of a nonproblematic heart. No leakages, 55% EF, normal ventricular size and wall thickness. Get the original report with the numbers.

Some types of arrhythmias can cause the symptoms you are describing. Also, they can be worsened by certain meds. Nor does this rule out small artery disease or more standard heart artery blockages.

The other system to look to is your lungs. You've been through some PH issues, I believe?

Best wishes,

On one of my previous echocardiograms, they told me that I had calcification of my aortic valve, and all 4 of my valves had some leakage whether it be trace or mild, and I was told that my heart muscle is stiffening because of extra fibers growing in the heart muscle (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) and I do have CHF, so I wonder what's changed. I was also told recently that I have a left bundle branch block and I have absolutely no idea what this is....I am going to feel like a fool for becoming a member if it turns out that I didn't have valve issues..... Harrybaby

 

[Ross]

Too late now if you don't. Your family.

http://www.tmc.edu/thi/bbblock.html

 

[Phyllis]

I am going to feel like a fool for becoming a member if it turns out that I didn't have valve issues..... Harrybaby
__________________

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Can't help you with your diagnoses, Harry, but for sure there is no need to feel foolish. There are many members here with heart problems other than valves and what about all us "significant others". Your input and support is still needed!

 

[tobagotwo]

Ross is right, Harry. You're already family. You're stuck with us now.

We'll have to look at some of your previous results vs. this latest echo to try to make sense of it. Trivial-to-mild leakages do come and go to an extent. But if you have CHF, why is your EF showing as 55%? Why are your wall movements now listed as normal? Why aren't you showing enlargement?

There's something pungent in this sauce, Harry. I'm thinking echo tech error or accidentally swapped results. We're not done with this yet.

Best wishes,

 

[Harrybaby666]

Ross is right, Harry. You're already family. You're stuck with us now.

We'll have to look at some of your previous results vs. this latest echo to try to make sense of it. Trivial-to-mild leakages do come and go to an extent. But if you have CHF, why is your EF showing as 55%? Why are your wall movements now listed as normal? Why aren't you showing enlargement?

There's something pungent in this sauce, Harry. I'm thinking echo tech error or accidentally swapped results. We're not done with this yet.

Best wishes,

Well Bob,

I was told that with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, and Diastolic Dysfunction, which they have told me that I DO have, that you can actually have normal or higher than normal Ejection Fractions. My ejection fraction at one point was 46 but this last one was >=55% so I am wondering just how often they fluctuate. I definitely do know that I have CHF as I am consistantly having to take Lasix and Potassium and I am losing fluid all the time, and I CANNOT SLEEP FLAT....I have to sleep either in my recliner or have my hospital bed with the head up so that I can breath. So much for health issues...As for the PH...I still don't know what's up with that, because the Dr. I went to see, didn't even test me for the PH..he just relied on my past two echos and sent me home.....This is Horrible....Harrybaby

 

[Nan]

Hi Harry, I agree with the others, you need to get the orginal report with the numbers. If the doc's office can't/ won't give it to you, you should be able to get it from the medical records office where you had the echo done (unless it was done in the doc's office, in which case you may have to become more insistent).

Following up with your GP seems like a good idea too.

And it would be wonderful if you didn't have valve problems!!!! That would be great. But you are stuck with us, either way.

Clearly there is something wrong, however, so keep on pursuing it. I know it's not easy.....but it sure is important.

Take care,

 

[Barbara Stewart]

Latest echo

Latest echo

Harry,

I don't care whether you have valve problems or not. I agree with everybody else you're stuck here now. My advice is to FIND ANOTHER CARDIO and look into a pulmonologist.

Try not to freak out. That will certainly not help.
I'm thinking of you.

Barbara