New member; Alarmed at decreasing EF %

[pellicle]

think I'll break out a bottle of the Good Stuff I bought in London last year.

Ya got me interested, do tell

 

[Gloria Mundi]

Ya got me interested, do tell

A long time ago my late husband and I "discovered" Cadenhead's, on the main drag in Edinburgh. They sell name-brand whiskies, dumped straight from the cask, into the bottle, not mixed even within the same malting, no coloring, no filtering. You can't get them in the US. They also have a shop in London called The Tasting Room. I went through London many times on business and made a stop there, always buying more than the 1 bottle US Customs allowed but I always declared the 2 or 3 bottles and never got asked to pay duty. I used to joke that when my husband picked me up at the airport, he'd wait by the baggage carousel rather than the passenger exit to make sure the whisky made it! I'll be going through London again in a year so I'll be able to get more.

We once gave a bottle to our pastor, who we knew was a connoisseur of good whisky. He was so happy we figured all our sins were forgiven- past, present and future.

 

[V__]

Everything is stable, including left ventricle size/function. Nothing to see here,

Did the cardiologist agree with the "severe" stage classification though?

As my late husband used to say (quoting Gen. George Patton), "All fact are friendly".

 

[pellicle]

long time ago my late husband and I "discovered" Cadenhead's

Excellent stuff

We once gave a bottle to our pastor, who we knew was a connoisseur of good whisky. He was so happy we figured all our sins were forgiven- past, present and future.

I use these guys now

Well priced and convenient

 

[Gloria Mundi]

Did the cardiologist agree with the "severe" stage classification though?

I didn't ask- I'd seen that description on one of my prior reports and looked up what it meant- it can be classified as severe" if there are symptoms. Well, yes, I've had this breathlessness (dyspnea) on exertion for 2+ years so it's definitely symptomatic.

 

[pellicle]

Well, yes, I've had this breathlessness (dyspnea) on exertion for 2+ years so it's definitely symptomatic.

sooner is better than later, delay is one sin for which there is no dispensation.

Best Wishes

 

[V__]

it can be classified as severe" if there are symptoms. Well, yes, I've had this breathlessness (dyspnea) on exertion for 2+ years so it's definitely symptomatic.

Well... "you do you", of course. But I'd be thinking about getting the 2nd opinion, if I were in your shoes.

On a different topic, thanks for the whiskey pointer, btw! Some colleagues have regular "social events" during in-person meetings, entirely based around the drink.

 

[Gloria Mundi]

Well, I could change my mind in the next 12 months. I don't feel as great a sense of urgency, though. My cardiologist's approach of "wait and watch" has worked so far. Funny thing- when I thought about how to find a good person for a second opinion I realized my 3 primary sources were all Episcopal priests- one who's been a hospital chaplain and had valve repair himself, one who retired from her job as a nurse, and one who's the Spiritual Wellness Director at one of the local health systems. Plenty of knowledge there.

 

[Chuck C]

We once gave a bottle to our pastor, who we knew was a connoisseur of good whisky. He was so happy we figured all our sins were forgiven- past, present and future.

That's a good insurance strategy

 

[slipkid]

Excellent stuff


I use these guys now

View attachment 889820

Well priced and convenient

I use this guy.

(only folks that watched the latest season of Fargo will get this joke!)

 

[pellicle]

(only folks that watched the latest season of Fargo will get this joke!)

I tried really hard to like that series ... I tried at least 3 times. At least 2 people who I like and respect encouraged me, but it was not for me. Compared to the movie (which I loved and have seen many times) it was just dismal.

 

[slipkid]

I tried really hard to like that series ... I tried at least 3 times. At least 2 people who I like and respect encouraged me, but it was not for me. Compared to the movie (which I loved and have seen many times) it was just dismal.

Yer missing out Mr. P, but to each his own, not for everybody. The show is quite a bit darker than the movie (even without a woodchipper above) and features some supernatural type phenomena each season, but has some laughs as well to lighten things up.

I liked the 1st season a lot. LOVED Season two (thought it was the best season of any TV show I've ever seen). Season three was so-so. Season four OK (I need to watch it again b4 I decide how to rank it). Season 5 which I just watched, with the medieval Sin-eater pictured in my post above (YES it has a supernatural medieval sin-eater character in it!) I thought was great and had me riveted to the screen the past 2 days binge watching, but the violence and evil in S5 is off the charts and not for everyone (but it had a happy ending!).

 

[Chuck C]

only folks that watched the latest season of Fargo will get this joke!)

Thank you for reminding me that Season 5 is now out! Yes! Putting it on Hulu right now!

I loved seasons 1-3. Brilliant. Season 4 just wasn't there for me. If 5 is at the level of 1-3, I'll be a happy man.

 

[Chuck C]

I liked the 1st season a lot. LOVED Season two (thought it was the best season of any TV show I've ever seen). Season three was so-so. Season four OK (I need to watch it again b4 I decide how to rank it).

I feel the same way about seasons 1 and 2. Now that I reflect upon it, I rank 3 significantly below them, but still liked it a lot. I've given season 4 two tries and only got about half way through each time.

 

[slipkid]

Thank you for reminding me that Season 5 is now out! Yes! Putting it on Hulu right now!

I loved seasons 1-3. Brilliant. Season 4 just wasn't there for me. If 5 is at the level of 1-3, I'll be a happy man.

I think it was. I was glued to the TV for 2 days binge watching it - when I first started it was midnight & intended to just watch one episode then go to sleep but I couldn't stop, was just too intense and addicting, stayed up until like 3 AM! Then finished it the next day.

The thrills/action in S5 did not let up except for one episode which slowed things down but can't say more than that. Absolutely LOVED the ending.

Hope you enjoy it!

 

[Cosyloft]

Good afternoon (at least in my time zone). I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse and an enlarged heart in mid-2021, at age 68. Main symptom was shortness of breath on exertion, especially walking or bicycling uphill. LDL on the high side but not alarming, not on medications, calcium score is 1, took a treadmill test in mid-2021 and cardiologist never ordered a repeat making me think I did pretty well. I'm disciplined with daily cardio workouts (some might say obsessed), normal BP and body weight, healthy diet most of the time. Cardiologist says it's a Stuff Happens thing, nothing I did to cause it and, as most know here, nothing I can do to reverse it, just work to keep it form getting worse.

So- my annual echocardiogram was 2 days ago. Up to now, EF has been stable at 65-70%. Now it's 55-60%. Honestly I didn't think it was getting worse but it may have been too gradual to notice. I meet with the cardiologist in 3 days (Tuesday). Up to now he's been very supportive of my activity, my travels (hiked Macchu Picchu in May with only the usual precautions against altitude sickness and no ill effects, can bicycle 20 miles if the path is level), and hasn't even mentioned surgery. Now I'm wondering...is it time? I see here and elsewhere stories of waiting too long and the deterioration resulting in additional problems that persist beyond surgery. I have no other health issues and I'd think I'd have a better chance at a good outcome when I'm still in good shape otherwise.

I'd love to read others' thoughts and experiences. I know there are no cookbooopk answers and when I see the ages of some of the people posting here I have to remindmyself how many good years I've had so far- but I want more!

What size is your valve the doc looks at this to make.his decision mine went to 9 mm then had opp

 

[Gloria Mundi]

Thanks to the people who nudged me to get a second opinion. I saw another guy today- same practice but more interested in intervention. Since my main symptom is breathlessness on exertion he wants to do an exercise echocardiogram to see what happens with the valves when I'm active. If that confirms his suspicions he thinks I'm a candidate for valve repair- cutting a triangular slice from the valves which have grown too big and floppy, and sewing them back up. It will be OHS, unfortunately, but I would LOVE to feel better again.

So, the next stop is the echo- they'll call to schedule. I'm nervous but optimistic.

 

[slipkid]

Thanks to the people who nudged me to get a second opinion. I saw another guy today- same practice but more interested in intervention. Since my main symptom is breathlessness on exertion he wants to do an exercise echocardiogram to see what happens with the valves when I'm active. If that confirms his suspicions he thinks I'm a candidate for valve repair- cutting a triangular slice from the valves which have grown too big and floppy, and sewing them back up. It will be OHS, unfortunately, but I would LOVE to feel better again.

So, the next stop is the echo- they'll call to schedule. I'm nervous but optimistic.

Not saying this has anything to do with your breathlessness on exertion but I had that REAL bad (just walking up steps) starting a few months prior to suffering a major heart attack - which led to my OHS. Turned out I had a major coronary artery blocked 90% plus BAV with "moderate" calcification which of course put a strain on my heart. My breathlessness was originally totally misdiagnosed as COPD btw, and I almost died from that misdiagnosis & meds I was on etc etc etc, very long story.

The stress echo you mentioned getting should help reveal your issue. One known as a NUCLEAR stress test might also be useful - for that they inject you with radioactive/whatever dye b4 you workout on the treadmill then do cat & dog scans on you to get a good look at your heart muscle & its bloodflow.

Anyways, don't worry about the stress echo, should not be a big deal. Best of luck to you and sounds like you are on the right track!

 

[Gloria Mundi]

Thanks for this thought; I'm open to all of them especially now that I've seen how different the views were from two cardiologists in the same practice! When I was first diagnosed 2.5 years ago I had a calcium scan and the score was 1. It hasn't been repeated. I also had a treadmill stress test and that hasn't been repeated, either. I'm assuming it's because the results were OK. HDL Is nice and high, LDL and triglycerides are a bit high. OTOH, when I crane my neck to look at the screen during echocardiograms I can see the stretched-out valves flailing away.

I WILL be turning to this Board now that surgery is on the horizon.

 

[Gloria Mundi]

Hi- I'm back! It's been an odyssey but I feel good about the path forward. Consulted an interventional cardiologist in the same group who was a bit more excited about my echocardiogram and ordered an exercise echocardiogram. I had that in March- interesting process. They scheduled a follow-up visit for 3 months- just yesterday- do I figured that they didn't expect me to drop dead in the meantime and I had a great trip to Central America in May. I even climbed a few Mayan pyramids- slowly.

Heart is a bit more enlarged, I'm feeling the symptoms a bit more and he noted that the echo showed that during exercise there was elevated pressure in my lungs. He'd noted in the earlier visit that one thing that could happen was permanent lung damage if the valves weren't repaired.

So- the surgeon's office will be calling me to set up an appointment. Not an emergency, not a mad rush, but we don't want it to become an emergency. My sister, a retired OB/Gyn, had said she'd be concerned about any CT surgeon wanting to operate on someone functioning as well as I am given the risks but when I think about it that's the point. I'm in otherwise extremely good health (weight, BP, no heart blockages, low resting heart rate, good muscle tone and balance) so I might get maximum benefit from doing it now. I do plan to ask about repair vs. replacement, artificial valves vs. pig valves, what improvement I might expect, and how to keep my body from losing muscle mass, flexibility, etc. during recovery,

Thanks to everyone for the insights I've gotten so far!