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Espoe
Well just when I thought I had it all figured out, a curveball. I had my mitral valve replacement surgery scheduled for July 2. On Thursday April 2 I went in for my pre-surgery angiogram. When they ran the left heart study the regurgitation came back as a 1-2. My surgeon happened to be in the cath lab so he peeked in. He and the cardiologist said, based on that result I didn?t need the surgery.
Now just one month earlier I had been in the hospital for an infection with high fever they were trying to track down. At some point during my 7 day stay I had a TEE done to rule out endocarditis. The results were moderately severe mitral regurgitation, dilated left atrium, smoke detected (though that was an interesting term), EF estimated at 40%. I also had an echo done and showed my EF of 40%, Left atrium of 5.6. My cardio said that my BP was up a little and that would make those results look worse.
My symptoms that I have been complaining about for at least 2 years are shortness of breath, swelling in my lower legs, exercise intolerance. I am 49 years old and have difficulty getting past one flight of steps. I can?t play with my kids like I like to because I can?t keep up. I have started several exercise programs and just can?t get going due to sob.
I sent all my results including my most recent stress test to the Cleveland Clinic and I was ?invited for an 8 day stay.? I ruled them out since I had a previous repair and they said they most likely could only do a mini sternotomy. So I elected to go to a local surgeon. When I brought the records to him he said there was no use in waiting, that it was only going to get worse and I was risking further damage
After the angiogram my cardio is now saying he wants to try to get some weight off and reduce the pressure on the valve. He is suggesting a rehab program (I need to lose about 40 pounds I picked up in the last 3 years. We call that Katrina weight in these parts) and I am OK with that, but a little skeptical as I have been unable to get exercise going for some time. I am also wondering about the valve getting progressively worse and causing damage as my surgeon said in our earlier appointment.
My cardio appointment will be this week and I will call my surgeon also. I am kind of at a loss as to what to do, what to ask them. I certainly like the prospect of not having surgery but I really just want to get this fixed so I can play with the kids and not delay this any longer if surgery is eventually where I am going. I am looking for some guidance, questions to ask, educated opinion etc. All the things this forum is so good at.
Now just one month earlier I had been in the hospital for an infection with high fever they were trying to track down. At some point during my 7 day stay I had a TEE done to rule out endocarditis. The results were moderately severe mitral regurgitation, dilated left atrium, smoke detected (though that was an interesting term), EF estimated at 40%. I also had an echo done and showed my EF of 40%, Left atrium of 5.6. My cardio said that my BP was up a little and that would make those results look worse.
My symptoms that I have been complaining about for at least 2 years are shortness of breath, swelling in my lower legs, exercise intolerance. I am 49 years old and have difficulty getting past one flight of steps. I can?t play with my kids like I like to because I can?t keep up. I have started several exercise programs and just can?t get going due to sob.
I sent all my results including my most recent stress test to the Cleveland Clinic and I was ?invited for an 8 day stay.? I ruled them out since I had a previous repair and they said they most likely could only do a mini sternotomy. So I elected to go to a local surgeon. When I brought the records to him he said there was no use in waiting, that it was only going to get worse and I was risking further damage
After the angiogram my cardio is now saying he wants to try to get some weight off and reduce the pressure on the valve. He is suggesting a rehab program (I need to lose about 40 pounds I picked up in the last 3 years. We call that Katrina weight in these parts) and I am OK with that, but a little skeptical as I have been unable to get exercise going for some time. I am also wondering about the valve getting progressively worse and causing damage as my surgeon said in our earlier appointment.
My cardio appointment will be this week and I will call my surgeon also. I am kind of at a loss as to what to do, what to ask them. I certainly like the prospect of not having surgery but I really just want to get this fixed so I can play with the kids and not delay this any longer if surgery is eventually where I am going. I am looking for some guidance, questions to ask, educated opinion etc. All the things this forum is so good at.