stress echo??

[NancyMVP]

First I'll refresh you memory. I have MVP with moderate to severe regurgitation. I haven't had surgery as yet. My doctor says I need a repair in the future. I will be seeing him tomorrow. I'm taking atenonol 50mg and Accupril 20mg a day. To keep my regurgitation under control. My cardiogist said he wants to continue incresing the accurpil for now. If there are any changes I'm off.

I read on another site that a stress echo is a good test to have.
I had a dalium stress test last year. Which was ok.
Did you every hear of a stress echo?

I also read it better to have the repair done before there is permanent damage to the heart. My heart size and ejection is in the normal range. Oh I'm 42.

I really like this site and find myself here every time I have to go back to my doctor. I know you'll all be here when the time comes...thanks

 

[Nancy]

Husband Joe used to have stress echoes when he went to Lahey Clinic several years ago. Now he just has regular echoes and if anything looks not OK, he has a TEE.

 

[Linda]

Hi Nancy,
I have a similar situation as yours. My local cardiologist diagnosed me with moderate - severe regurgitation of the mitral valve and said we would have to watch closely with echo's every six months and that I would need surgery at some point to repair the valve. Another surgeon/professor at Univ. of Michigan reviewed my last echo tape from May01 and said I should have the valve repaired soon before "the horses get out of the barn". He said it's always better to go in and repair before permanent damage is done to the heart. I am not on any medication for the valve problem. When I saw my internist and told him I am experiencing shortness of breath and fatigue, he suggested I have an stress echo by the cardiologist in his office. The stress echo was negative and I was told that I probably did not have any coronary artery disease and the regurgitation was mild. It gets to be very confusing when you're given different information from different doctors! I have learned so much by reading messages at this website and it's been extremely helpful. Since I've been told to wait and watch by local cardiologist and told to have repair done soon Univ of Michigan doctor, I have an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic on Nov. 5th. I'm not satisfied with local cardiologist and will base my decision on what
they tell me at CC.



Good luck to you!

 

[NancyMVP]

When your husband had a stress echo did they make him excersise than give him a echo after?

I had a TEE last October. I was awake too.

 

[NancyMVP]

Linda,
I'm confused too. If you orginally were told you had severe reguritation how did it turn into mild?
I was reading posts on medhelp. org I believe its affilated with the Cleveland Clinic.
They say all the time to repair before the damage is done.
I don't get out of breath. I do become very fatigued and get back aches. Which my doctor says is not related. But its always on the left side of my back and shoulder.
I also take an ecotrin a day since last year I had what was thought to be a stroke or TIA.
Do you know what your ejection fraction is? (mine is 60-65%)
Do you know what the measurement of your left atrium is? (mine is 3.4) (1.9 - 4.0) is noted to be in the normal range.
I know these are important factors.
A friend of mine does sonograms for a living and she explained all this stuff to me. I've actually had 3 doctors look over my results and they all seem to feel it can wait. So I'm waiting still.

 

[Nancy]

Nancy MVP-

That's the way they did it at Lahey Clinic.

Linda and Nancy MVP-

I think everyone on this forum will agree that symptoms are just as important, if not more important than the actual test reading. Savvy doctors will pay attention to both. Husband Joe's recent heart valve repair was done because his symptoms were very severe, even though the tests showed a mild to moderate leak which did not suggest surgery.

 

[Linda]

Nancy,

Yes, I agree that symptoms are important and I'm starting to realize that more now. I had been attributing the fatigue and shortness of breath to "getting older" and "being somewhat out of shape" since I hadn't been exercising due to the fatigue!

NancyMVP,
My ejection fraction was 57% on May01 echo and LADd measurement 3.8. It had been 3.2 in 1998 and 2000 report. I do not understand all the coding on the echocardiogram report - wish I could find more of that information on the internet. If you know of any websites that explain the echo coding, would love to know. Thanks!

 

[NancyMVP]

my friend helped me understand the echo results since she does them for a living. On my report they had the normal ranges next to my results. This is how the echo read and the normal ranges are in the (***). Hope that helps

VENTRIICULAR normals

DIASTOLIC RVD 1.3 CM (0.8 -2.3)
IVS THICKNES 0.7 CM (0.6 - 1.1)
AO ROOT 2.6 CM (2.0 -3.7)
LV POST WALL 0.7 CM (0.6 - 1.1)
LV DIAMETER 5.5 CM (3.7 - 5.6)


AORTIC/LEFT ATRIAL normals

LA DIAMETER 3.4 CM (1.9 - 4.0)
AO ROOT 2.6 CM (2.0 -3.7)
Nancy