Survey on Symptoms, Please Answer

[EVELYN]

Hi Kim

With Tyce it was an irregular pulse that was detected by the tech when he gave blood at our ambulance's blood drive. She wouldn't take his blood and suggested we see the cardio.

We did and he was diag. with a leaky aortic valve....three years later he was having trouble sleeping at night, when we took him to the hospital because I didn't like the way he was breathing he was in afib....a month later the valve was replaced.

Evelyn

 

[Rebecca]

In 1995 at a routine exam at my gynecologist office my doctor of 12 years told me that my heart didn?t sound right and that I should see my family doctor. I waited ten months before I went to my family doctor. My family doctor told me I had a heart murmur and it didn?t sound that bad, but he would send me to a cardiologist. At the cardiologist office, I told the person doing my echo that I was fine and just a heart murmur. I knew lot of people who had heart murmurs that had to pre med for dental appointments. It was years later that I realize that they had never been to a cardiologist and never had yearly echoes. I have moderate aortic regurgitation. In 1995 I had dental surgery done and was put on oral antibiotic after surgery for a major infection. Before I knew that I should pre med for dental I had the tooth pull due to infection. Cardiologist tells me that I was probably born with a bad valve. If I had a blood an infection I would have been put into the hospital. My gynecologist knows that I never had a heart murmur until 1995. The same gynecologist was my doctor when I gave birth to my two children.

 

[Christina L]

Kim,

My mitral valve prolapse is congenital. All my life doctors have commented on how loud the murmur was, although I have a thin chest wall and they chalked it up to that - just being able to hear it better because of my thinness.

I was admitted to the hospital with chest pain June of 2002 after a strenuous week of backpacking and galavanting all over Colorado with my visiting niece and nephew from Iowa. The ball started rolling from there - I was monitored every four months - two months ago, they discovered my EF had dropped.

I have been much more short of breath in the last two years, unable to draw in a deep breath at rest sometimes. I also could sleep ALL the time if you would let me!

So, my symptoms are definitely shortness of breath and fatigue and one bout of chest pain. I do not have any heart arrhythmias as of yet.

My surgery is scheduled for November 5. I am looking forward to having more energy after my healing is over with.

My cardiologist recommended the surgery definitely before any damage is done to my heart. I agree with him.

Chris

 

[hhardt]

I was going to have surgery to repair my rotator cuff. The anesthesist said he did not like the sound of my heart and would have to get a cardiologist OK first. Finally got it done after a AVR, pacemaker and Cardioversion.

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi kim!
joey was discovered to have a heart murmur when he was 7-10 y.o.
at about 12 they did a cath and found that he had aortic stenosis and insufficiency.
i don't think he was monitored very closely thereafter for a long time_ until i came along.
when we met 21 years ago, joey told me about his condition and i asked him how often he was checked by a cardio. he couldn't remember the last time!!
we hunted and searched and found his current cardiologist and joey has been seeing him ever since.
back then, his cardio told us that he would monitor joey's condition on a regular annual basis. we would take it as it came.
we consider ourselves so fortunate that we had those 20 years before he needed his surgery.
his stenosis was what eventually progressed over the last year before his surgery .
please let us know how you do.
be well, sylvia

 

[Aunt Granny]

What is Sob?

 

[Karlynn]

The nice version = Shortness of Breath

 

[Harrybaby666]

Mine Was A Combination Of Things...

Mine Was A Combination Of Things...

Hi There,

I have been having troubles catching my breath for a long time, even with my asthma meds, I would still have trouble with shortness of breath, and chest pains. I kept going to the ER and all they chalked it up to was anxiety, and would send me home. I went to see my Endocrinologist who told me he wanted me to establish myself with a cardiologist. I have since had a bunch of palpitations which still come and go, and a couple of echocardiograms which have established that besides the Valve Regurgitation (All 4) (Mitral is the worst), that I also have Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and CHF (at times). Harrybaby666

 

[HFK]

I was changing job's from one hospital to another and during my employee physical the Dr, heard mumur and made me see a cardiologist and have echo done . Was diagnosed with AS mild, followed for 14 years then had replacement in 2000. Before surgery it was severe and I absolutely had no symptoms, which made it hard to have surgery when you feel good. My numbers were at a point that I needed to get it done B4 any damage occurred. They said it looked like I had RF at some point in my life.HFK

 

[JetService]

My family doc heard the murmur during an exam. I did have palpatations, but nothing major and I didn't even bring them up to the doctor. But in hindsight, I guess I did have an indication.

 

[csutherland]

Jerry had undergone prostate cancer surgery in Dec. of 2000 and needed hernia repair as soon as that was healed. In Feb or March he was being preadmitted for the hearnia repair when the anesthesiologist asked him about his heart murmur. He had never been told he had a heart murmer before. Anyway an echo was done immediately at the hospital and he was found to have moderate mital and severe aortic regurg. He was put on blood pressure med and after 3 mo. it was mild and moderate instead of moderate & severe. After 6 more months another echo was done and the cardio was alarmed to see that the aortic valve was now severely stenosed. We were able to put off the surgery for another couple months.

As for symptoms, he did have some SOB but thought it was just "old age". (He was 64 at the time).

 

[Nan]

Hi Kim,

I had had a heart murmur, supposedly benign, since early childhood, it came and went.

I only went to a cardiologist early on for blood pressure and cholesterol issues, my primary felt I should be seen.

They actually did not catch the fact that I was having valve problems for quite a while, everyone was treating me for asthma (sure didn't help much, and I see a lot of others also had that problem). Didn't find it until I had symptoms of nearly passing out, feeling really sick and very short of breath....and I had been having really bad palpitations for several years prior.....almost constant at times along with the shortness of breath.

So, even seeing a cardio earlier, they didn't find it until symptoms appeared.

Hope this is of help.

 

[KimC]

Everyone:

What a superb group of human beings we have here! THANK YOU so much for sharing your "heart prologue." (Y me encanta las floras para los muertos! Gracias!)

My own story is that about 3 years ago, I started having unending sinus infections, fatigue and palpitations. I thought the symptoms were stress-related and didn't bother to see a doctor.

Then I had two instances of severe chest pain, sweating and arrhythmia that sent me packin' to a cardiologist who misdiagnosed me with MVP. (No echo was performed at first).

After further gripes and an echo, I was completely blown away to learn that I had AI and TI and trace MI, all of which came to light during a recent pregnancy. I knew that trace MI was no biggie, but hearing the word "aortic" in my diagnosis was a real shocker, (and still is).

My OB said that the leaks weren't severe enough to cause symptoms, although midway through the pregnancy I developed a superficial blood clot in my knee and chest pain. I also felt worse than I ever had in my life. (I've been pregnant twice before and had never felt such debilitating fatigue).

I was told that the pregnancy was CAUSING the valve leaks, not that the leaks were anatomical, i.e., congenital. In other words, I was made to feel as if I were overreacting.

By the last trimester, I started experiencing a rising, constricting pressure in my chest and neck. Again, my OB told me that I shouldn't be having symptoms, even though the sensation only happened when I lay down on my left side! I had this same sensation during Labor and the anesthesiologist discovered that it was due to a major drop in BP.

A stress echo a week after the delivery of my son revealed that my left ventricle had enlarged during the last trimester. A recent second opinion on my echos during the pregnancy revealed that I had had moderate-to-severe AI and TI. No symptoms?

Last week I was told that I have a congenital aortic valve defect.

I'm sharing this because I guess I'm still angry about the way I was treated during my pregnancy. Medical science isn't perfect, and every human being has a different tolerance level and physiological reaction to vital changes in their body.

OK, I'll get off my soap box now. I'm still alive, my son's perfectly healthy and I have a beautiful life, even with serious health challenges on the horizon.

Thanks for listening.

All the best,

 

[HFK]

Hi Kim, I responed to your questions, but failed to mention that I had a severe sinus infection in Oct of 98 which landed. me in the hospital on IV antiobiotics. I was on 2 diferent antibiotics before being hospitalized. My point is my numbers were all pretty stable for aortic st. until after that sinus infection. They told me I would be around 60 for the first replacement,but 2 years later I was on the table. It really seem to exacerbate my AS.My mumur was louder and numbers were failing quite fast . People don't view sinus infections as a big deal but they are and can be .So all on the forum whether your awaiting surgery or have had it already , if you think you may have sinus like symptoms or infection get checked right away and get antibiotics! I believe we are going to see more information about sinus and heart disease and valve indications.hfk

 

[tommy]

Bacterial endocarditis in 1984.
Annual monitoring.
In 2000 I was tolerating less and less exercise.
Palpitations sent me to the emergency room.
Follow up with the cardio - "it's time".

 

[Sunshine susan]

I had had a heart murmur all my life and was always told it was "functional" and not a problem. One week-end after my 50th birthday, my church had a "Health Fair". I have always been very healthy, so was surprised when the nurse said my blood pressure was quite high and took it a couple more times to be sure. So I got a new internist (had not had one up to then, relied on GYN) who noticed the murmur and wanted it evaluated. My blood pressure at that time was perfectly normal (& has been ever since). To make a long story short, the evaluation showed severe aortic stenosis due to a congenital bicuspid valve. BIG surprise!!! I had no noticeable symptoms--some loss of stamina, but figured was getting "old" (haha) and nothing to cause alarm or really even notice until afater the fact. A subsequent heart cath (couple of months) indicated I needed surgery ASAP. It is my personal opinion that it was God's intervention that got the ball rolling as I have never before nor after had high blood pressure, yet that is what sent me to the doctor. Go figure, but I believe He had a reason for saving my life and I just wish I could figure out what it is!! I'm looking, I'm looking!! Susan

 

[Nan]

Hi again Kim,

So sorry to hear about all you went through with your pregnancy and lack of correct diagnosis.

How very frustrating for you. We can usually tell when our bodies are not "right"...but getting the docs to understand isn't always easy (always exceptions to that, though!)

Are you being told that you need surgery soon? Or will you be in the "waiting room" for a while.

Glad that your son is healthy and that you came through it all OK. Being in labor is certainly a strain on your heart! As well as the rest of you!

My best wishes to you.

 

[KimC]

Hi, Nan.

Thank you for your kind words. I saw a cardiovascular surgeon last week who said that chances are, I'll be in the waiting room for awhile. He told me what symptoms to look for. Other than some mild asthma-like SOB in the AM, palps and weakness after working out, I feel a lot better than I did a few months ago.

Maybe by next year this will all be behind me ... ??? Care to wager a bet anyone? ;-)

 

[ticktock]

symptoms

symptoms

quote "If you didn't/don't have SEVERE valvular insufficiency when you first saw a cardiologist, WHAT led you down the path to see a heart doctor, (besides a known congenital condition)?"

I was born with Aortic Stenosis... so don't remember (obviously). At 3 years of age my GP told Mom to have my heart checked, cuz it sounded funny. Years of reading have taught me that the symptoms of Aortic insufficiency is "insidious"..... it comes on (usually) so ssllooowwwwllllyyyy... that you don't notice abrupt changes. I had 1st surgery at 5 yrs old, but remember well at about 13, sleeping with more and more pillows. Easier to breathe. The fatigue and SOB is so slow in coming on, that my theory is you just get used to it. If you were fine on Sunday and woke up that way on Monday, we would all be diagnosed earlier.

I think classic symptoms are; shortness of breath upon exertion (later upon sittin' in the chair), exercise intolerance, intolerance to extreme temps, those are the ones I remember.
Mindy

 

[Kenny F]

My GP during routine folllowup (for cholesterol and TSH levels) listened to my heart and literally said "Whoa - haven't heard that before". I had been seeing him about 7 years!

I had an echo and then cath, turns out it's pretty bad, no symptoms then, probably because I compensated for so many years.

What amazes me is so many men never go to the doctor. Because of lifetime thyroid problems it is routine for me. I now have mild symptoms, but your average joe might ignore them for the few years you have until heart failure.

I finally understand the stethoscope!