Symptoms

[Phil]

Hi All,

First off I very much appreciate this site. It's a great source of information and comfort. When I had my first valve replacement in 2002 I didn't have people in my life who had been through AVR, this time around I feel as I have a wealth of experience at my fingertips.

My question relates to symptoms From what I can gather my stats sit in the moderate range - leakage and narrowing. I also have some calcification and enlargement. I feel ok, but very tired (not unusual for me). Lately, I'm noticing it seems harder going up inclines (I do the stairs at work once a day - I work on the eight floor), walk about 5 - 10 klms daily and run 4 klms, twice weekly.

I've always been active (using stairs rather than lifts, walking instead of driving or catching public transport, to increase the amount of exercise I can incoporate into my day without deliberatly planning it).

My cardiologist mentioned I shouldn't be feeling any symptoms at the moment. However, I don't seem to have the same stamina - I still do all the things I ordinarily do, but really have to push myself most days and sometimes I feel a litle breathless - no great issue, but it seems 'harder going' and my legs often feel heavy.

My question is (and I understand it's likely to be a very individual response) how did others feel when in the moderate range, as I've described above? Did you notice it was 'harder going'?

I'm acutely aware that I don't want to look for symptoms that aren't there, equally, I want to listen to my body and if need be, pull back a little to compensate, if required. I'm also aware the news of my potential valve replacement is relatively new and I'm still adjusting to it (am worried the symptoms are in my 'head', rather than real).

I hope this makes sense.

Cheers.



Phil.

 

[Bina]

Hi Phil, The "feeling" or noticing of symptoms is indeed very individual, and also depends on how good we are at
ignoring them In my case I was in strong denial fueled by fear as my cardio doc moved my check up visits
closer and closer together. I was seeing him every 3 months and telling him I was just getting older and tired,
but I was only 46 at that time. After a second cardio doc did another ultrasound on me she freaked out and
removed my driving privileges. The symptoms can change quickly during a year and I needed a kick in the butt to
go back to see the surgeon....12 days later I was fixed up with a new valve

 

[bigsidster]

I progressed from feeling tired in june 2010 to not being able to walk across the room without shortness of breath and angina by November 2010.Surgery performed November 22-2010.

 

[chaconne]

Phil,

About a year ago I got an echo and found my BAV leakage had progressed from milt to moderate/severe. I started feeling symptoms right after that and was suspicious that they were just psychosomatic, due to the stress of finding out I had a problem. After exercising for a year, however, I have come to believe that some of my symptoms were real and they seemed to manifest most strongly as shortness of breath whenever I "shifted gears" in my workouts. As I think back before that echo, I realize that I may have felt symptoms, but just ignored them.

So, in my case, I think I had real and imagined symptoms, but over time I believe I was able to discern between the two. If you feel an ongoing fatigue or shortness of breath with no other known cause, It could really be the heart.

 

[Phil]

Thanks Bina, bigsidster and chaconne,

I think I need to listen to my body and wait and see. If I feel the symptoms worsening I'll bring forward my next echo and appointments. In the meantime, I'll get on with things and try and not let it get in the way.

All the best.


Phil.