M
MichyB
I got a very good birthday wish for my 32nd bday. I went back to Columbia for the stress echo on Wed, which was also my birthday.
The test was done in the adult cardiology unit instead of the children's hospital. They got similar results as in the children's unit. TR (tricuspid regurgitation) gradient was difficult to detect (TR jet is used to estimate pulmonary artery pressure). They said it was a good sign that they were not getting good "margins" because they said that in cases of PH, the TR jet is usually very prominant and obvious ... but they could barely find mine and said that the amount of regurgitation was about what 80-90% of what the general population had. They initially said that it was around 24 mm before exercise. After exercise it was a bit lower, probably reflecting poor margins of the pre-exercise reading. The children's hospital got a reading of 21 mm.
The doc who did the test indicated it did not look like ph. She said PH is often misdiagnosed because it's based on an estimate of the TR jet ... which can be over or under estimated. She said that sometimes the doc reading the echo will erroneously read a line in the test as part of the TR jet, which should not be considered. In my case, both echo's I had before I went to the doctor who diagnosed me with severe PH were normal or mildly elevated as far as TR, and none of them said PH. All three of the echos I had after seeing this doctor had a normal TR. The only time anyone ever said anything to me about PH was at this one cardio's office. Even in the event that I was nervous that day ... I just had an exercise stress test where the reading was in the low 20's after exercise ... nowhere near the reported 58.
I will need yearly echos to monitor the bicuspid and any changes in the TR readings will be noted. For now, though, it appears I am back to full activity with no restrictions. The ph doc called and said that I am clear to get pregnant as far as she's concerned and that I don't need to be followed by her. She indicated that the only thing they have not done is a cath, which is "pushing it" as far as utility at this point. She is recommending a GOOD caridologist to start following me, and will send her my records.
After this wonderful news, I went out to celebretory dinner with my husband and parents for a huge Italian meal. (Nothing like celebrating good heart news like stuffing your face!).
The test was done in the adult cardiology unit instead of the children's hospital. They got similar results as in the children's unit. TR (tricuspid regurgitation) gradient was difficult to detect (TR jet is used to estimate pulmonary artery pressure). They said it was a good sign that they were not getting good "margins" because they said that in cases of PH, the TR jet is usually very prominant and obvious ... but they could barely find mine and said that the amount of regurgitation was about what 80-90% of what the general population had. They initially said that it was around 24 mm before exercise. After exercise it was a bit lower, probably reflecting poor margins of the pre-exercise reading. The children's hospital got a reading of 21 mm.
The doc who did the test indicated it did not look like ph. She said PH is often misdiagnosed because it's based on an estimate of the TR jet ... which can be over or under estimated. She said that sometimes the doc reading the echo will erroneously read a line in the test as part of the TR jet, which should not be considered. In my case, both echo's I had before I went to the doctor who diagnosed me with severe PH were normal or mildly elevated as far as TR, and none of them said PH. All three of the echos I had after seeing this doctor had a normal TR. The only time anyone ever said anything to me about PH was at this one cardio's office. Even in the event that I was nervous that day ... I just had an exercise stress test where the reading was in the low 20's after exercise ... nowhere near the reported 58.
I will need yearly echos to monitor the bicuspid and any changes in the TR readings will be noted. For now, though, it appears I am back to full activity with no restrictions. The ph doc called and said that I am clear to get pregnant as far as she's concerned and that I don't need to be followed by her. She indicated that the only thing they have not done is a cath, which is "pushing it" as far as utility at this point. She is recommending a GOOD caridologist to start following me, and will send her my records.
After this wonderful news, I went out to celebretory dinner with my husband and parents for a huge Italian meal. (Nothing like celebrating good heart news like stuffing your face!).
