Shortness of breath again

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debster913

debster913

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2005
Messages
1,117
Location
California
Hi, all--
Posted last week about having to go to the ER with shortness of breath/chest pressure/numb right arm. Anyway, before this episode and after I have had frequent bouts with SOB. Yesterday I went to my parents' for Easter dinner and felt lightheaded/SOB/generally tired. While putting dirty dishes away in the dishwasher, I got very short of breath and had to go sit down.

One of my best friends who was a nurse and whose ex-husband is a cardiologist, thinks I should press the issue of valve replacement with my cardio. when I see him tomorrow. (I have MVP with regurgitation--VR is inevitable). At my last visit two weeks ago, my cardiologist said that I may need a VR at any time, but he wants to wait until my heart is in distress.

My question for you is: Should I insist on considering VR now? How should I even approach the topic? I am tired of feeling fatigued, light-headed, and SOB all the time. My cardio has sort of passed them off as symptoms of my MVP/MVR, but I'd rather just get the darned thing replaced now while I'm still generally healthy than to wait until I'm in heart failure and weak.

Thanks for your responses to my last post, and thanks again for your responses to this one!
Debi (debster913)
 
Ask your cardiologist for a surgical referral. If he hesitates, then make one on your own. At this point, a surgeon will probably be a better judge of whether you are ready for surgery than your cardiologist.:)
 
You shouldn't feel like this. And how damaged does your cardio want your heart to get before thinking it's time? You have a mechanical problem in your heart and you need a top-notch mechanic to fix it. Go find a surgeon. And you might want the surgeon to recommend another cardiologist while you're at it.

You have classic symptoms of mitral valve failure. If you wait longer you're going to have classic symptoms of congestive heart failure as well, which is not only dangerous, but will delay recovery substantially.

Get a surgeon - make it your mantra.

Do hope you get a surgeon and some answers.
 
Not much too add to the above posts, just wanted to echo the above sentiments. If you delay surgery, you're just delaying the time until you feel better and can get back to a normal life.

I am constantly amazed by the number of people who have Cardiologists who seem afraid to refer to surgery. Valve problems don't heal themselves, continuing to wait is just a recipe for increased damaged to your heart and a lower quality of life until the inevidable fix.
 
My cardio took a laid back attitude with me too but I had a gut feeling that something was very wrong. I referred myself to a surgeon and soon found out that I needed an aortic valve replacement within 5 weeks! I saw 3 surgeons before choosing the one who operated on me. One thing they had in common was agreement about the urgency of the situation. Trust what your body is telling you and see a surgeon. Maybe it isn't time yet but you need to be sure. Some more testing might be very helpful also. Once I had my catherization done and a CT scan there was absolutely no doubt that it was time to act. I now have a new cardiologist. I don't blame the first one but I like a more pro-active approach.
 
Your quality of life is important

Your quality of life is important

I agree with everyone else on here. You really need to seek another opinion. Until you go through this, others have very little idea how compromised our daily lives can be. I would love to see you on your way to recovery...sooner, rather than later. Good luck and keep us posted.
 
symptoms

symptoms

I had the same symptoms and my cardiologist wanted to put it off after the angiogram for 6 mos. We insisted that we get an appointement with a surgeon and had the surgery. The valve was a lot worse than they expected.
 
Can only echo what the others have said. Request a referral to a surgeon and if he doesn't want to do that, seek out an appt. with a surgeon yourself. Best wishes.
 
"...wait until your heart is in distress" ???? That really ticks me off!:mad:

No one should have to wait until they're in "distress" before moving forward with surgery. You should ask that cardio if he would wait until HIS (or her) heart was in "DISTRESS" before they'd do something.

Get thee to a surgeon now! My husband had your symptoms and we chalked it up to moving, starting a business, life, life, life...until the angio showed a huge aneurysm. If we would have waited...well, I don't even want to think about it. Hindsight - his body was telling him that something was wrong.
 
PamO said:
"...wait until your heart is in distress" ???? That really ticks me off!:mad:
Click to expand...

Me too. Waiting until your heart is in distress makes it sounds like it's just going to occur one day - and that will be when he magically knows your are ready for VR. The reality is that the valve's condition deteriorates over time and symptoms subtly (or sometimes not so subtly) sneak up. Your physical abilities gradually decrease, your life changes to adjust and before you know it, you are looking back on a life that has been pretty limited by your failing valve.

This doctor is just a nice illustration for our hypothosis that "cardiologist like to wait until they see damage being done and surgeons like to operate before damage is done." The latter is much more preferred than the former. And I speak as someone who had permanent damage done.
 
Ditto

Ditto

My cardiologist spent a year trying all combinations of meds trying to "tweak" my blood pressure down so the regurg would not be so bad. I wanted to do the surgery earlier, but didn't have the courage, or support to push the issue. Listen to yourself.

Barbara
 
Push to get it replaced

Push to get it replaced

I just had MVR 3 weeks ago. I am 31 year old woman and I had severe regurgitation with no symptoms. My cardiologist was going to wait until I was symptomatic before he did invasive tests (heart cath). I insisted on getting tested and after the tests he scheduled me for immediate surgery. My surgeon said if I had waited till I was symptomatic the damage done to my heart would have been unrepairable. He said the new thought is to repair or replace valves before too much damage is done, it's old school to wait till someone is really symptomatic. Patients live longer and mend better when intervention is done earlier. My heart had a hard time adjusting to the new valve and even though I am young I was in the hospital a long time. I am so glad I didn't wait. I just read an article written by Dr. Catherine Otto from the University of Washington. They did a major study and found it is better to intervene earlier -- when the ejection fraction is 60 or lower and there is a modererate to severe leak. I can get you the name of the study if you want.
 
Yep ... yep ..... and yep



(I think it is a concensus opinion)
 
Thank you all for your replies. It really does tick me off as well that my cardio. wants to wait it out. After all, he says, "I don't want to put new valves in a young patient like you." I'm 30!!! I just spent the day with my former nurse friend who is also pressing me to seek out a surgeon. She just called right now with the name of another cardio she thinks I should see. By the way, Janae (hope I spelled that correctly), I would like the name of that article.
 
I know you have quite a few responses already but I had to jump on top of the pile.:D

debster913 said:
my cardiologist said that I may need a VR at any time, but he wants to wait until my heart is in distress.
Click to expand...

My OLD cardioligist said the same thing. That was what eventually pushed me to a new one. It wasn't easy going to see a new cardio, I liked the one I had, we got along well, she was highly recommended. She did make me feel like a hypochondriac and I felt a bit ridiculous to even complain, thanks to the support from people on this site I got a new cardioligist (recommended by another member here). Within 6 weeks of seeing the new cardioligist I got my date for surgery.

Good luck and I hope you find a new good cardio.
 
It sounds to me that your

It sounds to me that your

heart is already in distress. Goodness sakes.

Best wishes for you on finding a cardiologist who will do the right thing for you.

Christina L
 
Hi
Very little I can add as I agree with the postings. Just to let you know that my cardiologist always told me if I ever was SOB to RUN, not walk to the hospital. I think you should get a second opinion ASAP
 
Start writing down all of your symptoms when they happen. Put everything in a little journal, date and time of each problem, what you were doing at the time, how you felt, etc.

Bring this with you and when the card asks how you have been feeling, show him the journal.

It can often help to have someone else with you at the appointment.
 
debster913 said:
SNIP

At my last visit two weeks ago, my cardiologist said that I may need a VR at any time, but he wants to wait until my heart is in distress.

My question for you is: Should I insist on considering VR now? How should I even approach the topic? I am tired of feeling fatigued, light-headed, and SOB all the time. My cardio has sort of passed them off as symptoms of my MVP/MVR, but I'd rather just get the darned thing replaced now while I'm still generally healthy than to wait until I'm in heart failure and weak.

Thanks for your responses to my last post, and thanks again for your responses to this one!
Debi (debster913)
Click to expand...

It sounds like your cardiologist is totally OUT of TOUCH with the current thinking on Benefits vs. Risk of Valve Replacement. WAITING when you are already symptomatic only GUARANTEES further and possible PERMANENT DAMAGE to your heart muscles and walls.

I agree with everyone else, FIND A SURGEON ASAP, and then look for a NEW Cardiologist.

'AL Capshaw'
 
Wow:
Got up this morning (today's the day!) and everyone seems to concur! My game plan is to bring my friend along for moral support (we're both on spring break) and depending on what the doctor says, go see another cardio.
Mountainbiker: your date is on my wedding anniversary! Good luck!:)

By the way, does anyone know good cardios around the Los Angeles/Long Beach area?

Thanks again!
Debi
 
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