Some of my many questions......

[EireCara]

Hi, Well at the risk of looking 'silly' Im about to ask some questions....
*From what Iv read so far, its seems some people have 'severe' regurgation or prolapse etc, with little or no symptoms, while others can have 'moderate' diagnosis with some really bad symptoms..(me)!!! Does anyone know why this is the case. It seems to me that if valves are 'severly' damaged then symptoms should also be severe??? * I had a bad day yesterday, slept for 2hours in the afternoon, absolutely no energy, its past being 'tired', its like exhaustion...if I dont lie down I'm gonna fall down ,type of tiredness. Lots of irr heart beats during the night, and when I would eventually fall asleep, I would wake up gasping for breath and a weird feeling in my heart. Iv had this for over a year, sometimes its worse than others. Does anyone know what is going on ?? Its a horrible feeling. I get the 'weird' feeling bit during the day also but not the gasping.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Have you told your DOCTOR about these symptoms?

I'm assuming you have not had surgery at this point. IMHO, you need to be evaluated ASAP (as soon as possible). Do you have a cardiologist? If not see your Primary Care Physician ASAP. If you have another day like the one you just described, you should probably go to the Emergency Room to be evaluated.

Irregular Heart Beats and Congestive Heart Failure can be treated medically which will greatly relieve your symptoms. I expect your Doctors will want to do an Echocardiogram to assess the condition of your heart valves. If surgery is recommended, they will want to do a Catheterization to determine the condition of your Coronary Arteries.

Please do NOT avoid these important diagnostic tests out of FEAR. I've had multiple echo's and catheterizations. I was 'freaked out' before my first 'cath' but found it to be painless and actually enjoyed watching the catheter moving about on the monitor.

As you've noted, symptoms and 'the numbers' don't always track. I've never seen an explanation for that. With symptoms as you describe, it is in your BEST INTEREST to seek Medical attention to find and fix the problem.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[tobagotwo]

It's simply that there are so many other factors involved...

There may be other, concurrent heart issues. A 250 lb, six-foot-three male is going to run a lot less well on a malfunctioning heart that a 5'3", 100 lb female, as there's a lot more meat to feed, and it takes a lot more oxygen to hoist up such a ponderous form. An athelete can tolerate the leakage better, as his or her heart is trained to work under stress (cyclists seem to be startlingly able to withstand stenosis to darn near the point of closure). Someone who has more lifting, stairs, and similar tasks (a.k.a., mom) will be made more tired that a desk jockey. If the person develops PACs and PVCS (relatively harmless, but bothersome arrhythmias), these will also add to the fatigue. If one person is made more distraught by the heart issue or other stress issues in her life that another, she will suffer more. Some people just feel more pain than others. Some people may develop the regurgitation (insufficiency) more slowly, and have to live with the damaged valve longer. A patient may have high blood pressure, which will make it more tiring. Thsi would be more difficult on a person with anemia, or a similar concurrent disease state.

I'm sure there are lots of differentiators that I didn't think of, as I've just rushed through some.

Best wishes,

 

[EireCara]

Thank you Al and Bob

Thank you Al and Bob

***THANK YOU *** Al and Bob for your input. I am reading lots and learning lots. Iv realised one thing for sure, that I have been ignoring symptoms for a long time and gotten used to feeling unwell to the point that it became 'normal' to feel this way. (mabey DENIAL is not just a river in Egypt...lol) I know at some point I have to stop reading and take action !!!! Thank you all sooo much!!!!

 

[Nancy]

Here is a good link for valve problems, If you go about halfway down the page, you can click on the valve and see what the symptoms are.

http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics/Cond/valvedis.cfm

 

[EireCara]

Thank you Nancy

Thank you Nancy

**Thank you Nancy. I have read it and 'ALL' my symptoms are there even though I only have moderate mv regurgation.

 

[debster913]

My mitral valve was classified as moderate by my cardiologist before I had my surgery. He did not want to put me through valve surgery, because in his opinion, my valve was not leaking badly enough yet. But like you, I had terrible symptoms. There were days I could barely get out of bed, or barely walk down the street withut feeling exhausted. There were times I'd even get tired eating! And yes, it was seen as a moderate leak until the surgeon assessed my valve and classified it as severe. (My cardio worked under my surgeon during his cardiology fellowship, so the surgeon's opinion meant a lot more than the cardio's). That's not to say that you can't have symptoms at a moderate regurg, because I certainly did. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Maybe it's our own body's "warning system." There are others who were absolutely asymptomatic before their surgeries, and had severe leaks. Who knows.

Get your valve taken care of--you'll feel so much better!

Regards,
Debi (debster913)

 

[EireCara]

Debster913

Debster913

Hi Debi, I went to the dentist today because of an infection Iv had in my tooth for over a year. He told me that he got a ''paper'' recently which stated that people with heart valve problems do NOT need antibiotic treatment when having dental procedures,as of now!!He didnt even give me an antibiotic, just said I must wait to see a root-canal specialist...MORE WAITING. I find it hard to believe..doesnt make sense to me?????? *As for MV symptoms, did you find that you would get some days worse than others, I wondered if it is hormonal ? Probably it is just me looking for reasons other than cardiac for feeling so unwell. I know it sounds crazy but for years I have blamed different types of food for feeling unwell. I would think..it was the bread I ate yesterday, or the dairy, or fries (fat)..I would then eliminate that food from my diet. This lead to a healthy diet, but it didnt make any difference to my health in the long run!!! So now I eat whatever I want. You said somtimes you were so tired you couldnt eat..I know that feeling..also somedays I cant 'sing'(just the singing along to the radio type of singing) and worst of all is not being able to laugh..my kids will tell something funny expecting me to have a good laugh, but I just cant,(Not enough 'puff') and because they dont know about my problem they think Im just being ''boring''...

 

[sue943]

Change your dentist or ask him iif he can 100% guarantee that you will not get endocarditis and will he be prepared to put that in writing.

If you have a tooth absess you need it fixed urgently and take masses of antibiotics. I had a chronic absess for about six months at one stage many years ago and so changed to my current dentist as the previous dentist wasn't taking notice of me and my fear that I had an absess. The new dentist took a look, x-rayed me and told me that if I had heart valve issues I would have been dead by then! Fortunately for me I didn't have a heart valve problem at that time.

Can't he just remove the tooth and pump you full of antibiotics? There isn't a lot of point in keeping the tooth if it has the potential to kill you.

 

[pipersmith]

Hi Debi, I went to the dentist today because of an infection Iv had in my tooth for over a year. He told me that he got a ''paper'' recently which stated that people with heart valve problems do NOT need antibiotic treatment when having dental procedures,as of now!!He didnt even give me an antibiotic, just said I must wait to see a root-canal specialist...MORE WAITING. I find it hard to believe..doesnt make sense to me?????? *As for MV symptoms, did you find that you would get some days worse than others, I wondered if it is hormonal ? Probably it is just me looking for reasons other than cardiac for feeling so unwell. I know it sounds crazy but for years I have blamed different types of food for feeling unwell. I would think..it was the bread I ate yesterday, or the dairy, or fries (fat)..I would then eliminate that food from my diet. This lead to a healthy diet, but it didnt make any difference to my health in the long run!!! So now I eat whatever I want. You said somtimes you were so tired you couldnt eat..I know that feeling..also somedays I cant 'sing'(just the singing along to the radio type of singing) and worst of all is not being able to laugh..my kids will tell something funny expecting me to have a good laugh, but I just cant,(Not enough 'puff') and because they dont know about my problem they think Im just being ''boring''...

I am with Sue - I think I would try to find another dentist. I would think that you would be on them anyway - for the infection!!! I think that you should ask your primary care doc about the tooth as well - an infection could be the root of some of your problems as well - in addition to your heart. My doc gave me antibiotics for a cleaning (- an infection). When my husband had dental work on questionable teeth - they made him take an antibiotic as well, and he had NO cardiac problems at all. This sounds crazy to me -- please be careful!!
In the end it is your health - not that of your dentist. You make sure that he realizes that. You are a mom - you have to advocate for yourself - for you and your son!! (hops of off soapbox )

 

[Adrienne]

I have NEVER heard anyone say you do not need antibiotics if you have valve regurgitation!!!! After my endocarditis (which by the way I got out of the blue, not at the dentist's), I was told to go to the hospital before a dental appointment and have intervenous antibiotics since I was high risk. Now, I am back to oral antibiotics since my valve was repaired.

 

[EireCara]

Will see my Gp......

Will see my Gp......

Thank you Sue, Piper, and Adrienne for your comments. Next week after the Bank Holiday and Halloween is over I will try to see a new dentist as Im an agreement with you guys. Tomorrow morning I am going to see if I can get an antibiotic from my gp as my tooth is 'throbbing' from the infection.

 

[pipersmith]

I wish you the best of luck with that. I am sorry that you have to even wait that long. I am really disappointed with how your dentist reacted to this - and his care for his patient!! I hope a new set of eyes will provide the answers you need!!

 

[aussigal]

I had five teeth removed a few years back and about 2 days after the operation I was feeling a million times better...it was like a great big nasty germ had been living in my teeth and now it was gone it was fabulous. Maybe that mean old abcess is causing some of your symptoms as well.

I agree with the others...Antiobiotics is certainly needed here right now.

 

[EireCara]

No luck.....

No luck.....

Hi All....Well no luck with the antibiotic. All docs surgeries closed for the weekend..including Monday because its a bank holiday. Will have to hope for the best until Tuesday !!! Thanks for all your comments 8).