So Many Obstacles in my getting Mitral Valve Repaired

[Harmony]

I was to have Mitral Valve Surgery on Nov 18 at NYU Medical Center in NYC. However a few days before I was to go I got a bad cold and a tooth ache. For some unknown reason since May I have had tooth pain and 2 root canals. Dont really know if they were necessary as some of the dentists think I might have TMJ or perhps Trigeminal Neuraligia. The pain is strange in that it travels. Sometimes it hurts in the upper left and sometimes the upper right,or lower left or lower right. All this started in May. I have written often about this here. I have had 2 root canals and another Dentist wants to do another root canal. I have been to so many different dentists and got so many opinions it is terrible. I was to have Mitral Valve Surgery on Dec 1 instead I had root canal. So that was another surgery I had to cancel. I am so upset I dont know what to do. I found out my Cardio is away till Jan 5th. Many of my Dentists are also away till then also. I read in Mayo Clinic that tooth pain that moves from one area to another is not toot pain but heart pain. My Cardio says no but I am terrified. I had a angiogram in October because I had a irregular heart beat one day and my Cardio said it was important to have it done. I do have severe Regurg 4+, Pulmonary Hyp. 54,no coronary artery disease. It measured less than 40 in one artery and the doctor who did the test said it is the same as nothing. I really dont understand everything.
The surgeon I saw at NYU is the head of Thorasic Surgery there and has a great reputation. He wrote my Cardio a letter saying that he had seen me in consultation on 10/22 , I was a nice lady with a history of myocardial infarction. I know this means a heart attack. I have never had a heart attack and no doctor ever told me I had one I rarely get palps. I called his office to find out why he said this. His assistant said she would call me back and never did. This was 3 weeks ago. I was told my surgery would be Jan 8 but no one has called me as yet. I dont know what to do. Why would he write I have a history of MI. I am really upset and dont know what to do.

 

[joanne6]

Did he write out myocardial infarction or MI. The MI could also mean mitral insufficiency. You really need to ask him to explain what he meant. Doctors do make mistakes.

 

[Harmony]

It was typed out "who has history of prior myocardial infarction" . You can not believe how shocked I was. It is doubtful if the second one was root canal. The first one might have been. I go to the dentist every 4 months to have my teeth cleaned and checked. This is the first time in many years I needed anything fixed. I was told the valve would be repaired . The letter also says "most recent echo reveales severe insufficiency" I gather that means severe regurg. I will call the Surgeons office Monday and try and find out what is going on. It is difficult to get in touch with him or his office. He is what I would call a 5 star Surgeon

 

[Phyllis]

Harmony, I am going to put you on the calendar for January 8th and let's hope it occurs this time. Good luck on reaching the doctor on Monday and getting some answers.

 

[Herburban1]

I totally understand, I just got postponed for the second time. My probalem is not my teeth but my uterus. I started with Oct. 28 then Dec. 30 now Monday I get another date. I'm hoping for Jan. 20th. It's very frustrating and the waiting sucks in plain english.Sometimes they see things on EKGs,my Dad"s Dr. said he had a MI by his EKG and he doesn't ever remember when it could have been.I would definately follow up with that Dr. to get the scoop. Stay positive...Louanne

 

[Rebecca]

Harmony,

You need to stop seeing your dentist and visit a good endodontics. I have had about 14 root canals in my life time. Two were repeat root canals that had been done many years ago. In the past years my root canals were done by my dentist but now I always go to an endodontics. Most of my teeth had an abscess and my whole face hurt from top to bottom and it is hard to tell which tooth hurts because they all hurt. A few years back my over price dentist could not find my dental pain, but my trusted endodontic pick up which tooth it was the minute I sat in her chair Years ago most dentists would leave your tooth open to drain the abscess for a few days but now they close then up and put you on an antibiotic. Some of my teeth have had extra canals in then. Your dental pain could still be coming from one of your teeth that have already had a root canal.

 

[Jkm7]

Harmony,
Hope you get all the peripheral things tended to and get on with your surgery soon. This has to be getting hard to cope with.
Good luck.

 

[debster913]

Hi, Harmony--
I also had a few bumps on the road to my mitral repair--my surgeon's office was like a three-ring circus. No one knew what anyone else was doing--AND they lost my chart for two weeks!
My advice is like many others on your thread. Get on the phone pronto on Monday morning and do not hang up until someone speaks to you about your surgery date. You have to be assertive--after all, this is your health! I spent lots of time on "ignore" (hold) until I got the answers I needed. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case with many "in-demand" surgeon's offices.

And isn't the write-up different? On a recent letter to my cardio from my EP doctor, it read that "It was a pleasure consulting with your very young patient." I'm 33, not 12!

Best,
Debi (debster913)

 

[sparklette77]

Wow--good luck getting your dental issues worked out and a new surgery date. In a way it makes me feel a little better to find out what a "zoo" the star surgeon's offices are because mine is the same way and I thought maybe it was just me or that I was being unreasonable or hormonal after surgery or something. But now I'm thinking that no it is not unreasonable to expect that people call you back with answers to your questions or not yell at you that you must be lying about your level of pain when you're just 13 days past the operation, etc.

The suggestion of the endontist sounds like a good idea. My mom has a history of dental issues and she too finally started going to an endontist and even a periodontist and got much better results there. Good luck with everything.

 

[Harmony]

I guess going to a endontist would be good except that I have been to 3 of them. I have also been to Periodontists, Oral Surgeons, and Neurologists. I have had 2 root canals recently. My Periodontist thinks I should have another. My Endodontist thinks not. Some think I have TMJ, TMD, Trigeminal Neuralgia or phantom mystery pain. A former Dentist told me to call NYU Dental Dept of Oral Medicine and maybe they can help. Maybe I will try that.