I don’t think so, I live out in country South Australia and have been tested a few times for covid. The shortness of breath comes and goes which is similar to what happened when I was diagnosed with aortic stenosis. I have had a transthoracic echocardiograph which didn’t show a problem. I have always been careful with checking INR and giving the time I’ve had the valve it would be more likely to be pannus rather than thrombosis affecting the valve.
well I live in rural Queensland (OzTrayLeeYa) and there's been a quite a few cases. Depending on how the test was done (say, a RAT) it will not report if you've had it and fought it off.
A few years ago, when I was in my early 80's, I began to notice that I was often getting short of breath after only mild exertion. Turns out it has little if anything to do with my valve or lungs. After testing a few months ago my Cardiologist diagnosed the problem as "Pulmonary Hypertension"......an inability of the right side of my heart to deliver enough oxygenated blood to the lungs. It is a problem shared by many folks, young or old, heart valve surgery or not. I am now learning to live with an external supply of oxygen. Be advised that my thoughts......and a $ will buy you a cup of coffee. My Internist missed the problem.....but my Cardio picked it up.
Given you wrote:
Why would you think pannus?
You've had some good tests which would clarify any obstruction of the valve, and didn't find any.
that's not good news (but better than the alternative). If I lived near by I'd take you up on the coffee and perhaps some nice cake too.
you raise an interesting point there (about medical people), and as @Sassy20 comes from South Oz (as does another member here Again) I would say to Sassy definitely go get second opinions. @Agian had a number of problems with shitty low standards in Adelaide (so rural will probably be worse than @Warrick 's worst New Zealand stories...)
dick0236
pellicle. Thanks for your thoughts. My cardiologist said he was checking for pannus and after reading up on it seemed a likely cause, but you’re right, I have had some good tests so will try to stay relaxed.
dunno what you read but:
Thanks for your thoughts. I am 74 and used to walk a lot but have cut back since the shortness of breath. After I had my valve replacement 17 years ago I felt really fit up until A bit over twelve months ago. My daughter used to tell me I was fitter than her. When I started having all these tests they said my heart rate was too high so they changed my blood pressure medication and heart rate is good now. I do have a smart watch and I keep an eye on my heart rate. Ok that’s enough whinging from me.[/URL]Subprosthetic Pannus after Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery: Cardiac CT Findings and Clinical Features
Purpose To investigate the cardiac computed tomographic (CT) findings and clinical implications of subprosthetic pannus in patients who have undergone aortic valve replacement. Materials and Methods The institutional review board approved this retrospective study, and the need to obtain written...pubs.rsna.org
The incidence of pannus-related prosthetic valve dysfunction is known to be 0.1%–0.6% per patient-year for valves in the aortic position, but pannus is presumed to be higher in frequency than previously reported, as it is found even in asymptomatic patients
so not likely but possible
this aritcle:
Recurrent pannus formation causing prosthetic aortic valve dysfunction: Is excision without valve re-replacement applicable?
Prosthetic valve dysfunction at aortic position is commonly caused by pannus formation. The exact etiology is not known. It arises from ventricular aspect of the prosthesis encroaching its leaflets causing stenosis or it may remain localized causing left ...www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
discusses recurrence (which is usually trated with a catheter) but reading it would make it clear that it is easy to identify with the sorts of scans you've had.
So I'm inclined towards the view that its not likely to be
2 and 3 are treatable with transvascular catheter procedures.
- your valve
- pannus
- throbosis obstructions from improper INR management.
Speaking for myself when I've had a few weeks of not cycling I feel tightness in the chest on the deep breathing involved when I cycle (I do it to train, not to just tootle thru the park) but this clears up within 2 days. Could it just be that you're not training much?
Do you have a Heart Rate monitor type watch? What happens when you walk up stairs or such. A cheap and worth purchase is such a smart watch to just see. Everything on the spectrum from an eBay Cheapie to a Garmin or (forgive me) an Apple watch (washes my mouth out).
I would also consider a second opinion.
But overall ... don't worry, that'll just increase the symptoms. Lastly some 2000 year old advice from Marcus Aurelius:
View attachment 888526
Best Wishes
🥲. Now I know my oxygen level drops during the day and mostly at night.
Check your oxygen level more often. You can buy a finger oximeter from any pharmacy, or preferably O2 ring oxygen monitor that monitors your oxygen all day and transfers results to iPhone. I bought mine from Wellue O2Ring Smart Ring Pulse Oximeter. Overnight Tracking..
I have shortness of breath and I always complained to my doctors that mainly at night I woke up feeling like gasping for air. No one paid attention
Luckily, my new sleep doctor believed me especially when I showed him the graph on my iPhone.
so, he ordered a new sleep study and to monitor my oxygen level in addition to monitoring apneas.
here’s a sample of the graph:
Have you mentioned the shortness of breath with the cardio? You should. Could be nothing or could be something. Get it checked out.
Re anxiety, I suppose anything is possible, although I’m not aware of feeling anxious at the time. I’ve had a heap of tests done on my lungs and also an echocardiogram and the treadmill one which didn’t show anything. Before I had the replacement done, I only had one episode of extreme shortness of breath and a couple times while exercising I felt a bit more breathless than usual. I started riding my bicycle then one day I felt a funny feeling in my chest, I later vomited and next morning I fainted and cracked my head open. When I had the stitches removed my doctor checked my heart and told me I had a heart murmur so referred me to a cardiologist and within a fortnight I had the aortic replacement valve done. So I am aware that I didn’t have continual shortness of breath back then and for about 16 years I was as fit as a fiddle until I gradually started getting short of breath which slowly worsened over the last 12 months, although I still don’t have it continually.
You do not have to have shortness of breath all the time. Your heart murmur has a swooshing sound, and the louder it is, the more likely there was a defect. Glad they caught it before you had a crisis. You were a might lucky person, Most ER doc never catch murmurs. glad you ae doing better. I had enlarged heart before surgery, was in bad shape. Doing tons better, just the irregular heartbeat, which many can live with.
