M
mar4char
Hi, this is my first time here, and I feel anxious about having to visit this site to begin with. I am an identical twin and for the past 43 years have been relatively healthy, (usual woman and birth horror stories aside) just the usual woes with aging. Last October, I had a problem with my colon and ended having to have major bowel surgery. During this time, my twin had a nasty cold, and developed chest pain. She went to the doctors and was told she needed an echocardiogram. There she discovered she had moderate to severe aortic regurgitation, and aortic stenosis. This is all foreign to me. At this time she told me to go get check out because I too could have the same heart defects. So I did. Turns out all four of my heart valves are insufficient. All four go figure???? What does this mean? Mine range from mild to moderate.
I go for a cardiac stress test next month. So does my sister. My sister however has been diagnosed with pericardis and her second echocardiogram showed that her tricuspid valve is defective and her doc believes that we both have the same birth defect. I have yet to receive a second echocardiogram to confirm this. We live in different cities. Anyway to make a long story short... I know nothing about heart defects, murmurs, etc. all I know is that since my surgery I am exhausted all the time. I have mild chest pain, pain in my groin, my legs are weak and tire easily, my blood pressure is low, and I am sometimes short of breath when I walk up stairs, (getting old sucks eh!) I have mild to moderate edema and my doctor can?t figure out why. I am cold all the time.. (granted I do live in Canada and it is winter, but still.. all the time) my skin is dry, and right now all my muscles ache, especially in my rib cage. I also find that by the end of a work day (I sit in front of a computer all day) my shoulders feel like they weigh 1000 pounds. (this was not a problem before the surgery) Did any of you have these symptoms?
I had a problem with the anesthetic during my surgery and my oxygen saturation was really low and I required oxygen for a few days. My blood pressure kept bottoming out and now I feel light headed at times. How do you tell all of this to a doctor without him/her rolling their eyes and thinking you?re some kind of hypochondriac? Is this all in my head? I think the surgery was hard on my heart. Right now I have a normal ECG, however that could change because my sister ECG is not? And hers was normal six months ago. Are there any identical twins out there with similar heart problems?
Since I am only 43, I feel this can?t be happening? all of a sudden I am falling apart? I would appreciate it if you all could comment on my story and give me some well meant home doctoring advice because my small town doc is out standing in his field tending to mad cows or something. He really hasn?t told me anything yet. I see a cardiologist when I go for the stress test. What should I ask him, and how should I present my symptoms?
P.S. ever since I was born, I could not do endurance sports. I could not run for more than 3 blocks without getting all red faced and short of breath. Could this heart defect be why?
Wanting answers In Canada!
AKA Mar4Char
I go for a cardiac stress test next month. So does my sister. My sister however has been diagnosed with pericardis and her second echocardiogram showed that her tricuspid valve is defective and her doc believes that we both have the same birth defect. I have yet to receive a second echocardiogram to confirm this. We live in different cities. Anyway to make a long story short... I know nothing about heart defects, murmurs, etc. all I know is that since my surgery I am exhausted all the time. I have mild chest pain, pain in my groin, my legs are weak and tire easily, my blood pressure is low, and I am sometimes short of breath when I walk up stairs, (getting old sucks eh!) I have mild to moderate edema and my doctor can?t figure out why. I am cold all the time.. (granted I do live in Canada and it is winter, but still.. all the time) my skin is dry, and right now all my muscles ache, especially in my rib cage. I also find that by the end of a work day (I sit in front of a computer all day) my shoulders feel like they weigh 1000 pounds. (this was not a problem before the surgery) Did any of you have these symptoms?
I had a problem with the anesthetic during my surgery and my oxygen saturation was really low and I required oxygen for a few days. My blood pressure kept bottoming out and now I feel light headed at times. How do you tell all of this to a doctor without him/her rolling their eyes and thinking you?re some kind of hypochondriac? Is this all in my head? I think the surgery was hard on my heart. Right now I have a normal ECG, however that could change because my sister ECG is not? And hers was normal six months ago. Are there any identical twins out there with similar heart problems?
Since I am only 43, I feel this can?t be happening? all of a sudden I am falling apart? I would appreciate it if you all could comment on my story and give me some well meant home doctoring advice because my small town doc is out standing in his field tending to mad cows or something. He really hasn?t told me anything yet. I see a cardiologist when I go for the stress test. What should I ask him, and how should I present my symptoms?
P.S. ever since I was born, I could not do endurance sports. I could not run for more than 3 blocks without getting all red faced and short of breath. Could this heart defect be why?
Wanting answers In Canada!
AKA Mar4Char