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Freddie

Freddie

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Jul 19, 2007
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I think I've put this in the right category, if not, well Ross you know what to do.

What I've been told that if you have strep throat and it goes untreated it can and will cause damage to the mitrial valve.

If one has strep throat again after a valve replacement, will the strep cause damage to another valve or valves?

Hope I worded this right?
 
Strep throat can progress to rheumatic fever or endocarditis which can damage any of your heart vavles. If you think you have strep throat, get yourself to the doctor right away to be started on antibiotics.

Strep throat itself will not damage your heart valves. It has to progress to something more systemic or cardiac in nature, which is what endocarditis and rheumatic fever are. There are probably lots of people who've had strep throat, not taken anitbiotics and not developed anything else; however, anyone with a heart murmur and certainly anyone who's had valve replacement or repair should seek early treatment with antibiotics.
 
Thanks Girls,
That is what I was thinking.

I came down with a nasty head cold Monday night, thought it was allergies, something I don't usually have but I couldn't stop sneezing. I've had this sore throat for 3 days now and nothing seems to take away that raw dry feeling at the top of throat area. Been drinking around 4 liters a day along with Extra Strength Tylenol, Clariton during the day and a shot of Dristan at bed time. I know the Dristan will and does dry out my throat even more, but like to breath at night......even if it's only 4 hours.

I'll do my best to see the doc today.
 
Hope you feel better, Freddie. You are doing the right thing to try to get in to see the doc promptly. He ought to be able to confirm or rule out strep, and get you on antibiotics if needed.
 
Thanks everyone.
I usually work on a 3 days rule - 'if there is no improvement after 3 days, go see someone'

On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being really sore, the throat this morning is about a 6 or 7.
 
Since Rheumatic Fever is the cause of my valve problems and replacement, I did a lot of research on this. When I was growing up, my parents didn't use the doctor all that much. A fever or sore throat was something that could be handled at home. I remember being so sick I couldn't get out of bed for several days, and then having that happen over and over for a few years. It is my understanding that Rhuematic Fever harms your heart valves when you are younger. It takes many years for the damage to show up. It is even suggested that any child who has had rheumatic fever be put on antibiotics for several years until they are older because it tends to recur.

I don't think someone our age (I don't know your age Freddie, but am assuming its past 30 or so) would need to worry about contacting rheumatic fever. I could be wrong, but I know that once you have it you can have it again, and that once you get to a certain age that is no longer a concern. If it were, I am sure those of us who have had rheumatic fever would have been cautioned about it.

Mileena
 
Just "past 30"..........I like that! (I think I've found a new friend [smile])

Never had rheumatic fever. I believe the cause of my valve failure was due to the use of Phen-Pen in a diet pill back in the late 90's.
 
Mileena46 said:
It is my understanding that Rhuematic Fever harms your heart valves when you are younger. It takes many years for the damage to show up. It is even suggested that any child who has had rheumatic fever be put on antibiotics for several years until they are older because it tends to recur.
Click to expand...

Rhuematic Fever can damage the heart right away. My best friend in sixth grade caught the fever and returned to school several months later with a brand new valve.
 
Immunology....I could not resist it...The fever i.e., the bacterium itself does not do the damage, rather the immune over-reaction to put it in simple terms. Many streptococcus bacteria have surface protein motifs/antigens which have similarities to the heart valve itself. So even after the primary infection is gone, the body remains on overdrive thinking (chemically speaking!) that the infection is still around and goes after the joints causing arthritis and heart valves causing stenosis or regurgitation or both. All the more reason to treat promptly and not allow the immune system to get into over drive. This does not happen to everybody though, but children are most susceptible. Secondly, if you have leaky valves from other causes awaiting repair/replacement or have a prosthetic valve, then any high fever of 100F or more should be evaluated by a doctor. Viral flu is not a problem but many bacterial infections not limited to streptococcus can cause a generalized endocarditis of the prosthetic valve which is quite dangerous if not treated promptly.
 
Generalized endocarditis due to a range of bacteria and fungi (yes! but rare) directly colonize the endocardium and break down the endothelial layer. In this case the immune reaction is not the issue. They can even cause the prosthetic valve suturing ring to come off because they have eaten into the foundation on which the sutures were placed. Valves literally dislodge causing heart failure. A high mortality affair. I think I have frightened people enough....
 
I don't know if this is an experience anyone else has had but I will share what I was always told, many years ago by my doctors, that even if anyone in my home had strep throat that I was to take antibiotics also.
 
Bina said:
My stars...our Freddie is getting sick often. Try taking 500mg of Vitamin C every day of the year, wash hands alot, rest, rest, rest.
Click to expand...

Do you really think so? That is, getting sick often?
I'm always wash my hands and make sure I don't touch my face when I'm working in the garden. When working with food I wash them before and after I touch any food item. Don't ask about my hand lotion supply (smile)

BTW gang, saw the doc, throat wasn't feeling as raw by the time I got to my appointment (go figure) - throat is fine, a little red probably due to the nose draining, throat swab was done just in case. Have no temp, just a hum dinger of a head cold.
 
Hey there! Freddie, will you let us know how you're doing as soon as your results are back, please? We don't want you to have undiagnosed nasty bugs bothering you!

I had scarlet fever as a child, in fact 3 of the 5 of us caught the disease. I remember being quarantined for 3 weeks! Mom told me I had the highest fever most consistently, topping out at over 105, she'd have the wet towels and bowls of ice all over the sickroom and there were plenty of times I'd wake up in a cold tub of water. I also was the bearer of the secondary skin rash called scarletina after I was over the fever.

My surgeon insisted that my bicuspid aortic valve was genetic, not scarred and that scarlet fever had no significant impact on my valve stenosis. That being said, I worry for my dH, he was in the hospital for 8 months at age 8 with rheumatic fever. As a young man he was told his heart was very strong but a tad over normal size. He's 51 now, has had pneumonia and is on BP meds. We keep his history in mind and the docs pay attention to heart sounds and ecg results at his annual physicals.

I'm sure you'll be breathing easier by now Freddie, but think of us and post your swab results soon.

Take Heart,
Pam.
 
Freddie i do hope you are better and sounds like
your doc is on top of this strep throat issue,be sure
to get your results back when they are ready.
Take care let us know,get better soon
 
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