First, thank you all for the stories and experiences you share here. Reading this really sheds a personal light to the process.
Less than a year ago I went to a sleep-study doctor figuring I suffered from, what I thought to be, sleep apnea (few nights stopped breathing, general fatigue) . During my initial exam I was asked if I knew I had a murmur. I did not. He proceeds to tell me that is doesn't sound like a minor murmur, listens more... doesn't sound moderate either. He suggests I should make an appointment to see a Cardiologist. By the time I left the consult at the hospital -Cardiology is calling me back in. Come to find out I have major aortic regurgitation from a bad valve.
During my first exam I'm told I'll eventually need to have a replacement in the next 5 or more years -something to checkup and monitor over the years. Perhaps two months later I'm called back for a early checkup -I'm told I may only have a year or two... (left vent is 2x, doppler looks like a hurricane)
After looking at the test results and options, it becomes clear that I may be a candidate for valve REPAIR. While it's unknown why this happened, it's good to know it looks repairable.
So in two weeks I'll enjoy a "nice" stay at Stanford Med under the knife of Dr. Miller. He'll attempt to fix the valve to avoid a replacement.
It's difficult going into surgery while mostly asymptomatic, but in the long run I understand it's best. Hey, at least I'll have a cool scar to share with my boys. :thumbup:
-SD Labs
Less than a year ago I went to a sleep-study doctor figuring I suffered from, what I thought to be, sleep apnea (few nights stopped breathing, general fatigue) . During my initial exam I was asked if I knew I had a murmur. I did not. He proceeds to tell me that is doesn't sound like a minor murmur, listens more... doesn't sound moderate either. He suggests I should make an appointment to see a Cardiologist. By the time I left the consult at the hospital -Cardiology is calling me back in. Come to find out I have major aortic regurgitation from a bad valve.
During my first exam I'm told I'll eventually need to have a replacement in the next 5 or more years -something to checkup and monitor over the years. Perhaps two months later I'm called back for a early checkup -I'm told I may only have a year or two... (left vent is 2x, doppler looks like a hurricane)
After looking at the test results and options, it becomes clear that I may be a candidate for valve REPAIR. While it's unknown why this happened, it's good to know it looks repairable.
So in two weeks I'll enjoy a "nice" stay at Stanford Med under the knife of Dr. Miller. He'll attempt to fix the valve to avoid a replacement.
It's difficult going into surgery while mostly asymptomatic, but in the long run I understand it's best. Hey, at least I'll have a cool scar to share with my boys. :thumbup:
-SD Labs
