Mitral Valve Reguritation

Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Valve Replacement Forums

Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
N

NancyMVP

Hi I'm new here. I have MVP with severe regurgitaion. I've been told I will be needing a replacement in the future. I'm under treatment now. I'm 41f, Basically I'm pretty active. I sometimes can't get off the couch lol. In Oct. 2000 I had a Transicent Aschemic Attack and was in the hospital. I had a TEE and at the time I was waking up with a weakness in my left side and had trouble sleeping and would feel like I couldn't breath. Since I stated my medications I'm feeling much better and those symptoms have disappeared. I also take an Ecotrin daily.
I'm taking Atenonol 50 and Accupril 20. They just upped my Accupril.
I'm seeing my doctor on the 11th of July. I just had a echo cardiogram done. (I need to have one every 6 months).
I'd like to communicate with others with similiar experiences. I tried the chat room and there was no one there. Any input would be nice. Did anyone retain water because of this condition?
 
Hi Nancy

Had MVP with 4+ reguirgitation... left atrium mas mildy enlarged. Surgery to replace the valve was 3-17-99 at age 30.

If you would like chat, or have any additional questions you can post them here or drop me an email.
 
mitral regurgitation

mitral regurgitation

Hi thanks for your response. Did you have any symptoms from your regurgitation? Or did your doctor just happen to come accross it?
I known I had a heart murrmur since I was about 10 years old. Only back then they didn't have echo cardiograms. I had numerous ekgs and xrays. I had my first echo cardiogram approx 10 years ago and started pre medicating at the dentist a few years prior.

Its funny you should mention 4 + stage for your regurgitation
They don't state anything like that in the echo report I have.

It only says prolapse of both mitral leaflets.
Trivial tricuspid regurgitation
Severe mitral regurgitation.
Then it goes on to mention Chamber sizes is normal.
The left ventricular mass is normal
Systolic function of the left ventricle is normal
Which sounds very good.
I've heard they often recommend replacing the valve before you have heart enlargement.

This was from 10/11/2000, I don't have a copy of the more recent echo study. Maybe when I go to my appointment I can get one.
 
Hi Nancy MVP from Nancy

Hi Nancy MVP from Nancy

Hi Nancy-

Welcome here.

My husband is being operated on July 18 for mitral valve regurgitation and also tricuspid valve regurgitation.

The mitral valve he has now is mechanical, so that will be replaced. They also will be looking at the tricuspid for possible repair or replacement. In addition to that he has a mechanical aortic valve which is OK and a pacemaker.

He has been experiencing periods of severe fluid retention because of the regurgitation, and is on a high dose of Lasix, with short bursts of Zaroxolyn every so often. He is also extremely fatugued and at times has trouble breathing.

Nancy
 
Nancy - Glad to have you with us. I had severe regurgitation of the mitral valve and surgery in Jan of this year. My heart was enlarged for more than twenty years before surgery, however it did reduce after surgery. Anyway, they didn't proceed earlier because of my lack of symptoms. Hope everything goes well with yours.
 
Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Nancy, My advice is not to wait much longer. I waited a little too long until my atrium and ventricle were abnormally dilated and my mitral valve was so badly damaged it was beyond repair. Amazingly I never felt too bad but had some of the same symptoms you have had. Any how I had a mitral valve replacement ( St. Jude mechanical) 9/17/98. I gradually began to gain energy and now at age 75 am back at work and feel about like I did at 50. My heart has not gone back to normal but it loves the new valve and I can go on the treadmill at 4 mph for 40 minutes easily. I wish I'd had the operation at least a year sooner.
 
MVP

MVP

Hello Nancy,

I had the same thing... I knew I had a heart problem for years. My PCP didn't have me on any meds or even premedicating me for the dentist. She's a quack! Fired her as soon as the cardio told me my heart wouldn't survive a heart surgery!! My echo showed a very screwed up heart, but she was waiting for me to become 'symptomatic' I was having all kinds of 'symptoms' but I guess I didn't look sick enough? Really dumb... I could be in a relaxed state and all of a sudden my heart would start beating so fast you couldn't count the beats, start sweating, I couldn't breath ...... it was REALLY scarey.

My feet swelled when I was pregnant with my daughter who was six when I had the surgery. My feet never swelled when I was pregnant with my boys 10 & 12 years earlier.

I really feel like you have to take you life in your own hands... Never rely on anyone... doctor or not to make the decisions for you. I was 39 when I had the surgery...... a mechanical mitral valve. 4-6-00. I feel a lot better, but my heart is still REALLY screwed up and always will be because I didn't have the surgery sooner.

E-mail me if you'd like.... Rain

By the way I was still water and snow skiing, gardening, all the things I do in my life.. my heart would go totally crazy sometimes .. but I would just wait for it to stop and then go on with what I was doing! Bad plan!! That's another thing I learned.......LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!! And it's okay for Mom's to get sick! Wow! I musta been needing to rant and rave tonight!! lol
 
Hi Nancy

In answer to your questions.....yes I knew I had MVP. It was detected when I was eight years old. Was told that I would lead a "normal life" and never have a problem with it. Shortly before Turing 30 I had relocated to another city and become sick, just a bad cold. My new doctor detected as he puts it a very impressive murmur. Went for all of the tests.Severe regirg 4+ and a midly enlarged left atrium. Both of my leaflets were badly damaged so a repair was out of the question. I had no obvious symptoms. Upon thinking back on it..... I was probably short of breath and tried quite a bit.

It's been almost 2-1/2 years and getting better every day. I truly have the energy of a teenager some days.

I agree with Marty, it's best to have it taken care of before more damage is done, i.e. enlargement, etc.

Best wishes.
You may find reading some of the peronal stories on the old forum helpful to you.
Take care,
 
mitral valve regurgitation

mitral valve regurgitation

Thanks for all the input.

I'm a little nervous about my upcoming appointment with the cardiogist because when I went for my echo several weeks ago I basically had to police the doctor.

I had to call and make sure he received the copy of the test results then they wanted the video so they could compare it to the one in their possession. Which I thought was be safe. Which I had to get it from the lab bring it to my doctor and then return it. I called the doctor and he said its like the report says its the same as it was 6 months ago. Which I thought was good.

So when I visisted my internist last week for something totally unrelated, he caught me from left field with (he wants to up your meds and make an appt... oh by the way you know this is in your future.

I was in the hospital in October and November. (with a possible stroke). They sent me home the first time saying take a baby aspirin every day. Which made my stomach sick. (now I take ecotrin).
In November the weekend of the marathon. My doctor said go to the ER at Lenox Hill Hospital (he gave me the name of a cardiogist there) let them evaluate you there and if what you need is a valve repair or replacement thats the place to be. So I went there cause I wasn't feeling well still (I think alot of it was nerves) No one was informing me. I saw the report and looked up stuff at the library and interet and felt confused. I had a dalium stress test he felt it was good. He said go home take an ecotrin a day. I had just started taking the atenonol and accupril. I feel those medications have helped me greatly. In time the feeling of not being able to breath at rest went away. My energy level eventually improved. But I tire easy. My husband says I'm an old woman.
I have an aunt that was married to my mothers brother. (no relation) Thats had a pig valve (which replaced her aorta) Its about 25 years so far.
Then my other aunt that was married to my moms other brother had a bad mitral valve waited too long and died on the table. This was a long time ago. I think the doctors know better today.
I have 3 sons ages 18, 15 and 11.
When I went to see the cardiogist for the first time after being in the hospital he asked me if I had any more plans to have children. (No) was my answer. He just told me to he wouldn't recommend it and I should try and elimitate stress from my life.
Which is almost impossible.

I'm hoping to just continue being screened every six months in the meantime. But I think there is a possiblity that they wanted to give me time to recoop from my illness last Oct/Nov. I'm in much better condition now.

Did you find yourself obsessing over the unknown?
I'm not really afraid of surgery. I know many people who have had open heart surgery and are doing great. (like my aunt and my dad). And now all of you nice folks.


Nancy
 
I had Rheumatic Fever at age 14 causing Mitral Valve Insufficiency. My heart enlarged almost immediately, but they weren't ready to do surgery. After 22 years and 2 children (I didn't follow my doctor's advice on that one), I had Mitral Valve Replacement at age 36. I had some complications early on, but I'm now at 3 years post-op and my heart has returned to normal size and I have no leak at all. I feel great most of the time, which for someone who is almost 40 is probably a good thing! Since I knew from the beginning that surgery was in my future, I really didn't obsess a lot about it. I'm glad I waited so long, because my two beautiful children wouldn't be here if I'd had the surgery earlier. I had water retention, which some doctors like to call Congestive Heart Failure (sounds scarier than it is), and was on Maxzide for about 6 years before my surgery.

Go to your doctor armed with a list of questions. Listen to what he says and if it doesn't make sense, ask more questions. Tell him that you want to know exactly what to expect for the future. They may not always be right, but at least it gives you some sort of expectation. My docs always said 3-4 years before surgery, and I made it 22.
 
mitral regurgitation

mitral regurgitation

lisa, thanks, thats interesting that your heart returned to the normal size.
I believe that something happened last October which made my mitral valve prolapse worsen.
All I know its both leaflets are prolapsed and one is much worse than the other, also its severe.
I hope it doesn't start to enlarge now...
I'll know more soon. I'll feel better after my appt.

Nancy
 
Nancy,
it sounds like you and I have similar conditions. I too have severe MVP with moderately severe to severe regurgitation and only minor symtoms. I'm also being checked out every 6 months with an echo. What my surgeon tells me is that I can wait until my left atrium reaches 50cc, at my last 3 echos it was maintaining at 47cc. He said that after it reaches 50 that there is an increased risk of going into A Fib, which is not good. My next echo is in October. The only noticable symptoms I have is at times, usually after meals, my heart beats very hard. I also seem to avoid more strenous activities and my doc advised me to playing anymore vigorous basketball games, which I sorely miss. I'm 49 & will soon be 50. There's a good chance I'll opt for the surgery after the next echo even if the condition is stable as I'm really tired of the waiting.

Good luck, you've found a great place for information and support. The people on this forum are very supporting of each other and will walk you through this entire journey, from approaching the mountain to the other side.

God bless,
Frank
 
Nancy,
I was diagnosed with mitral valve regurg. 11 years and and I had my mitral valve repaired in October.... my surgeon told me that repair, if able, is the optimal way to go. My MV was very tattered at the time and took a long time for him to repair.

I also have dilated cardiomyopathy and CHF. My cardiologist has said that my heart has gone "global" his term for there is something wrong with every part of my heart now.

Re: Retaining water: Yes, yes, yes.... I had gained a lot of weight over the last year and ignored it. Dumb, dumb, dumb!!!! My feet and ankles don't swell... just my abdomen. I now take Lasix, a diuretic -- 160 mg. a day.

I was diagnosed with leukemia in January of this year and breast cancer (had a mastecomy a month ago) two months ago.

I had been more tired than normal, but I just blamed it on stress. Another dumb mistake was that I didn't see my cardio for four years! Oh well.... live and learn!!! lol

Glad to see you posting.... and welcome

Take care,
Zazzy
 
mitral regurgitation

mitral regurgitation

I just wanted to thank everyone for their input, support and knowledge. I'll be keeping you up to date.
 
mitral regurgitation/echo report

mitral regurgitation/echo report

I'd like you all to take a look at what my latest echo report states,
I got the secretary from the cardiogists office to fax it to me.

2 D & m MODE ECHO
NORMAL LEFT VENTRICULAR FUNCTION, CHAMBER SIZE AND WALL MOTION. SEVERE MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE OF THE POSTERIOR MITRAL VALVE LEAFLET AND MODERATE PROLAPSE OF THE ANTERIOR MITRAL VALVE LEAFLET. NO PERICARDIAL EFFUSION, MURAL THROMBUS OR VEGETATION SEEN. BOTH MITRAL VALVE LEAFLETS ARE THICKENED. RV SIZE AND WALL MOTION ARE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. ESTIMATED LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION IS 60-65%.

COLOR FLOW AND DOPPLER

TRACE PULMONIC REGURGITATION. MODERATE TO SEVERE MITRAL REGURGITATION. MILD TRICUSPID REGURGITATION.

IMPRESSION:

NORMAL LEFT VENTRICULAR FUNCTION SEVERE MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE MODERATE TO SERVERE MITRAL REGURGITATIN. MILD TRICUSIPID REGURGITATION.

ECHOCARDIOGRPAHHIC MESUREMENTS

VENTRICULAR
DIASTOLIC RVD 1.3 CM (0.8-2.3)
IVS THICKNESS 0.7 CM (0.6 - 1.1)
LV POST WALL 0.7 CM (0.6 - 1.1)
LV DIAMATER 5.5 CM (3.7 -5.6)
IVS/LVFM RATIO
AORTIC/LEFT ATRIAL
LA DIAMETER 3.4 CM (1.9 -4.0)
AO ROOT 2.6 CM (2.0 - 3.7)

i THINK THE NUMBERS IN (....) ARE NORMAL RANGE.
THANKS NANCY...
 
Mitral Valve Replacement

Mitral Valve Replacement

Hi Nancy, My situation was different than yours. At age 42, I saw my internist for an ear infection. He heard "something" so ran an EKG and sent me to a Cardiologist the following day for an ECHO. It showed mitral valve stenosis. I was told that since I was young and had no symptoms, to go home and not worry about it. But, of course, I did worry about it and a year later I went back to the Cardiologist who scheduled a cardiac cath the follwing day. The cardiologist was so surprised by the results...(pressure was 75, severe reguritation) , he scheduled me for MVR surgery the following morning. To say I was scared would really be an understatement. That was September 30, 1999. After a recovery period, both physical and mental, I am now on Coumadin and Inderal but feel fine. My husband even calls me the Eveready Bunny, because I have so much energy. My opinion is that if surgery is needed, just get it over with. Patricia
 
MV Regurgitation

MV Regurgitation

Nancy,
In 1998 I was diagnosed with significant Mitral Valve regurgitation. They put me on a blood pressure medication and monitored me yearly. This past January my echo showed severe leakage and my Atrium began to swell because the blood was sitting there spinning. My Cardiologist told me to start interviewing surgeons and after a TEE it was confirmed to have the valve replaced. Could not repair due to the leaflets starting to deteriorate. Just had surgery in April (with St. Jude Mechanical) and am already feeling well and back to usual life style. Just need a nap on some days. Hope this is of some help to your understanding things.
 
mitral regurgitation

mitral regurgitation

I spoke to my friend that does sonograms for a living yesterday and when I told her the size of my Left Atrium she was very surprised that its not enlarged at all. Which is a good sign. So I'll continue to see my doctor take my meds and get my sonograms and keep a close eye on the situation. I'm glad I'm aware of the condition and what can be done to correct it.
Every answered my questions just fine.

I'll keep everyone posted.
Nancy
 
Welcome to the heart buddies. As you read through posts, you will find much information that will help you as there are so many different angles expressed here, yet all have a common thread. My best wishes to you.

One thing, if you are not getting enough answers from your dr, write down the questions and be sure he answers EVERY ONE. God bless:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top