Gerard,
You are your brother are both special. But your story strengthens my thought that bicuspid valves can be hereditary.
You are your brother are both special. But your story strengthens my thought that bicuspid valves can be hereditary.
Trans-oesophageal echo (TOE) Question
- Thread starter Ged1975
- Start date
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I'm sure the medical people in Ireland will be very interested now that my identical twin was recently diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve. 6 years after mine was diagnose! I told the hospital over the last 6 years that maybe my twin should be checked out but they said there's no need to be concerned if his GP never heard a murmur. Ironically it was until after I was told last November that I needed surgery, a murmur was heard during a routine checkup on by brother my his GP.
It's interesting to say the least.
Jkm7
Well-known member
So happy to hear your brother got through the test so well. Let's hope the results are good. Best wishes to you both. 
So happy to hear your brother got through the test so well. Let's hope the results are good. Best wishes to you both.
Thanks!
BigOwl
Well-known member
A number of heart-related conditions are hereditary, and since you and your brother have identical genes, it makes some sense that you could, at least, share a condition. It would be interesting to conduct some research into the incidence of identical twin valve configurations/problems. I bequeathed my daughter some of the problematic genes I got from my parents, so I imagine that just because your doc hadn't seen bicuspid valves in other twins doesn't mean that it might not actually be statistically significant.
Glad your brother made it through the procedure--and was even conscious enough to participate! They would have had to knock me out because of the gagging if they hadn't already done it! He's a champ.
Glad your brother made it through the procedure--and was even conscious enough to participate! They would have had to knock me out because of the gagging if they hadn't already done it! He's a champ.
Gerard,
Glad that your twin did well with the procedure. BTW...I find it interesting that your twin also has BAV. I, too have an identical twin and 'apparently' she does not have this condition. She has no murmur and had an echo a number of years ago (in the 90's) as part of a study to determine if there is familiar clustering in families of BAV. Perhaps the bicuspid never showed on the echo??? Sometimes this can be difficult to detect. Another theory I have is perhaps we are actually fraternal twins. I guess this would call for DNA testing to confirm.
We were born in a tiny town, no ultrasound back then and my mother did not even know she was having twins until I decided to come out 20 minutes later.
However....I have an aunt who had valve disease and if my memory serves me correctly she had the valve replaced in her 50's. Perhaps, it was biscuspid. Come to think of it, had grandparents that died of apparent heart attacks at a young age (40's). Maybe it was due to undiagnosed valve disease.
Glad that your twin did well with the procedure. BTW...I find it interesting that your twin also has BAV. I, too have an identical twin and 'apparently' she does not have this condition. She has no murmur and had an echo a number of years ago (in the 90's) as part of a study to determine if there is familiar clustering in families of BAV. Perhaps the bicuspid never showed on the echo??? Sometimes this can be difficult to detect. Another theory I have is perhaps we are actually fraternal twins. I guess this would call for DNA testing to confirm.
We were born in a tiny town, no ultrasound back then and my mother did not even know she was having twins until I decided to come out 20 minutes later.
However....I have an aunt who had valve disease and if my memory serves me correctly she had the valve replaced in her 50's. Perhaps, it was biscuspid. Come to think of it, had grandparents that died of apparent heart attacks at a young age (40's). Maybe it was due to undiagnosed valve disease.
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BigOwl
Well-known member
Ottawagal--your experience just reminded me that although I don't have a twin (rather, a half brother), he's also awaiting valve replacement surgery. Hmmmmm. (Says in evil, wicked voice) perhaps there is something to this . . .
For grins I just did a quick google for "hereditary valve disease", and guess what came up?
http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-353.html
For grins I just did a quick google for "hereditary valve disease", and guess what came up?
http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-353.html
Big Owl....very, very interesting
FYI...Here's the link to the study that my familiy participated in. http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/jac/article/PIIS0735109797003720/abstract
The conclusion from the study on familial clustering was :
"We demonstrated a high incidence of familial clustering in congenital BAV. We believe that the high rate of occurrence of the condition in immediate relatives justifies echocardiographic screening of first-degree relatives to anticipate and prevent future complications associated with this common cardiac malformation."
Gerard was astute to have his brother screened. I guess you and your half brother may have inherited the BAV gene after all.
For now, I seem to be the ucky recipient to win the BAV lottery in my immediate family. For now, one is enough!!!
FYI...Here's the link to the study that my familiy participated in. http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/jac/article/PIIS0735109797003720/abstract
The conclusion from the study on familial clustering was :
"We demonstrated a high incidence of familial clustering in congenital BAV. We believe that the high rate of occurrence of the condition in immediate relatives justifies echocardiographic screening of first-degree relatives to anticipate and prevent future complications associated with this common cardiac malformation."
Gerard was astute to have his brother screened. I guess you and your half brother may have inherited the BAV gene after all.
For now, I seem to be the ucky recipient to win the BAV lottery
in my immediate family. For now, one is enough!!!I didn't realise how much interest would be generated by havng a twin with the same condition. I should have opened a seperate thread on the topic. I'm sure Im not the only one on VR.com who has an immediate family member with a bicuspic aortic valve.
Ross
Well-known member
I'm not either, but if there is one set of you, there has to be more!
Ross
Well-known member
I'd be interested in knowing where they came up with that one. I have read where some hospitals are switching to Dilaudid instead because of the potential for abuse, but hey, any narcotic can be abused, including Dilaudid. If that's the only reasons they have, I'm afraid that's just plain nuts.
Don't know what your issues are with it, but it's about the only thing that has helped me in the past.
Sorry Gerard...didn't mean to highjack your thread. I guess being a twin myself, it got me thinking about the familial tendency and how your twin also has BAV.
BigOwl
Well-known member
Ottawagal: my valve problem was aortic; not sure what my brother's is, but we share a mother (he's a damaged Viet Nam vet, not good at communicating with me--but we pick up where we left off when we do get together). We're not sure whether my recent valve disease was related to a murmur detected when I was about 10, and then overlooked or didn't exist?) until about 5 years ago when my doctor's PA "found" it again during a routine exam.
One of the great things about this forum his how threads evolve. I do appreciate the fact that Ross isn't one of those hard-nosed moderators who insist that things stay on topic all of the time. He only reels us in when we get really out of line. At any rate, a forum is all about conversation, and conversations shift naturally in response to input from the members--so I'm pretty sure Gerard isn't offended. Think of all we stand to learn from his (and his brother's) experience!
One of the great things about this forum his how threads evolve. I do appreciate the fact that Ross isn't one of those hard-nosed moderators who insist that things stay on topic all of the time. He only reels us in when we get really out of line. At any rate, a forum is all about conversation, and conversations shift naturally in response to input from the members--so I'm pretty sure Gerard isn't offended. Think of all we stand to learn from his (and his brother's) experience!
Hi ottawagal, no you didn't hijack the thread
. It's actually a very interesting topic. Are you an identical twin?brunoandbear
Well-known member
I was wide awake for my TEE. It isn't that bad, you might gag a bit, but other than that it isn't bad at all.
BigOwl
Well-known member
Gag being the operative word--and why I was glad to be asleep!
Hi all,
Just to let you know my twin brother got his Trans-oesophageal echo results yesterday. The cardiologist said he has like me a bicuspic aortica valve. He has mild to moderate regurgitation and there was no enlargement of the left ventrical since his very first echo 5 months ago. The cardiologist told him to come back in 1 year for an external echo.
Gerard
Just to let you know my twin brother got his Trans-oesophageal echo results yesterday. The cardiologist said he has like me a bicuspic aortica valve. He has mild to moderate regurgitation and there was no enlargement of the left ventrical since his very first echo 5 months ago. The cardiologist told him to come back in 1 year for an external echo.
Gerard
Hi Gerard,
Always good to get a confirmation and from the sounds of it you are both going to be in the 'waiting room' a little longer. Hope he is doing OK.
I still wonder if I am an identical twin as my twin sister does not have what I have so....it does make one wonder. I guess I would have to go for DNA testing to prove my theory wrong.
Always good to get a confirmation and from the sounds of it you are both going to be in the 'waiting room' a little longer. Hope he is doing OK.
I still wonder if I am an identical twin as my twin sister does not have what I have so....it does make one wonder. I guess I would have to go for DNA testing to prove my theory wrong.
Interestingly the surgeon never seen bicuspid valves in identical twins before. So my guess is that you are an identical twin
