About Me (In My Own Words)
I was diagnosed with a heart murmur about 2 years ago. My Immunologist noticed it, and in all my visits to doctors, no one ever detected a murmur before. So, he sent me to a cardiologist who said it was very pronounced and he scheduled an echo-cardiogram. Due to my insurance at the time, I had to cancel it.
I can't say that I really noticed any new symptoms until earlier this year. I have sleep apnea, and Common Variable Immunodeficiency Disease, both of which can make you feel tired. But early this year, I felt like what energy I had was suddenly cut about in half. I just figured it was a combination of the apnea and CVID. And I started getting shortness of breath and for the first time ever, I've had to use my rescue inhaler several times a day. Usually I use it once or twice in a year and then find it has expired. I have severe allergies and asthma, but the asthma has been under control. And then the numbness of my fingers and lightheadedness joined in! Whatever it was, it was coming on strong.
About 3 weeks ago I again saw my Immunologist and he said that the murmur had gotten louder.
So, back to the cardiologist who scheduled an echo-cardiogram on 10/24/14. He said it was probably an atrial septal defect, but wanted to be sure. I went back to my cardiologist on 10/31/14 sure that it would nothing, and I'd be on my way. I was pretty shocked, as I'm sure most patients are, when I was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse with severe Regurgitation. He said that it was not a question of if but when we would do the surgery. Being shocked, I only grasped a small amount of what he told me.
At this point I've only been scheduled for a Cardiac Catheterization on 11/14/14. This is all so new to me and unexpected that right now I sway from anger to fear and am feeling stressed about all of this. No scheduled surgery date yet, but it should be no later than early December. I'm glad that I discovered this wonderful site, and am sure it will be of great help to me. I hope that in the future I can be of help to others.
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More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Savannah
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My surgery date is:
November 24, 2014
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I was diagnosed with:
Mitral Regurgitation
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My surgery was:
Mitral Valve Repair
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Jeremy London
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My hospital is:
Memorial Health
