So my previous echo 8 months ago showed a moderate/severe leaky mitral valve with some left ventricle compromise. All the talk was of investigation and intervention ...Read more
So my previous echo 8 months ago showed a moderate/severe leaky mitral valve with some left ventricle compromise. All the talk was of investigation and intervention - so I've spent the last 8 months worrying about cardiac surgery. I did have a hip replacement to distract myself, but that wasn't quite such a big deal although the recovery takes a long time.
I've just had my latest results and the leak is now moderate and the heart function is ok! I know echocardiograms do depend on who's doing them, but I just wish they'd make their minds up. I really didn't need 8 months of anxiety!
Has anyone else had varying result from an echo, especially one where things seem to improve?
Dan Vechiola Hi Mary! I too have had varying results. The last hospital and cardiologist I was working with said ... Read more
Dan Vechiola Hi Mary! I too have had varying results. The last hospital and cardiologist I was working with said that the echos I took for them showed a "possible" blood clot on an inside wall of my heart. They put me on a Warafin regimen to dissolve the clot while I was getting ready for surgery and doing some dental work. While on Warafin my INRs were trending in the 3.7 to 4.2 range which they said was fine and I then had a HORRIBLE bleeding experience (detailed in My Story) while having a deep cleaning procedure on my gums. I have since done a lot of research and chose to move to the No. 1 hospital and surgeon in my area. This new hospital, cardiologist and surgeon did not did not see a blood clot on the echo that I took for them. Either the clot dissolved or was misread initially. This is big time stuff and I have learned to do the research and go with the best hospital and surgeon available. I have found it a lot easier to put my fate in the hands of the best versus others. Good luck!
Anna Jones Yes, I had varying results too. In 2013 I was told I was moderate severe. By 2014 I was moderate. T ... Read more
Anna Jones Yes, I had varying results too. In 2013 I was told I was moderate severe. By 2014 I was moderate. Then in 2015 I was moderate possibly severe again. I was getting frustrated. Eventually I asked for a cardiac MRI just to see what it said. I'm sorry this is happening to you.
Dan Vechiola I also began reading the echo reports which provides a better understanding. its not that easy to d ... Read more
Dan Vechiola I also began reading the echo reports which provides a better understanding. its not that easy to decipher the echo report but if you break down the information you can see what category you fall in. Here is a link to a piece written by Adam entitled Echocardiogram Criteria For Mitral Valve Disease which will help. https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/echocardiogram-mitral-regurgitation-stenosis.php
Understand echocardiogram readings for diagnosing severe mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation
Mark Wilbur My echo in May showed the opening of the aortic valve to be slightly (fractionally) larger, than it w ... Read more
Mark Wilbur My echo in May showed the opening of the aortic valve to be slightly (fractionally) larger, than it was the previous year! It's supposed to be getting smaller, tighter. The other values were only modestly worse than the previous year. This is in contrast with the previous echos when the year-to-year changes were rapidly deteriorating. My cardiologist explained that reading them wasn't an "exact" science and that tolerances are allowed, partly because they are measuring things that are in motion. Personally, I don't fully believe the "good" news and accept that the next echo may again show a significant difference from the last one. So, your wait continues... and so does mine. I don't expect a miracle to save us from surgery, but we can thank God that we have such wonderful medical care available to us and those surgeons are our modern miracle workers. Best wishes to you, Mary.
Mary Woods Thank you everyone, I really appreciate all your support and information. Waiting around is hard, I ... Read more
Mary Woods Thank you everyone, I really appreciate all your support and information. Waiting around is hard, I'm planning on just having fun for the next few months. I will be getting a new puppy in a few weeks so that will keep.me busy and then help with my fitness.
Best wishes to you all!
I saw my cardiology consultant on 20 April 2018. I assured him that I don't have any cardiac symptoms and he was quite happy that I could be left to progress ...Read more
I saw my cardiology consultant on 20 April 2018. I assured him that I don't have any cardiac symptoms and he was quite happy that I could be left to progress with my hip rehab.
I also politely declined having a TOE (TEE in the US). My husband had told me about waking up still intubated after his CABG and it gave me nightmares even before I knew I needed cardiac surgery, so it's a definite no way from me. I told him I was happy to have any other investigations bar that one. So I now have a repeat echo on June 5th.
I still can't get my head around needing major surgery when I don't have any significant symptoms,. My quality of life will be significantly worse immediately post-op and if there are any complications or adverse drug reactions, I could be worse than I am now in the long term as well.
Susan Killian I know it is a lot to absorb, I was asymptomatic too when they told me. But when you read the report ... Read more
Susan Killian I know it is a lot to absorb, I was asymptomatic too when they told me. But when you read the reports, especially when I read mine from my TEE, I realized that it was affecting my heart even though I was not "symptomatic" , though it was pointed out to me I truly was! My reasoning was why wait for more damage to my heart and other body symptoms. So I proceeded and now am 41/2 weeks post surgery. I would do it again in a heart beat, LOL. So you need to have the TEE, it was a piece of cake.
Mary Woods Thank you Susan, I got nightmares thinking about my poor husband waking up intubated after his CABG ... Read more
Mary Woods Thank you Susan, I got nightmares thinking about my poor husband waking up intubated after his CABG and he told me how horrible it was! I still can't get those thoughts out of my head, although I thought hypnotherapy beforehand might help,
He has done brilliantly btw. I guess we all have our particular phobias!
I know that the NHS wouldn't spend 20K on me unless it was really necesssry. I'm glad you're doing so well xx
Susan Lynn Mary- when the day comes for surgery, seek out a surgeon and anesthesiologist who believe in early e ... Read more
Susan Lynn Mary- when the day comes for surgery, seek out a surgeon and anesthesiologist who believe in early extubation. Waking up with a breathing tube was also one of my fears, but I found the right team. I didn't have any unnecessary trauma - not even a sore throat. Best of luck to you.
Susan Killian I woke up in the ICU and tube was already gone, They said surgery went well and your husband will be ... Read more
Susan Killian I woke up in the ICU and tube was already gone, They said surgery went well and your husband will be here shortly and that is all I remember. Oh yes them telling me to take deep breaths.
LINDA ROBERTS I also have a fear of waking up with the tube still in so will be asking my surgeon or team about tha ... Read more
LINDA ROBERTS I also have a fear of waking up with the tube still in so will be asking my surgeon or team about that.
I had my left hip replaced with a spinal and sedation. The big drawback was that I was really sick post-op and needed 3 doses of anti-emetics. I've since ...Read more
I had my left hip replaced with a spinal and sedation. The big drawback was that I was really sick post-op and needed 3 doses of anti-emetics. I've since found out I was given diamorphine. Morphine also has the same effect so when I have my cardiac op they're going to have to find some pain meds that don't! I also kept fainting post-op and my blood pressure remained lower than usual for several weeks post-op.
The hip replacement itself was fine - the pre-op anxiety was way worse than the reality.
Phyllis Petersen I found out that my mitral regurg had progressed to severe while doing pre-surgical clearance for a k ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I found out that my mitral regurg had progressed to severe while doing pre-surgical clearance for a knee replacement. I was so glad that I could have the knee taken care of first. My MVr was 8 1/2 months later. The TEE wasn't really bad. The tube was put in after I was out and taken out before I woke up.
Mary Woods Thank you Judy and Phyliss - yes my hip is 10 weeks old and still a work in progress but doing well! ... Read more
Mary Woods Thank you Judy and Phyliss - yes my hip is 10 weeks old and still a work in progress but doing well!
Two major ops in a year is tough to go through! Xx
Phyllis Petersen It certainly is! Working through rehab for the hip is pretty hard and the heart not functioning to fu ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen It certainly is! Working through rehab for the hip is pretty hard and the heart not functioning to full capacity makes it even harder. Soon you'll be out of the waiting room and on your way to full recovery and then back to just living.
Best wishes to you all!