Peter's Profile

As birth I was diagnosed with a heart murmur and a "hole in my heart". I visited a cardiologist each year growing up. I never had an exercise restrictions or other limitations; and I never had to take any medications growing up. At the age of 15 I was diagnosed with aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation and cardiomyopathy. At this point I was told to discontinue all contact sports and other strenuous physical activity. Contrary to my doctor's advice, I played rugby all throughout college and participated in a very strenuous cardio and weightlifting program in connection therewith. During my college years I gained nearly 50 pounds of muscle as a result of such weightlifting. During my three years of law school I continued to play rugby and exercise (but not nearly at the level I did during my college career). I never saw a cardiologist during law school. When I moved back home to Cleveland (2011), I saw a cardiologist again, who told me that my aortic stenosis had not really gotten any worse and that they would continue to check on me once a year. Finally, in October 2015, my cardiologist indicated that my condition had gotten worse (but not dire). He has given me the option of having surgery now or coming back to for more frequent checkup; but he was fairly certain that I would need surgery in the next 2-3 years. I have opted to have surgery now but still await a consultation with Dr. Roselli and an ultimate surgery. I am generally asymptomatic, although I recently developed minor chest pains (which I am not certain are related to my heart).