Kim's Posts

I suspect a leak always affects things elsewhere. The atrium enlargement is pretty common as it tries to compensate for the leak. No sense being bitter about the past, its the past. Look to the future and approach your doctor with a “ what are you waiting for” line. Or get another opinion. Btw, my chamber reduced its size post surgery and i was 79.

I did get another opinion when my left ventricle was in mild dysfunction. He sent me back to my current doctor. I have been asking about repair for years. I’m going to say what you suggested what are you waiting for next month. I value your opinion about bitterness. I know God would not approve. That’s where I’m at though right now. I’m 69. Thank you.

First off, have a nice thanksgiving. When you were in mild stage, they never get worked up. But as my cardiologist once said, the valve does not get better on its own. I was then at the moderate to severe border stage and i wanted a repair as my # 1 choice. If you wait too long they can’t do it. Plus i was going to a mitral valve guru at mass general. He has written papers on mitral valves. He is very good btw. So, i said to him after an echo exactly what i told you, which was, what are you waiting for, i’m 79. Come back in 6 months was not what i wanted to hear at that point. I was asymptomatic as well. . ( i don’t mince words when it comes to my health). Sometimes even doctors need a little nudge. The next day, i had a call from the minimally invasive trained surgeon and also his buddy basically setting up the surgery right in the middle of covid. On the phone. No visitors, everyone in masks but it got done and knock on wood i am still kicking at 83. And yes, i was scared. Hope this helps. Good luck at you next appt.

Sounds too familiar... You want to act quickly. Based on your description, this seems to be somewhat acute, i.e. a sudden worsening. If your valve malfunctions, your heart will try to compensate to keep you alive but with considerable side effects. You don't want those side effects to worsen. I suspect you won't get around a surgery within 2-3 months. Don't delay it. Could it have been recognized earlier? Maybe. No point in dwelling about it. Make the best out of your current situation. Two items: * Make sure they remove the appendix. * If your left atrium was enlarged a lot and the surgeon tries to fix it with cords, make sure the surgeon knows what he is doing. If you want to talk about details, send me a PM.

Do get a second opinion. It is possible that all you need is close monitoring for now, but make sure you monitor for any signs of symptoms. I had mild mitral valve stenosis for decades, was monitoring it regularly, lapsed during covid, went into afib, thought I was just out of shape, didn’t seek any medical attention, and had a stroke. Looking back at my records, I was told about the risk of afib when I was first diagnosed with the stenosis (1992) and the last echo before covid (2019) indicated my LA was enlarged. Stroke was in 2022. It could be years before you need any intervention, but be aware of your risks and the minute you have unexplained heart palpitations, get it checked out. There is no urgency while you are asymptomatic.

I would recommend to consult with surgeon. Early intervention can avoid risk of unrecoverable heart damage per my experience. My left atrium was severely enlarged and my heart had been monitored annually. It eventually led to AFib and blood clots in heart. That made my heart EF dropped to below 30 and had heart failure. I’m very lucky my heart function has fully recovered, EF back to 60, and heart size is back to normal after mitral valve replacement. I still remembered: when I asked Dr Bolling whether I should delay my surgery after cardioversion to treat my AFib ( I tried to delay my surgery as long as possible, so I don’t need second OHS). Dr Bolling said my heart was screaming for help and he would drag me upstairs to get surgery if I would be his family member.