I had an echocardiogram the other day. First time ever. I requested that a copy of the results be mailed to me, and since nothing arrived in the mail I even called twice to request a copy yet again. Still no results arrived.
Fast forward to Monday, several days later, when I get a telephone call. Some girl in the doctor's office tells me that I have to see a cardiologist as my mitral valve has moderate regurgitation and my tricuspid valve has mild regurgitation. The valves are not working properly and there is a backflow of blood into the heart.
Yikes and double yikes!
I immediately have several questions, but she cuts me off and sets up an appointment with a cardiologist for Friday of the same week.
The rest of Monday, the whole of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I research and research heart valve disease. Apparently, a heart murmur is an important indication of having a leaky valve. But, nobody has ever told me that I have a heart murmur!
Apparently moderate regurgitation is quite serious. A lot depends on how the heart responds. It could become enlarged, and you can go into heart failure. As the disease progresses you could end up needing a repair of the valve. And that would entail open heart surgery! I read about minimally invasive valve repair surgery and even research the best cardiologists. I wonder about the size of my heart, about my lungs, about possible calcifications as so many complications and conditions can be involved with mitral valve regurgitation, when the valve does not close properly.
Friday arrives and I meet with a cardiologist to hear the worst.
Guess what? The cardiologist asks me why I had the echocardiogram. Good question. My doctor ordered it because I have high blood pressure and high blood pressure can affect the heart. The cardiologist listens to my heart with his stethoscope then calmly looks at me and states, "I disagree with the echocardiogram. There's nothing wrong with your heart."
Fast forward to Monday, several days later, when I get a telephone call. Some girl in the doctor's office tells me that I have to see a cardiologist as my mitral valve has moderate regurgitation and my tricuspid valve has mild regurgitation. The valves are not working properly and there is a backflow of blood into the heart.
Yikes and double yikes!
I immediately have several questions, but she cuts me off and sets up an appointment with a cardiologist for Friday of the same week.
The rest of Monday, the whole of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I research and research heart valve disease. Apparently, a heart murmur is an important indication of having a leaky valve. But, nobody has ever told me that I have a heart murmur!
Apparently moderate regurgitation is quite serious. A lot depends on how the heart responds. It could become enlarged, and you can go into heart failure. As the disease progresses you could end up needing a repair of the valve. And that would entail open heart surgery! I read about minimally invasive valve repair surgery and even research the best cardiologists. I wonder about the size of my heart, about my lungs, about possible calcifications as so many complications and conditions can be involved with mitral valve regurgitation, when the valve does not close properly.
Friday arrives and I meet with a cardiologist to hear the worst.
Guess what? The cardiologist asks me why I had the echocardiogram. Good question. My doctor ordered it because I have high blood pressure and high blood pressure can affect the heart. The cardiologist listens to my heart with his stethoscope then calmly looks at me and states, "I disagree with the echocardiogram. There's nothing wrong with your heart."
I literally jumped up, thanked the cardiologist, and walked briskly away feeling relief beyond relief.
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