Thread: Mitral valve reguritation and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Further issues with the dicky ticker, I have been made aware of these problems since I had the supra ventricular tachycardia (SVT) episode that I could't revert back to normal rhythm back in 2013, https://www.woodworkforums.com/f136/living-supra-ventricular-tachychardia-svt-179168 the ambos got it back to normal at the time but then took me up to the ED for further probing, after a good probing by various interested doctor types the probing suggested all was not good as it should be, words like murmer and Wolf Parkinson White (WPW) syndrome mentioned a fair bit, so an appointment in the cardiology dept and a echocardiogram revealed I have a mitral valve (MV) leak, not too bad but we need to monitor it on a yearly basis, OK, I'll go with that, meantime I have no symptons, not overweight, non smoker/drinker, active, not out of breath, so plod on as per normal.

The 2014 echo revealed the leak to be worse so I have an appointment with the heart specialist at The Prince Charles Hospital in Bris for a chat about the MV, he is thinking that a repair is a good option for me and even better if he can do it as keyhole surgery as opposed to thru the sternum, also talks about further ablation work with regard to heart rhythm, sounds good to me but veins have to be clear, so an angiogram later shows all clear, no blockages despite my preference for butter and a high cholesterol number.

A few false starts for an operation date in 2015 as I need further tests required before the op, tests being an MRI and echo, never had an MRI before so will be interesting, so off to the TPCH on the 4th this month for admission, with Dire Straits in my ears I nod off in the MRI, woken by breathe in and hold instructions , I also have visits from the head anesthetist and his offsider, both tell me I am also having a transesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) this gives a very clear picture of the MV, it is at this point a decision is made whether I am operated on or not, I am first inline for theatre on Saturday morn, I remember being in theatre and having sticky dots and wires attached, seeing the anesthetists and hearing some instructions then waking up and thinking feels like I've had a damn good sleep! the TOE reveals that the MV is leaking but still not bad enough to be operated on. The TOE gives me a sore throat and I have a headache. I am also to start on some meds which are hoped will ease the workload on the MV, one lowers my blood pressure which is not high anyway but they want to see it at around 100 to 110 and the other to help the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, the what I think! to you and me this is abnormal heart muscle growth, I ask a few questions, seems that the leak is causing my heart to work harder than it should be and thus the heart compensates by building muscle just like a body builder builds muscle, Dr Google also suggests genetics are involved as well, this is not a good thing as eventually the heart will simply be too stiff to pump enough blood and there's your heart attack. This thickening seems to be another reason that I didn't have the MV repaired at the time as there was concern about my heart not handling the operation. Not sure why at this point.

But they are not finished with me yet! Further discussions reveal I am to do a stress echo, late Tuesday I get to go for a fast walk on a treadmill, a resting echo first then the walk, I am instructed to go for as long as I can with each three minutes getting faster, I am nearly running, I go for ten minutes, back onto the bed with more breathe and hold instructions, not easy when your breathing heavy, but the echo team are happy! the stress echo gives a comparison between an idle and working heart. I spend the next two days having the vitals monitored just to see how I am handling the meds, I do feel a bit odd at times, a bit light headed but not too bad.
I flew home last Friday with instruction to return on the 14th of next month, I am not to take up marathon running but just do as normal, I am also to up the strength of the meds within the month to see if the heart muscle thing can be resolved enough, will have to see what happens.....




Pete