Heart Issues

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Sending positive thoughts!!! As others have mentioned, having a cardiologist that you absolutely trust is paramount. Which segues into the team: cardiologist, your GP, electrophysiologist, preferred specialty hospital, etc. all have to be on the same page and work together. Mayo in MN & Cleveland Clinic are outstanding. Sister-in-law had a valve replacement at the Mayo 2 years ago that had been undetected since birth.

I know it's scary, as in gut-punch. But you got this!
 
Thats a heavy mental burden to carry, particularly knowing that getting stressed and anxious is the wrong thing to do.

Medicine can do a lot with heart issues. Hope you can stay positive and enjoy life knowing you are in good hands
 
It seems like your Cardiologist is taking reasonable steps in testing. It's the possible future surgery that's really stressing you out. It's also possible that the further testing will show things aren't as bad as you imagine. Given your history, it may be difficult to think of a positive outcome from further tests but take courage in the fact that you are being taken care of no matter what the results.
I just went through a similar process with my Cardiologist. Initial tests showed a potential problem. I was given the possibilities but more tests were needed to confirm. Further tests showed the problem wasn't as bad as initial tests showed. That's why they do the more detailed testing. Now he want's to wait and monitor for any changes.
 
Walking W said:
It seems like your Cardiologist is taking reasonable steps in testing. It's the possible future surgery that's really stressing you out. It's also possible that the further testing will show things aren't as bad as you imagine. Given your history, it may be difficult to think of a positive outcome from further tests but take courage in the fact that you are being taken care of no matter what the results.
I just went through a similar process with my Cardiologist. Initial tests showed a potential problem. I was given the possibilities but more tests were needed to confirm. Further tests showed the problem wasn't as bad as initial tests showed. That's why they do the more detailed testing. Now he want's to wait and monitor for any changes.
Click to expand...
That's what we're waiting on. Boy is it mentally tough. The wife is probably struggling more than I am with it. I just remind us that we know about the problem, we're monitoring it and it's not going to sneak up on me.
 
Bestoutwest said:
That's what we're waiting on. Boy is it mentally tough. The wife is probably struggling more than I am with it. I just remind us that we know about the problem, we're monitoring it and it's not going to sneak up on me.
Click to expand...

And don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask what it should feel like if he wants you in the hospital NOW. You have gotten wonderful advice from many.
As my dad would say, "getting old ain't for sissies!"
 
Son of Butch said:
Best of Luck to ya outwest.

Sounds somewhat similar to my baby brother. He had artificial heart valve put in 26 years ago. He's currently in hospital at Mayo Clinic with the plan being to put in a pacemaker today.... and I'm waiting to hear how it went.
Click to expand...
Everything went as well as could be expected.
Researching pacemakers I found a 30 year survival study.

Old school pacemakers average patient survival was 6.2 years.
With improved technology patient survival average has increased to 10.2 years.
The largest improvement has been in the 5 yr survival rate with the highest death rates occurring 9-11 years after implantation. 1 in 3 patients survive 15 years or
2-1 odds and surviving 20 years is 4-1 odds in case anyone wants to know when to hedge their bets with funeral insurance. :)
 
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Well
Son of Butch said:
Everything went as well as could be expected.
Researching pacemakers I found a 30 year survival study.

Old school pacemakers average patient survival was 6.2 years.
With improved technology patient survival average has increased to 10.2 years.
The largest improvement has been in the 5 yr survival rate with the highest death rates occurring 9-11 years after implantation. 1 in 3 patients survive 15 years or
2-1 odds and surviving 20 years is 4-1 odds in case anyone wants to know when to hedge their bets with funeral insurance. :)
Click to expand...
Well, aren't you a little ray of sunshine, Butch.

Ken
 
Son of Butch said:
Everything went as well as could be expected.
Researching pacemakers I found a 30 year survival study.

Old school pacemakers average patient survival was 6.2 years.
With improved technology patient survival average has increased to 10.2 years.
The largest improvement has been in the 5 yr survival rate with the highest death rates occurring 9-11 years after implantation. 1 in 3 patients survive 15 years or
2-1 odds and surviving 20 years is 4-1 odds in case anyone wants to know when to hedge their bets with funeral insurance. :)
Click to expand...
I would be cautious about relying strictly on those figures, there are lots of variables that mere numbers don't take into account. IE, age, comorbidities, overall health, the severity of disease, ect.
Valve replacement surgery is very common these days and in fact, has been for many many years ( I posted in another thread about a friend that had a pig valve implanted about 25 years ago).

Bestoutwest is understandably anxious and concerned as we all would be. But the surgery is not that uncommon and is pretty routine.
 
One test that takes maybe 20 minutes, not invasive, should be on the list like colorectal screening is an Echocardiogram. A standard echocardiogram is painless, safe, and does not expose you to radiation. With the screening you can detect Heart valve disease, Heart ejection fraction and other potential problems with the heart. There are several neighbors around me who have had a heart valve replaced and living what looks like a normal life.

Choosing Wisely: An Initiative of the ABIM Foundation

Choosing Wisely was an 11-year campaign launched by the ABIM Foundation, aimed at promoting conversations between clinicians and patients about unnecessary medical tests, treatments, and procedures. In addition to detailing the initiative's history, the site offers various resources and research...
www.choosingwisely.org

I had one a few years ago, the lady pointed out on the screen each valve, showed it working and as the heart pumped drew the outline of the amount of blood leaving the heart during each stroke which showed the ejection fraction.
 
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I had a little scare 2 years ago, Dr wanted me to take a stress test. But with 2 herniated and one ruptured disc in my back the treadmill was out. I had the nuclear stress test, what a trip when the breathing was a struggle. I passed with flying colors but it was scary.
 
sstterry said:
I would be cautious about relying strictly on those figures, there are lots of variables that mere numbers don't take into account.
Click to expand...
Of course statistics are only a guideline as to expectations.
A friend of the family had a pacemaker put in 10 years ago.
He died 3 years later... a car accident, but still counts as didn't survive 5 years. :)
 
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Named'em Tamed'em said:
I had a little scare 2 years ago, Dr wanted me to take a stress test. But with 2 herniated and one ruptured disc in my back the treadmill was out. I had the nuclear stress test, what a trip when the breathing was a struggle. I passed with flying colors but it was scary.
Click to expand...
I had to have a nuclear stress test in addition to the treadmill. Killed the treadmill, failed the nuclear. WTH? Ended up having a heart-cath, which took all of 20 minutes and he went through my arm instead of my groin, so virtually no down-time. He said my heart is perfect and there's a 15% chance of a false-positive on the nuclear stress test, especially if someone is very thin or has dense breasts (not just women, that includes man-boobs). And then I got a lecture about overexerting myself lifting very heavy objects.
 
wbvs58 said:
Well

Well, aren't you a little ray of sunshine, Butch.

Ken
Click to expand...
The day after I read a couple of studies on valve replacement stats. The numbers were promising, but there's so many variables that go into these things that I get frustrated. I know they have to boil it down as much as they can, but sometimes it feels like too little information.
jltrent said:
One test that takes maybe 20 minutes, not invasive, should be on the list like colorectal screening is an Echocardiogram. A standard echocardiogram is painless, safe, and does not expose you to radiation. With the screening you can detect Heart valve disease, Heart ejection fraction and other potential problems with the heart. There are several neighbors around me who have had a heart valve replaced and living what looks like a normal life.

Choosing Wisely: An Initiative of the ABIM Foundation

Choosing Wisely was an 11-year campaign launched by the ABIM Foundation, aimed at promoting conversations between clinicians and patients about unnecessary medical tests, treatments, and procedures. In addition to detailing the initiative's history, the site offers various resources and research...
www.choosingwisely.org

I had one a few years ago, the lady pointed out on the screen each valve, showed it working and as the heart pumped drew the outline of the amount of blood leaving the heart during each stroke which showed the ejection fraction.
Click to expand...
I've had a few of these. One at 15 where the tech said "Oh I don't like this" and left me in the room by myself to think about that! Turned out it was fine, my repair was something he'd never seen. This one was not my favorite. The tech didn't know everything she was doing so got her super to finish it. They talked about me, and never to me, and it pi$$ed me off!

I now have an MRI to schedule and then we'll get the real picture.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words and for reaching out. This has been quite the kick in the gut, as you all know when you've dealt with stuff.
 
Bestoutwest said:
The day after I read a couple of studies on valve replacement stats. The numbers were promising, but there's so many variables that go into these things that I get frustrated. I know they have to boil it down as much as they can, but sometimes it feels like too little information.
Click to expand...
Contrast those variables against what the odds are if you do nothing..
 
sstterry said:
Any updates @Bestoutwest
Click to expand...
Not as of yet. I'm in a holding pattern. I sent in the heart monitor last week, and that can be several weeks before it's read and reported on. End of March I have a cardiac MRI that I'm not really looking forward to. It's IV contrast, and I have that stuff, yet I have tattoos. Go figure.
 

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