Question Title: AI and fatigue--Are they related?

Forum: The Heart Forum
Topic: Heart Murmur

I'm not sure if re-posting the below note is appropriate for this forum, but I wanted to refer to a note that a woman posted last August. I have a moderate to severe aortic insufficiency (apparently due to a congenitally bicuspid valve), but am currently "asymptomatic." However, I am often fatigued and have a hard time battling colds and infection, especially in the winter. No doctor I've seen has stated firmly that my fatigue (I need 9 to 10 hours of sleep a night and often still feel tired throughout the day) or my reduced autoimmune response are related to my heart condition in any way. Yet, I've heard many reports from affected individuals--like the one below--that suggest that fatigue (at least) is not uncommon in folks with AI.

Is there any research that links either abnormally high levels of fatigue or reduced autoimmune response to valve-related heart conditions.

Given the following, my question

Subject: Re: aortic insufficiency
Forum: The Heart Forum
Topic Area: Heart Disease
Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - CRC on August 10, 1998 at 23:09:41:
In Reply to: aortic insufficiency posted by mel on August 06, 1998 at 10:12:55:

First of all, thank you so much for the time and effort you put into this forum. You have provided such valuable info to me in the past and I cana't thank you
enough.
I'm a 38 yo female in great physical shape though I have mod-sev A.I. taking 10mg vasotec daily and have been told by my Cardiologist that an echo will be done
each 6 months and I should prepare myself that one of these visits I'll be informed that its time for my aortic valve to be replaced. Just went in three months ago and
all was fine. But I'm starting to worry about my lethargy in the am and the feeling that my heart is "out of whack" for a couple of hours until it feels like my medicine
is "kicking in". This happens quite frequently but during the day I tend to get my energy back. I don't use caffeine, am not a smoker, but will have a beer or two at
night only on occasion--maybe once or twice a week. The doc says after the replacement I'll be on coumadin for the rest of my life---- What might be causing my
tiredness and "out of whack" feeling? It doens't bother me when I exercise but I sure don't feel like exercising when I have this feeling. Thanks in advance for your
response

Dear Jim B,

Thank you for your question. Aortic Insufficiency and fatigue are linked. Flow that should go out of your heart returns to the heart abnormally and causes overlaod to your heart.

I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.

Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own
doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call
1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart
Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to
address your cardiac problem.

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