I am glad that you have been seeing a cardiologist all this time who likely knows you and your medical conditions well. I suspect that you are likely in good hands.
However, there is never any harm to seeking a 2nd opinion. In fact, you should not hesiate to do so if you begin to feel uncomfortable or unsure of your diagnoses and the care you are receiving. Sometimes, simply a fresh perspective from someone new can be helpful.
Wishing you all the best in health and happiness.
Dr. Rich
I'm only 29!!! My cardiac problems started when i was 19 so ive been under the care of a cardiologist since then. I just feel like alot of what he tells me is, he's keeping a close eye on me. Are my conditions typically just something you watch for progression or do you think i may be a candidate for any preventative or corrective procedures?? Thanks again for your help.
I am not sure why your doctor is unable to rule out chronic thromboembolic disease (ie as a result of your pulm embolism).
Also, how old are you? My sense was that you are a young person (and copd is exceedingly uncommon in young people).
My most important advice for you is to see a quality cardiologist. He/she should be able to sort all these things out for you and provide you with excellent care.
Good luck.
Dr. Rich
Thank you for responding back to me. I do know for a fact that they couldnt rule out a chronic emboli and that i have prominent remodeling. Does this sound like early stages of CHF or do you still not have enough info to make that assumption? Also, i was just diagnosed with moderate COPD as well. Will this also have an ill affect on my heart??
Hello and welcome to the forum.
First, I am very sorry to hear about all that you are going through.
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is not an uncommon condition and tends to affect women more so than men. In many patients, MVP simply needs to be watched for the development of a leaky mitral valve (called mitral regurgitation). In others, the leakiness will become severe and may require a valve repair (you mentioned that you have mitral regurgitation but did not state the severity). The general prognosis in MVP however is quite good. Many patients with MVP may suffer from palpitations (like you describe), often requiring medical treatment (in your case, you even underwent an ablation).
The fact that you are experiencing swelling in the legs and have a mildly elevated BNP suggests the possibility that the pressures in your heart are a bit elevated. This does not mean that you have a serious condition but rather that it should be evaluated. You did mention that you had a pulmonary embolism before. Most of the time, these resolve without further consequences but in some, there can be some residual clot that can put some strain on the right side of your heart.
I imagine you are seeing a cardiologist for most if not all of these conditions (if not, you should). I know that all of this must be very frightening for you. However, all the conditions you describe are quite common and usually quite treatable. The most important thing is that you receive the proper diagnoses so that you can get the treatment you need and move forward to live a long, productive, and enjoyable life.
Best,
Dr. Rich