Exercise and mitral valve regurge...confused...

Hi everyone,

29yo male

I have been reading conflicting info from numerous web sites (especially from numerous posters on different web sites) and I am starting to get concerned because of some of the more scary info I have heard...

My basic question is...at what point does someone with mitral valve regurge (in my case mild to "low moderate") need to worry about putting un-safe stress on my heart due to exercise. I am no marathon runner...but I do 30 minutes of cardio 3-4 a week with my HR between 100 and 159 throughout the workout. I feel great afterwards and just the normal running stress while working out...I only do very low weight nautilus these days in addition to normal household lifting (esp. our 35 lb. 1 year old :))

Anyone see any reason for concern with this? My cardios have said "no restrictions" but what is scary is people on other boards talking about people have SCD because they "overdid it" and had MVP or MVR...anyone who can offer some insight it would be appreciated.

Thanks

[anacyde]

If you've been given no restrictions, exercise!  It can only do you good.  If you had severe regurgitation, structural defects and restrictions, then it would be cause for concern.  In your case, it sounds like you're doing very heart-healthy workouts.

A 35 POUND 1 YEAR OLD!!!!???  My son is 13 months and the little bugger is a big boy, and he's only 26 pounds!  Wow :D

[wildcat27]

anacyde...thanks for your comments...it always does me good to hear positive feedback like that. Are you basing that on your gut or something clinical.

I hear you...I need to live my life...but this thing is really looming over me and giving me a lot fo anxiety...just don't know how to get on with things.

but thanks for your kind words...

Jack is what my Italian great-grandmother word call "a bigga boy"

He was 24 lbs. at FOUR MONTHS...and 35 lbs. at 20 months...so he's more than one I should say. Sounds like we have some big "little" guys!!

[Momto3]

Hello

Be careful not to become consumed in the information you are getting from sources outside your doctor's office.  There is a wealth of information on the net; some good, some not so good.

I was diagnosed with MVP/MR about 25 years ago. A TEE in 2000 put the regurg at 2-3+.  I get an echo and a stress echo each year and the doctor has not mentioned any restrictions.  Since each case is different, check with your doctor about your individual situation.  Have you had an echo? a stress echo?

Listen to your own doctor, and don't be swayed too much by what "other posters" are saying.  SCD is a different problem and occurs for different reasons....Do you have reason to suspect you are prone to SCD?  Has your doctor indicated a concern re: SCD?

[Momto3]

I've been getting echos for about 25 years and I've never been told that exercise can strengthen the mitral valve.  I'll try and remember to ask my carido next appointment.  

I'm glad to hear that you are checking out a different doctor/facility since you do not have confidence in your current cardio.  I am seen at two major teaching hospitals and feel very comfortable with the quality of care of information. Makes a BIG differnce in patient comfort and confidence.

I do know that different doctors use different terminology to describe their findings. (ie: mild, psysiologic, minimal are sometimes used interchangeably) For a more precise measurement of the regurg, I would think the TEE would be most accurate. I've known I have mvp/mr for 25 years and I don't know how much it is changed (or not) since I don't have reports from that long ago. I do know that I got a moderately-severe reading in 2000 and was sent for a TEE for clarification. TEE said 2-3+...and there appear to be no changes since then.  I'm told the best way to watch for changes is to have serial echos and compare them.  The doctor said the tests can be interpreted differently by different physicians, but what's important is any "changes."

That's great that you feel good when you work out...Maybe you'll feel more comfortable with your workouts after you get checked out by the new cardio.  Good luck!!

[wildcat27]

Thanks for your feedback...

No...the cardios have all said no restrictions...but frankly I am not always confident with my cardio...that's why I am going to the new one at a research facility.

I even had an echo lab tech tell me that exercise can strengthen the mitral valve (he's been doing echos for 25 years)...but my cardio said there was no evidence for that.

My stress echo last March was tip top...no restrictions...everything looked good. They didn't even bother to inform me that the regular echo said "minimal regurge", it wasn't until I went into A-Fib in July that the other cardio (who had to do a TEE) said he saw a prolapse...then my original cardio looked at the two tapes together and said...I have mild to low moderate...a subsequent echo (that I requested) in November showed the same thing...

Feels to me like the cardios are playing a little fast and loose with terminology...which really bothers me. I know it is subjective but I'd like to get something definitive if possible.

I still get palps from time to time...but feel good when I work out...but in the scary stories it seems like others "felt fine" too...I will be interested to see what the cardio says at the research hospital when I go in next week.

Thanks again.

[Barbarella]

TRUST WHAT THE CARDIOLOGIST TELLS YOU AND NOT WHAT YOU READ ON MESSAGE BOARDS.  

There are all kind of horror stories out there.  I too have mild reg. had a TEE test done in 2004, Cardiologist told me "no follow ups necessary" yet there are people on these boards who were told by their Cardiologists to have repeated echo's ever so often.  Do I worry because my Cardiologist told me "no follow up"??  Not for one second.  He is a well known Cardiologist, in the best Heart and Lung Hospital in our state and I believe what he said. I trust him.  If you cannot trust any Cardiologist then what is the sense in even seing one??

Trust a Cardiologist over people on message boards.  Lots of people will offer support and are helpful, but there are others who get off on scaring people, making up stories about themselves, having the "exact same symptoms/condition" as you, and think they know it all.  You will catch on to these types once you post or read posts long enough.  Remember they are not doctors, they don't know you, have not seen your test results nor have examined your heart.

I had a Cardiologist and a doctor tell me "to stay away from message boards".  I still log on, but I trust a Cardiologist over a message board.

[Barbarella]

I forgot to mention that I exercise for 45 minutes every day with the mild reg. and at times PVC's, and I'm still here :)

[wildcat27]

thanks for the feedback...I flat out had someone post on another message board that folks with regurge and/or prolapse should not lift "kids, boxes, or weights"...has anyone heard this? I would think that is very extreme approach?