Life after Endocarditis?

Hello, i would like some advice with regards to living after Endocarditis.

I am a fit 24 year old male. I was finally diagnosed with bacterial endocarditis with vegetation after approx 3 weeks of night sweats, chills, weight loss and tiredness etc and have recently spent six weeks in hospital being treated with IV antibiotics. My last Echo scan showed that the vegetation had disapeared and bloods showed that i was cured so i was sent home without the need for any valve replacement surgery.

I have now been home for over a month and cannot stop worrying about getting Endocarditis again! My valve has not been severley damaged from the Endocarditis but it is leaking moderatly and my blood pressure has been fairly high, but that seems to have calmed down recently..

I am worried that my lifestlye may lead to me getting it again, is this possible?? I know that i will have to take antibiotics before dental procedures / any invasive procedures. I am a regular gym user and take regular excersice, however, being a young guy i do enjoy drinking socialy with my friends etc and do smoke on occassion (several times a week). Is this something that will cause the Endocarditis to return?

I have no medical history, and have never had ANY problems until the Endocarditis. I have never done drugs and on the whole have a healthy lifestlye, i am lost as to how i contracted the Endocarditis in the first place!

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Hello Nathan

I am a 29 year old female who was diagnosed with culture negative endocarditis 10 weeks ago. I went through 6 weeks of IV Vancomycin, Levaqun and Caspofungin. I went to have a echo done on Friday and my vegetation has grown and I have severe leaking in my mitral valve, so I am having valve replacement next week. Endocarditis is the biggest mystery to me and is very scary, because it can come back. I am just going to be very vigilant from now on to try and not contract any germs.