MItral Valve Prolapse

I was recently diagnosed with mild MVP and a trivial leak. My Cardiologist ran the barrage of tests including echo, stress echo, holeter, etc. He basically sent me off with no limitations and said that I would die of something else. In other words he was not concerned at all.

The other day I was mountain biking and was in the quiet woods taking a rest and could hear what I thought was a loud murmur as my heart was pounding. This scares the hell out of me. I told the doctor and said its not possible given the very recent tests I have had. Should I be worried?

[SillyHeart]

No, you shouldn't be worried.  You can't hear a murmur yourself.  You've just become more aware of your heartbeat since being diagnosed.  That's very common.  Stop worrying and enjoy your life.

[bzmed]

I will have to disagree with SillyHeart.  I have moderate regurgitation of the mitral valve due to MVP and degenerative changes.  Even my doctor can hear the turbulence without a stethoscope at times.  In the mornings when I have my arms above my head (fixing hair) I can generally hear it as can anyone standing within a foot or two.  It is pretty loud.  Every time I go in for a dr visit with any other doctor besides my cardio they get very concerned and make me promise I am following up with a cardiologist.  My cardio says I have a "honk" not a murmur.  The beta blocker has reduced the noise to some degree but I still have days / times when I can hear it.

[miami987]

thanks for the info, but I dont see how its possible if I have trivial leak and just had every test known to man. They got my heart rate up to over 180bpm on the stress and the cardio still said nothing major, just a trivial leak. Maybe the sound I'm hearing is something else, but I'm concerned that if its something you can hear, then its bad!

[Momto3]

When my daughter was about 10 years old, she came down with a very bad case of the stomach flu.  She dehyrated and was very, very sick.  Prior to leaving the house for the doctor's office, I heard a cooing sound coming from across the room.  I check the vents, heat ducts, etc.  Turned out to be her heart murmur!!  It has since resolved : )

My MV murmur is louder than it used to be...and I asked my cardio about it last month.  She said the loudness is not necessarily indicative of anything of medical significance.

I noticed that you had been hiking....I do remember my family doctor telling me (a LONGGGG time ago) when he discovered my murmur, I should not fly in small planes and I should not climb into the mountains....Not sure why??

[miami987]

thanks! Anyway, its strange to me because the doctor could not hear it with a stethoscope even, so it surprises me that I could hear it myself, but that was only when my heart was really beating after exercise. He also mentioned that there are some people with serious regurg with no sound and others with the tiniest leaks that he can hear with a steth.

[bzmed]

Miami,

My sister is a nurse and told me that lots of times with heart issues the louder the sound the smaller the problem which sort of makes since if you think about it.  I know mine is a larger leak but they call it an "eccentric jet" which means it doesn't shoot straight up....it is a an angle which probably causes more turbulence and therefore a louder sound.  You have had all the tests so it is probably the smaller issue - louder sound thing.  If your dr offered a yearly check then that should probably suffice.  If you experience new symptoms you would also want to go in.

Best of luck to you!

[kartoon911]

I was diagnosed last year a kind of heart disease called tribal mitral valve prolapse and my doctor said that my heart is not too really bad damage but sometimes I feel little dizziness, chest pain sometimes, blurt sight sometimes. sometimes I feel that I think it is my last hour I feel Im gonna die. but i said to my self it to my that im just dreaming, wake up in the morning feeling good your heart disease is just a dream. I always thinking of that...