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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Marantic Endocarditis vs. SBE
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
Marantic Endocarditis vs. SBE
by Lance__0, Jan 01, 1995 12:00AM
Posted By Lance on June 09, 1998 at 19:52:40:
I posted a message on April 18 (from Lance) under
the heading "B. Endocarditis: Or Is It:". This is
a late follow-up.
If possible - I request that you read that posting prior to this
as I could not figure out how to move it from the archives.
I was diagnosed with culture negative SBE (and TEE negative)
in early April. I under went 6 weeks of vancomycin which
eliminated my fevers, though some of my chills remained.
Additionally, I had swollen/sore lymph nodes (neck/underarms) before the
diagnosis and continue to have them today. They are unusual,
as the soreness and swelling tends to move around in my
lymph system - it is not consistent. The swelling is not substantially
large either. I also experience brief pain/soreness in my neck muscles,
lower back and right side.
As advised in my last posting, I asked the doctors to investigate
my lymph nodes further . They said they saw no reason to. I also
asked them to check for auto-immune disorders. They did check for
a few but the only 3 I can remember are Lupus, Rh. Arthritis, and
my Cortisol level (Adrenal gland). Remember - out in the real
world we are dealing with HMO's day to day. We don't call the
shots - they do.
I was told wait until I got off Vancomycin and my problems will go away.
I've been off 4 weeks and they havent gotten any better. I now
have the same type of lymph problems in my groin and feel a dull
ache in my testicles. I have also had burning eyes throughout
the entire experience and recently (last week) have had a sore
throat. I saw a ENT for the throat but he didn't suspect much
of a problem.
My infectious disease doctor has run numerous CBC, Chemistries,
and Sedrates. All come back normal. He even recently ran
a few virus titers (Epstein-Barr, CMV, Lymes) - All negative
except a tested positive for having epstein-barr at some point in my life.
He basically says "I Have no infections whatsoever at this point".
My cardiologist ran a new echo (which hasn't been run in 7-8 weeks)
plus a thalium stress test. After waiting three weeks - he now
tells me I have some rather moderate, possibly severe damage to
my mitral valve which may require replacement. I have two jets
that are regurgitating (before the bacterial endocarditis, I only
had minor regurgitation).
I understand that the SBE could have caused this additional damage,
but now my cardiologist speculated about "marantic" endocarditis
or non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis. He wants to biopsy
a lymph node (which I asked them to do 6 weeks ago). He also
wants to run another TEE.
I understand that this type of endocarditis is often a sign of
a terminal illness, often cancer, particularly pancreatic.
I was floored that after all this time that they may now suspect
a non-bacterial source and wasted 3 months treating me for something
I probably never had.
Is marantic endocarditis something they could have missed 3 months
ago by confusing the symptoms with bacterial endocarditis?
I can't seem to find any symptons for the onset of marantic
endocarditis? Are there any? Or does it manifest after the onset
of the primary illness (like cancer).
I know this is a heart forum - but is it posssible to have a
serious or terminal type of cancer with the negative CBC's I
get plus the good sedrates (10).
Believe it or not, I find myself "pulling" for only having
heart problems - as rediculous as that sounds.
Anxious and Very Confused.
Lance.
I posted a message on April 18 (from Lance) under
the heading "B. Endocarditis: Or Is It:". This is
a late follow-up.
If possible - I request that you read that posting prior to this
as I could not figure out how to move it from the archives.
I was diagnosed with culture negative SBE (and TEE negative)
in early April. I under went 6 weeks of vancomycin which
eliminated my fevers, though some of my chills remained.
Additionally, I had swollen/sore lymph nodes (neck/underarms) before the
diagnosis and continue to have them today. They are unusual,
as the soreness and swelling tends to move around in my
lymph system - it is not consistent. The swelling is not substantially
large either. I also experience brief pain/soreness in my neck muscles,
lower back and right side.
As advised in my last posting, I asked the doctors to investigate
my lymph nodes further . They said they saw no reason to. I also
asked them to check for auto-immune disorders. They did check for
a few but the only 3 I can remember are Lupus, Rh. Arthritis, and
my Cortisol level (Adrenal gland). Remember - out in the real
world we are dealing with HMO's day to day. We don't call the
shots - they do.
I was told wait until I got off Vancomycin and my problems will go away.
I've been off 4 weeks and they havent gotten any better. I now
have the same type of lymph problems in my groin and feel a dull
ache in my testicles. I have also had burning eyes throughout
the entire experience and recently (last week) have had a sore
throat. I saw a ENT for the throat but he didn't suspect much
of a problem.
My infectious disease doctor has run numerous CBC, Chemistries,
and Sedrates. All come back normal. He even recently ran
a few virus titers (Epstein-Barr, CMV, Lymes) - All negative
except a tested positive for having epstein-barr at some point in my life.
He basically says "I Have no infections whatsoever at this point".
My cardiologist ran a new echo (which hasn't been run in 7-8 weeks)
plus a thalium stress test. After waiting three weeks - he now
tells me I have some rather moderate, possibly severe damage to
my mitral valve which may require replacement. I have two jets
that are regurgitating (before the bacterial endocarditis, I only
had minor regurgitation).
I understand that the SBE could have caused this additional damage,
but now my cardiologist speculated about "marantic" endocarditis
or non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis. He wants to biopsy
a lymph node (which I asked them to do 6 weeks ago). He also
wants to run another TEE.
I understand that this type of endocarditis is often a sign of
a terminal illness, often cancer, particularly pancreatic.
I was floored that after all this time that they may now suspect
a non-bacterial source and wasted 3 months treating me for something
I probably never had.
Is marantic endocarditis something they could have missed 3 months
ago by confusing the symptoms with bacterial endocarditis?
I can't seem to find any symptons for the onset of marantic
endocarditis? Are there any? Or does it manifest after the onset
of the primary illness (like cancer).
I know this is a heart forum - but is it posssible to have a
serious or terminal type of cancer with the negative CBC's I
get plus the good sedrates (10).
Believe it or not, I find myself "pulling" for only having
heart problems - as rediculous as that sounds.
Anxious and Very Confused.
Lance.
