Re: MVP and chest pain

Posted By Christine on March 05, 1999 at 11:38:23:

In Reply to: Re: MVP and chest pain posted by CCF CARDIO MD - MTR on March 05, 1999 at 00:12:26:






Exactly what is it that causes people with MVP to experience chest pain?  Is is just the valves not closing properly?
Also when does this usually occur, (rest,exercise,stress)?
Does it feel like typical angina?
Where on the body would the pain be, for instance could it be in the back between the shoulder blades?
would pain be present in someone with mild mvp?
Thankyou




Dear HH, thank you for your question.  There is a chest pain syndrome with MVP that is entirely benign (meaning that the chest pain is not hazardous, it is just a nuisance).  The exact mechanism of chest pain is not known, but an abnormal neural connection is thought to be involved.  Chest pain with MVP can occur at any time, doesn't follow any particular pattern, can feel just like typical angina, and can manifest as pain in many different locations.  The bottom line is that if typical angina is ruled out, then this chest pain will not harm you.
About two months ago I got sick, and aside from appetite and weight loss, and
general yuckiness, I was experiencing scary (to me) heart palpitations in the
evenings. Blood work showed that I had managed, at age 29, to get mono.  Two
months later I am over most of the usual 'sick' things, but continue to have
back pain (between the shoulder blades), tender ribs, sore chest, and chest
'itchiness', as well as episodes of racing and/or forcefully beating heart.  
The doctor now thinks that I have mild MVP, based on a clicking that she hears
when she listens to my heart, although an echocardiogram three weeks ago did not
reveal anything.
So I am wondering whether viral infections can aggravate symptoms of MVP, which
before this illness was never detected and asymptomatic.  If so, does it generally
revert to asymptomatic-ness after the other virus has been eliminated?  
Mono can last months!  How long do I wait to see if the chest pains and heart
thumpings go away before asking for beta-blockers? These symptoms make me very
uncomfortable and have affected my activities, my work, my personal life, heck
just walking around!
Thank you for any opinions.