Misrouted heart artery

[baileylab]

I have just had the nuclear stress test (couldn't finish it due to shortness of breath) an echo cardiogram (showed minimal back flow, showing the reason behind my murmur) and a heart cath.  My complaints starting out had been chest pressure, with occasional pain, thinking perhaps the bout of flu this winter had left me with walking pneumonia.  Instead my family doc sent me to a heart specialist.  He didn't seem to feel I was in the right spot (ever get the feeling when you fail something like a stress test they want to just say "you wimp"?) kept trying to find more there than what I could say, finally agreed to the cath.  What they found was a congenital heart problem.  The inside left artery crosses over and around the heart then "weaves" around the other arteries.  His theory is in times of stress, the arteries expand, putting pressure on themselves and the heart.  He isn't sure on doing an angio, but has set one up.  My biggest question is, has any one been diagnosed and what worked for them.  How many opinions do you recommend getting.  If the DR didn't seem so unsure, I wouldn't be so worried.

[ed34]

please will you keep us informed and I wish you lots of luck with your tests.

[baileylab]

Thank you.  There is a problem with pressure and  some pain, but the cardiologist isn't sure if this is what is causing it.  I hope to get more from my internist tomorrow, with if anything having him  consulting the med school to get better answers.  My twin died at 7 weeks due to a heart problem, and a Grandmother that died at 35 from a "bad" heart.  I was a "blue" baby for several weeks which today would have told them there was problem, but obviously at 58, my body had adjusted.  There isn't a lot out there  to fill me in on research or studies done on this.  I was under the impression the DR hadn't planned on a stent unless he can find proof there is some blockage, so we shall see.  Thanks again.

[ed34]

I think there would be some very obvious questions I would be asking the cardiologists before any intervention. I would very likely accept an angiogram, but would make it absolutely clear that no stents or other methods should be used yet, just simply take images for a deeper study. Maybe you have a congenital heart problem, but this doesn't seem to have affected you for a long time. Therefore your heart is likely working fine with the way your arteries are mapped. If they find a blockage causing the problem, then great, this can be treated but I would want a pretty obvious explanation as to why this problem would suddenly be happening. Don't rely on one opinion if youre not satisfied, there are a lot of cardiologists.