daughter lip piercing/ok/w/bicuspid aortic valve

My daughter just turned 18 and went & got her lip pierced. She has a bicuspic aortic valve (it doesnt close all the way). She is under no limitations except for taking antibiotics before the dentist. Her cardiogist sees her yearly for echo's, in which there is usually a very small change (as he puts it). My question is is this something that she should have been medicated for? It is starting to look infected should she see a doctor? Should I be worried?

[Forum-M.D.-bkj]

Limom,

There are not strict guidelines for body piercings per se, but there are reports of endocarditis originating from piercings. Therefore, I would generally prescribe prophylaxis before undergoing the procedure. While she may not have had this during the procedure, the fact that it now looks infected would also put her at risk for possible bacteremia and risk of endocarditis. I would definitely seek medical attention.

good luck

[ireneo]

I wouldn't wait and wonder. Take her in. If she needs antibiotics for dental work I'd guess having something poked through her lip (a lot of soft tissue and blood vessels there) would be considered even more intrusive. At least call the dr.'s office and ask. They'll probably want to see it and check for infection.

[LImom]

Yes I agree with you She is a very stubborn 18 year old who is refusing to listen to me or go to the doctor. She thinks she is immune to anything that can happen and that I am doing this because I hate the lip ring. I have convinced her to take some clindamycin which we usually have around for dentist appts. I am curious what the doc thinks about this. Thanks for your imput.

[ireneo]

I understand the strong wills of young people; I've raised 3 children of my own. But trying to do self-dosing is not a good idea. From what I remember of taking meds before dental work the doses were much different than a person would normally take for an infection. And if you don't have enough to complete the regimen you'll be left with the strongest bacteria that will simply flare up again. If she wants to keep the piercing and avoid any potential scars she should see the doctor. Maybe that will motivate her. Good luck

[Avel]

There is some information in the medical literature regarding this. Following is a link to a paper about a 24 year old who did get endocarditis following body piercing - he had a bicuspid aortic valve.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=11308199&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum

Here is a second link, the last sentence is key for parents of those with congenital heart conditions, including BAV.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=15338148&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum

Best wishes,
Avel

[anacyde]

When I was 18 I knew everything too.  Funny how as you get older, you realize you know a lot less.

From a cosmetic standpoint - since young women typically care more about looks than life, she needs to get medical attention anyhow.  Any infected piercing can develop keloid scars (they're quite ugly) which require steroid shots (not fun, and quite painful) and infection makes it more prone to migration - a process where the skin basically tries to reject the foreign object by moving it...which leads to some unpleasant scarring.

Remind her she's only got one heart, and she needs to protect it.  As someone who got an unpleasant and unexpected heart scare from nothing I did to myself, I can't even wrap my head around why someone would take unnecessary risks.  But kids will be kids I guess.

[LImom]

Thanks for all the thoughts. I did make my daughter go to her doc & she put her on a heavy dose of antibiotics & told her not to peirce anything else. So hopefully she will take the advice.

[ireneo]

Thank you for updating us. I kept checking your msg to see how things were going. Two of my kids were into piercings. I told them ears were OK when they were young but anything else would have to wait til they were 18. They went wild then but now, 5-7 years later they don't use them. My daughter occasionally uses her earrings, my youngest son uses nothing. Neither one of them have heart issues but it was still scary to see all these holes appearing - sometimes in very delicate areas if you know what I mean. We all got through it and they're great young adults.

[anacyde]

Glad to hear she saw the doctor.  I had to check back :)

[heartmom]

hi there- my name is trisha. my daughter is 8 months old. she was born with a coarctation of the aorta and a bicuspid aortic valve. i see your daughter has a bicuspid so i wanted to talk to you. my daughter had a succssesful repair on the coarc at 2 weeks but they left the bicuspid alone. i am so scared all the time that she is going to get this (endocroditis?)(heart infection). i kinda just wanted to see if you could talk to me about your daughter growing up with this. my daughter kenzi just had a kidney infection and was running a 104.8 temp they just put her on meds but i am constantly afraid that it is going to infect the heart. if you wouldnt mind could you please let me know how you delt with her condition. i would totally apreciate it. thank you
trisha

[LImom]

My daughter was not diagnoses with her bicuspid valve until she was 14 years old so I didn't have the worry erery time she was sick as a baby. Now the docs say that every time her throat is red she needs antiobiotic because the infection can easily go to her heart. My daughter has absolutely no restrictions except for antibiotic propholaxis and she is put on antiobiotic quicker for things than other kids. She goes for yearly echos to monitor the progress. So far it has always been slight changes so every thing stays the same. Good luck to you.

[kendallsmom]

I would have her seen by her dr as they probably will prescribe a med to keep any infection from starting my son has had many open heart procedures and requires meds for any dental procedure even cleanings and i have to agree that a piercing is a  procedure that probably requires her to be medicated...kendallsmom

[jeduguid]

Hi Heartmom!  Saw your post and just wanted to tell you about my daughter. She is now 10 1/2yrs old. She, too, was born with a coarctation of the aorta and bicuspid aortic valve. As well, she also had a repair of the coarc at two weeks old that did require an angioplasty at 4 months. Her bicuspid valve was left untouched, like your daughters'. Now, at age 10yrs, she requires antibiotics before any dental procedures/cleanings and a checkup with her cardiologist every two years (which involves an ECG and EKG...and starting next visit, an MRI). But, other than that, she is a very active and healthy normal 10yr old. There are no physical limitations for her....in fact she LOVES sports, especially swimming, badminton, and soccer. :). I hate to admit this, but she is so 'normal' and 'active', that it is sometimes easy to forget she has it. I, too, was worried every time she got sick, but over time, as I got to know 'her'when she was sick(including a yearly 2-4 day fever of 103deg F fever), my worry decreased, as I've learned what is 'normal' for her when she's sick. Now, although I'm definitely 'aware' when she is sick, it's very rarely a worry. Anyways, I hope this helps. Every case is different, of course, but as scary as things were when she was a baby, things now are just fine. She lives a fully normal 10yr olds life.
;)