pulmonary insufficiancy

I had open heart surgery at 8 months to fix pulmonary valve stenosis.Now at 32 I have severe pulmonary valve insufficiancy with an enlarged right ventrical and mild irregular right ventricular function.There is only one cardiologist where I live and he says he wants to monitor my situation by seeing me every six months to a year is that a normal situation or should I be checked more regularly? I'm pretty worried because i've been reading about it and everything says that the right ventrical can only compensate for so long. My family doctor explained that according to the tests right now about 40% of the blood going out my pulmonary valve is coming back in. Thank you for any suggestions.

[Between]

I def. would ask the dr. on this forum. If you scroll down where it list the forums, it will say Ask a Expert and click on the Heart one. A dr. from Cleveland Clinic will answer you.

[kenkeith]

You are experiencing right-side failure as 40% back flow is severe enough to begin to cause left-side failure after compensating then overcompensating phase as you recognize.

You should be in contact wiith the surgeon who performed the operation on the subject valve.  Why hasn't your doctor provided more guidance, as he/she should? Such as a referral to a specialist or his/her consulation with the surgeon!!  It is not normal to be seen every 6 months...as you have probably read decompensation can happen quickly and as a result the left ventricle can enlarge and a drop in left side functionality.  Under those circumstances surgery is very risky.  Better to correct problem sooner than later to preserve the left ventricle function.  

Sorry to hear of your circumstances.

[SusanJay]

I have pulmonary artery hypertension and right heart failure.   These things are not something to just watch.  Get some treatment by a specialist!  Heart failure is highly treatable.