AF and leaky tricuspid

I am a 38 yo female, diagnosed with early DCM Feb 2008. I experience a lot of bigeminy, palpitations, SOB on exertition, chest tightness, but do not have CHF. I have Toprol and Coversil daily.

I have just recently had a routine echocardiogram whereby a small leak in the tricuspid valve was noticed, which has not been obvious in earlier cardiograms (last one was June '08). The technician told me that it is something not that uncommon but I wasnt sure if he meant not uncommon for DCM patients or not uncommon, period. During a recent ambulance trip to the ER I was also recorded experiencing AF, which is also something I have not been made aware of in previous monitoring. However, it did resolve itself within a couple of hours. I have since felt that fluttering again, once, accompanied with increased discomfort, but also again, only for a short duration. The ectopics have continued as "normal" (for me!).

Are these signs that I may be experiencing a small degree of deterioration? Should I be requesting more frequent follow ups? I accept that if there was a need for me to be attended to at this current time then that would be happening, so I am not panicking, yet! I confess though, I am concerned, and would like to know whether or not I should be keeping a closer watch on how things pan out, or just sit back and treat these new things as nothing. I like to read up on everything new, but it is difficult to find reliable information written in layman's terms that isnt "worst case scenario" (Which I know I am not). I dont want to hassle my specialists with these concerns, but dont have a follow up appointment until mid January. Could you point me into a more informed decision, or is that too hard without knowing other details?

[Brooke_38]

Hello...


I can understand your concerns. You should absolutely be requesting more follow-ups. I don't understand why they would not have scheduled an appt sooner than mid Jan.

I understand your desire to read up on your condition and expectations....be very careful about finding info on the internet. You are right, what you find is usually "worst case senarios" I would suggest first, not feel like you be hassling your specialist by asking him/her the questions you son't have the answers to. They are your Dr's and should make you feel that you can call if you are concerned. I have been very lucky with my Dr. he always leaves his door open to me, has even given me his direct page number.

If you are not able to get in touch with them, any online seaches that I would trust would be the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic to name a few.

lastly, if you're not currently on an anticoagulant (Coumadin) I hope that you were given this with the revelation, whether it was short or not, of atrial fibrillation.

Please let me know if I can help you further:)

[3dragons]

Thanks for the welcome and reply.  I had a holter monitor done about a week ago, but am not (yet) sure if any AF showed on that. On the weekend, the symptoms that led to the chauffered ride to the hospital were more severe for me than normal, but did resolve themselves, the new symptoms anyway, by the time I arrived at the hospital. I am not sure if the ambos give printouts to the hospital staff to say what occurred electrically during the trip down, but I dont think that I had that happen again while I was on the monitors in the ward.

Isnt that always the way with monitors that actually record things and early stage illnesses?!!!

I have been on warfarin before for a post op DVT, but nothing has been mentioned since this latest finding. I think I will make another appt with my GP, who used to be a  cardiology registrar, to discuss it further at this stage. Thanks for the advice though :)