I am a 52 year old female who has just been notified that she has sclerosis of the heart valves. I had a echo stress test as a result of sudden, severe chest pain which took me to the ER. I have been experiencing shortness of breath upon movement for some time, but have begun to feel short of breath and chest discomfort / pain lying down at night. It is severe enough to keep me awake. I sleep nearly sitting up propped on 2 pillows, but am still very uncomfortable. I sleep with a CPAP machine, but it does not help these problems. In addition, my heart "skips" beats or seems to "pause" and beat twice at times. This has been occuring for several years, but is getting worse. I now experience this sensation every night when Iie down in bed. Are any of these symptoms related to the valvular sclerosis? I am to see a cardiologist, but that appointment is over 3 weeks away. What do I need to know about sclerosis in advance of my appointment to ask informed questions? What should I expect from my cardiologist appointment? How should I cope with these problems between now and my appointment with the cardiologist?