Rhumatic Fever

Hi... i'll like to know how bad is Rhuematic fever... i had it since i was about 7-8 years old... am now 21 yrs and discovered that i still have it in 2006(2 yrs back) had to remove my tonsil(2006) cos they were enlarge... and then i year after i started to have problems with my throat and then it i started to get out of breath and then it after a couple of months it went to an extent of havin chest pains... i suffered with it for a couple of months and then the doctors decided to do a ecg(the one where u can see the heart on a screen) and diagnose that i have a mild senotic mirtal valve ... im under medication i did the test in May/June, 2008 and still havin problems such as severe chest pains and shortness of breath ... always feelin tired..i can do nothin much cos i get out of breath..sometimes my foott swell(from ankle down)and i am always tired...and i have very fast heart beating and heavy ones and it gets extra heavy if i do stuff(clean up the house or jus simply walkin a lil fast) and sometimes my fingers are very weak and my hands tremble from time to time it is really affecting me..since i am only 21... i get depress fast.. oh and the last time i visited the doc... the told me sumtin about my tyroids( he asked me to swallow and then say he suspect tyriods).... whenever i touch my neck where it is, it hurts... and about 2 days ago when i was brushin my teeth i saw bits of blood... n no where in my mouth was brusie or anythin...and i really do get alot of chest pain... it starts from my breast(the left side) and goes straight up my left arm... through the hands...im using laysix...pen-v, dioxyn... and get a shot of antibodic every six weeks.. and the doctors cant explain why im gettin so much pain....i need some sort of explaintion..please...(im in the carribean... and the doctors here arent too much instrested ..well tey treat u but u know show intrest and dedication to the case)

Would appreciate a your opion/advise

[Douglas Bogart, MD]

It sounds like the mitral valve is badly narrowed and you may need a procedure to open the valve.  Sometimes this can be done with a catheter procedure and sometimes it involves open heart surgery.  Beta blockers may help with your symptoms but likely you need more done.

[anu615]

Thank you very much... but the things that i experience are they normal? the shaking hands and the severe pains etc etc??