Short of breath at 37

Hello
I'm 37 yrs old.I have Crohn's and have an illeostomy proctocolectomy.My question is as follows I have been to heart doctors in the past and diagnosed with 3 leaky heart vales about five years ago told me not  to worry it was minimal.My choleterol is very high and my liver functiions are elevated so my doctor did not put me on choleteral lowering drugs.My bloodpresure and cholesteral has been high for years.My problem is if I do any thing phsical sometimes just walking up the stairs I'm short of breath severe.Sometimes I'm so short of breath my chest hurts in the center and my chest hurts still ftom yesterday when I moved some brush in the yard.I often have to sit down and catch my breath.The last several months I have had dizy spells.Three diiferent occasions I stood up and almost passed out nearly fell down.I hate going to the doctor but my father died at 50 with massive heart attack.I've been walking for 4 months three times aweek 1 mile in about 18 minutes.I'm so out of breath that I can't do more and there are people inther 70's walking faster and two to three miles. The truth is even in my prime I always found my self short of breath even when I ran 14minute two miles. I could never get faster because of that The last few years I've tried inhalers make sno difference.I had lung tests they all chck out fine.I think it is inside the heart problem?

[Douglas Bogart, MD]

You should have an exercise echocardiogram which will check the valve function and will also check for blockage in your arteries.  You need to be evaluated!!