Recently our daughter who has a history of mitral stenosis, and coarchtation of the aorta became very ill.She had been on a medication for migrane headaches called amitriptyline for about 6 months. It was discontinued, but she is still symptomatic.
She began with flu like symptoms, primarily fever and cough. Her cough never went away. The General practiononer said she was in CHF after some tests and she was put on Lanoxin and something to dry the lungs up. She was later upgraded to mitral valve insuffeiciency. When she lays down, she begins to cough worse, to where she prefers to try to sleep sitting up. Along with this she complains of a "grapefruit size lump feeling" in her chest just where the collarbones meet in the front. She wakes at night with Chest pains, one set that runs horizontally from the sternum to the left side of the ribs and one that runs vertically in the center of her chest. She is rarely hungry, Is fatgued and has a very high heart rate.
She has undegone two echos,a cardiac cath, a stress echo, a 24 harness, blood profiles (eliminating diabetes, thryroid or other blood/heart related illnesses)in the last two months, with no significant changes from when she was a baby
We are being told that the progression of this should not have been this fast, (over about a four month period of time). We have been evaluated by pulmonologist to eliminate asthma or breathing difficulties due to lung malfunctions. We were told by this specialist that he thinks she is sufferinf from depression.
(She is very lively and upbeat when she is feeling well, and tries to stay involved with her horses and ice skating) We are concerend it may lead to depression if we cant get some consistency in her days.
I guess i want to know the following:
1)
She just had a VMA test done, showing nothhing too. Is this a normal test to check heart function????
2)Are there other tests we should request?
3)Are her symptoms consistant with mitral valve and aorta problems
4)she wants to know, is it normal for her leg to be sore two months after the echo.
Thank you for your time.
Theresa