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MVP or not MVP?
I'm 49. Dx 17 years ago with MVP; now MD thinks I don't have it. A click & murmur were found when I was 18 during college physical. The doctor explained it well to me and had me listen. Since he knew I was going to Nursing school, he said it would be a great teaching tool of a "normal abnormality." Heard by a number of MDs over the years (and my whole Nursing class). I've always had little exercise tolerance, rapid heart rate and SOB with things like climbing stairs.
During my 1st pregnancy, I had PVCs, tachycardia (160), sometimes with no evercise. The symptoms began before I even missed a period. Just treated problems by avoiding climbing steps, rest with symptoms. During 2nd pregnancy (18 yrs ago), had severe problems with tachycardia, palpitations, skipped beats -with sometimes heart rate of only 40 because of runs of PVCs. Holter monitor test showed PVCs, runs of tachycardia and some other abnormalities I've forgotten. Walking slowly was aerobic exercise. I was miserable for the whole 9 months and was on Inderol with some relief after the first trimester. Labor & delivery went OK, but every medical student came to see me and every resident was present for the delivery. It's really strange to know people are watching you labor hoping for a good teaching opportunity to develop!
After pregnancy, an echocardiogram was normal, but it was not well done (15 minute exam lying flat on the table). MD felt I did have MVP because of click and having significant sx. Stuff I've read about MVP fit my sx well - I had most of them my whole life and it was comforting to know it was an annoying, but not really serious condition. I've been on Beta blocker for 17yrs and still have sx daily (PVCs, palpitations). 2nd echocardiogram was done recently. It showed normal mitral valve, but mild mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. Conclusion was normal echo with hemodynamically insignificant regurgitation. MD (Family Medicine) says he has not heard a click during a number of exams and thinks I never had MVP. I had been taking antibiotics for dental procedures, but he says I don't need them since echo didn't show MVP.
Can you have MVP and have a normal echocardiogram? If I don't have MVP, what might be causing the symptoms I have?
If not MVP, what caused the click? Why was it there for so long and now gone? Nothing has changed except now I don't have a diagnosis and I'm confused!!
During my 1st pregnancy, I had PVCs, tachycardia (160), sometimes with no evercise. The symptoms began before I even missed a period. Just treated problems by avoiding climbing steps, rest with symptoms. During 2nd pregnancy (18 yrs ago), had severe problems with tachycardia, palpitations, skipped beats -with sometimes heart rate of only 40 because of runs of PVCs. Holter monitor test showed PVCs, runs of tachycardia and some other abnormalities I've forgotten. Walking slowly was aerobic exercise. I was miserable for the whole 9 months and was on Inderol with some relief after the first trimester. Labor & delivery went OK, but every medical student came to see me and every resident was present for the delivery. It's really strange to know people are watching you labor hoping for a good teaching opportunity to develop!
After pregnancy, an echocardiogram was normal, but it was not well done (15 minute exam lying flat on the table). MD felt I did have MVP because of click and having significant sx. Stuff I've read about MVP fit my sx well - I had most of them my whole life and it was comforting to know it was an annoying, but not really serious condition. I've been on Beta blocker for 17yrs and still have sx daily (PVCs, palpitations). 2nd echocardiogram was done recently. It showed normal mitral valve, but mild mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. Conclusion was normal echo with hemodynamically insignificant regurgitation. MD (Family Medicine) says he has not heard a click during a number of exams and thinks I never had MVP. I had been taking antibiotics for dental procedures, but he says I don't need them since echo didn't show MVP.
Can you have MVP and have a normal echocardiogram? If I don't have MVP, what might be causing the symptoms I have?
If not MVP, what caused the click? Why was it there for so long and now gone? Nothing has changed except now I don't have a diagnosis and I'm confused!!
i recently had a 24 hour holter monitor and was found to have 6,000 isolated PVC's in a 24 hour period. i am essentially without symptoms. when i excercised on a bike for 20 minutes, during the 24 hour holter period, increasing my heart rate to about 135, the number of PVC's markedly decreased. i subsequently had an echocardiogam which found MVP with trace mitral regurgitation.
questions:
1)does the high number of PVC's--6,000 as opposed to, say, 300, mean i have a higher chance of developing future complications of MVP.
2) in the same vein, am i at higher risk for developing ventricular tachycardia by virture of the higher number of PVC's.
3)more importantly, what are the odds that the pvc's are unrelated to the MVP.
4) what other workup would you recommend? do i need a stress test, and, if so, is a stress echo the test of choice in this situation (as opposed to a nuclear stress test).
questions:
1)does the high number of PVC's--6,000 as opposed to, say, 300, mean i have a higher chance of developing future complications of MVP.
2) in the same vein, am i at higher risk for developing ventricular tachycardia by virture of the higher number of PVC's.
3)more importantly, what are the odds that the pvc's are unrelated to the MVP.
4) what other workup would you recommend? do i need a stress test, and, if so, is a stress echo the test of choice in this situation (as opposed to a nuclear stress test).
Hey Bluej, I was diagnosed w/ a heart murmur as a child. Doc sd it went away. Was just diagnosed w/ MVP Nov. 2001. Had an echo to confirm. I am 30 yrs old, have had 3 children and I ran a marathon(26.2 mi)this past March. I ran for 4hrs & 40 min. My heart didn't do anything weird. :0) At first I was pretty scared about the whole thing, but the doctor told me I was fine, my heart was strong & healthy, & that I cld run the marathon. Have you read about MVP? It helps! Even after my doc said I was fine, I came home & looked up MVP. I was relieved after reading about it. Hope your feeling better soon. Take Care!
Thanks.
I hope you got good news with your echo.
A murmur sounds scary, but a lot of them are innocent and don't ever cause a problem. Just an extra noise that doesn't mean anything. And some things that are not normal are not really dangerous, just annoying.
I hope you got good news with your echo.
A murmur sounds scary, but a lot of them are innocent and don't ever cause a problem. Just an extra noise that doesn't mean anything. And some things that are not normal are not really dangerous, just annoying.
Hello, I just wanted to comment on how scary it must ahve been for you to have to go through that uncertainty. I am 32 and just found out I have a murmer, and I just got an echo, I will have the results tomorrow. I am really afraid. Everyone seems to know I am going to be all right but I can't help being a bundle of nerves. I feel like my life is not the same. Are murmers really harmless? Thanks
ChattySue,
What a story! When patients get competing and even discrepant opinions from doctors, things get muddy.
If we assume that your most recent echo is the most reliable, then you do not, nor did you ever, have MVP. You will have to make the decision about whether or not you trust this most recent echo and doctor. If you are uncertain, Then I would recommend seeing a heart valve specialist at a major medical center near your home. The Cleveland Clinic has numerous such specialists if you live near sunny Cleveland.
Clicks are one of the most difficult things to hear and their significance can be subject to interpretation. It could be that you had a physiologic (normal) click as a younger woman that is now gone due to the aging process.
Your symptoms in the past are very varied and difficult to pinpoint to any one mechanism. Other than the PVCs, they do not sound like symptoms consistent with MVP. The fact that you made it thru 2 deliveries without significant problems argues for a healthy heart.
I would recommend seeing a doctor, internist or cardiologist, of good repute in your area to sort through your symptoms.
Hope that helps.
What a story! When patients get competing and even discrepant opinions from doctors, things get muddy.
If we assume that your most recent echo is the most reliable, then you do not, nor did you ever, have MVP. You will have to make the decision about whether or not you trust this most recent echo and doctor. If you are uncertain, Then I would recommend seeing a heart valve specialist at a major medical center near your home. The Cleveland Clinic has numerous such specialists if you live near sunny Cleveland.
Clicks are one of the most difficult things to hear and their significance can be subject to interpretation. It could be that you had a physiologic (normal) click as a younger woman that is now gone due to the aging process.
Your symptoms in the past are very varied and difficult to pinpoint to any one mechanism. Other than the PVCs, they do not sound like symptoms consistent with MVP. The fact that you made it thru 2 deliveries without significant problems argues for a healthy heart.
I would recommend seeing a doctor, internist or cardiologist, of good repute in your area to sort through your symptoms.
Hope that helps.
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