Mitral Valve and short of breath

[mb55]

I was diagnosed with Mitral Valve many years ago- For more than 10 years I have been suffering from a very fast heart rate - for no obvious rhyme or reason my heart rate would speed up to over 200 beats per minute- I could never get to a hospital  fast enough for them to record or see it. So I went for years with the doctors not believing this was happening. Last October I was able to get it recorded in an ambulance- My heart rate was 240 for over a half hour- not letting up they had to give me drugs to slow it down- This qualified me to have an electrophisiology study  and an ablation done the next month- I had a collapsed left lung because of the procedure- That problem has been taken care of though.  I have not had a reoccurance of the 240 beats per minute since then. I still have palpations but the life threating SVT is hopefull gone forever. I am on 25 mg per day of toprol for a high resting heart rate. The problem that I have been having for many years - more now than ever is that my heart rate speeds up to 100 120 and I get so exausted  with everything I do- ex. Walking up stairs, rising from a sitting position, pushing a shopping cart, walking etc.) I have been back and forth to the doctor. I had a regular chest exray- that was ok - I had a lung scan to see if I had any clots and that came back fine.I am not sick in any other way- just exausted no sore throat no stuffed up nose no aches.
Just a pain in my chest on the left( could be scar tissure? from the colllapsed lung)- and sometimes in the middle of my chest and sometimes in my upper back. I am otherwise a healthy 31 year old female. I had a echocardiogram done yesterday and have not heard the results yet. So I am wondering what could be making me so tired and out of breath. I used to run track and cross country in high school and now I have to take breaks while talking cause I get so out of breath. oh and I am on 25 per day of amitriptiline for migraines

[Momto3]

WOW!  That is some history with Afib!  My Dad was in chronic afib, not sure if he still is as he is on various heart medications and has an ICD/pacemaker.  Thanks so much for the explanation.

MVR in the setting of a surgery discussion refers to mitral valve repair/replacement. Otherwise, mitral valve regurgitation....Pretty confusing, huh?  

I do not have afib but have known about a leaky mitral valve for about 30 years.  I was referred to Cleveland Clinic for surgery consult in 2000, but it was determined I was not a surgical candidate.  Worked for me, I was outta there!

I believe I have some slight atrial enlargement, but nothing that warrants intervention.  Apparently, there is an optimal window for repair.  So, in the event I need surgery, it will hopefully be for a repair and not for replacement.  For now, I am quite content with the valve I have : )

Great news on your successful repair!!  Hope you are able to resume biking and hiking soon!  Thanks again!

[Jerry_NJ]

The mitral valve is in the left, not right, side of the heart.  I got the sides mixed up. Sorry. Otherwise I think my input is accurate, consistent with my experience.

[Jerry_NJ]

Connie,

I'm not up-to-speed on the shorthand, does MVR, mean Mitral Valve Regulation?  I know the term "prolapse" is also used, I could look up but haven't, and I think that is a failure, which I did not have.

I have had a known mitral valve leakage since I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation, about 8 years ago.  At the time the size of my right atrial was "ok", so after I did not convert on Toprol XL I got an electrocardio, and continued Toprol XL (50 mg)..in about 3 months I went back into AFib.  My cardio moved to Florida and I picked up with a new Cardio in the same practice.  He put me on Propafenone, 225mg three times a day, that did not convert me, we did another electrocardio, it lasted much longer, about 18 months in sinus, and I continued the Propafenone regiment, no more toprol, my heart worked great, rest BPM in the low 60s and I could jog 10 minute miles (about three of them) and stay under 150 BPM.  When I went AFib again we did another electrocardio and I again stayed in sinus for about 1.5 years.  When I went back into AFib again my Cardio said we need a full exam this time, nuclear stress test and echocardiogram.  I failed both.  We did a cardio catheter and found no problems with blockage, and the echo showed my Atrial chamber had enlarged too far to let it go.  So, I had heat surgery, with a successful valve repair, and did a maze procedure.  I was in sinus for about 30 days following surgery, then back to AFib.  

I've undergone more heart study, including a 24/7 monitor for about 30 days...I'm in full time AFib.  I moved on to Rhythmol 425 mg twice a day, that did not convert me, so I underwent another electro cardioversion (by a electrophysiologist this time) and I went into sinus and had a great at rest heart rate, bad news? it lasted only about two weeks.  Both my cardiologist and EP say, hey if you can live with AFib, it can live with you, you'll not gain any additional life expectancy if we get you back in sinus.  So, my only reason to want to get into sinus is I'd like to get back to serious (for an old guy) bike riding, hiking and even jogging.  I just don't have the endurance ... maybe that is mostly due to a reduced physical condition, I stopped jogging in April 2007.  

Sorry for the long answer, if this requires further exploration we may want to open a new thread/discussion.

Thanks for asking/inputs.

[Momto3]

Hey Jerry,

Were you sypmtomatic prior to your MVR?  I have MVP/MR 2-3+ for quite awhile.  Despite some shortness of breath which is probably due to deconditioning, I am feeling fine.  I just went for an echo and so far, everything remains stable.  Whew!  How long did you know about the valve disease?

[Jerry_NJ]

I don't understand the diagnosis: "diagnosed with Mitral Valve many years ago.."
I had a leaky Mitral valve, that was repaired by open heart surgery last November.  If you had/have a leaky valve it could, I believe contribute to a shortness of breath, as could Atrial Fibrillation which often, I believe, accompanies a leaky Mitral valve, and the associated enlargement of the right Atrial chamber.  An echocardiogram will give the condition of all valves and blood flow efficiencies, this should disclose you problem if it is heart related.

Good luck,