Worried

[Lhatty]

Hello everyone, I’m new here and I’ve joined because I was diagnosed with a very loud heart murmur last weekend. I’ve been suffering with breathlessness for a few months when going up stairs or when out walking. I’ve also been hearing the strange noise at night for a month or so too, which turned out to be the murmur. I feel like I have a cough/chest infection waiting to come on but it never does and feels all phlegmy. I’ve had a chest x Ray and bloods taken which were fine and had an ecg which they said was fine apart from one bit that was meant to be going up was going down. I am having an ultrasound next week but am feeling so worried and anxious I can’t think of anything else. I’m just thinking the worst. Does anyone have any words of advice please?

[IanGordon]

Lhatty, hi. It's perfectly natural to feel worried as you go through the myriad of scary tests and stressful time lapses between what feel like random and uninformed events. The good news is that you are on the medical conveyor belt to a diagnosis and treatment. The ultrasound will give a good picture of the heart and valves so that the cause of the murmur can be isolated and treated. The blood test would have helped rule out any heart attack so if you were really poorly they would have kept you in. I've lived with a murmur and increasing breathlessness for a numerous of years and am soon to be fixed. Try not to worry as things will get easier.

[Lhatty in reply to IanGordon]

Thank you Ian, sounds very reassuring and that’s what I need at the moment. What type of murmur do you have?

[IanGordon in reply to Lhatty]

Late diagnosis of a bicusped aortic valve that was calcified (stenosis) which gave me the symptomatic murmur. New valve, all being well, by the end of this month which should give me normal life expectancy. Result!

[Lhatty in reply to IanGordon]

That’s great news Ian, best of luck x

[Rosie1066]

Try not to worry is my best advice. I’m going thru same at moment and had all the tests you are having. I have to wait till July now to see Cardiologist so can’t be too much wrong with me! This is my second time around as I had a valve replacement nine years ago and now murmur is back. Just go with the flow and try not to be too concerned until you get all your results. Good luck.

[Lhatty in reply to Rosie1066]

Thank you Rosie, they have fast tracked me as I have cardiomyopathy in my family x

[Lhatty in reply to Lhatty]

Hi all, it turned out to be hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 😢 I am now on a calcium channel blocker to try and relieve my symptoms and regular check ups at Brompton. Have since had a gene test and it’s been found in my mum too. Waiting for my children to be tested now ☹️