Mitral valve update. Bigeminy.

[Cornishbeach]

So things have moved on with my valve issues over the weekend!

Having gone to bed I was woken an hour later by palpitations and a pain my chest. I'd had a bit of breathlessness going uphill this week and have been really fatigued and off my food. Nothing like I had experienced before so 111 and a trip to A&E later I'm now booked for an angiogram and repeat echo and then on the waiting list for valve surgery. Various tests were done (chest xray, ecgs, bloods) and luckily no heart attack and other blood results were fine. I have bigeminy which has increased across more of my heart muscle and my heart is enlarged (which I knew from the TOE). Phew!

Our A&E was really busy with a 2 hour wait in an ambulance and 6 hours before I saw a doctor.

The main thing was I was told off for was not ringing an ambulance earlier as I thought it would 'all go away' so my advice to anyone is don't suffer, get seen and don't worry - the system works - it might take a bit longer that's all! Listen to your body - if it doesn't feel right it probably isn't!

I'll post my journey going forward as this forum has really helped me so I hope it will help others. For me the decision has been made now - did I want to live with increased symptoms in the hope of the medication helping and a keyhole procedure in the distant future or bite the bullet and go for it? - no brainer now and it has been a weight off my mind (even though I'm scared stiff of the open heart surgery).

[080311]

So pleased to read you are now being sorted out. Please try not to be scared about open heart surgery, I know easier said than done 😂 but it’s no where near as bad as our imagination makes it. You are really well looked after and after all this is their day job. I am nearly 5 years down the road from my surgery and grateful every day to the medical team that gave me my life back.

Best wishes Pauline

[Cornishbeach in reply to 080311]

Thanks Pauline. I really appreciate your reply. 😀

[Prada47]

Hello Bigeminy is an Ectopic every other heart beat or that is my understanding not anything to do with Mitral Valve.?? I may have that wrong so stand to be corrected !!

Vaccinated twice to stay safe

[bantam12 in reply to Prada47]

No you haven't got it wrong Prada, I have both Bi and Trigeminy where the old ticker skips beats every 2 and 3 beats 😬

[Prada47 in reply to bantam12]

Hi Bantam

I was hospitalised when I started to have an Ectopic every other heart beat, not sure what that is called lol. My blood pressure fell through the floor, there was quite a bit of concern but it settled it's self down after a few hours of bed rest. I haven't had it again since being on 10mg Bisoprolol and mid dose of Entresto so quite happy now.

Valves noted as of no concern on last echo, long may it continue !!

Vaccinated twice to hopefully stay safe

[Cornishbeach in reply to Prada47]

HiMy leaky valve has caused my left atrium to be enlarged over decades and the electrics have gone wrong / become distorted causing the bigeminy. So the valve has indirectly caused the problem so to speak. That's my understanding. On Friday my ECG showed increased areas of misfiring possibly causing the pain/ache as the palpitations were worse and working the heart muscle harder.

I've been double vaccinated to. Thank goodness.

[Drummer20 in reply to Cornishbeach]

Hi,I’ve had these problems,I’m waiting for a valve replacement.I’ve been to Aand E a few times due to arrhythmias and chest pain.They say my heart is enlarged on the left side.

[SuperFluff]

Sounds like a very eventful weekend so far!! Really sorry you had to spend 2 hrs in an ambulance and had six hours before seeing a doctor! For me, that is totally unsatisfactory. However, at least you are getting treatment now. Must have been very frightening. Look forward to hearing about your journey going forward and have my fingers crossed that all goes well from here in. x

[Cornishbeach]

It just shows the increase in need again and the lack of funding for the NHS to improve their service. Let's hope I don't need to do it again 😊