worry over echo results

[Jeanm-c]

I am a 58 year old woman with a 3 generational history of dilated cardiomyopathy, including mother who had a heart transplant at 50 and am also a carrier of Becker muscular dystrophy, which carries an increased risk of DCM. I have an ECG and Echo every 3 years and when the results of the last echo came back it said normal systolic function, but mild diastolic dysfunction, mild MR and minimal TR/PR. In addition I have been experiencing some breathlessness and an ongoing cough for the past couple of months. I also have quite low blood pressure. My doctor has not suggested anything further but I’m wondering if those echo results are normal . Can anyone please reassure me?

[MummaSoap]

I can’t give you any advice regarding your results but I wanted to reach out and say that you have a lot of factors that are likely to play on your mind and that’s understandable!

If you’re concerned about any symptoms you’re currently experiencing, ask for a GP appointment and go armed with any questions you would also like answered regarding your latest echo. I hope you can find some reassurance that if there was anything seriously concerning, your GP will contact you very quickly. In my experience with drs and my heart condition, I now tend to think no news is good news 🙂

Sending you best wishes

Soap 💛

[Jeanm-c in reply to MummaSoap]

Thank-you so much for reaching out to me Soap, I really appreciate your response ! Unfortunately mine is a very large and impersonal GP practice which has taken over all the smaller practices in the area and it now takes 3 weeks just to get a phone appointment - my own GP left when the last swallow up happened and the practice didn’t even bother to inform me and i have never met ‘my’ new named GP, so I’m not wildly confident in them. But you’re right and i will try to get an appointment…x

[MummaSoap in reply to Jeanm-c]

I’m sorry that this has happened to your surgery, mine seems to be going a similar way unfortunately.

I just didn’t want you to feel alone on this journey! I hope that you manage to get to speak to someone and that the gp you get takes the time to listen to you and your concerns, I’ll be thinking of you.

Best wishes

Soap

[Silvertail]

Those echo results sound good to me, but I'm not a health professional.

[Fullofheart]

Nothing stands out to me but I'm not a medical professional, just someone with a heart condition whose had a few echos. Cardiomyopathy also runs in my family, though its not what I'm diagnosed with.If I were you I'd ring the BHF helpline and speak to one of the nurses who will understand those results.

Best wishes 🌸

[Jeanm-c]

Thankyou Full of Heart, that is good advice 😊

[BobsBeat]

Your Echo looks pretty decent. Mild Diastolic Dysfunction is pretty common as we age, especially starting in the 50's. Mild or Trace MR, TR and PR is also not unusual as we age and is usually just monitored.

My belief is that if DCM was the big concern along with other structural issues, they would have mentioned that during the measurement piece of the Echo. They will measure each chamber (especially the left ventricle) and give size measurements during systolic and diastolic function.

Obviously message your Doctor's office for further explanation on your test results.