Heart valves regurgitating

[Chatup86]

I recently had a heart scan and it revealed that two of my heart valves were regurgitating blood. I have an appointment tomorrow at local hospital to see a consultant. Is this a serious issue?

[Yumz199725]

Hi, it's quite a shock to first hear that you have to leaky heart valves but they will tell you at your appointment how much there leaking and if that's causing any issues like symptoms such as breathlessness or chest pain and what stage your regurgitation is there is mild, moderate and severe and critical aswell. I have bicuspid aortic valve with moderate to severe aortic regurgitation and moderate stenosis. Depending on what stage your at they might dicuss the option of having surgery to repair or replace the valve. Hope your appointment goes well and let us know how you get on! ❤️

[Chatup86 in reply to Yumz199725]

will do and thank you for your reply.

[Survivor1952]

It depends. When diagnosed my EF was 30% (normal healthy levels are 55-65% depending on who you listen to, BHF say 50%+ is normal). Four weeks later after AVR mine was back to 63% on discharge from hospital. I'm 71 and feeling as fit as a fiddle post operations. Before that I was struggling to walk more than 2-300 yards without having to rest.

The time line for me was a visit to A&E in Oct 22 with chest pains and severe breathlessness. A follow up visit to the cardiac unit a week later and both visits couldn't find anything wrong. May 23 and a routine Echocardiogram (as a follow up to the A&E visit) along with blood tests showed I'd had a heart attack. Five days later two x PCI (stents) and then an echo four days after that showed a regurgitating aortic valve. Three weeks later AVR and CABG with a bovine valve and donor blood vessel from my leg. Discharged 6 days later.

My ex is down at 20% EF but I am told they are trying to control her condition through drugs as they feel they are, for various reasons, unable to operate. She is 65 next month.

[Traveldreams]

you will hear people say that they’ve had this problem for decades without treatment on a ‘watch and wait’ basis. Others, like me, have an immediate severe diagnosis. I was on a waiting list within a month of heart failure diagnosis. I was initially told it was urgent and would be 3-6 months. This is now 11 months and I’m still waiting.

It’s such a shock to the system to have this diagnosis. Take care x

[Mitchum]

I am one of the people who had to "watch and wait". I lived a totally normal life for many years, having a check up annually, until it got to the severe stage, when I had a bypass and mechanical mitral valve surgery twenty years ago. I now live as normal a life as possible!

[10gingercats]

I have the most severe tricuapid valve regurg.It has been like this for a few years. No surgery possible for me as the gap is too wide to close with clips and replace is out of the question.... and I am 85.But up and running with no breathlesness or pain.It is said I have enlarged heart...for years.... plus this and that.I walk most days .I would imagine it depends upon how it implinges on your like plus some valves are more import. than others?

[LadyZ13]

Also, all heart valves regurgitate a bit. Regurgitation is classed as mild, moderate and severe.