What does your mitral regurgitation feel like?

[RxMe]

As far as I know, I’m not yet a candidate for any mitral valve intervention. I have MVP and moderate MR, with a history of catheter ablation for Afib 2+ years ago. (The Afib was possibly caused by the MR, but the docs can’t say for sure.)

My question to all: What does your mitral regurgitation feel like to you? I don’t have fatigue, but maybe a fair number of ectopics…and what seems to be a rather strange feeling occurring often, as if someone has left a tap running in my chest! Kind of a weird sloshing or effervescent sensation—weird! My EP did not really have an opinion as to what it might be, but I think it might just be the regurge! I can’t seem to find this symptom listed anywhere.

Anyone else experience something similar?

[Pilgrim2]

Hi RxMe,

I was interested in your post as I have had many weird and wonderful symptoms since my Mitral valve problem was diagnosed a year ago. I have the usual ongoing heavy heart thudding, which varies in severity and speed (not so good at bedtime!). I also have had a variety of pains and discomforts throughout my chest, neck, shoulders, head, eyes, stomach and legs. My consultant has said he didn't think these should be due to the Mitral valve, but I never had them before! I have experienced a similar issue to your tap running in feeling a prickly, almost warm wave pulsating across my chest, into my lower abdomen and down my arm, but it would only last around 30 minutes.

Being at severe level, I also have the usual tiredness, breathlessness and giddyness and general feeling of being unwell.

I did start to feel paranoid that I had something else as well as MVR, but after a year have decided that heart problems are able to affect many areas of the body.

I wish you well on your journey.

[RxMe in reply to Pilgrim2]

Thank you, thank you, Pilgrim2, for your kind reply! At least I now can take comfort in the fact that I am not going crazy (for the time being).

You have quite an array of symptoms. It’s understandable that you might think something else may be afoot! But you raise a good point. The heart can have wide ranging effects throughout the body; and maybe some of us are somewhat more sensitive to these changes. Maybe feel even a wee bit more anxious overall!!!! (Come to think of it, I don’t have my former level of exercise tolerance, and there’s that odd bout of chest discomfort now and then....)

I do hope things calm down for you. It sounds like you are dealing with a lot! And it sure doesn’t help when the docs don’t seem to acknowledge what we are going through.

🌺 RxMe