Mitral Valve Leakage - What Are The Symptoms?
Terry is concerned that her mitral valve prolapse is causing symptoms. Terry writes, “Hi Adam - I was diagnosed with mild regurgitation from a prolapsed mitral valve five years ago. I’m not feeling so great lately. Can you tell me what are mitral valve leakage symptoms? Thanks, Terry”.
Mitral valve leakage symptoms typically consist of the following:
- Shortness of breath, especially with exertion or when you lie down
- Fatigue, especially during times of increased activity
- Cough, especially at night or when lying down
- Heart palpitations — sensations of a rapid, fluttering heartbeat
- Swollen feet or ankles
- Heart murmur
- Excessive urination
- Chest pain (angina) or tightness
- Feeling faint or fainting with exertion
- Dizziness
However, leaking mitral valve symptoms do not always appear, or manifest, simultaneously for a patient. Many patients can be asymptomatic even though they suffer from mild, moderate, or even severe, mitral valve disease.
Keep on tickin!
Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery, a unique book which integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of an actual heart valve surgery patient. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.
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September 12th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Hi Terry,
I had mild mitral valve regergitation 8 years ago, and now am getting ready to have my valve repaired 5 days from now. I had hardly any symptoms when I went to see a cardiologist in May. The SOB and lightheadedness, etc started in late June, now I have severe regurgitation.
It would not hurt at all to have it checked, as from my research I have learned that the prolapse can remain stable for years, and then rether suddenly degenerate. Learning this early can make the difference between having a repair versus needing a replacement, from what I learned.
I will write after my surgery. I have learned so much from Adam’s book and this website.
Adam, I agree heartily (pun intended) with your words; “As patients, we enter the operating room with two critical thoughts. The first thought is, ‘Please let me live!’ The second thought is ‘Please fix my heart so that I can live
longer!’ “.
I find myself wondering how my body will feel without the prolapse thumping and bumping, etc. I want the increased energy I hear about.
Winona
September 13th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Hi Terry,
I too have MVP w/ Regurgitation (and a heart murmur). Last year this time I was at the mild stage. By June of this year, I had progressed to severe leakage. Pretty much I am asymptomatic. Back in December of 07, I was starting to have problems climbing stairs, or doing anything physical (like dancing, lifitng items, etc) I would feel winded, extremely tired. I then started walking on the treadmill for 1/2 hour a day and those symptoms dissapated. Now all I have is every once in a while a heavy feeling in my chest or while laying down my heart beats hard against my chest, but not rapid. I am going for my next Echo next week. Back in June I was told I will need surgery to repair the valve because of it’s leakage progression. I am currenlty at the when stage for surgery.
You should get it checked. I go every couple of months for echos to check the progression of my leakage. And other than those few occassional symptoms, I would never have guessed I have a heart problem.
Good Luck.
Sherri
September 13th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Hi,
I have also just been told I have grade 3+ mitral regurgitation. I have no symptoms and had
no idea that I have such a severe heart problem. I never had a heart murmur until someone
mentioned it in 2005. Now they are saying it is severe and I will need surgery at some point
not too far away. Just had a TEE to confirm it. So it seems like you can have pretty bad
leakage without much symptoms. What it means ( I think) is that your heart is so far
functioning and is not enlarged. My left ventricle has completely normal function and
size so far, but I am told this can change quickly. So I have started “shopping’ for a
surgeon, especially because my prolapse is bi-leaflet and only very few surgeons will
repair it, as opposed to replace.
Good luck,
Nupur
September 16th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Bula Terry ! I had severe regurgitation of the aortic valve , enlargement of the aorta ( 7cm ) and enlargement of the left side of the heart. I did’nt think I had any symptoms until after the operation when I met a friend who had a similar operation to me. We found out we both sweated especially at night , around the neck and shoulder area , even with the fan or aircondition on , take care and all the best, chris
October 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I was just diaganosed with Mitral valve small leak. I have the fluttering in my heart when i am really stressed or just sitting. I also have had heart pain and in my back at my shoulder. Is this all related to the leakage?
November 10th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
I have severe mitral valve regurgitation and have been told I need surgery. I have been having symptoms for years, especially dizziness and lightheadedness, but I didn’t know they were symptoms of a bad heart valve. I thought it was low blood sugar. I knew I had a regurgitating valve, which I found out when I was 24 years old and trying to become a police officer (I was denied due to the valve issue). I was told that I would need a valve job sometime in the future, and the stress of being a police officer would probably aggravate it. It could be 5 years or 30 years. The doctor didn’t know.
Over the last 2 years, I have had some fatigue, which I figured had to do with getting older and was still having dizziness and lightheadedness. In the last 6 months, I started having all of the symptoms with shortness of breath and ended up at the emergency room. I have also had palpitations for a long time off and on, but it is only recently that friends have told me that they don’t feel their heart beating UNLESS they have run a mile or done some physical exertion. I thought everyone felt their heart at various times!! I had no idea!
I can’t wait to have surgery to correct this and move on as I am CONSTANTLY EXHAUSTED and can’t do much right now. I can’t remember things very well and am having a really hard time with details and feel spacey a lot, too.
I’m grateful for this website and the book and everyone’s feedback as I am trying to learn more and make a decision as to which doctor to go to. Thank you all!