Beth's Profile

My name is Beth and I have mitral stenosis w/regurgitation. I noticed a couple years ago that I was sometimes becoming short of breath when I seemed to be normal things like walking quickly thru a store or maybe up a hill. I thought at the time that I was just out of shape or over weight. Over time it became more difficult to breath and I would be exhausted for no apparent reason. In December 2010 I realized it wasn't going away and went to see my doctor. When I told her how I was feeling she scheduled an ekg and echocardiogram. Within 5 days I had an appointment with a cardiologist. My husband and I went away for Christmas and when I came back I had my first heart cath and a TEE. By the end of January they had scheduled a valuplasty to balloon the open the mitral valve. Unfortunately it stretched thing open but the valve still does not work. Since the valvuplasty I have had another heart cath, blood work, TEE, and echocardiograms. The concensus is that I need a mitral valve replacement. I wish I knew which valve to pick! And I really wish I had paid more attention to my own symptoms when they first appeared!