About Me (In My Own Words)
Ever since I was young, doctors would tell me they heard a murmur when listening to my heart. No one was terribly concerned with it until I had an echo in 2010, and was told I had a bicuspid aortic valve. Again, nothing to worry about, I thought.
In 2013, my primary care doc asked if I was being followed by a cardiologist. "Am I supposed to be?" I asked. She gave me a referral, and I had an echo and a CT. My ascending aorta measured 4.5 cm, and I had mild leaking in my aortic valve, so the cardiologist referred me to a cardiac surgeon. The surgeon told me it was time for surgery to replace my aortic valve and ascending aorta, and scheduled me a few weeks later.
I started doing some research, and felt I needed a second opinion. Doc #2 was shocked that Doc #1 was so quick to want to operate. He told me he would wait until my aorta was 5.0 cm.
I went for a third opinion, and found a surgeon I have full confidence in. I am now getting annual echos and CT's, and waiting for things to get bad enough to need surgery.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Atlanta, GA
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I was diagnosed with:
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Aortic Aneurysm
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Alan Wolfe
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My hospital is:
Northeast Georgia Medical Center