Tom's Profile

Currently asymptomatic, but contemplating surgery. My mitral valve prolapse was first diagnosed 20 years ago, and except for taking antibiotics before dental visits it had no impact on my life. I had an echocardiogram about 5 years ago that showed severe regurgitation, but since the heart was otherwise normal my primary care doctor wasn't too alarmed. Then two years ago I got a new primary care doctor, and he was somewhat more concerned, so I went off to a cardiologist, had transthoracic and transesophogeal echos, and consulted surgeons. All the measurements put me firmly in the ambiguous category, where it would be reasonable but not absolutely necessary to have surgery. I decided not to have surgery then, because, well, who wants to have their chest cut open if they don't have to? So I watchfully waited, with six month echocardiograms that showed no change until the last one, in May, that shows ever so slightly higher pulmonary pressure and an ever so slightly larger atrium. I never believed this thing was going to fix itself, but I did entertain this fantasy that it wasn't going to get worse. Apparently I was wrong. So I'm looking at surgery at the end of the summer - no date fixed yet. I don't mind telling you, since anyone reading this is likely to be going through or have gone through similar things, I'm scared.