Barry's Posts

I went over to the Cleveland Clinic yesterday to be evaluated by one of their cardiologists. Left at 3:30 in the morning, no traffic! I was very impressed with the place and the doctor. When it came time for him to go over my 3 ECHO tests from my cardiologist, he comes in and says what they sent over was worthless because they just sent still shots, not any movies of the heart pumping. So they changed the schedule around and I met with him after they ran their ECHO. His analysis is that I have a severe regurgitation of my mitral valves, but the leak is not active during the entire ventricular contraction. The result is that the volume of blood going back is not as large as it could be and that is why my heart has not started to compensate (enlarge, thicken, etc.). Because my cardiologist screwed up with what he sent over, they have no idea how this is changing with time . So because my heart is doing fine, he felt that we can take time in evaluating the situation. He wants me to come back in August and have a stress ECHO where they would make their measurements while I am exercising. He suspects that the leak gets worse with exercise. That is probably what causes shortness of breath, even with simple tasks like picking up my 85 pound 14 yr. old dog to put in the station wagon. So I think I am in good hands over there in having them follow my valve disease, and I will make the effort to do the drive rather than take the convenient route and try to work with the group over here. Bottom line, no surgery at least for a while.