Elaine's Journal

Anybody out there have any experience with SECONDARY Mitral Regurgitation with permanent A-fib and Severe Enlargement? Hi everyone, My cardiologist today explained for the first time that I have SECONDARY Mitral Regurgitation. If I understand it correctly, my permanent A-Fib (diagnosed 34 years ago) and my "Severe Biatrial Enlargement" have caused the Mild-to-Moderate Mitral Regurgitation. The Mitral Regurgitation was diagnosed NINE years ago. I was told then: "it needs to get worse before we would do any surgery." No distinction was made, nor was I told that this was "SECONDARY" Mitral Regurgitation (or "Functional" MR vs. "Organic" MR). Now I know. The cardiologist today explained that since my last two echocardiograms are 'status quo' which is, no change for the worse, that no doctor would recommend any type of valve repair surgery because the surgery risks outweigh the MR risks. So....he IS saying, again: "No surgery until it progresses to severe MR." He also said that since I am young (about to be 60) I would want to keep my current valve as long as possible because I would just have to have it re-done. And he made the analogy of a car and car parts and replacing valves too soon....whatever. I'm not a car. I am having symptoms (fluid retention, total exhaustion, breathlessness, etc) off and on....for years. But much worse the past two months. And: I know what my a-fib feels like...I'm used to it after all these years. I KNOW when I'm not feeling right....like now. He's telling me to just deal with it and when it gets worse then we'll do something about it. Meantime, I need to be treated for the Heart Failure symptoms and 'wait' for the valve to get worse. I think that is what he means. anyway: What exactly will happen that will tell me "OK this is "worse enough for surgery?" The MR will not improve...it will stay as is, or get worse. I am in Heart Failure, I know that will not improve...I need to help keep it from progressing. And my a-fib will just continue, as always, nothing can be done there....my severely enlarged atria are not going to be getting smaller.... Is my choice that I just feel this bad until I feel really REALLY bad? Am I thinking of this in the wrong way? I did tell him I wanted a second opinion, which he said is my right, and that he doesn't have a problem with it. But he also said that my symptoms are not caused by the valve...surgery on the valve will not help me. We're going to do a Holter monitor for 48 hours to make sure the afib is being controlled, and then I will do a stress test (but no blockage or artery hardening seems to be there). I DO have pains in my chest....actually they feel like they are inside my heart...which I know is impossible. Is that referred pain from my osteoarthritis? Is this my imagination? Anybody out there have any experience with SECONDARY Mitral Regurgitation with permanent A-fib and Severe Enlargement? Thank you so much for any info.... Can any doctors on this thread help me with this?