J Alexander's Posts

What you say is sadly not just confined to heart valve issues. Case in point: my urologist very recently stated that i don’t have a uti, symptoms are wrong. Well, i know how i was feeling not him. To humor me, he did the test. Guess what, i had it. He is one of the best, by the way. My daughter just had an mri on her knee after her esteemed boston orthopedist told her it was bursitis not a torn meniscus. Our other p.t. Daughter said it sounded like cartilage to her. She got a second opinion ( rose) and guess what, she needs surgery for , can you believe it, torn meniscus.

I wholeheartedly agree with the 2nd opinion. I am going through yet another 2nd opinion/consult within a 5 year time frame with the Cleveland Clinic due to right atrial enlargement, which has become significant, and mild right ventricle enlargement noted on my echo reports the past 3 years that my highly regarded, ACHD clinic director cardiologist never discussed with me. I get the echos for my bicuspid valve and asc. aortic aneurysm with root dilation. When I finally had the opportunity to confront my cardiologist on why he has not discussed this issue with me, he apologized and said that was on him. Then he said that echos are not the best tool for measuring the right side of the heart. And that "we can see this result in thin, healthy women". However, I pointed out the trend of increasing dilation over the past several years. So, he said that if it would make me feel more comfortable, we can do an MRI which I said yest to. He also offered to transfer my care to his colleague who has a bit more time for patients and is more of an imaging specialist. So, I said yes to that as well. This added right side of my heart issue is very anxiety provoking. I am hoping the Cleveland Clinic 2nd opinion can help figure out what is happening and how to treat it if that's needed. The same specialist that saw me there 5 years ago is the one doing my current virtual 2nd opinion/consult.

Welcome to the world of reunions. The sad truth is that when you get into the higher age group reunions like mine, you look around to see who is dead. i get regular updates on classmates that are no longer with us. Over 80 and they get fast and furious. Next month i will be attending a hall of fame induction ceremony and reunion of sorts. I expect i will be the oldest in attendance. I feel lucky that i can still attend. Thanks in part to a repaired mitral valve .

Yes, Richard, thanks to the repair. I have a patient who is refusing to go to surgery, no matter what I or other spetialists say, unfortunately I see her future and it is not bright. Ironically her husband also had valve problem, didn't want surgery and sadly passed recently from heart failure, not surpsrisingly. People are generally not aware how helpful these surgeries are, including some cardiologists... Awareness is far from ideal. Repairing mechanical heart fault is such a medical achievement and we are lucky to have had our valves repaired. Reunions do get sadder each time, I can only imagine how it feels in your age. I don't talk about my ohs much because I have sort of opposite problem, my peers are still healthy and can not relate to my story at all. That's why I have you guys :)

Nice to see you back. My response to your echo question which is timely as i have one coming up. I have been lucky, so far, in that the echo guru at my medical group has been the same person since my surgery in 2001. Also, he presents his findings to my cardiologist, also the same and he reviews it also. I decided early on that i was not going back to mass. General in boston for follow up testing after my surgery because it was never the same person twice and driving into boston on the xpressway was going to damage my repair. They report on my repair, state of my other valves and my so far small aneurism. Along with a bunch of other stuff. I get all this data on my portal and i compare it to my last echo. I only trust me.

Cleveland has me come back eqch year for them to do testing. My doc here is great, but they said since they specialize in this, they want it there if possible. We live 4 hours away, so it's not a huge trip. We call it oit annual vacation. 😝 But I would definitely try and get someone that seems to take this seriously.

Just saying as I had an experience with the first team I was with about lack of communication between specialist and the team partners. I looked into other options and it was like day and night. I am very pleased with my new cardiologist and surgeon. It went from chaos to having a well oiled machine in my corner. As for echo, I had to do a hand delivery to the surgeon before our appointment (mail would have taken too long) or the appointment would be considered incomplete as his team says he likes to read them himself. Love it!!

My cardiologist is the one who literally trains (or set up the training protocols they have) all the echo techs at Northwestern Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute in Chicago and she reads all of mine herself after they've been read by the attending, whoever that may be that day and lets ,me know her opinion if it may be a bit different. They are actually using AI now for them as well, but when I asked her about that when I saw changes that concerned me quite a bit she said she always reads them herself and it is in the beginning stages and still learning. It is scary times we are living in, and I for one, do not like that this stuff is being used. Just my opinion. Too many mistakes with it, even in all other Dr offices when you check your notes after your visit I always find something wrong. It is exhausting trying to keep up with it all.

Thanks all for thoughtful replies. I think all of us post surgery patients have a reasonable request - which is consistent and thoughtful readings of findings... For the 2,000 to 3,000 cost of a test this is reasonable ! I have a hypothesis that I am right and found two potential interpretation errors. I'll test this hypothesis by going to a new cardiologist quite soon. Will see and report for sure!