Echocardiogram DX minimum severe aorta stenosis, lowest level. I have no symptoms. Cardiologist said to do nothing until I notice symptoms except echo testing ...Read more
Echocardiogram DX minimum severe aorta stenosis, lowest level. I have no symptoms. Cardiologist said to do nothing until I notice symptoms except echo testing every 4 months. Is this typical?
Elaine Cutri From my experience, yes. You may not notice symptoms, but echocardiogram and x-rays can track the pro ... Read more
Elaine Cutri From my experience, yes. You may not notice symptoms, but echocardiogram and x-rays can track the progression of the aortic stenosis. I assume it's your aortic valve, not your aorta artery. This may take a number of years. Please feel free to ask more questions. Best wishes.
Kal Telage Are you saying that I may have to just monitor it until I get symptomatic to the point where they wil ... Read more
Kal Telage Are you saying that I may have to just monitor it until I get symptomatic to the point where they will do surgery. I am finding it difficult to deal with the fear while waiting and hoping I adjust so it doesn't prey on my mind so much. I recently first saw my cardiologist after a murmur was discovered. But no symptoms yet
Franklin Wyrick In my case my cardiologist said its time to have the surgery even though I don't seem to have any sym ... Read more
Franklin Wyrick In my case my cardiologist said its time to have the surgery even though I don't seem to have any symptoms. I remain very active yet and my surgery is June 2nd. My stenosis has progressed to the point that he thinks it needs to be fixed, so here I go. You are right, the waiting and wondering is terrible. Good luck and hang in there.
Rita Savelis Yes, the anxiety and fear while waiting is hard. Sometimes you just want to get it over with. Doctors ... Read more
Rita Savelis Yes, the anxiety and fear while waiting is hard. Sometimes you just want to get it over with. Doctors will keep tracking the progression (which could be slow or fast) and when and if (some patients don't) you get "symptoms" (a different kind of tiredness, out of breath on stairs, etc), they will add that to their tracking of progress. Each case is different so it's hard to say "when" is the right time. It can be months or years. Almost everyone here on this site has had this pre-surgery anxiety. Trust your doctors to be doing the right thing, but know hat they can not predict when you will need surgery despite all the patients they have had. It really varies.
Elaine Cutri The indicator my cardiologist used for an earlier surgery, to fix the aortic stenosis, was the enlarg ... Read more
Elaine Cutri The indicator my cardiologist used for an earlier surgery, to fix the aortic stenosis, was the enlargement of my left ventricle. He wanted to wait as long as possible before the heart muscle reached beyond its elastic resilience. He chose well, the left ventricle returned to a normal size and I benefited by having surgery with the latest technology and an experienced surgeon.
I know the waiting is hard and this is all new and big changes, but keep reaching out for help to play this waiting game. Prayers, hugs and best wishes.
Kal Telage Thank you all. If possible, I want to have it soon. Can you tell me if any of you who suffered seve ... Read more
Kal Telage Thank you all. If possible, I want to have it soon. Can you tell me if any of you who suffered severe anxiety took medication to help you bear it. Right now, there are periods when I am paralyzed by it.
Kal Telage Franklin, I wish you the best with the June 2 surgery.
Elaine Cutri I think most of us have had bouts of anxiety. I don't have any specific information about Rx, but som ... Read more
Elaine Cutri I think most of us have had bouts of anxiety. I don't have any specific information about Rx, but some recent buddies have had good suggestions. I hope they see this question. For myself, I would take walks whenever I needed to diminish the dark thoughts or nervousness. Best wishes Kal.
Rita Savelis There are definitely patients on this site who took medication to help with pre-op anxiety. Ask your ... Read more
Rita Savelis There are definitely patients on this site who took medication to help with pre-op anxiety. Ask your doctor, as living with intense anxiety is so difficult on you and your body.
Kal Telage Rita and Elaine: I talked to my internist and he prescribed a med to ease anxiety. But I also met ... Read more
Kal Telage Rita and Elaine: I talked to my internist and he prescribed a med to ease anxiety. But I also met with my Cardiologist again and reviewed some recent symptoms and given the Echocardiogram results were in the severe range for aortic stenosis, he has agreed to recommend surgery next month. I have two surgeons I am confident in and we will be looking at my heart and disussing options and forming a treatment plan. Strangely, my fear of surgery is less than being in limbo.
I will follow-up in the hope that I can ease the pain for others as frightened as I am. I can only add from this experience, that if you are in the serious stenosis category, waiting is terribly anxiety producing. I don't think you want to wait and risk the possibility of another illness happening while you have to have this procedure pending.
What terrified me the most is that my younger brother died in April. He was waiting to do coronary repair and developed a far more serious problem. Because he waited, his heart could not withstand the treatment for the second disorder.
If you don't want to wait and you can make your case, be as proactive and rational as possible, especially if you are now in good health and have an excellent chance for a successful surgery.
Rita Savelis Waiting is certainly terribly anxiety producing. I remember feeling a certain serenity after my surge ... Read more
Rita Savelis Waiting is certainly terribly anxiety producing. I remember feeling a certain serenity after my surgery was scheduled. And of course your personal experience, the death of your brother, adds so much sadness and anxiety to your experience. I am sorry that you have to go through with this difficult experience. Take care Kal.
I know the waiting is hard and this is all new and big changes, but keep reaching out for help to play this waiting game. Prayers, hugs and best wishes.
I will follow-up in the hope that I can ease the pain for others as frightened as I am. I can only add from this experience, that if you are in the serious stenosis category, waiting is terribly anxiety producing. I don't think you want to wait and risk the possibility of another illness happening while you have to have this procedure pending.
What terrified me the most is that my younger brother died in April. He was waiting to do coronary repair and developed a far more serious problem. Because he waited, his heart could not withstand the treatment for the second disorder.
If you don't want to wait and you can make your case, be as proactive and rational as possible, especially if you are now in good health and have an excellent chance for a successful surgery.