Ronnie Santos - Heart Valve Journal

My Journal

3553 days ago

Emily Rowley reacted to this

how many years does it take to progress from moderate to severe mitral stenosis and from moderate to severe mitral regurgitation? can anybody share experience ...Read more

how many years does it take to progress from moderate to severe mitral stenosis and from moderate to severe mitral regurgitation? can anybody share experience on this or share a good reading material on this matter? thanks

Sophia Ridley Hi Ronnie, I'm sorry but I think that it varies from patient to patient. I've gone from mild (not eve ... Read more

Sophia Ridley Hi Ronnie, I'm sorry but I think that it varies from patient to patient. I've gone from mild (not even monitored) to severe in 3 years. My echoes show further deterioration in 3 months. I'm having a repair on Wednesday.

Ronnie Santos thank you for the reply Sophia. good luck and god bless.

Emily Rowley
Hello Ronnie,
Sharing my story with you might help.

I was born with a congenital heart defect, ... Read more

Emily Rowley
Hello Ronnie,
Sharing my story with you might help.

I was born with a congenital heart defect, however it was not picked up at Birth. When I was 15 yrs old (going onto 16) I started to notice symptoms-out of breathe and tiredness which gradual worsened.

My local GP picked up serious distinctive heart murmur. I went onto having Echo's performed plus saw a Cardiologist (same one still to date). First one showed up either leaking mitral valve or ASD/hole in my heart (I can't remember which one). He said this is not right because those two go hand-in-hand with each other. A later ECG picked it up.

At that point I had moderate-severe regurgitation which was heading on it's way to severe along with my symptoms. When my Surgeon went to repair (aged 16 going onto 17) he found another large hole on the back wall of my heart. Everything was fixed and my mitral regurgitation went down to mild.

It took a long time to recover. Four years later I experience those symptoms (inc chest pain) everyday and told my regurgitation is significant and basically I'm back to where I was five years ago minus the holes. I am having another major Open-Heart surgery to try re-repair the Mitral Valve, if not then replacement.

I hope this helps answer your queries. As for the mitral stenosis (what is it?) I'm not too sure.

All the best,
Emily.

Debbie Bentley Mine took 7 years

Meredith Bray Everyone's story is a little different. I was diagnosed with mild aortic stenosis in 2003 (come back ... Read more

Meredith Bray Everyone's story is a little different. I was diagnosed with mild aortic stenosis in 2003 (come back for an echo every 5 years). In 2008 it was moderate (come back every 2 years for an echo) in 2012 it was borderline severe (come back every year). In 2013 it was severe (come back every 6 months). Surgery was in 2014. It seems it can not change for years and years, and then suddenly start changing quickly.

Ronnie Santos Thanks for the information Sophia, Emily, Debbie and Meredith. . so I guess it follows its natural co ... Read more

Ronnie Santos Thanks for the information Sophia, Emily, Debbie and Meredith. . so I guess it follows its natural course. . God Bless everyone.