Aortic valve regurgitation

kingrollo

Just been diagnosed with the above and put on annual echo scans. Received the diagnosis by letter so no chance to discuss what this means for my cycling.

I have emailed consultant asking for advice - but just wonder if anyone here has experience of this or what it might mean.

I am 55 years old and cycle around 100 miles a week.

I do get breathless on the hills - but also have quite severe asthma and my PF is only 350.

keef66

You'd hope the valve isn't leaking too seriously if they think you only need an annual check. How / why was it diagnosed in the first place? Did you mention your cycling and getting breathless on hills?

kingrollo

keef66 wrote:

You'd hope the valve isn't leaking too seriously if they think you only need an annual check. How / why was it diagnosed in the first place? Did you mention your cycling and getting breathless on hills?

I was getting chest pains (but not angina type) - but I put this down to much bench press at the gym - then when gym shut for a couple of weeks I was getting it after cycling . Trip to docs who found hear murmur, ECG all checked out as normal - Echo showed the problem.
I mentioned my cycling and breathlessness on the hills, yes (but i have asthma so this has always happened) - got confirmation by letter so no chance to discus. have emailed consultant though.

Matthewfalle

is anyone on here this bloke's cardiac consultant who has seen his records and therefore knows everything about this case?

No? Thought so.

Speak to your doctor not a bunch on people on a bicycle forum

#headshake

slowbike

Matthewfalle wrote:

is anyone on here this bloke's cardiac consultant who has seen his records and therefore knows everything about this case?

No? Thought so.

Speak to your doctor not a bunch on people on a bicycle forum

#headshake

wind your neck in

he wants to talk about it here - he's not asked for medical advice and there's enough blokes who don't talk openly about their problems and suffer in silence. If you don't want to talk about it then click off.

keef66

It does sound a bit shoddy. Bloke goes to docs complaining of chest pains and breathlessness on exertion, gets an echocardiogram, and then just gets the result in the post.

If it was me I'd be sh1tting myself. Just how bad is it? Am I making it worse by cycling? Should I take it easy? Anything I should be doing or avoiding?

Maybe go back to your GP and ask those questions. Presumably a copy of the letter went to them too?

kingrollo

Matthewfalle wrote:

is anyone on here this bloke's cardiac consultant who has seen his records and therefore knows everything about this case?

No? Thought so.

Speak to your doctor not a bunch on people on a bicycle forum

#headshake

at least hes dropped the MF says.

dont quite know what world youre in...but quite difficult to just turn up at a hospital and hipe your cardiac consultant is sitting there not having a busy day.
i think most people realise that internet chat is no replacement for medical professional advice.

all the appointments are in hand. just wondered if anyone else has had any experience in the interim.

imposter2.0

You'd have to assume (I know..) that the correct processes have been followed here. In that sense, your GP has probably also got the same letter and unless any urgent follow-up appointment has been suggested (it doesn't sound like it has) then you can probably assume (I know..) that the level of seriousness/urgency is likely to be low in this case. Unless the letter is specifically requesting you to refrain from certain activities or certain forms of exercise, then it may also be safe to assume that no such restrictions are necessary.

However, there's a lot of assumptions in there - and I'm not a medical professional.

Matthewfalle

as MF would say perhaps MF shouldn't wind his neck in as maybe he is one of the few medical professionals on here.

go and speak to your doctor

#justsayin'

imposter2.0

Matthewfalle wrote:

as MF would say perhaps MF shouldn't wind his neck in as maybe he is one of the few medical professionals on here.

go and speak to your doctor

#justsayin'

I think we're all pretty clear that this is simply a discussion forum and not a cardiology lab. The thought of you as a 'medical professional' is genuinely frightening...

Matthewfalle

Imposter wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

as MF would say perhaps MF shouldn't wind his neck in as maybe he is one of the few medical professionals on here.

go and speak to your doctor

#justsayin'

I think we're all pretty clear that this is simply a discussion forum and not a cardiology lab. The thought of you as a 'medical professional' is genuinely frightening...

MF says that the thought of you having more than a crayon is genuinly frightening ....

#BAD

imposter2.0

Matthewfalle wrote:

MF says that the thought of you having more than a crayon is genuinly frightening ....

#BAD

Good job I'm typing then...and at least I can spell 'genuinely'...

Matthewfalle

good for you. glad your carer is helping you

#therethere

FatTed

GP heard a murmur, thought it was AR, sent off for and echo which confirmed his/her auscultation. Presumably the backflow is not severe enough to cause heart damage or need valve replacement hence the annual checkup

go and see your GP

Matthewfalle

FatTed wrote:

go and see your GP

#this

Matthewfalle

FatTed wrote:

go and see your GP

#this

kingrollo

As I have said in previous posts - I have emailed the consultant.

IME going to see to GP (as anything other than a starting point) isn't very productive for sports type health issues. The GP is there to deal with the basics and direct you to the correct specialists. (Primary care as they call it)

The GP has an all round knowledge - my betting on this would be that the GP would say something 'listen to your body' - do what it tells you (going up hill its always saying - get off and walk you old git)

A further issue with imaging is that the images are so intense now they do pick up absolutely everything - so yes there is a defect there but is the significance that counts. For example if everyone on this forum had an echo quite a high % of fit healthy people would show as having a hear defect.
X-rays of my knees for example show moderate severe arthritis - but I almost totally pain free.

So yes I will go to gp - but I go away in the next couple of days -so I am unlikley to get an appointment before then - hence the email to the consultant and the postings on here.

I realise it is no substitute for clinical guidance - but the more I can educate myself on the condition the better - surely

Matthewfalle

You are not going to educate yourself on here.

You are going to get a load of heresay and judging b6 your posts above you will ignore any advice given that you don’t like.

Wait for the consultant - only he knows the full picture and knows what he is talking about.

So far MF understands he is the only professional medical man commenting and he is saying to wait for your consultant.

You are not a pro cyclist. MF presumes your livelihood ones not depend on cycling. Therefore MF would suggest that you wait until the specialist speaks to you,

If you want to educate yourself speak to a cardiac specialist.

imposter2.0

Matthewfalle wrote:

So far MF understands he is the only professional medical man commenting and he is saying to wait for your consultant.

Would this be a good time for you to outline what your 'medical qualifications' actually are?

webboo

St Johns ambulance certificated

Matthewfalle

Imposter wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

So far MF understands he is the only professional medical man commenting and he is saying to wait for your consultant.

Would this be a good time for you to outline what your 'medical qualifications' actually are?

front line civilian ambulance paramedic
military senior trauma specialist
military trauma instructor
military trauma instructors' instructor
regimental senior medic
military team medic
dive medic
20 years experience

would this be a good time for you to go back and eat your crayons? if you start choking on them don't worry: no one will give a shit.

Matthewfalle

Webboo wrote:

St Johns ambulance certificated

yup - 3 day first aid at work
also a St John approved instructor. Needless to day MF doesn't harp on about that one....

imposter2.0

Matthewfalle wrote:

front line civilian ambulance senior paramedic
military senior trauma specialist
military trauma instructor
military trauma instructors' instructor
regimental senior medic
dive medic
20 years experience

would this be a good time for you to go back and eat your crayons?

No, I don't think so. I just like to see people put their money where their (considerable, in your case) mouth is, that's all. On the strength of what you've just written there, you're about as qualified in cardiology as I am...

Matthewfalle

Imposter wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

front line civilian ambulance senior paramedic
military senior trauma specialist
military trauma instructor
military trauma instructors' instructor
regimental senior medic
dive medic
20 years experience

would this be a good time for you to go back and eat your crayons?

No, I don't think so. I just like to see people put their money where their (considerable, in your case) mouth is, that's all. On the strength of what you've just written there, you're about as qualified in cardiology as I am...

exactly - which is why the bloke should go snd see his his
doctor and not post on here.

only difference between you and MF is thst he may have dlight clue about this medical stuff whereas you eat crayons.

imposter2.0

Matthewfalle wrote:

exactly - which is why the bloke should go snd see his his
doctor and not post on here.

He's already said he's doing that. Keep up.

Matthewfalle wrote:

only difference between you and MF is thst he may have dlight clue about this medical stuff whereas you eat crayons.

Congrats on turning this thread into yet another one of your narcissistic w@nkfests. I'll let you have the last word though - it's easier that way...

webboo

Matthewfalle wrote:

Webboo wrote:

St Johns ambulance certificated

yup - 3 day first aid at work
also a St John approved instructor. Needless to day MF doesn't harp on about that one....

But you just did.
That’s a bit mile scrumcher or bottomburp or what ever he’s called this week.

Matthewfalle

Imposter wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

exactly - which is why the bloke should go snd see his his
doctor and not post on here.

He's already said he's doing that. Keep up.

Matthewfalle wrote:

only difference between you and MF is thst he may have dlight clue about this medical stuff whereas you eat crayons.

Congrats on turning this thread into yet another one of your narcissistic w@nkfests. I'll let you have the last word though - it's easier that way...

#crayongate

imposter2.0

Webboo wrote:

That’s a bit mile scrumcher or bottomburp or what ever he’s called this week.

bottommuncher?

kingrollo

Matthewfalle wrote:

You are not going to educate yourself on here.

You are going to get a load of heresay and judging b6 your posts above you will ignore any advice given that you don’t like.

Wait for the consultant - only he knows the full picture and knows what he is talking about.

So far MF understands he is the only professional medical man commenting and he is saying to wait for your consultant.

You are not a pro cyclist. MF presumes your livelihood ones not depend on cycling. Therefore MF would suggest that you wait until the specialist speaks to you,

If you want to educate yourself speak to a cardiac specialist.

can I ask how you arrive at the conclusion that i would ignore any medical advice given ?

.....and quite where crayons fit into the thread ?

Matthewfalle

no one can give you advice on this except your consultant. this is you, not them.

the only person who can advise you is your consultant as he knows everything about you. you are not MF or Imposter or whoever so whatever our experiences are will not benefit you.

if you want to research and find out what aortic valve regurgitation is use can use wikipedia.

if you want to find out how it applies to you go to your consultant.

#consultant

StillGoing

kingrollo wrote:

keef66 wrote:

You'd hope the valve isn't leaking too seriously if they think you only need an annual check. How / why was it diagnosed in the first place? Did you mention your cycling and getting breathless on hills?

I was getting chest pains (but not angina type) - but I put this down to much bench press at the gym - then when gym shut for a couple of weeks I was getting it after cycling . Trip to docs who found hear murmur, ECG all checked out as normal - Echo showed the problem.
I mentioned my cycling and breathlessness on the hills, yes (but i have asthma so this has always happened) - got confirmation by letter so no chance to discus. have emailed consultant though.

Had the ECG when they were trying to identify what caused my stroke. The guy doing the check for me was very good explaining the bubble echo they were hoping not to find and then the procedure to plug a hole if they found one. All very simple and routine in his words and in my case, there was no echo. I'm sure if your leak was very serious, you'd have had a quick follow up, but, you've done the right thing in making an appointment to discuss things.