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Recently Diagnosed with MVR
Hi! I was just diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation and was told I don’t need treatment at this time but should be monitored every 2 years. I have all the symptoms , have had them I just didn’t know they were associated to heart health. It just feels weird to have this and be told I’m okay “for now”. Anyone else felt this way? It’s HEART health.
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I’m also 35 years old, workout consistently , and eat mostly Whole Foods .
Hi. Assuming they don't manage to find some underlying cause for this, structural defect that becomes more problematic as your heart ages, a disease of some kind (or the aftereffects of a viral infection, say COVID or gum health related...), then it might be an inherited defect, something related to genes. Whatever it turns out to be, the cardiologist has all the numbers of your blood circulation and overall health, and he/she isn't concerned for you. It's still early enough that you can monitor/be monitored as he/she suggests for the rate of deterioration, or maybe it will be largely stable....so why intervene and incur all the risks associated with surgery? So, it really is a numbers game: your risk of advanced heart deterioration versus the risk of surgery, while your blood oxygen and other indicators of health look really good, and so the risk of surgery trumps the risk of letting 'er ride for now. That's it...it's really that simple.
By now you know that a mitral valve can be replaced or repaired, or 'shored up' with an implant to help it do a better job for many more years. That's always the option, but a responsible physician will want you to agree to wait until the burden and risk become greater than the risk of what 'might happen' if they enter your heart and fix the valve.
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1 ReactionI was diagnosed at age 34 with MVR and was told the same. It was mild at the time. I would go every two years for a check up. Knowing the symptoms I made sure I made the best lifestyle choices to lessen the symptoms and feel good. I trust my cardiologist whom I still see so when he told me the same thing I trusted his expertise and got on with life. At age 57 I had my first Afib episode so started seeing my cardiologist more often. Every 3-4 months staying on top whatever tests were necessary. The Afib continued so I had an ablation in 5/2023. Best choice I made. I’m now 65 and have just went to moderate on my MVR a few years ago. I still feel good and continue to get the necessary tests to be sure we catch it early if I get in the severe range. I workout but I stay away from certain exercises that put too much strain on a person with MVR. If you are still unsure how you feel about it, get a second opinion. Best wishes to you on this journey.