Okay, this is off topic but I really need an answer here before I rush to my doctor and make a complete *** of myself.

I have mild mitral valve prolapse. I found out 26 years ago and my doctor regularly checks me and goes "no problem" and I'm scheduled for a whole battery of tests including ekg, etc at Cornell in January when I go for my two year updated visit.

My friend has arythmia problems, as does my cousin. I have never had any heart problems except for the mild mitral valve prolapse.

I also have never heard what mild mitral valve prolapse sounds like.
I've had echos, and ekgs. All were fine (had an ekg within the last 6 months) was fine.

So last night (after moving around heavy exercise equipment (while Alan was playing Rocky at the gym), I moved around my cross country ski machine, and I moved all the exercise equipment back and forth and I was tired. We also put out a heavy bookshelf in from of the house for garbage.

So I was felling exhausted. No heavy weight on my chest or anything like that but I've been feeling congested and I wake up all stuffed (I have allergies) Alan said I snored my head off last night and I should start using the sleep apnea machine again.

So last night I took my mom's stethescope and listened to my chest. I heard nice slow ba boom, ba boom, nice and regular. BUT once in while, the ba-boom changed and then went back to ba-boom. I could have 14 regular ba-booms and one change and back to regular ba-booms. Now I know that mitral valve prolapse presents with some kind of click but not being a doctor, I have no idea what a click is.

Now I have all kind of anxieties but I've never had palpitations, racing heart, or panic attacks. Never. And I didn't have one last night. I just heard the slow steady beating of my ba-booms, with the occasional (NOT A ba-boom).

So of course, I'm imagining all kinds of stuff. I wake up fine, and I sat down and meditated and I looked at the clock on the lower right of my computer monitor and I counted my heart beats for one minute. counted 65. That's good right? Yeah, there was that ocassional NOT A BA-BOOM thing.

This morning, I just ran into my friend who has an arythmia and I told her. She laughed and said "no, that's your mitral valve prolapse". I said "oh, it's not an arythmia?" and she said "no, that's when you throw PVC's, I know because it happened to me. She said an arythmia sounds, ba-boom,bum bum bum, ba-boom, bum bum bum, and not 14 ba-booms, and whatever the heck I was hearing.

So I feel a little congested, I'm blowing my nose (it's cold outside, what else is there to do but blow one's nose).

Can any of you experts tell me "melody, go and run to your doctor and check out your "not a ba-boom", or Melody, that's the mitral valve prolapse you are hearing.
My heart is not racing, I'm not sweating, no fever, I'm about to eat a nice bowl of low-sodium soup, but I'm scared to death.

My next doctor appointment is on December 18.
See, I'm the kind of person,if I have a pain in my arm, I went to Dr. Goldbetter and I said to him "how do you know I don't have Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? And he burst out laughing and said "how do you even know how to pronouce that?" He showed me why I couldn't possibly have it and we had a laugh. I'm a worrier. This season is especially hard on me because of my son and I worry about everything so I at least want to know what this ba-boom thing is.

Am I throwing PVC's or do you think it's my mitral valve.

Just a little reassurance would be nice.

I just put the thing to my chest and I listened and at first every 7 heart beats, it would have that change from the ba-boom. And after a while I had 20 regular heart beats and the change from the ba-boom.
but my heart beat is steady and not fast at all.

Anybody know anything, or do I have to grab my bag and run to my doctor's office this afternoon?
thanks,
mel

It sounds very normal to me. What you are hearing is the effect of the MVP maybe with some regugitation.

I personally don't think you need to worry.

I feel just fine, thank goodness.

I had the nice bowl of low sodium Wedding soup from Cambells. Very very nice soup. It's freezing here today.

I do exercise every day on my health rider and my Tony Little Air flyer glider thing. Someone next door who moved out threw it away. It was just perfect. I dragged it into my home and that was over a year ago. Imagine getting this for nothing???

But I'm the type of person, if I get a stupid pain, I think "oh my god, what is it this time". I mean, I go to Cornell, I go to my doctor, I eat right. I try and do what's right for my body at my age, but the trouble is I'm 59 and I think I'm 29.

Not very smart. I know me, if it snows, I'll probably be out there shoveling for two hours. I do this every year. Hasn't killed me yet.

I was pretty sure that darn "not a ba-boom" sound I heard was the mitral valve thing. But when I go on December 18 for my monthly diabetes physicial at my primary care, he'll listen to my heart and my lungs and examine my neck and lymph nodes and look here and there and he'll say "how's your arthritis" and I go, "still there". I've had degenerative joint disease since I'm 40. And scoliosis (that's a ***** sometimes, believe me), but I don't even take an aspirin. I have to be in a lot of pain to even take a motrin. I'm trying to undo years of obesity and diabetes. Well, I've been doing this for 5 years and I got my sugar down, my weight down and hopefully my ticker will keep ticking.

Thanks for at least giving me what I wanted to hear. Let's hope someone doesn't come on board and say "oh no, run right to your doctor, that's an arythmia". I really don't think it is.

Take care,

Melody

From what my PCP told me, MVP can trigger the anxiety type of episodes. I had mild episodes some time ago and using Inositol (over the counter stuff from GNC or any health store) worked just fine.

I have an extremely abnormal, well, everything, hah! I'd actually just popped in here today because my Epileptologist threw around Periphreal Neuropathy today in combination with a big heart related word I won't try to pronounce when I saw this thread.

I guess I went so many years forgetting about my funky heart that it finally caught up with me.

The weird beat, I call those hiccups. Typically harmless, I would try various methods to keep stress low since that will increase your heartrate and chances of that backflow thing MVP does.

Pardon my terminology, I'm more savvy with brains than hearts.

Check out some of the online sources for MVP, a lot have good information on treatment methods (non prescription) that worked well for me. The inositol was great for me because I drink a lot of coffee, so it was a win-win. You should bring it up to your doctor and see what they think and any recommended dosage. From what I have read, it seems to be harmless - but I'm always one to ask before I take anything, even a vitamin.

I'm not sure I'd rush there, but just give a call and ask. I really think the inositol would help with anxiety (even the mild types can be a PITA), but wouldn't suggest you take it without talking to your doctor. Even if it is OTC, it's always best to ask permission first!

Hi Ellie:

don't worry about me and anxiety, I have xanax for that and I don't even take that except at night to go to sleep. It's the only thing I can afford and I just take one 0.5 or sometimes one and one half and in about 40 minutes I doze off. Relaxes my whole body.

This time of year is particularly stressful for me because I have no family to speak of (since they found out my son is mentally ill, forget about family rallying around and being there for you, they havent' asked about my son once in 5 years). Kind of sad don't you think?

But Christmas time (when I was younger, was family time) and I kind of thought that when my son was grown, there would be sunday dinners, grandchildren, etc. But there will be none of that. And that hurts.

I mean, we really do the best we can to cope but with all the holiday songs and if I hear "I'll be home for christmas" one more time, I think I'll scream.

Actually, I feel perfectly fine. It was just that I put the stethoscope to my chest (never did that before) so I never heart my own heartbeat.

My next appointment is December 18 and he'll give a listen. Of course if I get a scare of something, I'll be at his office in five minutes. But I know me, Sometimes a little knowledge is not good for me. I go on the internet, read stuff and then I go, "oh, so that's what I might have". Really stupid to do that I know.

I will check on the inositol thing. Thanks hon.

Melody

P.S. You will never guess what I just found out when I googled Mitral Valve prolapse. An article came up and here's a bit of the paragraph:
"People with MVPS have a higher incidence of: the following: Altitude sickness, Endometriosis , Fibromyalgia , Fibrocystic breast disorder , Infertility , PMS Premenstrual syndrome, Scoliosis , Seasickness , Tinnitus , and "temporomandibular joint dysfunction" TMJ symdrome. "

NOW ASK ME WHAT I HAVE FROM THIS LIST.
Scoliosis, Seasickness, and TMJ.
isn't that a hoot??? what the heck does valves have to do with tmj and seasickness and scoliosis???

Oh Mel, we "all" do that! Every time I tell one of my doctors, "well I was doing some research on the internet" I get the "rolling of the eyes". My Neurologist told me, well, when you're on the internet you don't know if you've got a brain surgeon telling you how to assemble a car, or a mechanic telling you how to assemble a brain, either way, you don't know what you're getting! They all have that "I'm the only one you should trust" complex... so I just don't "mention" I learned it on the internet. It's like saying well, my Aunt's friend Mabel told me that her son the chiropractor said "blah blah blah" they immediately think we're a bunch of goofy old ladies who can't read a book or learn on our own.

Well Melanie, if you think you need to tell us about your "not a ba-boom" and how it scares you, we are all eyes! Hey, we are a lot cheaper that a doctors visit! (Even if you only have to pay a co-pay!) We like to hear about it! (at least I do) If you don't mind, It makes me feel not so silly when I get all anxious and Oh-My-God- eeee late at night when I think maybe I've got cancer, or a brain tumor, or just the other day, when I got all tired just cleaning my room... and I had to take a three hour nap! Like a little baby! I don't have a mom around, or a sister, or even a crazy old aunt Mabel that I can ask questions to. That's why I'm here. So I can ask you all questions to drive my doctors crazy! Hey, we have to make them earn all that money somehow! Believe me, I'm not going to see them because they are cute! They sure don't have the McDreamy factor going for them. Not even the Georgie factor!

Hang in there Mel, and keep that BaBoom going!

Terri

http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/wom...sautonomia.htm

Mel I hope you can look at this sight. I found it very insightful. It has explained,as I had thought and suspected from beginnig, that my anxiety and the symptoms that accompany are not entirely "in my head". I have small fibre PN,and these small fibres also control our autonomic system which controls heart rate,breathing,blood pressure etc.

Yes I have anxiety related to a major illness that I suffered,but the same illness also has also caused some of my symptoms, as I present with excessive sympathetic activity. I am trying to control what I can,and that is my anxiety that stems from fear.

There is some good information about MVP too. Don't ask me how and why, but I have had many clients with MVP, as I assit people with will preparation. And they may also suffer co-illnesses such as fibro and so forth. I have yet to meet a women who wasn't able to live normally despite the MVP.

My advice is loose the stethascope because that will drive anyone mad. God forbid I had a stethascope, we'd all be in trouble!! LOL!

I'm not going to put that thing to my chest ever again. We all think we are doctors when we do that and we all imagine a lot of stuff.

My big anxiety in my life has always been dental phobia. I NEVER WENT. Not unless I HAD TO!!!! It's a horrible phobia.
But last year, I found my "good guy" a dental phobia specialist in New York City.

Now I'm still afraid of the dentist. I still have to take a small amount of xanax before I go to an appointment, BUT I GO TO MY APPOINTMENT. I've kept 3 of them since I found this guy.

I smile now. With confidence.

Phobias rule your life and tear you apart.

Right now, I'm having a spell of depression because of my son and because of Christmas and because my close friend is dying of Stage 3 lung cancer and because my other close friend of 46 years stabbed me in the back 8 months ago.

It all hits me now because of Christmas. Christmas is about getting together with the people you are closest to. I only have Alan and some acquaintances. I don't call them friends.

I'll get through this like I got through the other 5 Christmases. But then, I had my two friends. I only hope the friend with lung cancer makes it through Christmas. She is such a dear. She had radiation pellets implanted in her chest 7months ago and then her grown kids wouldn't go near her, wouldn't let her in the same room as the grandchildren and well, it was a mess.

And to top it off she's anorexic and has been since she's 14. Imagine, battling cancer and anorexia at the same time. She won't eat. It's a mind-set thing. The doctors are throwing up their hands. She weighs 100 lbs. But she's been through 2 bouts of radiation and 2 bouts of chemo and she has to do more chemo because it spread. I think of her and her bravery and I say to myself "and YOU'RE DEPRESSED???

jeez. What some people go through. But she is very religious and goes to mass each morning so thank goodness for that.

Please excuse my rambling. I'm sure I'll be more normal after January 3rd. 2007. I always am a few days after the holidays are over.

Merry Merry everybody

Melody

Aww, I'm so sorry you have so much going on.

You know what's funny, is after you posted all of that I called a friend to bring me home a stethoscope. Curiosity gets me every time.

I know about the dentist thing, for 3 years I tried to go but once I finally had the courage, the dentist wouldn't see me because I have "uncontrolled seizures" ...sigh. The variety of pills I have taken have nearly ruined my teeth, so one bad seizure or fall and they are done. I had a nocturnal seizure and woke up to the sound of my wisdom tooth breaking in half (and boy was that a gross sound!).

Christmas seems to be my worst time of year. I moved here from Ohio, and while my family has made it well beyond being dysfunctional - I miss having a family for Christmas. No snow on Christmas depresses me. On the bright side, my boyfriend bought me a box of this stuff, and when you mix it with water it turns into snow! It's even cold like snow and lasts 2 weeks. I keep a bowl of it and stare at it trying to use my imagination. Now if he'd only stand on the roof and dump some past the window Christmas morning, he'd win some serious bonus points.

For what it is worth, I will think of you for Christmas.

Thanks hon

mel