Just got my results from the cardiologist. My heart valve is leaking.
The Doctor said that it was from OSA and that I need to wear the
mask. How quickly do folks progress in a downward spiral once OSA
sets in? Most of the posts which I read are from folks desperately
looking for relief. Either the folks who get better don't post or those
who spiral downward don't post, or maybe both. It sure would be a
relief to hear from someone who was very bad and then recovered.
Anyone else been to the cardiologist?
Obstructive sleep apnea appears to be associated with coronary heart disease(narrowing of the vessels that supplying the heart itself), heart failure(pumping problem of the heart), and cardiac arrhythmias(irregular heart beats). Pulmonary hypertension(similar has high blood pressure, but just occur at the vessles going to lungs).
I don't see there is any direct cause of heart valve leak by OSA.
(Or perhaps the leak is secondary to a severe hypertension or pulmonary hypertension ?)
Did the cardiologist tell you which valve is leaking ?
I don't see there is any direct cause of heart valve leak by OSA.
(Or perhaps the leak is secondary to a severe hypertension or pulmonary hypertension ?)
Did the cardiologist tell you which valve is leaking ?
http://tssm.org.tw/sleepforum
Avatar: Snoring ruins not only your life.
Avatar: Snoring ruins not only your life.
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HappyHoser
- Posts: 169
- Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 8:40 pm
- Location: Missoula, Montana
Meister, I went in to the hospital the week of Thanksgiving with congestive heart failure, untreated very high blood pressure and sleep disorder. (gee, is that all?) got the heart cath, lots of medication, many new habits and a couple of weeks later did my sleep study. Shortly thereafter got my cpap and got started on the road to recovery. Since then I've dropped over 75 pounds (still dropping), got my bp down to 114/77 (today) and sleep like a baby. Needless to say, I feel fantastic and have mountains of energy. Sometimes it seems like the majority of the folks on the forum are struggling but that's because we tend to have the most questions when things aren't going quite right. There are tons of success stories out there. Last year I thought that my life was about over but I'm here now to tell you that this thing can be managed to give you a wonderful life back! I trusted in God to handle this thing His way (my way sure wasn't working) and my life turned around!
_________________
| Mask | Humidifier | |
 |  |
Doug
HappyHoser
HappyHoser
HappyHoser
HappyHoser Doug,
Wow! I think I shall print out your success story and paste it in prominent places for quick reference throughout my day! It's only been a few short months for me, so your success has me wishing for the same, wishing on a star. That's great. I would imagine you're dancing just like your happy avatar!
Linda
Wow! I think I shall print out your success story and paste it in prominent places for quick reference throughout my day! It's only been a few short months for me, so your success has me wishing for the same, wishing on a star. That's great. I would imagine you're dancing just like your happy avatar!
Linda
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HappyHoser
- Posts: 169
- Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 8:40 pm
- Location: Missoula, Montana
Linda, if I can help anyone get through the scary stuff and start to feel as excited about the future as I am now then that would that much better. I am (was) the worlds biggest chicken with doctors and such, almost to the point of dying rather than gather my courage to face the bad stuff. Then finally after almost killing myself with stubborness I let it go and the Good Lord gave me the strength to walk in the front door of the hospital. I don't regret any of it! I would pray that everyone on this board is blessed with peaceful sleep!
_________________
| Mask | Humidifier | |
| |
Doug
HappyHoser
HappyHoser
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HappyHoser
- Posts: 169
- Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 8:40 pm
- Location: Missoula, Montana
The bad news is that unlike my frog friend, I STILL can't dance. Was once asked to quit coming to a dance class because I was holding everybody up! Cpap does nothing for lack of rythym. (Silence Liam!)
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| Mask | Humidifier | |
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Doug
HappyHoser
HappyHoser
How rude
HappyHoser,
How rude of them to toss you out!
Silence Liam???
That would be like......let me see......that would be like silencing a foghorn.
That would be like......silencing the town cryer.
That would be like......asking a tiger to just roar quietly.
That would be like......asking the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to just lip sync.
That would be like.................. (your turn)
Linda
How rude of them to toss you out!
Silence Liam???
That would be like......let me see......that would be like silencing a foghorn.
That would be like......silencing the town cryer.
That would be like......asking a tiger to just roar quietly.
That would be like......asking the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to just lip sync.
That would be like.................. (your turn)
Linda
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ElaineP
My cardiologist didn't send me for the sleep study, but I needed to find a pulmonologist/internist and he's the one who diagnosed me with sleep apnea. I do have mitral valve prolapse, which is a leaky valve, but I was told I had that almost 20 years ago. It's supposedly not a big problem, but does cause heart fluttering and palpitations.
I am curious about those of you who were diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I was told that by my Dr. about a month ago and it hit me like a ton of bricks. He said it was from the sleep apnea, and if I didn't do something to lose weight and get rid of the fluid in my body, I might live another 5 years. I was devastated. He determined I had congestive heart failure (one time he said it was right sided heart failure) because my ankles and legs swell. Anyway, to make a long story short, he sent me for an echocardiogram "to see if it was reversible or if too much damage was already done from the sleep apnea". Well, lo and behold, I got the report the other day and there is no congestive heart failure and both sides of my heart look fine. He really couldn't answer why my legs and ankles swell. It was like a burden lifted, but at the same time, it made me angry that he made the diagnosis, which he was so sure of, and turned out to be wrong.
I don't understand about congestive heart failure. The respiratory therapist said in was irreversible. I am very confused about it all.
I am curious about those of you who were diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I was told that by my Dr. about a month ago and it hit me like a ton of bricks. He said it was from the sleep apnea, and if I didn't do something to lose weight and get rid of the fluid in my body, I might live another 5 years. I was devastated. He determined I had congestive heart failure (one time he said it was right sided heart failure) because my ankles and legs swell. Anyway, to make a long story short, he sent me for an echocardiogram "to see if it was reversible or if too much damage was already done from the sleep apnea". Well, lo and behold, I got the report the other day and there is no congestive heart failure and both sides of my heart look fine. He really couldn't answer why my legs and ankles swell. It was like a burden lifted, but at the same time, it made me angry that he made the diagnosis, which he was so sure of, and turned out to be wrong.
I don't understand about congestive heart failure. The respiratory therapist said in was irreversible. I am very confused about it all.
ElaineP
ElaineP,
Interesting what you wrote. Have you found out the cause of the swelling in your legs and ankles?
My health had been so bad, that when my doctor only casually recommended being tested for sleep apnea, I ignored him. But I kept feeling my hert racing at night. So I begged for two referrals -- one for a cardiologist another for the sleep doctor. I went to the cardiologist doctor first, for I was convinced I was dying of a bursting heart! (I figured sleep was the least of my worries, when faced with this). But my heart was pronounced OK and I went on to the sleep doctor, and the rest is history.
But I've been plagued with swollen lower leg and swollen ankles. I was convinced it was congestive heart failure (never look up symptoms on the internet!!), even though the cardiologist seemed unperturbed by my leg. I've since been to a vascular surgeon who told me that if the swelling had been from heart failure, I wouldn't be walking around at all today. I GUESS that's a relief..... But this is directly related to the weight, which got worse from the sleep apnea, and so on and so on.......Hopefully things will change.
But I also recently learned of a friend who did go through congestive heart failure and has been treated, and learned of a bad heart valve that may have been bad for years. .......And he has definite symptoms of yet undiagnosed sleep apnea (so says his wife who is quite knowlegable). So you never know........
Linda
Interesting what you wrote. Have you found out the cause of the swelling in your legs and ankles?
My health had been so bad, that when my doctor only casually recommended being tested for sleep apnea, I ignored him. But I kept feeling my hert racing at night. So I begged for two referrals -- one for a cardiologist another for the sleep doctor. I went to the cardiologist doctor first, for I was convinced I was dying of a bursting heart! (I figured sleep was the least of my worries, when faced with this). But my heart was pronounced OK and I went on to the sleep doctor, and the rest is history.
But I've been plagued with swollen lower leg and swollen ankles. I was convinced it was congestive heart failure (never look up symptoms on the internet!!), even though the cardiologist seemed unperturbed by my leg. I've since been to a vascular surgeon who told me that if the swelling had been from heart failure, I wouldn't be walking around at all today. I GUESS that's a relief..... But this is directly related to the weight, which got worse from the sleep apnea, and so on and so on.......Hopefully things will change.
But I also recently learned of a friend who did go through congestive heart failure and has been treated, and learned of a bad heart valve that may have been bad for years. .......And he has definite symptoms of yet undiagnosed sleep apnea (so says his wife who is quite knowlegable). So you never know........
Linda
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Guest
Hi Linda,
I haven't found out what the cause of the swelling is, but my mom (who is now 80) had the same thing and she said her mother also had leg swelling. My Dr. said it could be from a number of things ( I assume that means he really doesn't know.) When I told him that my mom had leg swelling, his reply was maybe she had sleep apnea too. Well if she did, she made it to 80 so far, and without cpap therapy.
Since he sheepishly told me after the echocardiogram that it wasn't my heart, he said it could be from a number of things. He mentioned veinous insufficiency, which is when the veins in your legs cannot pump the fluid back up to the heart or it could be from certain medications. ( I was taking a calcium channel blocker for blood pressure and that is one of the side effects, but I haven't taken it in over a month and it hasn't resolved the problem). A friend's Dr. said it was caused from hormones - which may be a possiblity, since we are both at THAT age where your hormones go haywire. LOL I'm 50 by the way. I have had the swelling off an on for a few years, and have no idea why it comes and goes as it does. I do know when I was on a low carbohydrate diet and walking daily, it was much better.
I was also seeing a cardiologist, and he never said much about the swelling other than prescribing diuretics. I have had the heart racing, and still sometimes do. I had been going to different doctors for the past 5 years or so, feeling pretty bad at times, and was never told about sleep apnea. I was told it was panic attacks, menopause, stress, anxiety - and of course the weight problem. I have been on cpap since the first of the year (I picked up my machine on New Years Eve) and I wish I could say I was much better, but it hasn't happened as of yet. I am somewhat disappointed, but hoping things will eventually improve.
I haven't found out what the cause of the swelling is, but my mom (who is now 80) had the same thing and she said her mother also had leg swelling. My Dr. said it could be from a number of things ( I assume that means he really doesn't know.) When I told him that my mom had leg swelling, his reply was maybe she had sleep apnea too. Well if she did, she made it to 80 so far, and without cpap therapy.
Since he sheepishly told me after the echocardiogram that it wasn't my heart, he said it could be from a number of things. He mentioned veinous insufficiency, which is when the veins in your legs cannot pump the fluid back up to the heart or it could be from certain medications. ( I was taking a calcium channel blocker for blood pressure and that is one of the side effects, but I haven't taken it in over a month and it hasn't resolved the problem). A friend's Dr. said it was caused from hormones - which may be a possiblity, since we are both at THAT age where your hormones go haywire. LOL I'm 50 by the way. I have had the swelling off an on for a few years, and have no idea why it comes and goes as it does. I do know when I was on a low carbohydrate diet and walking daily, it was much better.
I was also seeing a cardiologist, and he never said much about the swelling other than prescribing diuretics. I have had the heart racing, and still sometimes do. I had been going to different doctors for the past 5 years or so, feeling pretty bad at times, and was never told about sleep apnea. I was told it was panic attacks, menopause, stress, anxiety - and of course the weight problem. I have been on cpap since the first of the year (I picked up my machine on New Years Eve) and I wish I could say I was much better, but it hasn't happened as of yet. I am somewhat disappointed, but hoping things will eventually improve.
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Dave Hargett
- Posts: 79
- Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:09 am
- Location: Chicago suburbs
- Contact:
Most cases of congestive heart failure are associated with a lot of central sleep apnea. Do you have mostly obstructive apnea or do you have centrals as well? I'm just curious.HappyHoser wrote:Meister, I went in to the hospital the week of Thanksgiving with congestive heart failure, untreated very high blood pressure and sleep disorder. (gee, is that all?) got the heart cath, lots of medication, many new habits and a couple of weeks later did my sleep study. Shortly thereafter got my cpap and got started on the road to recovery. Since then I've dropped over 75 pounds (still dropping), got my bp down to 114/77 (today) and sleep like a baby. Needless to say, I feel fantastic and have mountains of energy. Sometimes it seems like the majority of the folks on the forum are struggling but that's because we tend to have the most questions when things aren't going quite right. There are tons of success stories out there. Last year I thought that my life was about over but I'm here now to tell you that this thing can be managed to give you a wonderful life back! I trusted in God to handle this thing His way (my way sure wasn't working) and my life turned around!
Dialated Cardiomyopathy
Here’s my two cents.
Two years ago I started having heart symptoms like palpitations, tachycardia, and other symptoms related to anxiety. After a few trips to the ER they couldn’t find anything wrong with me except for a minor defect in my EKG (Minor Partial Right Bundle Branch Block.) I was told that I could have had it for years and it wasn’t the cause of my symptoms. After going to a cardiologist they did an echocardiogram and discovered that I had mild dilated cardiomyopathy (heart enlargement) with mild mitral valve regurgitation. I had been very overweight but had not checked my blood pressure in a few years. When I had checked it years earlier it was only borderline not high.
The doctor couldn’t figure out why I would have an enlarged heart at 35 years old when my blood pressure wasn’t really that high. He thought that perhaps I was just one of the unlucky ones who’s heart was particularly susceptible to hypertension or that my blood pressure was actually higher than what he thought. After over a year of treatment for hypertension he ordered another echocardiogram and found signs that the heart was slowly getting larger. He then took notice of a few complaints I had about being startled awake from sleep sometimes. He thought this was strange and sent me to a pulmonologist for a sleep study.
I recently completed my sleep study and found out that I have moderate sleep apnea. I’ve recently lost 50lbs and thus I figure that I must have had severe sleep apnea for years when I was at my heavier weights, perhaps a decade or more., that has likely resulted in my hypertension and my heart enlargement.
Untreated sleep apnea can cause a series of spiraling health issues and if enough damage is done prior to figuring out you have OSA you can do enough damage that it could be difficult to reverse. Even with this said, successful treatment will likely reverse if not slow or halt the progression of some of these conditions so it’s important to treat OSA regardless.
Since I’m only starting my CPAP therapy I don’t know if my heart will someday return to normal size but since my enlargement is mild I believe that it is possible if not likely. I’ve seen scientific studies that show that enlarged hearts do remodel back down to normal after successful treatment of OSA. If I recall correctly they saw heart remodeling back to normal sizes in over 90% of the study patients and almost all of the remaining patients had signifigant improvements in their conditions. In addition, they haven’t done all the studies for other conditions yet which I would expect would likely show similar responses to successful OSA treatment depending on the severity of condition.
The important thing to do is that if you suspect you have OSA you need to get diagnosed and then get treatment, which is usually through CPAP or something similar. So just remember that a vast majority of successfully treated OSA patients will live normal lives with a reversal of many conditions that they may have. What better reason to make sure everyone gets tested and treated if there is any suspicion of OSA.
Good luck to you!
Two years ago I started having heart symptoms like palpitations, tachycardia, and other symptoms related to anxiety. After a few trips to the ER they couldn’t find anything wrong with me except for a minor defect in my EKG (Minor Partial Right Bundle Branch Block.) I was told that I could have had it for years and it wasn’t the cause of my symptoms. After going to a cardiologist they did an echocardiogram and discovered that I had mild dilated cardiomyopathy (heart enlargement) with mild mitral valve regurgitation. I had been very overweight but had not checked my blood pressure in a few years. When I had checked it years earlier it was only borderline not high.
The doctor couldn’t figure out why I would have an enlarged heart at 35 years old when my blood pressure wasn’t really that high. He thought that perhaps I was just one of the unlucky ones who’s heart was particularly susceptible to hypertension or that my blood pressure was actually higher than what he thought. After over a year of treatment for hypertension he ordered another echocardiogram and found signs that the heart was slowly getting larger. He then took notice of a few complaints I had about being startled awake from sleep sometimes. He thought this was strange and sent me to a pulmonologist for a sleep study.
I recently completed my sleep study and found out that I have moderate sleep apnea. I’ve recently lost 50lbs and thus I figure that I must have had severe sleep apnea for years when I was at my heavier weights, perhaps a decade or more., that has likely resulted in my hypertension and my heart enlargement.
Untreated sleep apnea can cause a series of spiraling health issues and if enough damage is done prior to figuring out you have OSA you can do enough damage that it could be difficult to reverse. Even with this said, successful treatment will likely reverse if not slow or halt the progression of some of these conditions so it’s important to treat OSA regardless.
Since I’m only starting my CPAP therapy I don’t know if my heart will someday return to normal size but since my enlargement is mild I believe that it is possible if not likely. I’ve seen scientific studies that show that enlarged hearts do remodel back down to normal after successful treatment of OSA. If I recall correctly they saw heart remodeling back to normal sizes in over 90% of the study patients and almost all of the remaining patients had signifigant improvements in their conditions. In addition, they haven’t done all the studies for other conditions yet which I would expect would likely show similar responses to successful OSA treatment depending on the severity of condition.
The important thing to do is that if you suspect you have OSA you need to get diagnosed and then get treatment, which is usually through CPAP or something similar. So just remember that a vast majority of successfully treated OSA patients will live normal lives with a reversal of many conditions that they may have. What better reason to make sure everyone gets tested and treated if there is any suspicion of OSA.
Good luck to you!
ElaineP:
It is true that after a certain point Congestive Heart Failure is not reversible. But don’t confuse that with untreatable. Congestive Heart Failure is treatable and if someone has it they should seek out an excellent cardiologist or better yet, a cardiologist that specializes in CHF.
Just don’t confuse curable with treatable. Many CHF patients respond well to treatment.
You should know that noticeable fluid retention (called edema), especially seen in the feet, can be the result of other conditions other than CHF. A good doctor would to the appropriate tests to determine what the source of the edema is. For CHF the gold standard test is an echocardiogram. But edema could be related to endocrine (hormone) dysfunction or a host of other conditions. If you have edema find a good doctor and figure out what the source is.
It is true that after a certain point Congestive Heart Failure is not reversible. But don’t confuse that with untreatable. Congestive Heart Failure is treatable and if someone has it they should seek out an excellent cardiologist or better yet, a cardiologist that specializes in CHF.
Just don’t confuse curable with treatable. Many CHF patients respond well to treatment.
You should know that noticeable fluid retention (called edema), especially seen in the feet, can be the result of other conditions other than CHF. A good doctor would to the appropriate tests to determine what the source of the edema is. For CHF the gold standard test is an echocardiogram. But edema could be related to endocrine (hormone) dysfunction or a host of other conditions. If you have edema find a good doctor and figure out what the source is.