Could my heart murmur be fatal?!
Question: I was born with a heart murmur that I have out grown, after giving birth to my son it came back worse according to the doctor. I am now in my mid 30's and have recently given birth to my daugther who is now 17 mos. I have problems breathing just to walk up a flight of stairs and I experience episodes as I call them which is when my heart palpate so fast that I have to be rushed to the hospital for oxygen. I have to take an antibiotic to coat my heart before I get any work done, even if it is for a cleaning from the dentist. I am concern that my life may be at risk because I have never experience it like this before as frequently as I am now. I feel as if I have atshma or emphazema but I don't, that's how bad it is and I am not over weight what so ever. I have been told in the past that I must see a cardiologist on the regular but that was a few years ago. Should I be concern at this point?
Answers: I was born with a heart murmur that I have out grown, after giving birth to my son it came back worse according to the doctor. I am now in my mid 30's and have recently given birth to my daugther who is now 17 mos. I have problems breathing just to walk up a flight of stairs and I experience episodes as I call them which is when my heart palpate so fast that I have to be rushed to the hospital for oxygen. I have to take an antibiotic to coat my heart before I get any work done, even if it is for a cleaning from the dentist. I am concern that my life may be at risk because I have never experience it like this before as frequently as I am now. I feel as if I have atshma or emphazema but I don't, that's how bad it is and I am not over weight what so ever. I have been told in the past that I must see a cardiologist on the regular but that was a few years ago. Should I be concern at this point?
My, you've gotten some quite bad answers to your question. Between the suggestions for "dietary supplements" and Mr. Cut-and-Paste who didn't actually answer your question, you're getting nowhere.
Pregnancy puts a high volume load on your heart, since you are pumping a much larger blood volume that you are used to. It can cause normally benign heart problems to tip over into heart failure. Shortness of breath can be a symptom of heart failure, so you definitely do need to see a cardiologist or at least a family practice doc or internist. They can give you medications to pull some of the water load out of your body and give your heart a rest
For the ill-informed first answerer, a pacemaker is not the solution for congenital heart disease unless it is causing a block in the electrical conduction. Also, many patients with anomalies in their hearts do take antibiotics before dental work to protect them from getting bacterial endocarditis.
Bottom line, you need to see a doctor. Your symptoms could be due to your heart. You need an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) and a cardiology appointment. The good news is that heart failure due to congenital (present from birth) problems is easier to treat than that due to multiple heart attacks.
A heart murmur shouldn't be serious. But is it has gotten worse, why hasn't the Dr. suggested something or given you real medications to help you. Ask him about a pace make to regulate your heart from palpitation or irregular heart beats.
I have had severe heart problems for years and never heard of antibiotic for anything like that, makes no sense. Are you sure it isn't blood thinner? I would be concerned and visit a cardiologist soon., NOW====
You could try CoQ10 (CoEnzyme Q10), a natural supplement. You can find it at natural supplement stores.
Cheers...
A heart murmur is an extra or unusual sound heard during your heartbeat. Murmurs range from very faint to very loud and sometimes sound like a whooshing or swishing noise. Normal heartbeat sounds