Afraid of endocarditis and congenital condition

[Junot]

I had a M-Mode and 2-D echocardiogram done last week. The results came back fine except for a mild tricuspid valve regurgitation that the cardiologist who performed the test detected in Doppler mode (she did just a brief Doppler mode examination, the Doppler mode was not requested by the cardiologist that referred me for this exam, so this other doctor who performed it might have felt that something wasn't quite right). I'm going to show the results to my GP on Wednesday and to my cardiologist in September. I've been having this test done almost on a yearly basis and it never accused anything, and now I'm thinking that it never did because any doctor until now had performed a Doppler on my heart! I'm afraid that I might have more serious morphogical heart conditions that only the Doppler echocardiogram is able to detect and I'm considering to have a thorough Doppler echocardiogram done, paying out of my own pocket. I'm almost sure that my GP will overlook this and won't refer me for anything and the appointment with the cardiologist is only in September. I've been thinking and I'm afraid I've endocarditis even though I do not present any of the usual symptoms. That or a congenital condition that no doctor was able to find and that may be deteriorating as I age (29 years old now). What if all this diagnosed anxiety and panic disorder since 2006 is a manifestation of a heart condition and doctors have been wrong all this time? It's a known fact that heart conditions CAUSE anxiety (and vice-versa)! Would you have the Doppler echocardiogram done to clear things up? This is making me feel more and more anxious...

[Junot]

Anyone? I had tons of ECGs, stress tests, M-Mode/2-D echocardiograms, holters and blood tests done these past 8 years. I ended up in the hospital a handful of times as well due to heart symptoms such as tachycardia and chest discomfort. Doctors have always labeled these symptoms as "anxiety" and "panic attacks".
If I think rationally, if I had any congenital heart defect, that would have already showed up by now in one or several of the long list of tests I had done so far. If I had endocarditis, I would probably have fever, flu-like symptoms and it would have shown up in the blood tests I had done this month (I would very likely have high levels of leukocytes and a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate). Probably I would be hospitalized by now. But if I look at the current facts, the facts are that this "brief Doppler study of the heart" that this doctor performed out of her own initiave did show this stupid valve thing. So maybe that's worth investigating further and doing a thorough Doppler echocardiogram study of the heart with all the measurements that the Doppler effect allows doctors to make. Moreover, I've read that a valve regurgitation can be heard on cardiac auscultation as a murmur. If I really had this condition, how come no doctor has been able to get it on cardiac auscultation for all these years? I've read that mild tricuspid valve regurgitation murmurs are best heard when the patient is lying down and usually, when they're mild, they're not audible at all when the patient is sitting. Now, I don't remember ever being auscultated lying down, so maybe that answers my question! Doctors seem to be always in a hurry!!!
I'm confused. I'm going to see my GP on next Wednesday and I'm almost sure he'll just overlook this. If he does, I think I'll have a full and thorough Doppler echocardiogram done, paid out of my own pocket. I can't wait until September to have the cardiologist opinion on this, I'm afraid that it might be too late and I need to give my mind some rest.

[sarahsparkleshine]

You're answering your own questions! Liked you said, you'd have other symptoms. You need to keep your mind off of it. You have your appointments coming up. You are fine.. I know it

[Fishmanpa]

You're answering your own questions! Liked you said, you'd have other symptoms. You need to keep your mind off of it. You have your appointments coming up. You are fine.. I know it

Exactly!

Positive thoughts

[Junot]

I hope so. I'd ask all these questions and more to doctors but many of them always seem to be in a hurry and so very unwilling to answer to their patients' questions. Sometimes I even forget some questions even though I use to take a list of questions to ask into the doctor's office - such is their hurry and unwillingness. How are we supposed to not Google symptoms and diseases when so many doctors act like cold machines and show no empathy for their patients. That offers no reassurance. But on Wednesday I'll ask my GP/family doctor about all this stuff and more. I don't care if he has more 100 patients in the waiting room to see. I have a scheduled appointment so he has to listen to me until I feel that I am sufficiently reassured - that or I'll file a claim.

[njon.704]

I had a M-Mode and 2-D echocardiogram done last week. The results came back fine except for a mild tricuspid valve regurgitation that the cardiologist who performed the test detected in Doppler mode (she did just a brief Doppler mode examination, the Doppler mode was not requested by the cardiologist that referred me for this exam, so this other doctor who performed it might have felt that something wasn't quite right). I'm going to show the results to my GP on Wednesday and to my cardiologist in September. I've been having this test done almost on a yearly basis and it never accused anything, and now I'm thinking that it never did because any doctor until now had performed a Doppler on my heart! I'm afraid that I might have more serious morphogical heart conditions that only the Doppler echocardiogram is able to detect and I'm considering to have a thorough Doppler echocardiogram done, paying out of my own pocket. I'm almost sure that my GP will overlook this and won't refer me for anything and the appointment with the cardiologist is only in September. I've been thinking and I'm afraid I've endocarditis even though I do not present any of the usual symptoms. That or a congenital condition that no doctor was able to find and that may be deteriorating as I age (29 years old now). What if all this diagnosed anxiety and panic disorder since 2006 is a manifestation of a heart condition and doctors have been wrong all this time? It's a known fact that heart conditions CAUSE anxiety (and vice-versa)! Would you have the Doppler echocardiogram done to clear things up? This is making me feel more and more anxious...

Hi! I know this is old , but I'm so happy I found this. I was wondering if your GP and cardiologist said anything about your tricuspid valve regurgitation? I also had a echocardiogram done and it saw a slight tricuspid valve regurgitation. My dentist said I don't need antibiotics before my cleaning. I have a cleaning scheduled and I am so scared.