Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome...

[LonesomeCry]

I have this condition and if under alot of stress I suffer quiet a bit of Panic Attacks.

People with this condition can't handle stress to well...where as people who don't have it can deal with the stress a whole lot better.

Does anyone have this too?

Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome

This is my story:
Hi my name is Darlene, and not only do I have depression, anxiety/panic attacks, some OCD and some phobias, I also have MVPS which explains a bit of what I am going through in the following posts.
I suffer quiet a few of the symptoms that are mentioned there.
I was diagnosed as having MVP when my son Josh was about 3 years old, now he is fixing to be 17.
So I have been suffering for those many years.
I have had some good years and then again some bad years, where it would flare up big time and I would then suffer panic attacks galore, like right now again I am going through the panic attacks alot, tension/stiffness, headaches, tiredness, shakiness, etc.
What triggers these in MVP patients is large amounts of stress (which I am under right now) Stress and MVP don't go together to well.
Also stimulants, like caffeine, sugar, etc. causes my attacks to flare up.
So you see I can not eat hardly any sweets, nor drink anything with caffeine in it. It overstimulates the already overstimulated nervous system that I already have. Its no wonder why I can't gain any weight.
Doctor once told me the reason I could not gain any weight was due to the fact that my nervous system was in overdrive.
So what do I eat and drink?
I have to drink lots and lots of water and sometimes that is a hard task to do.
And my New Years Resolution (which I haven't stuck with yet), was for me to eat right, exercise a little more, get the right amount of rest and listen to my tapes I have not yet listened to. ("Attacking Anxiety and Depression"). I have no motivation whatsoever. And if I am planning on getting better anytime soon, I need to get on the band wagon and get myself in gear. I am tired of being tired, depressed and anxious all of the time.

 

[LonesomeCry]

Always remeber, we are writing from our own personal experiences and from the extensive research we have done on MVP Syndrome. This is not intended as a substitute for your physician. ALWAYS seek his/her medical advice.


What is Mitral Valve Prolapse?

When a person's mitral valve is somewhat looser than normal it may allow one of the portions of the valve to "billow" backward slightly into the upper chamber during the heart's contraction. This is called prolapse. This "billowing" usually creates a clicking sound that can be heard with a stethoscope.

Occasionally there will be a small leakage of blood backwards into the upper chamber of the heart. This can be heard as a heart murmur; however, the heart function is entirely normal. The heart still pumps and receives an adequate blood supply. Prolapsed mitral valves do not tend to degenerate over time.

Mitral valve prolapse is the most common cardiac finding and is thought to affect anywhere from five to twenty percent of the general population. Although males are affected, females predominate. Symptoms of MVP usually do not begin before the early teenage years (approximately age 14 in girls, age 15 in boys); however, people of any age may be affected. MVP has a strong hereditary tendency and is thought to be inherited as a dominate gene.


What is Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome?

The majority of symptoms of MVPS are due to an imbalance in the function of the automatic nervous system (ANS), a condition known as dysautonomia. Thus, to understand the actions of drugs used to treat MVPS we need to review briefly the physiology of the ANS.

The ANS is that part of the nervous system that regulates involuntary functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, intestinal motility, and bladder activity. It is composed of two symptoms, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic which are both constantly monitored by specialized centers in the brain. These centers process incoming stimuli from all parts of the body and relay the information to the ANS.

Activation of the parasympathetic system releases a neurotransmitter from nerve endings, called acetylcholine; whereas activation of sympathetic system releases a neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, from the nerve endings and a hormone epinephrine or adrenaline, from the adrenal gland. Although greatly oversimplified, sympathetic stimulation usually causes excitatory activity while parasympathetic activity serves a more inhibitory function.

To learn more about this condition, visit the website above:

 

[LonesomeCry]

Symptoms of MVPS

Fatigue and weakness, these are sometimes confused with depression. Many MVP Syndrome patients tire easily. Minimal exertion, exercise, or light housework can result in exhaustion.

Irregular heartbeat, these heart palpitations are sometimes associated with breathlessness and an urge to cough.

Sped-up heart rate, known as tachycardia. The patient may feel as though his or her heart is pounding at a rate inappropriate for an activity, such as experiencing a 40 beat boost simply from standing up.

Chest pain, dull or sharp pain can occur anywhere in the chest and last from minutes to hours. This symptom is often caused by esophageal problems.

Psychological problems, these include depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. The attacks are marked by heart palpitations, trembling or shaking, chest pain, fear of dying, and shortness of breath. MVPS patients also may suffer mood swings.

Sleeplesness, many patients have trouble falling asleep and when they finally do they have a tendency to wake up several times during the night. Many people report waking up at approximately 3:00 a.m. every morning.

Cold hands and feet, many patients also report tingling or numbness in the hands and feet.

Dizziness and lightheadedness
Numbness in any part of the body
Migraine headaches
Shortness of breath
Neck aches or pains
Shakiness
Intestinal troubles
Muscle twitches
Fainting spells

Some other conditions appear to be associated with Mitral Valve Prolapse. These include temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ), spine curving scoliosis, and double jointedness. Like Mitral Valve Prolapse, these conditions relate to abnormalities of the connective tissue collagen.

To learn more about this condition, visit the website above.

 

[LonesomeCry]

Treatment for MVP Syndrome

Treatment for MVPS consists of several different aspects, all of which are important. To reach the goal of relieving MVP symptoms you must give attention to all of these. Failure to do so may result in less improvement in symptoms than you like.

* Education
* Positive mental attitude
* Avoiding caffeine
* High fluid intake
* Avoiding sugar
* Exercise
* Medication

Each component of this program is important.

Dietary modifications are essential to the balance of the autonomic nervous system. Adequate fluid intake assures normal blood pressure and controls some of the uncomfortable symptoms that we experience.

The importance of exercise cannot be underestimated.

As a good friend Lyn Frederickson says, "Without a positive mental attitude, we doubt that anyone can muster the emotional energy to begin, much less stick with this or any other program."

Caffeine is a drug. It stimulates our already overstimulated nervous system. It also acts as a diuretic, which is poorly tolerated by MVPS patients. Gradually eliminate caffeine, this will decrease your chances of withdrawal headaches.

Fluid intake also cannot be stressed too strongly. You should drink eight glasses of any beverage that does not contain sugar or caffeine, per day. Water is the best source. Many of us do not tolerate alcohol very well. It is a depressant as well as a diuretic.

Sugar stimulates the release of adrenaline into the blood stream and results in a more rapid heartbeat. It also gives a fast boost of energy followed by even more fatigue.

Exercise can ve very difficult for us, but keep in mind that fatigue breeds fatigue. Start your program slowly. Walking is fine. Work up to a 15 minute mile. This may take time, depending on how deconditioned you are. The goal is a 30 minute workout five times a week. Not only will your fatigue get better, your mood should improve. Weight training can cause or exascerbate symptoms in some MVPS patients, as they do not tolerate upper body motion well.

A positive mental attitude is glue that holds the puzzle together. It seems that everyone has had unsuccessful experiences with the medical profession. We know how frustrating this is. More physicians are beginning to recognize MVP Syndrome as a very real problem. Get yourself educated so you will be in charge of your own medical care. You can gain control of a problem that may have controlled you in the past. We are here to help you in any way that we can.


Remember, the goal is to restore balance to the central nervous system. Medication may be needed in some cases where panic disorder or depression is present.


"And The Beat Goes On"
The Society for MVPS
P.O. Box 431
Itasca, IL 60143-0431

Phone: 630-250-9327
Fax: 630-773-0487
E-mail: Bonnie0107@aol.com

Website: Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome Website.

 

[LonesomeCry]

MVP Facts

*MVP affects approximately 5 to 20 percent of the population.

*40 percent of these people have dysautonomia.

*Women seem to outnumber men by a 3 to 1 ratio.

*MVP is hereditary.

*Only 2 percent of MVP patients have actual structural problems.

*At least 60 percent of MVP patienst suffer from panic attacks.

*MVP patients often have low energy levels.

*It is reported that 70 percent of MVP patients suffer from depression.

*MVP patients have low blood volume and usually low blood pressure.

*MVP patients tend to become dehydrated very easily.

*Isometric and upper body exercises may cause symptoms to worsen. If you weight train, try lower weights with more repetitions.

*It is reported that at least 60 percent of MVPS patients have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

*Some experts believe that MVPS patients have a longer life span than the normal population.

*It is believed that many MVPS patients have a faulty thirst mechanism which often leads to inadequate fluid intake.

*At the Montreal Olympics in 1976, echocardiograms showed that 20 percent of these excellent athletes had MVP.


Women with MVPS experience more incidences of endometriosis and fibrocystic breast tissue.

MVP Syndrome is not life-threatening. However, for many people it may be life-style threatening.

For many patients with MVP syndrome, the most important form of treatment is simply to assure them that they are not "crazy" that they are not losing control, and that "it's not all in their head."


For more information click on link above.

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

This is so incredibly helpful to me. Thank you so much.

And not just me, but we received a call, just after I read these things from our church prayer list, requesting prayer for someone suffering from some of this, too. It's amazing what God does in His providence. Thank you for being a willing part of that plan.

 

[Mariposa36]

So, I found out I have MVPS. I've had a lot of issues with dizziness, feeling faint, numbness/tingling, and blurry vision. This obviously isn't jiving with my busy work and school schedule, so I'm probably going to need to have my MVP repaired. Has anyone had the surgery before? I'm so nervous about it, yet I really want to get over this or at least have some degree of improvement.

 

[gideon123]

Yeah - my wife has it. She also gets the panic attacks.

I tell you - I really remember when she was younger ... in her 20's ... and this really caused her a lot of grief. It was really hard for her to learn that the occasional flipping around of her heartbeat, or occasional fast beating of her heart, really was not harmful. Every now and then she would stop and grab her chest and put one hand on my arm. But over a long period of time - she found out that really she is just fine. The same thing goes for the panic attacks. They are very hard mentally and my wife really struggled with them on and off for 2-3 years. until she just convicned herself to breathe deeply and slowly, and beleive they would go away. Once she really got to that point - the panic attacks were not nearly so serious. They will come and go throughout your life, and the take different forms. They will morph from one set of symptoms to another. But you will gradually learn that they are not going to really hurt you, and you will be able to live a normal and happy life.

So press on! You will do just fine

Gideon