MVPers

[ashley lynne]

Does anyone here of MVP (mitral valve prolapse)??
I just found out that mother has it. She's had a heart murmur for as long as I can remember, but I've never even heard of this before. Apparently one of the valves in her heart needs to be replaced because it doesn't close properly. From what I've heard her cardiologist say (who doesn't even seem to know his left hand from his right) that means she could possibly have a heart attack if it's not replaced.
My dad passed away about a year and a half ago. She wants so bad to go to heaven to be with both God and Chris. She believes that if God gives her an out of this world, then she's meant to take it. I'm not sure if she's going to go through with the surgery or not...or even if she truly needs it. I've talked to her about it and she said that she's going to go to a better cardiologist and see what she says.
I love my mother. After losing my dad not even two years ago...I don't know how in the world my heart could manage to lose my mother as well...and that's selfish....
If someone could tell me how serious this is and whether or not she needs to get it replaced that would great.
Prayers are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
MissyA

 

[PairoDocs]

In this case the cure involved going through something much worse than the condition. First of all, though, I wanted to reassure you that MVP is usually benign even if there is *some* regurgitation--blood squirting back from the left ventricle to the left atrium instead of going all out into the aorta and into the rest of the body like it should. If there is a lot of regurgitation, you develop a condition called pulmonary hypertension that can cause fluid to build up in the lungs and other problems. I don't know if your mother has any of those symptoms.
In my case my condition was mild with mild regurgitation, causing only a few PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) that are harmless and don't normally lead to any dangerous arrhythmias. In other words, if your mother has this condition, it should not lead to a heart attack or anything like that, unless she also has atherosclerotic heart disease.
In my case, a very rare one indeed, one leaflet of my prolapsed valve actually became a flail valve because the holding cords called chordae tendineae broke. Think of a sail tied to a main mast with ropes, then imagine those ropes breaking free and the sail whipping back and forth in the wind. I was healthy December 9th when the break took place and was nearly dead by December 12th. Many people (including 108 prayer chains) prayed for my life that day, and an excellent surgeon Dr. S. Scott Huerd in Boise saved my life by successfully repairing my valve, and incidentally curing my mitral valve prolapse in the process. My problem is so rare that you shouldn't worry about it ever happening in your mother's case, but she should at least be willing to know more about it.
If the condition is deteriorating, please advise your mother to seek help, as a lot of the time the process of heart failure is lingering and torturous with gradual loss of function, increasing respiratory failure, and just plain being exhausted and depressed from not being able to do anything anymore. I had to make my decision to live for myself, but my case was emergent. It sounds like perhaps your mother has time to at least find out what her options are. Yes, it's very sad and lonely when a loved one passes away, but she still has you, too. I'll pray that the Lord encourages her and that she finds the courage to seek out an accurate diagnosis from a doctor you both trust, preferably a cardiologist. The procedures for initial evaluation are not invasive. In my case an external echocardiogram was adequate to fully diagnose my original prolapse and approximate degree of regurgitation. The only thing I had to do was take some antibiotics before dental cleanings, and live the rest of my life normally (until a month ago of course--another story...).
Please forgive the long note. I'm a former chemistry professor and tend to be a bit chatty. God bless and hope to hear some good news!