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Echo Results are Finally In

SteelsCharm
0 Recommendations

Hey everyone..I finally got my results back from my echo today..sadly to say it was thanks to my family Dr that called me before my Cardio office did!

anyhow..not really positive what this is as I am still researching it, but I was told I have Patent (open) Foramen Ovale (PFO). I am still doing a little bit of research on it, but again I haven't talked it over with my Cardio yet either. It sounds very confusing on topic, but it sounds worse than it is maybe???

It looks like it can be fixed with a cath..by the way I see it is its a sort of hole of a place in my heart that was supposed to stay closed, but mine decided to open back up. Like I said, I don't know much about it yet myself. I am afraid of the 40% of having a stroke or a TIA.

I will let ya know what the Cardio says, but in the mean time if anyone can give me any info on this that would be great! I had a hard time finding info on it on medmd.com. Any info would be great!

Thank you all for sticking by me!
Keri

Explore topics in this discussion:

Heart disease Stroke

20 replies

DiStacy1

There is a really good article about it from the Cleveland Clinic, I just googled it and found it. The link is as follows: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/patent_foramen_ovale_pfo/hic_patent _foramen_ovale_pfo.aspx
Hope this helps you.

Diane

nanamo

glad to hear you finally have results now to researching i will look into it to for ya take care




god bless
surviving heart disease one day at a time
with trigger04/08
for 10 years now
nanamo

SteelsCharm

Thanks Nanamo..It looks like to me all I have is a whole in my heart. I guess its nothing serious from what I keep hearing from people. Please let me know if you find anything on it. It would put my mind at ease.

Keri

Winglover

Keri,
PFO"s seem to be more prevalent these days with all the new testing out there. The hospital where I work actually looks for them in women who have migraines. Yes, they are repaired via a cath with a type of patch graft. Kind of like a little umbrella on both sides. Many people have a small opening that has remained open since birth. A coworker of my husband's just had it repaired, came home without a hitch. Good Luck! Be thankful they found it before something happened.

Lisa

Patybluetx

Keri, I'm glad to hear that you have answers and that it doesn't seem to be too serious. I'll be praying that they can repair it without any complications. But keep us posted ok?

((HUGS))
Martha

SteelsCharm

I know you guys are gonna tell me "I told you so"..and I am fully expecting it after I tell you all this..hahaha.

When I posted yesterday my results I had said that I was still waiting to hear back from my Cardio, but that my family doc had called to make sure I was going to be checking up with my cardio cuz he got the results. when I told him I didnt have the results yet, he let me know about the condition that I have, and to follow up with my Cardio.

Ok..here it goes..well this afternoon I finally got a call from my Cardio's Tech. She left me a message due to me not being home. The message said this " Hello Ms Badaracco, this is Jenna from Dr Ellisons office (cardio) I wanted to let you know that your echo came back NORMAL" Ummm hellooo..who am I supposed to believe now..AND most importantly what else has my cardio said was NORMAL when it wasn't??

My family Dr explained the condition to me and what it was called. I understand he isn't a cardiologist, but he is a Dr..lol I will be telling that to my Cardio office tomorrow morning when I call there! This just all confirmed my suspicion of him being a "Quack"..I guess now that 2nd opinion might come in handy for sure!

Thanks to all of you who looked into it for me! I found a really good site on it today from a cardiovascular team that seemed like it had given me answers to every question...http://www.sorensenmd.com/pfo.php


xxxxxxx
Keri

martzj

Keri,
"your echo came back NORMAL" Ummm hellooo..who am I supposed to believe now..AND most importantly what else has my cardio said was NORMAL when it wasn't?? "

While doctors have differing options on how to deal with PFO, this condition is not 'normal' and it seems important that you schedule an appointment with the cardio to discuss what the PFO means to your quality of life and your risk of SCA in future. If you get no response from this cardio, you may want to ask for copies of your records and head out for a 2nd opinion.

I have a difficult time understanding the ethics of having a tech call a patient with PFO and, if I read you correctly, deliberately NOT telling you about the PFO. Your very sharp PCP caught it and immediately informed you or you may never have known. This is rather murky behavior on the cardio's part. You are entitled to explanations. Now!

take care,
Jaynie

SteelsCharm

Yes you are very right. I would have never known about this PFO if my family doc would have never called me. And to think..he was just calling me to make sure that I was following up with the cardio that he referred me to..geesh..if only he knew. It just really upsets me that she would call here and tell me everything was fine..its not fine!

Keri

martzj

Hi Teri,

I'm not a doctor, but it is my feeling that the patient's daily quality of life should be the deciding factor in persuing corrective procedures. You went to a doctor because you are not feeling well. That is important. Obviously you have lived your entire lifetime with this tiny hole that didn't close when you were born and your lungs inflated with oxygen for the first time (point at which hole should have sealed off). We don't know the exact number of people walking around the planet with this condition but there is an estimation of 25 percent. It is prevalent enough that every medical student is taught about this. Even your dentist could have told you about this one.

Your cardio's tech was just the messenger. It is your cardio who should be explaining what is going on with your heart face to face. This incident is yet another example of the huge disconnect between current US doctor-patient ethical practices. When your cardio said 'normal'.....that meant he/she had no intention of intervening to close the opening...which is a deliberate choice....about your heart that was made while keeping you in the dark so you couldn't push for a solultion beyond 'benign neglect' (US medically billable diagnosis meaning 'do nothing').

And since any physician who withholds critical information (not that you are in danger, but you have the right to an explanation of your heart functions) is fair game, you are now free to ask why you were NOT told about this.

We have got to make it very risky for US docs to choose the wording 'normal' in situations where they don't want to be bothered taking corrective action or referring to colleagues for corrective actions at the risk of being challenged because of some across-the-board agreed upon procedural norms in this case. Meaning....No intervention because there is no current easy intervention, or it won't be a big money maker, or colleagues may sneer. All of the above have zero to do with the patient, so 'normal' is trotted out to cover all the bases and patient is sent back out still in the dark. As soon as there IS a quicker fix intervention (in your case, there may be) patients will be told the truth and sent for treatment.
'Normal' will change to "PFO'.

This has happened to me with doctors within the same practice. I caught it.

Let us know how it goes today Keri. Every woman who explains what is happening with her also helps the rest of us put the bigger pictures together in our own lives.

take good care,
Jaynie

SteelsCharm

Thank you Jaynie for being so informative. I agree with you that if they don't feel that its life threatening that you should atleast know you have it. Its like comparing someone who has no uterus if they don't want kids. Just an example..but we all have the right to know whats going on with our bodies whether "they" think its important or not. Like I said before having a hole in my heart is by all means NOT NORMAL to me. It's not something that he should be overlooking either, but now I see that I have obviously just been a "bother" to him and he doesn't want anything to do with me again. I see that now.

I called both offices and left messages. I called my PCP back to let them know what the Cardio office said, and called the Cardio office to let them know what my PCP said. I can't wait to see who says they are right and who says they are wrong in this matter. At this point I do trust my PCP though.

I will keep in touch!
Thanks again everyone for listening
Keri

MomofCharm

Keri,
I'm very happy you have many members, PC friends, to talk with. To express your thoughts & sometimes to just to "vent". I read the replies sent to you. I really wish I would of had advice from others, to read what other women experienced & to "vent" with women that would understand what I was going through. We talk every day, but the support & information you are getting from WomanHeart members is so important, stay in touch with everyone. Of course, you have to keep me posted too!, I'm your mother, lol.
Love you with all my heart,
Mom

P.S.
I read the discussion from Bonnie59, "Open Heart Again". Please say a prayer for Bonnie59. You know what she & her family must be going through, you were always there for me.

SteelsCharm

Thanks mom..I love you very much:)

Keri~~

SteelsCharm

An update on the phone call that I got back from the Cardio office yesterday...

Well..for starters the tech didn't even know what a PFO was until I told her..so she says she will get back to me once she talks with the dr..so she calls me back and tells me...

Well he said it was very small so theres no need to be worried about it and they don't treat them either. I told her I didn't care how big or small it was I should have been notified of this! She said "would you like for me to have the dr call you back"..and I said.."no, I really do not wish to speak with him"..she knew that I was upset and I could tell in her voice that she was P***ed off, and didn't want anything to do with the concerns I had.

So I guess now I need to know if I should be looking for another Cardio to be seen by about this condition to keep an eye on it..does it grow over time? I havent seen that anywhere in my research yet. I know I have read that there are no symtoms with this condition..so my next thing is..I still have frequent but mild chest pains, ankle and foot swelling, and SOB..I guess its time to get that 2nd opinion and find out whats going on..lol

thanks to you all for listening and letting me vent.
~~Keri xoxoxox

nanamo

keri,

i would be making a appt to see the DOC NOT THE ASSIT. and i would say look i wnat to know whats what with my heart we are talking baout my life and health and i do not accept the answers i got from you call you assit. that didnt even know what i ahd come on are yu kidding me................. be upfront and even nasty about it what are they gonna do usher you out of their office bad move on there part get your medical records for you and for the new cardio you need to see....... when i go oto the doc i always make iwth cardio like i tell them i am charged for a cardio doc visit not an assit visit so i see her now her asssit is good and open and honest so sometimes when she has an emergency i will see him but they know if i dont get results to where i understand and feel comfortable i will be back to see her.......i have come to teh point its my life my future and NO ONE WILL MESS WITH IT NOT EVEN A DOC

GOD BLESS
SURVIVING HEART DISEASE ONE DAY AT A TIME
WITH TRIGGER04/08
FOR 10 YEARS NOW
NANAMO

SteelsCharm

I just received the call from his Tech..I always have seen him directly, but still he keeps things from me obviously. I wasn't nice to her at all..and like I said when she asked me if I wanted to speak with the Dr I said no thats ok..I dont really want to speak to him either..and wasnt nice about it at all. I will persue it, but I think I have a little time to search for a decent doc and get into an appt. Thankfully its not life threatening, but atleast I know I have it and If I have any more symtoms I will hit the ER fast!

Keri

MomofCharm

Hi Keri,
I'm sure you will call me Friday AM to tell me about the phone call from the cardio dr. and I hope you requested your medical records.
Remember, our special "mother & daughter" love will last forever, and our love will overcome any "bumps" in the road. Stay strong & determined to get the correct care and a second oppinion.

Talk to you tomorrow.
Lub, (LOL)
Mom

Cogal

Join our PFO discussion group on Facebook at PFO Migraine Stroke

SteelsCharm

Cogal:

Thank you for the information on your facebook website. I will be checking it out!

~~~Keri

Ecksunbeam

Dear Keri,

Ditto on Jaynie's post.

Definitely warrants a second opinion.

Great Mom you've got there!

May the Blessings Be!

Sherrie

alohami31

Hey Kari,

I just wanted to let you know that I'm getting checked for a PFO by Trans Esophogeal Echo tomorrow. From what I understand, the size of the hole is how they decide to treat. That being said, you definitely should have been informed. Even a small one puts you at increased risk for stroke (though small) and if you are a migraine sufferer it could warrant a change in meds.

I had a GP that had horrible "nurses" they were all med techs that graduated from trade schools and they all left as soon as they came. I found out after a few frustrating situations, that she only hired interns to reduce cost...that would be medical assistants that hadn't even finished their minimal training.

While the doctor herself was good, I left because any time I had to call the office it was incredibly frustrating. When I ended up changing doctors I found numerous errors and omissions in my file. We are the only true advocates for our health. While there are good doctors out there, they are truly only as good as their help. It sounds like you have a great GP, I would look for a second opionion on the cardio issue just for comfort sake but it is probably something just to be aware of.

Good luck to you,
Jen

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