I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse in 1992 when I was 18 years old. For a long time it bothered me severely every day, palpatations, chest tightness, short of breath. The doctor controlled it with Lopressor then. I didnt see a doctor for almost 7 years after I stopped taking meds the first time. Now I have a new doc that has me on Atenolol. It has worked great at slowing my heart rate and minimizing the palpatations to where I almost dont even have any. But it has started to really bother me lately again even on my medication. I just started a new job as a waitress after I was laid off of my desk job I had for almost 3 years. At work and even at home I get very flu like achy for no reason at all and have bad lower back pains sometimes. Standing up at work I get fuzzy headed and my face tingles sometimes. After sitting down for a few minutes it goes away and I'm fine. What could this possibly be? It is very scary, and I cant afford to go back to the doc. Someone told me that if you have lower back pain for a woman a lot it could be a sign of ovarian cancer or something like that? Anyone have any thoughts or experiences they can share with me that can at least let me know I'm not the only one that feels this way.
Thanks

I was diagosed with MVP in 1989...how old are you? Are you overweight? Do not drink any caffiene...that is the worst thing you can do...low back pain could be from wearing the wrong shoes since you are on your feet at work...are you taking vitamins? I have been med free for 5 years...I went to stress reduction classes which are free at local hospitals...fuzzy headed sounds like your blood pressure is dropping...are you eating right? Are you getting enought sleep? Whatever you do, don't let any dr give you Paxil or Prozac for stress that can cause your heart to fibrillate last thing you want to happen..if you smoke quit right now...drink lots of water...get adequate rest...wear good shoes while you work..you might try 3 ice cubes in a plastic bag, lay down and keep it on your low back for 20 minutes every couple of huors...take Ibuprofen...let me know please how you are doing...

ps sorry did not see your age I was just not seeing it

I also was diognosed with MVP 6 years ago, after suffering extreme panic attacks. My Dr. prescribed Paxil and it seems to be working,Were you taking meds for the actual condition or for panic?I ask because I have no idea what the conection is.

The way I understand it, Mitral Valve Prolaps is a condition where blood pools in the heart, and occassionally the heart will beast fast and hard in order to clear out the pool. It's also my understanding that by doing this, your heart is taking care of itself. I have MVP and this only happens to me (the fast, hard beat) every few years. Why are you people going on anti-depressants for this??? If you are attempting to stop the fast hear rate, how is your heart going to clear out the pool? I would think that stopping the fast heart rate would be detrimental to the condition.

I'm not saying it's wrong- only that I do not understand. Educate me!

How long did it take to figure out it was MVP?
Did you have to go through a lot of tests, or was it obvious from listening through a stethoscope?

Did it show up on a regular ekg?

I have had all of the symptoms you have all described,
but my doctors never checked my heart.

They told me it was asthma....
but the asthma specialist disagrees.
Now they want to blame it on being bipolar.

They refused me tests on my heart because I am 28 and thin.

I was diagnosed in 82 but had symptoms many years before. I only take xanax now and there was a time where an anti depressant would be helpful. Sometimes after years of enduring severe panic attacks, depression usually follows that's why some people are also put on anti depressants, it does help break the cycle of fear.

Blue4U2: FIND A DIFFERENT DOCTOR!

Not wanting to run tests on your heart bacause you're only 28 and thin are extremely stupid and ignorant reasons not to. A quick look at some major athletes' heart troubles should tell you that.

I'm 5'4", 115 lbs. and have been thin all my life. I've heard this is more common in thin, active people.

i was diagnosed with aortic prolapes and was taking atenolol had open heart surgery 3 years ago and still taking it. am doing well as long as i take it but when it wears off my heart beat goes very fast but could not go a day with out it good luck to you all

First, on my bottle or prescription leaflet for atenolol it states that you should get up slowly to avoid lightheadedness. (I am on verapamil, also, and I believe it has this warning,too.)

2nd MVP is not blood pooling in your heart. It is a condition of 1 or both leaflets not closing properly. Sometimes the prolapse allows blood to flow back into the chamber, this is called regurgitation.

A premature beat can often cause the feel'g of a hard beat and that is to get rid of the blood the premature beat has allowed to build up. Tachycardia doesn't allow the heart chamber to fill up properly. When they treated my tachy my blood pressure improved and I was told it was because my heart is beating more efficiently now.

Some ppl have what is called MVPS (syndrome) and that is where the anxiety and depression often comes in, it seems to be part of the syndrome. Some are diag with this syndrome even w/o having true MVP. Some cardios don't feel there is such a syndrome or that the MVP is coincidental and has nothing to do with the syndrome.

I am not on any meds for MVP. I take the atenolol for NCS and IST, and the verapamil to further control the IST. I take prophylactic antibiotics due to MR and TR.

Hugs

I was wondering why this thread didn't get bumped up. It shows 8 posts on the link, but has 10 (including my prior). Hmmm

Hello:wave: my name is Lisa and I also have mvp, i found out 18 yrs ago, and I have never been on any meds for this condition. My doc told me that alot of people do choose to take meds for it for thier comfort witch is totally understandable. i have chose not to take meds, my doc told me that really there is no need to take meds and that MVP is not life threating, the only time i am really ever botherd by it is if I over exert my self, most of my short pain i have from the mvp i have learned to live with, i think the hard part was just really convencing my self that i was not going to croke lol.:) I figured after 18 yrs if it was going to kill me it would have already done so. I am raising 7 kids and i workedfull time with 18 small children for 11 yrs now i am a stay at home mom and my mvp has never got me down or ever made me sick at all. i do get short pains and palputaions now and then but i just go on about my busness and let my body do what it needs to do. This may not work for every one, but i hope i brought some light to some of you, hang in there and be strong. XOXOXO Lisa

jeepers did your dr tell you thats why your heart beats fast is to clear out the pooling of blood? i have mvp was diagnosed 25 yrs ago. i am 45 now. i have never heard of that but thought it was interesting. my heart hasnt bothered me in two years and now for the last 4 months i have been waking up with racing heart pretty consistently. i went to the heart dr this morning after my insurance finally kicked in and i am wearing the 30 day event monitor and will have the echo done next week. sometimes i think i can feel it pooling up. i dont know if thats what im feeling but its a full feeling in my chest like its filling up. i have been under alot of stress for about the same time my heart started acting up so im guessing thats whats bringing this all on. my family dr gave me some xanax to take for the anxiety that goes with it but i havent started on it yet.