heart murmur

momand2kids
momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
edited May 2021 in ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)

Hi all

Long time ILC person here-- had my pcp visit yesterday and she found a "slight" heart murmur- she seemed unconcerned and scheduled an echocardiogram. I of course was flipped out- and became more so when I got my blood results this morning and saw that my cholesterol, for the very first time in my life was "borderline" high.... So of course I come here for some reassurance--anyone with adult heart murmurs that are "innocent" (that is what they call them if they are not abnormal. Trying hard not to make myself crazy-echo is in late April (that is how nonchalant she was)

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited March 2021

    Yup - I have both a heart murmur and high cholesterol - have for years. The heart murmur has been there, and commented on periodically by assorted primary care docs over the last 30 years. It was also noted with both pregnancies, but that is all. Until recently nobody felt the need for a cardiac workup - and my current primary care suggested doing so because of the murmur and my age, but wasn't particularly urgent about it. I did have echos done before I started Herceptin, and quarterly throughout that year following, and there was never any glaring abnormality noted. I did have a mild decline in LVEF but it normalized when I finished Herceptin. I am actually pursuing a consult now with a cardiologist who has familiarity with Herceptin, but have not seen that doc as of yet. I had very normal cholesterol until my mid-40's when I had a hysterectomy/oopherectomy for numerous uterine fibroids. My cholesterol rose rather dramatically as my estrogen dissipated and has stayed up. I am a normal weight and eat a healthy diet, this is either genetic or a combination of that and reduced estrogen. I was on a statin for a while but came off after I started letrozole since the statin can cause muscle/joint pain, and I also had that from the anti-hormonal meds. I have pre-existing lumbar disk degeneration issues so I was trying to minimize things that made that worse. My PCP at the time said he would not have put me on the statin (done by a previous PCP) because my total number was being driven higher by my good cholesterol, not as much by my bad. Have you looked at your ratio and triglycerides? My DH and a number of friends all have climbing cholesterol - seems to happen as we age as well.

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited March 2021

    K

    thanks so much-nice to hear from you--Triglycerides are fine as is ldl--- so not sure what is going on--- I am pretty healthy- although I have an extra COVID 10lbs--now 5-- but the jump in my mind was significant-I have not hear pcp's opinion yet- and on the heart murmur it seems lots of people have them-my mom told me last night I had one as a kid--- but I don't think it has been mentioned or seen once since-and I have had all sorts of crazy testing like the MUGA through bc treatment-- so I guess we will just know more in April--good point about the estrogen-- so many variables. Thanks for reaching out--I woke up thinking I would drop dead during daily exercise-- calming down now.....


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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited March 2021

    K

    I think my total number is being driven by the bad cholesterol since that is the one that went up-- it is in the borderline high range- has gone up 23 points since my last visit 18 months ago--- I cannot help but think the pandemic may have something to do with this!!! I might be able to get by with out meds if I work really hard at this- although I exercise, eat pretty well, don't drink, don't smoke-- so I am not sure what else do to other than to get rid of the pandemic pounds and try to eliminate work stressors!!!!


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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited March 2021

    mom - I am like you - don't drink or smoke, but my numbers - both HDL and LDL - did climb annually from 45 when I had the hyst/ooph, to my early 50's and then seemed to stabilize. I dropped my total number by 30 points several years ago by eating cleaner (lean protein, organic non-starchy veggies and low glycemic index fruit, no refined sugar, gluten free), and others swear by daily oatmeal - which might be worth a 30 day try if you like it. I got a bit sloppy on the clean eating during the pandemic, and didn't gain 19 Covid lbs., but did gain at least 5lbs! Let me know what happens in April!

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited March 2021

    That is great advice- I only need to bring it down by about 23 points-- oatmeal is a great idea!!!

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited March 2021

    K

    Dr actually send her clinical notes- it seems that my risk factor of a "cardiac" event is less than 6 % over th enext 10 years and they require it to be 7/5% to put you on statins. She wants me to adjust diet and check back in again in 6-12 months to see how it is...off to make oatmeal!!

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited March 2021

    Oh good! Hoping the oatmeal is a fix for you! Here is the risk calculator a PCP had given me years ago, it is nice to be able to track your numbers yourself.

    http://www.cvriskcalculator.com/


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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited March 2021

    K

    thanks so much-- I like that calculator--- it also says no statin for me!

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited April 2021

    K-update -echo today--tech said"you a have a strong heart" and "if there was a problem, I would call the cardiologist in for a reading and I am not doing that". So I left feeling pretty good (I realize that techs are not dr- but she had 30 years experience).

    Anyway, note later in day from pcp-- report from cardiolgist is in " you should make an appointment with her in the next 3-4 months-- you are asymptomatic so there is probably nothing to be concerned about- but if you have to have an MRI the cardiologist can order it--- What????? I wrote back to ask "what am I asympotmatic for and why do I need to see a cardiologist and what about this MRI????

    So, I was feeling good now not so much--this is crazymaking!

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  • wallycat
    wallycat Member Posts: 3,227
    edited April 2021

    I was told I had mitral valve prolapse in my 20s. Used to have to take antibiotics for dental cleanings till a PCP in my 30s suggested an echo and determined I have a b-9 mitral valve prolapse. And yes, those cause heart murmurs. And MVP is very common in women (we are so lucky).

    I skimmed the posts so apologies if I repeat anything. First I will say that when I first started my Dietetic jobs, I cannot tell you how many patients we had that had perfect cholesterol and we were reviewing them after their cardiac arrest. We also did quite a few consults for patients with really high cholesterol and as long as I was there, they never developed CVD. Well into my years after undergrad, the testing was more specific. So not only did they test for LDL but also for Vldl. To gloss over, LDL in and of itself is not bad, it is the very small particles of the LDL that are riskier....so they started testing for that. Same for HDL. Having a very high HDL used to be the goal but they are finding that really high HDL also contributes to CVD. I've never had my Vldl checked. I have high everything. My "ratio" is good but I have all the bad things...very high HDL and high LDL and high triglycerides. As an aside, in women, the triglyceride values were more indicative of future CVD than LDL. As another aside, LDL that is really low is also found to be unhealthy.

    Adding: HDL is usually higher in women because of our estrogen so it stands to reason being depleted of it brings it down.

    I've not reviewed any current studies on this (and since I went on to another profession).



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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited April 2021

    Wally,

    thanks so much- Special K also mentioned the dental cleanings--I will ask. so interesting abaout the perfect cholesteraol and cardiac issues. One just never knows. going to see the cardiologist as a precaution- there is a little leak in the mitral valve -although no one seems to be concerned. and there could be some thickening of the heart muscle, they are not sure because echo was inconclusive... thankfully I have no symptoms-so I will just gather the info and think about what I want to do next. It is the spring of gynocology and endocrinology for me as well--- I feel like this is a full time job to go along with the one I already have--but I don't want to fool around with anything about the heart!!!

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited May 2021

    following up.... I was so quick to agree to the MRI-then had epic anxiety all week before the test/ Show up having taken ativan then 1 minute in I am in full blown claustrophobia--- had to end the test--I was completey traumatized. techs were lovely-- went to get changed and had a complete meltdown in the dressing room. I have been so compliant through breast cancer, thyroid cancer and melanoma-I go to all my appts and follow up on everthing-- and this just put me over the edge-AND I was angry at myself for jumping so quickly to MRI_ cardiologist said it could help since the echo was a little blurry- but she also said that this situation would not be life-threatening and would likely never impact my life. echo--- H found me outside the hospital all sniffly-but I had made a decision-I will be compliant but I am not chasing down every single thing-- Sent note to cardiologist who agreed we could probably use the existing echo or maybe have another one to get more clarity--- no problem.... I see her in a couple of weeks-- will get this settled then.... feel much better--

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  • LillyIsHere
    LillyIsHere Member Posts: 830
    edited May 2021

    momand2kids, once you have done thought BC diagnosis, there is no scan that will make you feel ok. I didn't care for scans before BC diagnosis but everything has changed since then. I know how you feel. I am sending you hugs.

    When were you diagnosed with thyroid cancer? How did it start?

    Happy Mother's Day!

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited May 2021

    Lily

    thanks so much-Happy Mother's day to you-- I actually don't worry much about bc and do the mammo/etc every year-no problem...it wa just having some question about my heart, which was really minimal, that set me over the edge. I really did not need the MRI-I decided to do it so I could "know" everything, when the truth was, we already knew everything. My problem is not not feeling secure- it is always looking for all the information, which is uncessary and exhausting. Intellectually I know any one of these things could return, but I don't worry about it in general...

    Thyroid was dx after months of a weird cough--never had a thyroid issue, never any problems with TSH etc. It was the lowest level thyroid cancer- it was about 5 years after bc dx- so about 7 years ago--I am almost 13 years out from bc dx--- follow up there is an annual endo visit and an ultrasound. I go next week-- love the endo and it is always a nice visit...

    Hope you are doing well...


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