Mitral Valve Prolapse

I was diagnosed at 17 with Mitral Valve Prolapse with Angina. Yes I get those lovely chest pains where it feels like my chest is being ripped apart. I do have problems with it at times although I have found some ways to ease it even if they aren't popular views for it. My blood pressure used to fluctuate quite a bit with it and I did have a lot of chest pain. Believe it or not once I started smoking my chest pains stopped and my blood pressure evened out and is normal. I know most think that is totally wrong but for me it works. There are many things I cannot do because of the MVP, like stairs and running. I never could do these because I'd get pain in my chest or major cramps in my legs due to the circulation not going right. My immune system is lower due to the MVP and that I get colds/flus easier then some. Of course if we have any dental work we have to have antibiodics due to infections coming in easier. For the most part I'm able to manage with mine I just know what to avoid to prevent chest pain btu sometimes it still happens and there isn't much one can do but wait it out.

Wow I'm sorry to hear that the MVP is that bad for you. I have so many health problems that this one is nothing to me. I do have a rapid heart beat but it's not that bad. When I had surgery it was very problematic. My heart rate skyrocketed. But I was put on a med to lower it and it slowly went down. I was able to stop that med in about a month. Has your cardiologist ever talked to you about medication to slow your heart rate? Do you wear a med-alert bracelet that says MVP on it? Do you know to take antibiotics before any dental work? I pray that you get this under control soon.

I too was diagnosed at the age of 17, but mine did end up turning into Mitral Regurgitation. I have to take medication for it and try my best to stay away from Caffeine, but I'm a sweet tea addict and I will feel the effects if I drink too much of it. The chest pains drive me up the wall and are sometimes accompanied by panic attacks. My doctor is pretty much an idiot when it comes to it. Last ECG I had, he said, "Well, it has progressed, which is something we expected to happen. It's going to happen with age." See, I've been told that I may one day need to undergo valve replacement or repair. Repair is becoming more common, so I'm just about ready to say, "Hey, fix it. I'm tired of this." I also have the fatigue with it, which can cause issues because some days at work it is hard for me since my job is physical. I have to push myself to keep going. Found out yesterday my grandfather has it and so does my aunt.

I was diagnosed with MVP when I was 15, shortly after my mother was diagnosed. She took me in because I had some of the symptoms, and sure enough, I had it too! I had extremely LOW blood pressure, although they say high is the normal. I had dizzy spells and weakness, and the Doc put me on meds. Things didn't really change much, other than B.P. regulating. Then I moved, and my new Doc took me off the meds! Said he didn't want a 16 year old taking steroids, and I was playing Volleyball at the time, I didn't even know I had been taking steroids! I am very lucky these days and don't have hardly any symptoms. Caffine doesn't effect me at all - I drink a Mountain Dew almost every day! I sometimes still get dizzy spells, but those are typically only on or around 'that time of the month'. Other than that, I wouldn't even know I had MVP. I consider myself to be lucky, but I know that one day, ANY day, my symptoms could get worse....