This post magically disappeared for some odd reason and is no where to be found in my drafts, so I'm writing it again. If you left a comment on the previous post, thank you very kindly, but I can not seem to figure out how to post them to this post. If you wouldn't mind, I would love for you to leave them again, so that if anyone else is going through something similar, they can see too that they can have support and/or there are others out there that are going through similar situations.
Also, Andrea had asked me in a comment that I can not figure how to publish in this post, if I had had any palpitations since having Drew, and the good news is, I have not. My hope is that it was just pregnancy and that pregnancy only!
Ok, so I recently found myself two new doctors. After having Drew last year I had some pretty major heart issues with my aortic valve leaking and dilating. During my pregnancy at 30 weeks I was diagnosed with SVT or supraventricular tachycardia, or heart palpitations. I would feel like I had just run a marathon my heart would be beating so quickly, yet I was sitting. At my regular appointment I told my then OB, she did and EKG and it came back abnormal and I was referred to a cardiologist. The cardiologist took one look at me and my swelling and knew something was up. He also ran an EKG and again, abnormal. I was then put on a medication to help the palpitations called Labetelol and it worked wonders. My swelling went down, I had so much more energy and overall felt a ton better.
Fast forward to my induction at 39 weeks 5 days. I was induced for a number of reasons, but my heart condition was under control so I was optimistic it would not be an issue during delivery. I was wrong, dead wrong. After 40 hours of labor, around 32 or more on pitocin I had a c-section. During my c-section I was under general anesthesia due to the fact there was a space on my belly I couldn't get numb and I started to feel pinching during the procedure. When I was under, my resting heart rate was 160 and would not go down. I was then given adenosine, a drug that chemically stops and restarts your heart. I was awake for this, and to tell you the truth, it felt like nothing abnormal. When my heart was racing I kept saying, "my heart feels like it's in my throat". As soon as they put in another port in my arm at my middle of my arm, where a larger vein was, I was given the medicine and I couldn't even tell when my heart stopped and restarted. All I felt was relief that I could breath and relax.
The very next day I was given an echo cardiogram, a fancy name for an ultrasound of your heart. At this point I had a severe leakage of my aortic valve and it was dilating. My cardiologist said he was optimistic given my age and health prior to this that it would heal on it's own. Three months later I had a repeat echo and the leakage had downgraded itself to mild. As I kept having to visit these doctors I would always keep asking if the pitocin and the amount of time had anything to do with the leakage of my valve. My then OB would always reassure no. I also felt like this issue was treated as it was no big deal when I would ask what I needed to do for future pregnancies, and my heart in general. How does a seemingly healthy 28 year old have this happen?
This March as my 1 year repeat echo was approaching I started looking for first a new OB. I found a great new one at a larger hospital in a larger city nearby. He was absolutely wonderful and referred me to a cardiologist that he said "was the best". I met with him on Wednesday and I was in heaven. He actually took me seriously, that I was generally concerned. He was too concerned as to why this happened. He did another EKG and all was normal. My repeat echo is next Wednesday and after listening to my heart the murmur that indicates the type of leakage I have is barely detectible. However, he did say that I will always have a mild leakage, it will never heal. He also said that due to my SVT, my enlarged heart and the amount of fluid and pitocin I was given, it most likely caused my aortic valve to leak and dilate. Now, pitocin is normally very safe and helps deliver millions of babies each year, and mom is perfectly healthy. It just so happens I had all the ducks in a row to cause my valve to have a tizzy.
What's frustrating is that fact that in that 40 hours no one ever showed concern for the length of time I was getting pitocin or said "hey this gal has a heart condition, maybe this isn't the best idea". Now, I have no ill will towards any of my previous doctors, quite frankly they are the ones that when push came to shove delivered Drew when his health and mine were both declining at rapid paces. I do have a renewed sense of relief and hope that with these two new doctors taking care of me, I am in the best hands.
The plan of action when that time comes, because we aren't looking at having another baby for a while yet, is to see my cardiologist throughout my pregnancy and if my heart does decide to act up, have him on hand during my repeat c-section. My new OB is optimistic in that I will have a very healthy pregnancy with no complications, we shall see, down the road of course!
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