I requested a copy of my echo report right when I was at the hospital, so it already arrived- that was fast! However, I found it concerning. I mean, I’m extremely grateful that this defect was found. It was a complete fluke that it was discovered and I’m so happy that it was before it did real, serious, irreparable damage, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be concerned. The report sounds more serious than Dr. D. made it sound. Maybe he just didn’t want me to freak out for two months while waiting for my MRI, and I guess he doesn’t have all the info yet; he wants the MRI to confirm the diagnosis.
Anyway, the report says that my right atrium and right ventricle are dilated, which I know is a bad thing because too much strain on the right side of the heart leads to right-side heart failure. My inferior vena cava is also dilated, which makes sense because it’s connected to the right side of the heart, so it’s getting stretched out. I have mild tricuspid regurgitation, which also makes sense since the right side is enlarged, so the tricuspid valve isn’t closing properly. Getting technical here, but QP/QS= 2.23 (Pulmonary-Systemic Shunt Ratio) and from my research, anything 1.5 and over is surgical. So now I’m worried. Yes, I’ve been researching way too much, but I can’t shut off my librarian brain. Research is what I do.
MRI is scheduled for November 16th, so now I wait… and worry about claustrophobia and having a panic attack in the small MRI tube.