Does anyone have mitral regurgitation?

[2bskinny]

Just wondering if anyone has this? I took those Fen-Phen and just got my echo results back and I do have "mild mitral regurgitaion" Just wondering if anyone can tell me about anything I should not be doing. I am a 30 yr old mom of 2. I was taking ephedra before I started atkins. I guess I won't do that again.
kinda lost today,
2bskinny

[doreen T]

hi 2bskinny,

Unfortunately, Fen-phen use is associated with developing mitral regurg, usually due to some damage to the mitral valve. :(

The mitral valve lies between the left atrium (collects oxygenated blood returning from the lungs) and the left ventricle (pumping chamber .. pumps blood out to the rest of the body). With mitral regurg. what happens is .. when the left ventricle contracts to squirt the blood out into the aorta and the body .. a little bit of blood backflows into the left atrium through the weak valve. In many cases, there are no symptoms, and the person lives happily ever after with a "heart murmur". When the person starts having symptoms, then the drs consider more aggressive treatment .. starting with medications to strengthen the heartbeat, and diuretics to help relieve any fluid retention that might be occuring. If symptoms start to interfere with a person's day to day function (short of breath, fatigued etc) then surgery can be done to replace the mitral valve. Surgery basically cures the problem :)

You can read more about mitral regurgitation at Medline Plus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000176.htm).

If it's been diagnosed as "mild" chances are you're not having symptoms, and the condition was picked up when the dr heard a "murmur" when listening to your chest? At this point, there's not much to do, except don't take stimulants like ephedra. You might want to cut back on caffeine too. Cutting back on salt and salty foods will help to prevent fluid retention.

Take care to avoid infections ... and tell your dentist before you have dental work done .. she or he may want to give you some antibiotics just in case. Don't get a tattoo, or anything like that ;)

I'm sorry this has happened, and I hope you're one of the lucky ones who never has any symptoms.

Doreen

[Doug H]

There's a large legal settlement that might be available. See a lawyer. There are firms all over the country handling this issue.

[doreen T]

On September 16, 1997, under pressure from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), concerned medical authorities and injured diet drugs patients who had filed lawsuits, American Home Products, the manufacturer of the diet drugs Pondimin (fenfluramine) and Redux (dexfenfluramine), took the drugs off the market. In January 2002, a nationwide class action settlement with American Home Products received final judicial approval.Fen Phen Patients with Mitral Valve Regurgitation or Aortic Valve Regurgitation

Under the class action matrix compensation program, qualifying damage most commonly involves (1) moderate or above mitral valve regurgitation and/or moderate or above aortic valve regurgitation and qualifying complications (such as qualifying levels of left atrial enlargement, ejection fraction, pulmonary hypertension and others), and/or (2) persons who undergo mitral or aortic valve repair or valve surgery, and such persons can submit potential claims for thousands, hundreds of thousands or one million dollars or more in matrix compensation benefits, depending on their individual damages.
For more information, check out: http://www.fen-phen-legal-resources.com/

http://www.settlementdietdrugs.com/

http://www.fen-phen-lawsuit-news.com/

http://www.a-fen-phen-attorney-for-you.com/ ... State by state listing to find a local lawyer to help you.

http://www.fen-phen-legal-resources.com/canada.htm ... legal resources in CanadaDoreen