Patient Stories
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Guy Maddox’s Story
Guy was only 35 when diagnosed with heart valve disease after experiencing dizzy spells and breathlessness. After 6 years of regular monitoring, his mild stenosis developed into a severe condition and he received a mechanical valve. Below, he tells us about his experience of heart valve disease and how early diagnosis helped him regain his busy life back. I was diagnosed with heart valve disease after visiting my GP seven years ago. I’d been having occasional dizzy spells, shortness of breath and blurred vision over a period of around a year. These occurrences were weeks apart and most only lasted [...]
Steve Langton’s Story
Brighton-based Steve Langton had surgery for aortic regurgitation (sometimes called a leaky valve as the valve fails to close properly) in February 2016. Since then he has been recovering well at home, where he has returned to light exercise. Here, writing before his procedure, he describes his diagnosis and treatment so far and the support he received from the Heart Valve Voice Facebook community. I was in the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch, which was an active job. I also studied and taught Aikido for over 20 years, but retired due to my heart valve and respiratory conditions, so [...]
Cecilia Owen’s Story
As Cecilia from Clitheroe approached her 70s, she was still enjoying long walks with family and friends. After a series of chest infections and medical tests, she was eventually diagnosed with heart valve disease. Her story is a poignant reminder of why it is important to get your heart checked sooner rather than later. I have always been an active person, and used to enjoy going on long weekend walks with the local club. I have an interest in photography too, so that was always a motivator to get me out of the house and capturing my local landscapes. When [...]
Margaret Willcock’s Story
Margaret Willcock was prescribed antibiotics for a chest infection, before it was finally realised that she had heart valve disease. In this blog she advises patients to ask their GP to check their heart with a stethoscope and to not to be worried about treatment. “It’s well worth it,” she says from experience. I hadn’t really been unwell before and rarely visited my GP. But in 2002 I developed breathing difficulties, so went to visit my doctor. After a check-up, he told me that I had a chest infection and prescribed antibiotics. The antibiotics didn’t help though, and I was [...]
Tim Powell: My Repair Story
Every two years, I undergo health screening. In previous years, I have been ranked as very fit and at much lower than average risk of developing cardiovascular disease or diabetes. However, on my most recent screening, I received the shock of my life when the GP said “You know you have a heart murmur, don’t you?” This was the moment when I was first diagnosed with mitral valve disease. I am 51 years old and work full time as a patent attorney (a professional with a particular expertise in the field of intellectual property). I’m married to Pam, and together [...]
