I have lupus and a mitral valve regurgitation. Is that bad?

Hello Anonymous,

Welcome to EmpowHER.

How are you coping with both conditions? What is your quality of life? How severe is the symptoms?

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems — including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.

he most common signs and symptoms include:

Fatigue and fever
Joint pain, stiffness and swelling
Butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose
Skin lesions that appear or worsen with sun exposure (photosensitivity)
Fingers and toes that turn white or blue when exposed to cold or during stressful periods (Raynaud's phenomenon)
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Dry eyes
Headaches, confusion and memory loss

Mitral valve regurgitation is leakage of blood backward through the mitral valve each time the left ventricle contracts.

A leaking mitral valve allows blood to flow in two directions during the contraction. Some blood flows from the ventricle through the aortic valve — as it should — and some blood flows back into the atrium.

Mild mitral regurgitation may not have any symptoms.

When regurgitation is more severe, a person may have palpitations, especially when lying on the left side.

If regurgitation is severe enough, the heart may enlarge to maintain forward flow of blood, causing heart failure (when the heart does not pump enough blood to the body). This may produce symptoms ranging from shortness of breath during exertion, coughing, congestion around the heart and lungs, swelling of the legs and feet.

Regards,
Maryann