Alien8
Senior Moment
- Location
- (A little bit north of) Cambridge
I've been getting health assessments via my employer since 2010, nothing to do with my job, just an available benefit.
These were every other year with Nuffield, but latterly annual with BUPA.
I've had seven assessments so far, and in all of them they have called out abnormality in the ECG indicating potential left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) - but the cardiologists have always been happen happy to write this off as an adaptation from my lifestyle.
For some reason, this year the BUPA cardiologist decided that it needed further investigation, with them (chargeable of course), or via the NHS.
My GP referred me for an echocardiogram which I had back in August.
This was quite interesting to see, the inner-workings in action.
Next they are telling me I need to go back for an transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE).
Up to this point no one, at least no one knowledgeable, had discussed any of this with me.
However, last week and prior to the TOE, I actually got to discuss the results with a consultant.
He's happy with the enlarged chambers, sees no reason for a TOE, but also says I have a mitral valve prolapse (MVP).
The MVP is only minor to minor/moderate and so just needs to be monitored for change going forward - and of course we have no idea how long it has been like that.
But what I didn't realise was that there is an alleged connection between heart problems and oral health.
The consultant said that I should mention this to my dentist who, coincidentally, I'm seeing next week.
Meanwhile, I can just carry-on as I always have ... it's a funny old world.
These were every other year with Nuffield, but latterly annual with BUPA.
I've had seven assessments so far, and in all of them they have called out abnormality in the ECG indicating potential left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) - but the cardiologists have always been happen happy to write this off as an adaptation from my lifestyle.
For some reason, this year the BUPA cardiologist decided that it needed further investigation, with them (chargeable of course), or via the NHS.
My GP referred me for an echocardiogram which I had back in August.
This was quite interesting to see, the inner-workings in action.
Next they are telling me I need to go back for an transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE).
Up to this point no one, at least no one knowledgeable, had discussed any of this with me.
However, last week and prior to the TOE, I actually got to discuss the results with a consultant.
He's happy with the enlarged chambers, sees no reason for a TOE, but also says I have a mitral valve prolapse (MVP).
The MVP is only minor to minor/moderate and so just needs to be monitored for change going forward - and of course we have no idea how long it has been like that.
But what I didn't realise was that there is an alleged connection between heart problems and oral health.
The consultant said that I should mention this to my dentist who, coincidentally, I'm seeing next week.
Meanwhile, I can just carry-on as I always have ... it's a funny old world.
.
