My son, age 14, is in cross country. While training, he complained of his left arm going numb from just below the shoulder to the wrist. An MRI was done and all was fine. BUT, when an echo cardiogram was done...they found 4 valves (the tri cuspid, pulmonary, mitral and right ventrical) were regurg. and the rt. ventrical was thickened/dialated. The cardiologist that read this echo said it appeared that my son had high blood pressure for years. He's never had high blood pressure and still doesn't! (It should also be noted that this cardiologist reviewed this echo numerous times over a period of 8 days and had others review as well before making his final report to our pediatrician and us).
Scared to death, we sought another opinion. On the second echo (different Dr./different hospital), they said that he has a definite murmur, and mild regurg. in the mitral valve, but the right ventrical was 1.6 cm smaller with no signs of regurg. or thickening. Looked great!
Needless to say, we are awaiting a third opinion since the first two are such polar oposites.
MY QUESTION---Prior to the first echo, our son was running a minimum of 2 miles per day and very active. On doctor's advice, this was stopped and he was fairly sedentary for over 2 weeks prior to the second echo.
Could the right ventrical (in a 14 year old heart) have looked OK after being sedentary for over 2 weeks? OUR FEAR is that the doctors will overlook a very serious problem --- one that gets increasingly worse and life threatening upon REGULAR and extensive exercise. Our third opinion is scheduled in the next few days and he has been inactive now for over 6 weeks.
HELP!