44-year old’s stomach pains lead to discovery of heart issue

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) –With February being “American Heart Month,” ABC Columbia News spoke with one local woman whose atypical symptoms led her to undergoing a potentially life-saving surgery.

“I’m wearing my pin today because this is the one that I’ll say I earned, ” says Jenaya Lee of her “Go Red” pin.

44-year-old Lee says around October, she began having constant stomach aches and was unable to hold down food.

“Of course I made excuses, right? First it was, “Oh, I’ll put it off. It’s just a stomach ache, maybe it was something I ate,” she says.

But after the pain continued through January, Lee says the pain landed her in the emergency room.

“No other symptoms except my stomach,” says Lee.

That visit led her to being referred to a gastrointestinal doctor, who found no serious issues. But it was at the ER that doctors also discovered Lee had high blood pressure, eventually leading her to meet Dr. Michael Cryer at Prisma’s Heart Hospital.

“So we obtained an ultrasound of her heart, and during that ultrasound a couple weeks later, we noticed her mitral valve was quite leaky, this is the valve between the left ventricle and the left atrium and it protects the lungs from the pressures that the heart has to generate,” says Dr. Cryer.

He finds that on occasion it can be difficult to identify cardiac issues up front.

“Not all symptoms follow a textbook, some people have shortness of breath, some people have chest pains that’s easier to relate to the heart, sometimes we deal with abnormal or atypical symptoms so abdominal pain or abdominal swelling can sometimes be a sign of heart failure,” says Dr. Cryer.

“And dealing with heart problems with my family in the past, I’ve seen those traditional symptoms, but never in a million years would I have thought my gut carried my symptoms,” says Lee.

Had she not had open heart surgery to repair the valve, Dr. Cryer says Lee could have experienced a stroke or heart attack.

“Oftentimes we can take problems and offer them a solution that can lead to a lifelong correction and live an entire life with minimal impact,” he says.

According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of women. Lee says to anyone with symptoms — be your own biggest advocate.

“Don’t be afraid to go to the doctor and get checked. But if you are it’s ok. Just make sure you do it afraid, but ultimately, get it done,” she says.