Last July I had my 8th anniversary of my artificial Trifecta Aorta heart valve. I was 72 and went with a tissue valve thinking I would get 12 - 20 years from it. I was wrong.
As you may know this valve has been recalled. Two years ago my cardiologist said I had some deterioration of the valve. I told him then that I needed to stay alive for I had taken on the primary job of caring for my wife who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. His answer was something else would get me before my valve would fail. He was wrong.
Last year I learned of the recall. On my next visit, my cardiologist said nothing about the recall. I asked about my echo results and he said it was slightly worse, but echo tests often varied some. I asked him about the recall. He said some fail earlier than others and when they start to fail, some degrade fast, others not so fast.
I’m an ex engineer and like data, facts, and honestly. I felt my cardiologist was either keeping information from me or was not fully honest with me. Or, maybe he was not up to date on matters.
Six months later I talked to my GP about it. She pulled the echo report and I found out my valve area was .86, which is in the serious area.
That and having too much shortness of breath, I decided to seek another opinion. It took a while. I changed GP and he plugged me in with a new cardiologist who scheduled another echo test and Cath test.
The echo test reported “significant stenosis’, the new cardiologist said it needed replaced, sooner than later. The Cath test would focus on determining other issues and if I could be a candidate for TVAR. They found no new clogged arteries. (In 2022 I had a stent put in and a bypass in 2016 when they had me open for SVAR).
Today I had a upper body CT scan and cardioid artery dropper to further qualify me for TVAR. I will meet with the doctors next Monday. I hope to have TVAR on 9/3.
I have symptoms most of the time now. I play pickleball three times a week and really feel it on the court. I have cut back on how hard I work and play. I know the stress of caregiving doesn’t help, but I do want to outlive my wife.
My new cardiologist said that having an artificial valve may be better for TVAR than a natural one for the titanium ring of the Trifecta valve will give the TVAR valve some solid structural to push up against.
Has anyone on the forum had TVAR on a Trifecta valve?
If I survive this, I will report back on my experience.
As you may know this valve has been recalled. Two years ago my cardiologist said I had some deterioration of the valve. I told him then that I needed to stay alive for I had taken on the primary job of caring for my wife who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. His answer was something else would get me before my valve would fail. He was wrong.
Last year I learned of the recall. On my next visit, my cardiologist said nothing about the recall. I asked about my echo results and he said it was slightly worse, but echo tests often varied some. I asked him about the recall. He said some fail earlier than others and when they start to fail, some degrade fast, others not so fast.
I’m an ex engineer and like data, facts, and honestly. I felt my cardiologist was either keeping information from me or was not fully honest with me. Or, maybe he was not up to date on matters.
Six months later I talked to my GP about it. She pulled the echo report and I found out my valve area was .86, which is in the serious area.
That and having too much shortness of breath, I decided to seek another opinion. It took a while. I changed GP and he plugged me in with a new cardiologist who scheduled another echo test and Cath test.
The echo test reported “significant stenosis’, the new cardiologist said it needed replaced, sooner than later. The Cath test would focus on determining other issues and if I could be a candidate for TVAR. They found no new clogged arteries. (In 2022 I had a stent put in and a bypass in 2016 when they had me open for SVAR).
Today I had a upper body CT scan and cardioid artery dropper to further qualify me for TVAR. I will meet with the doctors next Monday. I hope to have TVAR on 9/3.
I have symptoms most of the time now. I play pickleball three times a week and really feel it on the court. I have cut back on how hard I work and play. I know the stress of caregiving doesn’t help, but I do want to outlive my wife.
My new cardiologist said that having an artificial valve may be better for TVAR than a natural one for the titanium ring of the Trifecta valve will give the TVAR valve some solid structural to push up against.
Has anyone on the forum had TVAR on a Trifecta valve?
If I survive this, I will report back on my experience.
