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You say "life expectancy changes after replacement" - replaced with what? Mechanical = longer, bio = shorter?

Ahhhhh!

I have been on insulin since 1996 and on warfarin since 2014, and I have to say I haven't noticed a connection between blood glucose and INR.

I agree with all that you say. My point was simply that if people have been buying newer models there may be fewer XS machines on the second hand market.

In the UK only the CoaguChek range is approved and supported by our NHS

Here in the UK we do not need a prescription for a meter, and in Europe as a whole, self testing is encouraged. We used to be able to buy directly from Roche, but now have to use an authorised distributor Also, a reminder that the XS is now quite an old meter, and has been superseded by the...

I agree you are a competent tester, Eva, and think the licencing arrangements in the US are the biggest reason for their unhelpful response - they may well have a regulatory problem if they are seen to help a user of their products not going through the "normal" US procedures.

Not being a doctor, or having had a hematoma, I hesitate to say this but it would seem logical to me to keep your INR towards the upper end of your range, and if you don't normally take a baby aspirin to add that temporarily, so that your blood helps wash the clot away?

I have a St Jude valve, and had a couple of MRIs with it. They have never even asked any questions about the valve, only my pacemaker. However, this is possibly because the hospitals where I have them already have my medical records, and so would have seen the valve info anyway.

I think all the lancets on that Amazon page are for diabetic testing: 28g lancets, not the larger 21g needed for INR testing.

Yes, it has been the same machine since 2014. Still looks as good as new, despite being well travelled with me on holidays! It came in a soft carry case with a lancing device, place to keep the tub of test strips, and pockets to hold the lancets. I am still using the same lancing device and the...

Great idea to get your own meter! Not sure if you came across this document I have posted a number of times, which although originally written in 2014 I think is still the UK's current medical guidance - that the CoaguChek range are the only meters recommended, and that self testing helps...

I wonder if you are thinking about electrical interference as it might affect pacemakers? If you have one of those (as I do, from surgical complication/****-up), then high voltage work is an issue. But not for a valve, either tissue or mechanical.

No Warfarin side-effects here either. 9 years on it so far. However, I notice that our NHS website shows "a mild rash" and "hair loss" as possible side effects. Not had those.

Age now: 58 Build: fat Hear valve: only if I focus on it Since day 1ish I have never really noticed my valve's ticking, but can do so if I try. For me, it is an "internal sound" - one that I think I can hear as a "body function", though it CAN be heard by young people if in a very quiet place...

Welcome, Jim, and thanks for sharing your story. I hope you find this site as useful as I have over the years since having my own surgery in 2014.

Ankle scan on third week of Jan? 😉

Great news! Whenever I see the word "preop" I associate it with a *** change, so I am sure your op will be less drastic than that ;). Wishing you well, and look forward to updates afterwards.

I haven't had a transoesophageal echocardiogram - in fact I had to Google it to find what it is - so can't help much but wanted to reach out as a fellow Brit. Whatever else we hear about the NHS, which is not all good, I do think this kind of procedure and heart surgery is something it excels at...

Thanks @ATHENS1964 . I think I will take my usual view: "life is bad for you", and keep calm and carry on. In moderation most of the time.