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I may be wrong as I know surgeons interact differently with patients, but I didn’t really get to “choose” what kind of mech valve I received. I definitely asked about it and my surgeon said he used both St Judes and ATS, he said depending on what fit better would determine what he used during...

Hey John, I’m sorry to hear about the news. Aortic aneurysms are definitely scary. What I have found really helpful through this forum is being able to find people who can relate to your situation. It has helped me feel confident that others have also gone through similar situations and come out...

Today is my 5th year of having my ATS mechanical aortic valve (and ascending aortic arch aneurysm replaced with Dacron graft 😀). Turning 32 later in June and feeling great. My original “valve-versary” was July 2012 (Ross procedure) but I don’t usually count that one since it ultimately required...

Congratulations and an inspiration to all of us! Thank you for your insights and activeness in this forum, your knowledge is greatly appreciated!

Protime & Pellicle, great info and I appreciate the extra insights. Protime, you’re absolutely right. When I first tried this experiment, I was very uneducated about the time frame it took for certain foods/liquids to have a potential effect on my INR. I was very much experimenting, with...

I feel like I can provide some really good insight to this topic. I didn’t have a sip of alcohol until I began home testing. Once I got my INR meter, I decided to experiment with alcohol. I have consumed alcohol in social settings for quite a while and I was really worried how warfarin therapy...

I have been bidding on eBay for a used Coaguchek XS but keep getting outbid 😕 there are many “buy it now” options that aren’t too much higher than the ending prices on the ones for bid. I think I’m just going to do that. It’s far cheaper for me to buy my own rather than the amount I still have...

Thanks for the great info everyone! I have pretty much been managing/self dosing this entire time so I think I am going to make the move to purchase my own monitor and supplies and cease the weekly INR call ins. My annual insurance deductible is $1400 so by the time I get close to meeting that...

Do you have the Coaguchek XS? Where did you purchase your machine and where do you usually buy your strips? I get a 90 day supply of 10mg warfarin but alternate dosages between 10-15mg depending on the day, I just use a pill cutter when I need a 5mg amount.

Hey there everyone! Like many of you probably reading this, I have been home testing for a while now (4.5 years) and have been using the Coaguchek XS the entire time. I haven’t had any complaints with the machine, but at this point I feel like it may be less expensive over time to just purchase...

Good luck to you John! I was in a similar situation as you 4.5 years ago (age 26) as I was getting ready to have my second OHS. First OHS I had a Ross procedure and the second time around I was really struggling with coming to terms with choosing a mechanical and having to be on warfarin. I...

Yep I get the occasion palpitation/flutter. It usually get back to normal within a few seconds if I just take a few slow, deep breaths.

Best of luck to you and wish you a smooth procedure and speedy recovery. I also had my aortic arch replaced with a graft during the same procedure of getting my ATS mechanical aortic valve (I was 27 at the time, 31 now). Being younger will definitely help with recovery time. The reality is that...

Thank you for your concern and input. By your comment though, I feel as if you are assuming that my alcohol consumption is that of a full blown alcoholic, which is not true at all. I will continue to enjoy my alcohol in social and leisure settings. 🙂

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here, but I had my first operation at age 24 and was active duty in the Marine Corps at the time. I opted for a Ross Procedure since I felt it was better than a tissue valve and I could avoid warfarin and remain active duty. I bounced back quickly, almost...

Back in October 2015, I went to Australia for three weeks. I also use a coagucheck INR machine with the same test strips. Question 1: Yes they can. I have a small black pack that I keep my log book, lancets, test trips, a warafin in. Brought it with me on the carry on no problem. Question 2...

I've done my fair share of binge drinking throughout college and even after college. I sense that you and I probably have a similar group of friends where going out to bars and/or getting together at someone's house to hang out and drink is pretty much the norm. From about age 19-25, I drank...

I actually did write on the waiver that I had a mech aortic valve and was on blood thinners. The employee asked me what that meant and once I explained she was like, "Oh ok...I'm sure you'll be fine." Haha and that was about it.

So I had my 27th birthday earlier last month in June. My girlfriend told me to be ready to go by 10am and she didn't tell me where we were going. So I got myself ready, and at 10am she gives me a card. I open it and it's a birthday card and it reads "We are jumping out of an airplane in 2 hours...

I rode roller coasters before I had OHS to repair my BAV and aortic anuerysm and I rode them after surgery. Specifically rollercoasters at Busch Gardens and Six Flags which are considered intense thrill rides. I did feel a bit more light headed after the ride but after a couple minutes I was...