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When you're told its time, its often hard to grasp. I was in that club, didn't believe it, found a new doctor who redid all the test. Said, yup its bad, do it now. It finally sunk in and afterwards my surgeon said I was lucky I made it there alive, they said when they opened me up I was in bad...

I had minimally invasive surgery for my valve replacement and aneurysm. My scar is only 3.5 inches long. Healed up so well its hard to even see.

Thats totally what they are striving for. Although from what I have seen the one factor they haven't hit thus far is the cost. The modern anticoagulants like Eliquis cost several times more than what Coumadin costs. Maybe not a big deal if your insurance covers it?... Its hard to get cheaper...

The ones I buy actually look like a book of matches. A bit more sterile since you don't reuse the tip of the pencil over and over again and risk infection from whatever might be living on the end of that thing.

I follow ya. Nobody can make that choice for you of course. Lots of debate in the forums here as Im sure you've seen, with opinions on both sides. I decided mech valve almost from the very beginning and that was also my surgeons recommendation, so it was easy for me. I will say I was also very...

For those who chose repair, what do the tell you is the likelihood that it will last (and how long) or need additional surgery down the road? Having gone through one OHS I can tell you that for me, I would not willingly do it again. So I have to think if I was forced to make that choice I would...

Boy you guys got me curious. I always thought of CBD as a modern snake oil, with promises to ail any and all problems one might have. So I never paid it much mind, figuring it was just an industry cashing in on those desperate for something to help what other treatments have failed at. After...

Patients like this are the reason On-X is doing clinical trials with other blood thinners that do not require regular testing. It would remove the need to manage your INR, but you would still have to take your medication… of course.

Id give it time. Prior to my mech valve I thought I was fine with no limitations. I think I was wrong and just didn't realize I wasn't all that great. After surgery returning to "normal" was slow. After say 4-5 months I thought I was back to where I was, but then surprisingly I kept improving...

Do you actually have high blood pressure and is that why he's got you on those meds? Im not your doctor so I won't pretend to advise you, but Im curious why theyve got you on BP meds. Thats what my cardio did, my blood pressure wasn't anywhere near high BP. But my cardio felt it would be helpful...

Live your life. None of us can definitively say what would help you prolong the time until surgery will be necessary. Stay healthy and eat healthy, avoid the obvious bad things, but live your life. After surgery you’ll have to make some adjustments. I say do it then and not now. I was in the...

Anyone have experience with prolotherapy? Reading that being on anticoagulant I’m not a candidate.

No, I still have them. No more issues though. What I decided to do was strengthen my chest. Began slowly doing push-ups against a counter top so it wasn’t my full weight. Gradually built up from there. Told my cardiologist what I did he said that’s definitely not what he would have advised. But...

Still wired shut

Ugh I can remember what thats like, couldn't sleep, couldnt think about anything else. Im surprised though you have to schedule a date to do it, and almost a month out. I just went into the emergency room and was released a matter of hours later.

I’ve landed in the ER a few times with afib, but those were before my valve surgery. Right after surgery my heart was what my surgeon described as irritated but over time it’s gotten LOTS better. Especially since adding magnesium and b12 supplements

Me personally, given the choice I’d prefer cardioversion to remaining in afib waiting. If only for my mental health, when I’ve been in afib I was unable to think about anything else

I second that question. My incision was closed with surgical glue instead of stitches, but there was never any type of bandage or anything to remove. Took me a while before I was even willing to look at it.

I take ibuprofen from time to time, even my surgeon said once in a while is fine. Too much will make managing INR more difficult. Plus there’s a concern for some patients that too much nsaids can cause stomach ulcers and bleeding that would be very much of a problem.