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"Once suspected bicuspid valve" - when did this happen and what caused a doctor to suggest you had a bicuspid valve? Your echo findings are largely normal, but the deformed valve could be causing the murmur. Your doctor should clarify this for you on your next visit.

I'm glad to see your mom is getting more expert advice on what should be done. I hope it all works out well for her and that you can work something out to handle the recovery period. Oh, I did want to add that I don't think there is any good reason to question your mom's choice of a mechanical...

It's not the "blood thinner". If you feel one of these episodes coming on, I would go to urgent care or an ER. Your doc might want to have blood cultures drawn during an episode.

Notice that in addition to the root and ascending aorta, I had a good part of my aortic arch replaced. The grafted valve took care of the first two parts of the aorta and is very routine, The arch is a rather hairy procedure that adds to the risk. Everything else is relatively insignificant...

On-X has a grafted valve, but I know nothing about its suitability for your surgery. I can tell you I went with the St. Jude's based on my surgeon's recommendation and my personal review of all the available On-X literature. As to "preparing for the worst", I think I went about it the same way...

My heart rate was 60 pre-op. In the mid-90s post-op. I was quite anemic post-op, which contributes to increased heart rate. Perhaps that is a common cause due to blood loss in surgery despite cellsavers. I was put on beta blockers for high BP. That and correction of the anemia brought my...

Glad your visit to the surgeon went well. I'm not sure why he was so confident you could put this off for a year based on what you reported in your first posts here. http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?40193-Help-me-please&p=521066&highlight=#post521066 Personally, I think...

Your rhythm situation is too complicated for anyone other than your cardiologist and EP to be of real help. Although I don't think discontinuing the metoprolol from a low dose of 12.5mg is going to be a problem, this is something your doctors should address. I would trust that cardiologist...

In most group practices, the reading of the echos is rotated among the cardiologists in the practice. So, you can get different interpretations depending on who does the reading. Techs should not never read and report findings to patients. They are only trained to perform the testing and...

EF is not a measure of total output or whether output is adequate. It means your left ventricle is emptying 2/3rds of however much it fills. Yes, that's a good number, but filling (diastolic function) might be reduced for other reasons, and heart rate is another factor that affects output...

I agree with Fundy. Our kids, although much older than yours when I found out I had BAV, had echos done. Also, know that although I had BAV since birth but unrecognized until I was 60, it did not impair me in the slightest. I was quite a fast tack and marathon runner into my late 30s and was...

Your recovery is being compromised by cardiac rhythm problems including afib and episodes of bradycardia. What's being done to get you to normal sinus rhythm and prevent the bradycardia?

More likely the echo reading(s) was/were incorrect than you had a miracle. Still, that's great news.

Funny you should ask. There is essentially no information on this. I have worried about the same thing even from before my mechanical valve. It must be exceedingly rare even though it seems plausible that fecal matter passing through a bleeding rectum could lead to bacteremia. I have reason...

Although spinach and a few other dark green leafy veggies are high in vitamin K, that's no reason to avoid them, as others are indicating as well. I have some occasionally. As long as you don't eat some ridiculous quantity, it's not going to have that much effect. The idea is to be consistent...

It doesn't hurt to know the virtmin K content of foods. This is the best reference. Alphabetical: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR16-1/wtrank/16-1a430.pdf Note that lettuce in general is quite low in vitmain K. My thumbnail summary of vitmain K content is the darker green and...

Re: Stanford Look at my signature below. You have gone to the right place. My surgeon there wrote the book on aortopathy of BAV. http://billsworkshop.com/Some_AVR_lit/Miller_Aortopathy_of_BAV.pdf Although it appears now you may not have congential BAV. Stanford will help you and your...

Although my speed and ease of climbing stairs was much better before surgery than it was for several weeks after, I had no trouble going up and down them. I was just a bit more winded by it initially. A comfotable reclining chair is a wonderful thing to lounge on and rest during the first few...

Don't get taken in by some fad herbal diet that is said to "cleanse" the liver. There is no basis for that. There are a few things that definitely can damage the liver and impair its ability to synthisize things, such as clotting factors, as well as perform a variety of metabolic functions...

Not usually a serious issue - not nearly as bad as ventricular tachycardia. So, be happy about that. Did they tell you to hold your breath and try to exhale against your closed mouth while it was happening? That (Valsalva) maneuver often will end an SVT episode. I get them every so often...