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So happy to see you had a successful surgery and are now home! I also had heart rhythm issues following surgery- not afib but a left branch bundle block. My EKG lines are still wacky, especially when I exercise. I'm also very happy to see the episode you had wasn't a stroke or tia. That's great...

When we found out I had to have surgery, my husband and I had been married for only about 10 months. I know he struggled leading up to my surgery but he didn't share a lot. However, the day after my surgery, he cried for a long time at my bedside telling me about how scared he had been (and...

Agreed! My cardiologist likes to call the amount between the contract rate and billed rate Monopoly money because it's not something that they know won't even be paid. I actually work for a health insurance company so it's been interesting seeing all this from the patient end.

It varies greatly on the facility. Additionally, cash price without insurance is different than the amount the hospital and surgeon bill the insurance and then that is dropped down to the contracted rate between the insurance company and the provider. The hospital billed my insurance about...

Thanks for posting this. I have been on warfarin since the beginning of August (AVR with tissue valve on 4/1/16 but stroke from clot on 7/26/16). At first my INR was all over the place, anywhere from 1.8 to 5.6. I've been going to the lab to test weekly. The last couple weeks my INR has been...

Glad you posted this topic! it jogged my memory that this was a question I meant to ask at my appt with my cardiologist earlier this week. Unfortunately it didn't make my list of written questions and since my stroke my memory is not the best. Oh well, I guess I can ask when they call me weekly...

I had surgery several months back and also didn't have to do an angiogram or TEE prior to surgery... I guess that's the plus of getting this surgery when you're young and otherwise healthy! They did do several tests such as a carotid ultrasound, CT scan and EKG, but nothing major. The worst...

Hi Tigerlily! I'm sorry you're going through a tough time.... I think uncertainty is one of the most difficult things to deal with because there's no way to plan and feel like you have a sense of control. I can definitely identify with where you're at. After my valve replacement several months...

I like to call the 3 am phlebotomists the vampires. Definitely not a fan of them! They also don't like that I ask them to tell me every single blood test they are using my blood for. Judging by my current situation, it may have been a wise idea for them to have put my on warfarin for several...

It does get better! The first month was rough for me but quickly went up from there. When I came home from the hospital I was about 10 lbs heavier from all of the IV fluids they gave me during surgery and after. I found myself having to pee A LOT more than normal because my body was getting rid...

Whoa! That's crazy about the nurses. I'm at the same hospital I had my valve replacement at, and the vast majority of the nurses have been really good. The exception was a male nurse who kept touching my feet to see if I "had any effects from the stroke in my feet" and then said everyone thinks...

Hey Pelicle, yes they have done a TON of bloodwork as well as a TEE to check out my heart because they were initially really worried it could have been endocarditis. The results have been negative for any sort of infection. The doctors here have been pretty thorough (neurologist, internal med...

Thank you all! Thankfully I am worlds better, and most of the weakness in my right hand is gone. Nothing definitive on why I had the stroke... It was from a clot but they don't know where from, but more than likely related to my new valve. Treatment plan is to get on Coumadin for the next 6...

Prayers would be much appreciated... 4 months ago I had valve replacement and today I had a stroke. I honestly can't even believe it, I'm only 27. I should count myself lucky - I survived and the only thing remaining is weakness and lack of coordination in my right hand and arm. Thankfully I...

I am 27 and recently had my valve replaced with a tissue valve as my husband and I plan to have children. My cardiologist says that while mechanical valves are typically advisable for younger patients, tissue is preferable if you're looking to have kids, as no complications with warfarin. That...

I also had minimally invasive surgery, and I would agree with Zoltania that the issue is weakness (although I did experience some pretty awful back pain after my surgery). Showering was hard and took way longer than usual but felt so good! My hormones were all crazy after surgery so I would be...

Hi all! Just curious...has anyone had trouble losing weight after surgery? I had surgery about 3.5 months ago. In the 8 months leading up to surgery where I was not allowed to get my HR up and in the time before I started cardiac rehab after surgery (6 weeks) I gained about 10 lbs. I am now...

For what it's worth, I am extremely happy with my choice to go to a local hospital in Phoenix. My cardiologist recommended a fantastic surgeon, and I went to the hospital he operates at. My hospital was a good hospital but actually not ranked in cardiology. It was more about the surgeon than the...

It's just shy of the 3 month mark since my surgery and I honestly feel great! The first 4-5 weeks were ROUGH, but somehow I made it through one day at a time. While I was in the middle of the hardest days I didn't know how much more I could take, but those days were so fleeting in the grand...

I had surgery about 5 weeks ago and also experienced muscle pain and tightness, particularly in my neck and upper back. It was the worst when waking up in the morning or after sitting in the same position for awhile. Seriously so painful some days!! What helped me was putting a heating pad on my...