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Hello mackie. Has he been told his level of regurgitation? For example, moderate or severe? I probably had regurg for a long time before it became severe and thus surgery. I was given a few beta blockers post surgery which made very extremely difficult to live with according to my wife so I...

I was really cloudy for about a month or so. Almost 3 years later, I can honestly say that my attention to detail has not been affected. I am a numbers guy. The only thing I have a concern about is that sometimes during conversations, I'm looking about a word and can't think of it. Anyone...

Well it's good that they think they can do a repair over a replacement. Regardless of the technique used, it is invasive as it does cut the heart. My repair was done at the age of 47 and I was home in 3 days. It was my first surgery so I was scared also. It'll be ok.

This is an interesting question Laura. I didn't think about the ring beforehand and not so much after either. Maybe a year after surgery, I asked about it and my cardiologist told me a ring is for support. I don't even remember having a discussion about rings with my surgeon. Maybe I wasn't...

Hello Jay, My case was similar to yours except I was 47 at the time. I believe in total there were 4 incisions around the right breast area all about 1/2" or so. There may have been one in the neck and one in the right groin no more than an inch or so. I don't know which incisions were...

I think there's a big difference between the handling of a MV and an AV. A patient has several tried an true options for MV repair/replace. Not as many options for AV.

Hello Scott, I think picking the right surgeon first may answer the question of tissue or mechanical. At least that's the way I looked at it. I'm not sure who's to the "go to guy" at St. Joe's for BAV is. I would be interested to what Dr. Murphy says. Also, I heard J. Alan Wolfe was pretty...

I had no regurg post op. I'm now at mild to moderate closer to mild according to my cardiologist after 2 echos and a TEE. No one seems to be panicking so I'm more relaxed sort of. Thanks njean for the reassurance.

Great to hear. I had mine repaired 2 years ago.

Yes I do sometimes get that feeling that I "don't belong" in the OHS group.

Great news kailin!

I understand completely Chris. I was going to go Port Access which is also minimally invasive because that is the way my surgeon did it. It wasn't until 4 days before that I changed my mind and went robotic. My cardiologist didn't like that I was changing hospitals because it's like losing a...

I think it was my day 2, I felt chilly since the A/C was ridiculously cranked up. I wigged out telling the nurse "I think my heart is racing!" I think I was having a mini "panic attack". My wife, also a nurse by profession just shook her head. Weird things do go through your mind given the...

Good news Mamalu. Just FYI, I was told that you don't need to pre-donate these days.

Jen you're a maniac. All kidding aside, I realize now how important it is to be in decent shape and how that helps with recovery. I was so excited when I rode 10 miles on by bike at 4 weeks. I was back up to 30 miles at 6 months. The itch lasts a bit and you'll probably fell a weird numb when...

Hi Scott, I'm not going to sound like a commercial and I have no financial incentive in this. Look into St. Joseph's as well when researching. I only had mitral valve repair so my situation is different. I've learned that surgeons tend to specialize in either valves or arteries, ie. CABG's...

Hello kailin, I too received new information 4 days before surgery. My only change was having MV repair done robotically vs right thoracotomy (though the ribs) both minimally invasive. To do this, I changed surgeons within the same practice and had to change hospitals. Ultimately, I had to...

It sounds like you are doing pretty well. Did you have it done minimally invasive or sternotomy out of curiousity? Keep in mind that they did have to cut through muscle. That takes a while to heal.

MargieB. I agree that this is not uncommon. At about 7 weeks, I started having these moving pains in the upper chest, sides, back. I got checked out in the ER to rule out anything odd before I saw the surgeon. They gave my a steriod pack only. It was some kind of pleural effusion. When I...

Good luck alesia. I never had surgery before so I was a bit scared. I was pleasantly surprised. Stay calm and try to relax. :)