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There are quite a few of those old "ball-in-cage" valves still around.......I also have one. Tell your friend about this forum. I have learned a lot since joining because "ole dogs can learn new tricks". Going thru OHS in those "olden days" was like walking thru a graveyard at...

The risk of stroke is not cumulative but it easy to see some increase as we age. Old age makes us vulnerable for a lot of stuff that we "blow off" when we are young.......been there, done that. Proper warfarin management is pretty easy and, if it is done properly, will greatly reduce any...

One of the first things I was taught in Accounting 101 was "Figures don't lie but liars figure"

There is a lot of uncertainty in the above statement. Why not get the mechanical valve and remove the future uncertainties?

The "mental stuff" is difficult to deal with. I was only 30 when I was told I would not live to 40 without an aortic valve replacement.......and OHS was very new at that time. I had just graduated college and thought "I had the world by the tail with a downhill drag" before my...

I can remember that, not too long ago, the normal PT or INR testing was monthly for valve patients with a vein draw (very uncomfortable). I believe that is when Warfarin got such a bad reputation......getting stuck with a needle in the elbow was not fun. A lot can go wrong in a...

You have been on this forum since 2013 so you should have a pretty good knowledge of valves. I'd go with the St. Jude. It has a long successful track record and a reasonable INR maintenance program. IMO Onyx is promoted too much around their super low INR plan of around 1.5. INR's that low...

I remember those thoughts well. I had just graduated from college when I had the surgery and thought that my life would be forever changed. Actually, the artificial valve has had NO meaningful effect on my life at all. I am also a 33-year sober member of AA. I still live by "live one day at...

Hello Serghios and welcome. The majority of people on this forum had, or have, heart defects caused by bicuspid valves or rheumatic fever. Many of us were young like you when we got the diagnosis and/or surgery. Read the older posts along with these newer posts and ask your questions. I can...

Hi Jagoor. No point in worrying or scolding yourself about the past. You are only 48 years old. Your goal now is to work with your surgeon to minimize the need for any future surgical interventions. There are a lot of folks on this forum who have successfully gone through more than one OHS...

I think you may be complicating this surgery and recovery. In the majority of cases we just go home, take it easy for a few weeks and then return to our ordinary lives..........nothing special. The hospital and your doctors should provide you with post-op info that will be helpful to you and...

Good luck today. I think we all can share your feelings. I look forward to your post maybe later today or tomorrow.

IMO, if you want a "probable" one and done surgery get a mechanical valve. If you keep your INR within a reasonable range (such as 2-3 or 2.5-3.5) internal bleeding should not be an issue.......and external bleeding is treatable........unless you cut a leg off and then all bets are offo_O. I...

Welcome Johnny H. I believe, and hope, you have a typical normal recovery. Most people only need the usual post-op care and help. Your age and current health will determine how much and how long you will need some assistance. FWIW, I was 31 and in otherwise good health when I had the surgery...

That seems to be an unusual jump in INR. I'd try another test now to see if it was truly around 5+ or just a bad test. I've had it happen for apparently no reason.......although diarrhea caused by the food poisoning might cause such a jump.

I started warfarin in 1967 without any prior knowledge of that drug or its side effects.....and +/- 15 years before the introduction of INR. I had my only problem with the drug during those 15 years before INR. In the past 40+ years, I have had no issues (stroke or uncontrolled bleeding)...

Well done!!

I have no idea what a "David procedure" involves but my surgeon was also a "resident" who was overseen by an experience surgeon altho few surgeons had much experience with OHS in 1967. He was a couple years older than me (I was 31) and he went on to become a Chief of Staff at the Texas Heart...

Welcome to the Forum. Yep, sometimes you get thrown a curveball. Your doctor is right. The best time to fix the problem is before more serious issues arise. Like you, many of us had surgeries as young men and women.....some even while in childhood. At your age, you are smart to get a...