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A friend here in Tulsa has actually received this treatment. The therapy resulted in some new tissue growth along with the formation of many new blood vessels that now feed his heart. The treatment was initiated after he was told he had only a few days to live following a long history of heart...

Many tissue valves if not all of them make a little noise that is easy to hear. Just as your original valve produced its own unique sound (heart murmur) for many years before there was any problem, it is normal for our tissue valves to make their own distinctive sounds. Also like our original...

Just as the MIDPACK says, they are two aspects of the same damaged valve. You might better understand how the two things are tied by looking at images of a stenotic valve. The valve leaflets can be so warped that they can neither open properly nor close completely. Here is a link...

Sorry to hear this has happened to you. Surgery is routine for the hospital, surgeons and nurseing team but its a big deal to us. After all the preparation and arrangements that one must make, it can only be a great let down as well as a big inconvienience. Last month one of our members ANYA...

Don, the way tissue valves are made and tested there shouldn't be any that fail suddenly unless there is a problem during the surgery. Tissue valve failure should cause the same symptoms you have been experiencing as your natural valve fails which is to say gradually over time. Also I believe...

I, too, had some numbness around the lower half of my chest incision. Six months after my AVR, the sensation began to return and it feels normal now almost five years later. During any surgery, nerves may be severed but they are certainly traumatized. I don't think there is much to be done...

I want to support the advice you've been given. YOU ARE NOT A NERVOUS NELLIE! I would be screaming my head off. My doctor has told me since my AVR that if I ever gain 2 lbs in a day and experience any swelling, especially in my feet and legs, to report to her immediately. 20 lbs in a week...

The Big Question The Big Question Prem, you have asked what is perhaps the most often discussed single question. Most of us have asked this question and only with time can we know what our choice brings. Whether fortunate or unfortunate, there is no way to know the best long term valve...

Anthony, my family Doctor recommended a book I found both interesting and helpful. Coping with Heart Surgery and Bypassing Depression: A Family's Guide to the Medical, Emotional and Practical Issues...

Anne, I can only speak for myself. The most comforting people to be around as I grew more ill were those that did not nag or try to be consoling. The best were those who were willing to listen when I needed to talk and made it a point to call or stop by just to chat and sometimes take me out...

It is very good to hear that you are experiencing a more normal recovery, especially, after your earlier surgery experience. It is especially good to hear for those of us who have only had one surgery that the second time around can be good should it ever be necessary. Thanks for you note. Larry

Great report! And such good advice. Our new members cannot be told too often that most recover so well and can feel the difference as the days pass. Thanks for sharing. Larry

Just as the other guy said, the Beta Blocker is slowing your heart. The indication that I no longer needed the Metoprolol was that my pulse rate was falling into the 50s and I started feeling sluggish. I would say that there is no problem if you are feeling alright. If you are feeling as...

Once a month, I check my blood pressure & pulse resting and when active. I could really care less if someone watches me do it, after all, its just two fingers to the left wrist. Before my AVR, my pulse rate was often elevated. After surgery, was so strong that it really surprised me and the...

Hi, Trudy, Matt's approach to surgery sounds much like that of many here in VR. When I started feeling exhausted and later, often out of breath, my first thought was that I really needed to exercise more. That didn't work out so I finally talked to my cardiologist and a few months later began...

Windy, there is no Cadillac. The different version offer some benefits the surgeon can take advantage of to give his or her patient the best outcome. There is also no way to know which valve is going to be the best for any given patient. We rely upon our surgeons because we do not have the...

Hi, I noticed no one listed stool softener. Besides my own cluster of meds which were quite similar to your's, I found the stool softener to be essential for about two months. My only regret is that I didn't start using it the day I came home. As for the other drugs, looking at the Heart...

Hi, Catherine, this is not a decision I needed to make but I helped my Mother to make a similar choice. I would definately go with the site near your home and for the following reasons. First and foremost, a few days after your surgery whether old or young, you are not going to be using a lot...

Hi, again, I also had some concerns about Afib following valve replacement and talked it over with my surgeon. Dr Spann said that some people come to surgery with these problems but that most do not. He explained that one of the critical aspects of AVR is the care with which the surgeon must...

JACC: Prediction of operative mortality after valve replacement surgery JACC: Prediction of operative mortality after valve replacement surgery If you would like to wallow in statistics, you should read through this paper published in the "Journal of the American College of Cardiology", 03...