Search results

I think about a dramatically shortened lifespan, the possible inability to control INR, strokes, Everyone on here controls their INR w/o difficulty shadows I've painted on my wall, Turn on the light. Knowledge is power. but when I browse this page I see testimonial from people who live...

Congratulations. May you have many more!

No you should not be concerned. It's a fact that cannot be changed.

Scars are cool. You are the one with the mental problem about scars, not others.

1) Valve type - Tissue. You are 60 and are afraid of warfarin 2) Where to do surgery--I am self pay so price is a consideration - Do it in Thailand where you live. What do you want money but your dead, or less money that you can spend while you are alive? 3) Timing of surgery--I know sooner...

My neurological problems got better w/o any "mind exercises." No therapy was recommended by the cardio, surgeon, rehab nurse or two neurologists. They said it should get better with time. You use the term "plastic" but I think you really mean "elastic" the ability of a body to resist a...

Well cost should not be a consideration, since you won't need the savings if you are dead. Dying from valve failure may not be pretty. It can be long and debilitating. Just have the surgery, you may get lucky and die on the table :)

If your valve is stenotic and you are having symptoms, you might want touch base with your cardiologist and see if there is a need expedite your surgery.

That's a question best asked of your doctor that ordered the test. Call his nurse and ask why you need an MRI.

I never said I bridged. I've never needed to bridge. Cold fusion being real and eggs being bad for you were put forward with great hoopla as truth by multiple experts who wanted to be "noticed." They were both false. Is that a lie? Is in MO, but this is the Bible Belt :) I never stated...

Just because it's in "the literature" even the "current literature" does not make it correct. Literature findings have to be assessed by competent EXPERTS before they become treatment plans. Each valve, each patient, the placement of each valve, etc. is unique. Remember when eggs were bad for...

I've done this INR drop three times for various things. My current doctor is in his 40s, and the old cardio, late 60s, had the same routine for the same and a different procedure. I don't believe you have the ability to determine a correct method to drop my INR or the competency of my...

I had cognitive issues after surgery. For example I couldn't do simple math, such as tips, in my head. I have more trouble remembering names. It slowly got better, but never fully back to normal. I have had two neurologists since the valve replacement for other problems. Both of them said...

Your INR is not a physical property like weight or volume that has a reference material (e.g. a calibrated weight) that can serve as a reference standard. It's been awhile, but I read a few articles on how they determined that home testing machines worked. IIRC the reference test method was a...

Since they don't really know why INRs fluctuate, (unless you skipped a dose, threw up, or ate a bushel of greens) it's best not to draw causal relationships when your INR changes. Your INR change and heavy eating could just be coincidence.

Nobody knows why tissue valves fail with time, 2 years for some people, 20 for others.

My surgeon is #2 in the world :) When asked about OnX vs. St. Jude, my surgeon said he would give me an OnX if I wanted but normally would use a St. Jude. He said the hospital stocks valves so they can have various sizes on-hand for emergency surgeries and they stock St. Jude. He could order...

No I don't do that. I take my meds, why buy them and not take them? You might want to discontinue that practice. Per the drug information for metoprolol from NIH: Advise patients to take metoprolol regularly and continuously, as directed, with or immediately following meals. If a dose should...

The people responding to your questions are pretty conservative when it comes to testing frequency. I test every ~2-weeks. My cardiologist writes my prescription for weekly testing but requires me to test at least monthly for me to receive my warfarin prescription. He checks my test records...

Per your questions: 1. How long was the recovery after the surgery? Back to work in 6-weeks. A-OK in 6-months. 2. If you had tissue valve replacement, how long did it last? I was ~55 when my valve was replaced. I did not want a re-operation and chose mechanical. It was a pretty simple...