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Hi, I had my mechanical valve (19mm St Jude) for 34 years (I was almost 4 when I had it done). I had a congenital defect-hole in heart that needed repairing and then once I was opened up they realised the valve had prolapsed. They were going to wait until I was 10 but it then very quickly...

Hi, what an eventful journey you’ve had so far. I had my mechanical valve (19mm St Jude) when I was 4 in 1986. I am now at a point where it needs replacing but that’s more due to the growth from small child to adult and going through a pregnancy. I plan on having another mechanical valve as I...

It was/is a 19mm St Jude valve. Gave me the largest they could at the time. My original surgeries were at Southampton General with Mr Monroe who, I believe, to have been one of the very best in his field. I’ll be having my current valve replaced at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

Hi Lynn, I hope all goes well for you and you will soon be recovering from your op. I am currently awaiting having my mechanical valve replaced for a new one (I have had my current one since I was almost 4 and am now 38 and have been through a pregnancy). I am extremely hopeful that having...

No, my current valve is a 19mm St Jude mechanical valve. During my pregnancy I had to stop taking warfarin and start with tinzaparin injections twice a day, which was fun!

I had my current valve put in when I was almost 4 (which was over 34 years ago). I was one of the youngest in the world to have it done at that time. My surgeon put in the largest valve he could at the time - 19mm - and hoped it’d last my lifetime but was always just a waiting game. Since then...

Hi Amy, I use a Coagucheck XS machine but phone in my results to the anticoagulation nurse at the hospital and then they either call me to change my dose or send out a letter if things are staying as they are. I then go with my machine every 6 months to check it’s still testing in range against...

Sorry, mustn’t have been clear. I did have my first vaccine in 27th Feb. I felt GP was trying to be supportive and just checking. They were very clear to me that it was a wise choice to have the vaccine before surgery.

I’m 38 and have had a mechanical St Jude for my aortic valve for 34 years now. Waiting for the call to have it replaced and was determined to have my 1st vaccination at least before my surgery. Not sure I’ll get the second one before as in U.K. there’s a 12 week gap between but I had no...

Hi Amy I’m in UK. I had a VSD closure and my aortic valve replaced with a 19mm mechanical St Jude valve in 1986 when I was almost 4 and it’s lasted me until now (although to be honest my cardiologist has been pushing for surgery since not long after my son was born 6 years ago). Currently...

Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences. It has been really interesting to see and read the different reasons everyone had for their choices. I definitely think that after so long managing my anti-coagulation well that changing from a mechanical valve seems like a wrong decision...

I am going to speak to my surgeon about my preference of a mechanical valve as it’s what I’ve been used to for so long. I know he is happy to do either just feels Ross would be better regarding lifestyle, no warfarin etc. I’m not bothered about that. Happy to be on anti-coagulation the rest of...

I had a pregnancy in 2014 and had a 28 year old St Jude valve at the time. I had to inject twice daily with tinzaparin from a few days after my positive test (4 weeks) until about 4 weeks after baby born. Had appointments with consultant at RVI in Newcastle at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 17...

Yep. Now have a beautiful 6 year old boy. Had to inject twice daily with tinzaparin from 4 weeks to about 4 weeks after he was born. No issues during pregnancy and he was delivered a healthy 8lb 8oz at 38 weeks by planned c section. Did have a blood clot 3 days later which required returning to...

This is just amazing to hear. What a brilliantly, positive experience to read about.

The surgeon has said that if I prefer to stick with mechanical then he would be happy to do that just that he recommends Ross procedure and it seems that this is mainly due to lifestyle and not having to take warfarin. I am going to say that my decision is mechanical as I have never had any...

I had an amazing surgeon. My mother was on her own at the age of 23 dealing with my health issues along with my grandmother’s support after my grandfather died only a few weeks after I was discharged. Not an easy time but we got there.

Got me thinking when I saw the three sizes you mentioned. I thought 19mm sounded familiar. Got out a letter from my consultant and it was a 19mm. Know they gave me the largest they could with the hope it would last a long time.

The only reason they operated at 3 was because the hole was getting bigger. They always planned on fixing the hole when I was older but due to it increasing in size they eventually realised they could not wait. It was only once they had me open that they saw the prolapsed valve and had to...

Yep. I was 3, almost 4 when I had my replacement. I had a hole in my heart which the surgeon, Mr Monroe at Southampton, found the valve had prolapsed once he went in to repair the hole. Had 3 OH surgeries in 10 days. He gave me the largest St Jude valve he could at the time (believe it was size...