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When I was deciding which type of valve to choose, mechanical vs tissue, TVAR (actually TVMR) came up in conversation with my cardiologist. He feels that valve in valve is not going to be good long term for multiple repairs/replacements. He said maybe the first time, but you can't keep putting...

Thank you all for the wealth of information. I am going to get the Coaguchek paperwork to my cardiologist office tomorrow and get things started. I'm only 6 weeks post op and both the insurance and Coaguchek have said I have to be on coumadin for 3 months. The cardiologist's nurse that I'm...

Dick...that's who I'm trying to work with now. I called them directly and asked if they could tell me if they take my insurance and she said that the cardiologist office needs to fill out the forms so they can review it and run it thru my insurance, because each situation is different. She was...

My cardiologist has sent my information to the only local company that supplies INR monitoring equipment to get me set up with home INR testing. Would you believe that my insurance says my local company that I would get the meter and supplies from is in my network but the company that supplies...

I was wondering if those of you that have had multiple open heart surgeries have ever heard of or had your axillary artery and femoral artery used for putting you on the heart-lung bypass. I'm 4 weeks post op from my 3rd OHS and I have a large incision on my right upper chest just below my...

At one time I worked for an organ and tissue procurement organization and we sent tissue to Cryolife. My understanding is that they process the tissue and get it ready for transplant. Like heart valves, tendons and bone.

Harriet, I haven't read all the replies sent to you...I can't concentrate right now to do so. I am post op from Tuesday, so going into day 5. I'm sitting here, luckily, I think at home and not in the hospital still. I'm wondering how I made it thru the past few days. All I can think about is...

Here I sit...I made it! Can't believe I had surgery on Tuesday and just was home Sat late afternoon. Wanted to thank everyone for the support. Ended up with mechanical mitral valve and tricuspid repair. Didn't see the tricuspid repair coming. But doing well aside from nausea and being...

I totally understand the comfort level you have being surrounded by coworkers, medics and hospitals that can help you in an instant, but I believe it comes down to the FD being liable if something were to happen to you on duty. Would you be able to go off on disability? I would think if your...

I sorry that I can't help and answer your question, but I would like to welcome you and say good luck. My husband is a firefighter and I can't imagine him having to give up his career. Do you have yearly physicals for your department, if so maybe that doctor can offer you some assistance with...

@ pellicule Thank you for all of your insite throughout my decision process. Wouldn't it be nice to not have a care in the world when it comes to your heart! ♥

@ neil Thank you for your words of encouragement, I'm sure you are absolutely right. Now, if I could only learn to be the patient and not the nurse, I think I'd be off. Lol.

Well it's been and busy couple of weeks. I have seen my local cardiologist, my cardiomyopathy specialist and my surgeon's nurse practitioner. I had pre-op testing done last Thursday and if all goes as planned I'm scheduled for MVR and possible AVR next Tuesday. I have still not convinced...

@pellicule, the complexity of my situation is what is making this a difficult decision. I have no doubt that I can manage being on coumadin and maintain relatively good control. It's the other things that go along with it. Just being on coumadin increases your risk of stroke whether your...

Tom, I asked my surgeon about a possible 4th surgery and he said that vs the percentage of stroke risk of Coumadin over time basically weight each other out. I'm not holding out for future advancements if they happen it's just an extra perk. I don't want to have another surgery that's for...

pellicle. Thank you! And thanks to everyone else for their thoughts. It's nice to know there is a place to come an talk with people who really do appreciate what this is all about.

Thank you all for your thoughts and insite you have given me a lot to ponder. It's tough because the patient side of me says one thing and my nurse side says another. I also think I'm almost to my breaking point of frustration and just want this to go away, knowing that it never will, but from...

Looking at MVR in Jan. I’m 43 and have had 2 previous open heart surgeries. I assumed that due to my surgeries and age I would be given a mechanical valve with no other option. When I sat down with my surgeon and he went over both bioprosthetic tissue valve and mechanical valves and told me...

I'm 7 weeks tomorrow and about 2-3 weeks ago I had the same thing happen. I kept saying how well my sternum felt and then suddenly I began having alot of pain in the upper 1/2 of my sternum. I had just started cardiac rehab, and thought that to be the cause. I still have a small amount of...

I had a binder on when I came out of surgery. Then the 2nd morning we put on my bra. I bought some front closure sports bras for $7 at Walmart. They suggested I wear a bra 24/7 for the first few weeks. I changed into my normal bras after about 3 weeks, still wearing the sports bras at night...