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Anxiety? Anxiety? If he's having issues with panic and anxiety, keep an eye on him. It's not uncommon for OHS folks to get hit with post-traumatic stress disorder. I had a smooth, easy recovery and it still got me. Hopefully, he'll manage to dodge that issue. -Philip

Tick, Tick... Tick, Tick... Body acoustics vary from individual to individual. As others have noted in their replies to your post, it does take some time to get used to all of the changes that result from valve replacement surgery. I still notice valve noise from time to time even though my...

Potential Problems? Potential Problems? Hi Tin Man, Nice Handle! I use a similar one (Tinman) on the Cardiac Athletes Forum. If you've been hanging around the forum long enough, you've undoubtedly noticed that perspectives and experiences vary among members. I opted for a mechanical valve...

Geez... exciting? Geez... exciting? Yeah, statins are exciting. I'm not sure statins are much of a good thing. I remember the conversation with my cardiologist about statins and muscle damage that those kinds of drugs can cause. Somehow, his comment about only one in every thousand people who...

Bumps Bumps Hi Deb, Sorry to hear that you've encountered a bump. Good luck with the new meds... hope the new stuff works well for you. If you end-up being a coumadin junkie, you'll be in good company -Philip

Newbie? Newbie? Welcome! As noted in many of the previous posts, much of what you are feeling is normal. Any kind of OHS tends to bring people in touch with their mortality. Tucson... I was in Tucson on Tuesday and rode the mtn bike trails at Fantasy Island. It was a good ride. I actually...

Time Factor Time Factor Keep in mind that it typically takes a couple of days for most of us to see changes in levels associated with dosage changes. Raising your dosage today and checking it tomorrow might not reflect much of a change. -Philip

Poo Poo Who? Poo Poo Who? Sorry, I just don't see a research study dated 1986 as new information. Thank god valve technology and INR monitoring techniques have improved since 1986. Sure, we're still stuck with coumadin/warfarin, but I think monitoring and management techniques have improved...

Returning to being you Returning to being you This kind of surgery is simply about getting something fixed so you can get on with your life. -Philip

Welcome Welcome Welcome to the group. There are lots of us with similar stories. I blew-off seeing anyone about my bicuspid aortic valve for twenty-seven years. I wouldn't have had it checked when I did if I hadn't landed in the emergency room for a bad cut. The ER doc and my wife saved my...

Blood Loss Blood Loss If you're really losing enough blood that your health is being negatively affected, it might be time to find a doctor who can identify the source of the bleeding. The blood has to be coming from somewhere. Experiences vary, but I've been subjected to some pretty nasty...

Bleeding & Stroking Bleeding & Stroking Sorry, I don't buy the notion that taking coumadin makes one vitamin K deficient and creates health risks like calcification of your arteries. I would think it would be worth the effort to pursue getting your internal bleeding issue resolved. Sure, you...

Missed! Missed! The individual who missed may have nicked all kinds of things in your arm while "digging" to get the needle in. A nerve could have been hit. It's also common to have tendons nicked or stabbed during the effort. Incompetence at my local hospital's lab back in 2007 was a major...

Smoking? Smoking? Sooooooooooooooo... what do you think your body is trying to tell you about becoming becoming a smoker again? Smoking will kill you. You need to quit, but you already know that. -Philip

Cobra Cobra COBRA has never seemed like a great option due to the high cost, but I don't know of a lot of options. -Philip

Dacron Aorta & Sports? Dacron Aorta & Sports? No, I'm not on blood thinner drugs... the coumadin I take simply causes my blood not to clot as quickly as folks who don't take the drug. My INR is maintained between 2.5 and 3.5. Yes, I bleed a little more when I crash and my bruises tend to be a...

Love this Thread Love this Thread Hi Martin, It's been fun watching the posts on this thread. I particulary enjoyed the one containing the story about the guy who was placed on coumadin so his heart wouldn't have to work as hard pumping his thinned blood... fun stuff. The reality of valve...

Restrictions? Restrictions? In the few responses to your original post you have examples of the different perspectives from health care professionals. My doctors said to do anything I want to. Another member reports that his doctors recommended giving up weight lifting, snowboarding and back...

Restrictions? Restrictions? Opinions from health professionals seem to vary. Life post-op with no restrictions has been enjoyable for me. Doing lighter weights with more reps is a self-imposed part of my fitness program. I've never been to fired-up about doing heavy weight lifting anyway...

Forgot Activity Stuff Forgot Activity Stuff I forgot to mention that I'm am avid cyclist (road & mtn), sea kayaker, sailor, former skier (downhill & x-country), scuba diver, and hiker. I've done mountain event rides regularly since my surgery in 2007 and never missed a beat. While it's not an...