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Roberta, pushing tissue at all ages doesn't seem at all controversial anymore. Only one (of three) surgeons I talked to didn't think it was the best choice for someone under 50. He was a fellow (the stage after residency before being able to practice independently) under my surgeon and has been...

Happy anniversary, Jack! I'm glad to hear you are still going strong!

Maybe I'm too cynical, but I think it's really interesting how every surgeon I have talked to personally (and many more found referenced in the forum), says they'd go with tissue and rely on TAVR when it fails. The interesting part is that (if I understand correctly), procedures like TAVR and...

Hi Carla, Something like 20-30% of bicuspid valves eventually require surgery, so you might be in the lucky 70-80%. Go for your follow-up visits and try not to worry unnecessarily in the meantime. Your murmur might have sounded the same all of these years. The EKG you had when you were 20...

Thanks, Don. I didn't have an aneurysm, but I found the presentation interesting too. I hadn't read the Q&A section, so I appreciate you highlighting some of it here. I can certainly support the view that traveling for surgery is worth considering, if you can afford it and insurance allows...

Thank you for posting an update, Ely. I'm only six weeks from surgery but I can relate to your fears. I went through a few bad days when I was convinced I was having a heart attack. I hope you continue to do well and overcome your anxiety.

The sizing issue is a very good point. My surgeon said that if he put a tissue valve in me, he would use the largest one he could in order to leave room for future valves via TAVR. I'm hoping that if my repair ever fails, TAVR could still be an option for me. (However, my back-up plan was for...

This is going to be your third surgery? If I were you, I would hope there could never be another one. There's never a guarantee, but I'd keep the valve I have to have the lowest chance of doing it again. I'm not on coumadin, so maybe I can't quite relate, but unless you're having a problem...

The first week or two are the hardest. Today is my six week anniversary and I can't believe how good I feel. Almost normal. Well, a slightly tired version of normal anyway! Wishing you a smooth recovery, rattle.

I was never on a beta blocker (Metoprolol) until after surgery, but my BP would dip to the low 90s and that would make me dizzy if I turned my head quickly, or stood up too fast. After four weeks my cardiologist took me off of them.

Clay, I never had an MRI or catheterization before my surgery. They worked off of a TEE, and then did a CT angiogram when surgery was scheduled. My diastolic BP was always around 55 for as long as I can remember (15-20 years). The first surgeon I talked to attributed it to the leak across my...

Funny you should mention thyroid. I was convinced that all I needed was a boost in my thyroid medication. (Mine kind of went kaput about eight years ago.) I was feeling a similar kind of fatigue. Turns out I tested fine, as you might have guessed. Check with your insurance regarding a...

I was tired too. But I'm only five weeks post-surgery so I'm still pretty tired! I did take a long (hour) walk this evening though, and it's feeling good. I expect to be feeling much better - and more well-rested soon. Especially once I can sleep on my side again. ;)

Oh yeah, my husband was wonderful. (Is wonderful!) For a guy who gets woozy at the sight of a needle and was nervous when I had my TEE, he handled everything like an old pro. He was worried about seeing me on the ventilator, but later said he was amazed at how good I looked coming out of...

Thanks for the update! I'm at five weeks and am still trying to get used to #4. Fortunately it comes and goes, but it can make it hard to sleep if it decides to feel like a bongo drum. My husband just doesn't understand why I'm bothered by it - after verifying my pulse is not racing.

For me it was reading glasses. My near vision is crappy still, after five weeks. I'm not on Metoprolol anymore, so I'm blaming it on Amiodarone. It seems kind of sudden to be my old age! :rolleyes2:

It's good that you're planning ahead, but keep in mind a couple of things. 1) Echocardiograms (especially transthoracic) have a fair amount of error due to the operator, so measurements may vary a bit from test to test. Oh, that's right - you had an MRI. You may have echos for follow-up...

I've talked to three surgeons now, and they all have their ideas. For them, multiple surgeries are all in a day's work so they may favor tissue and the patient may avoid warfarin. Others feel that younger patients should go mechanical because each surgery gets more complicated. Of course your...

That's great, Chris! Enjoy the weekend. As for discussing your surgeon... no one asked you what he's like, or commented on his ego?? (LOL) That was the most common response I got - before they said how good he is and that lots of people travel to see him. I was sure to let them know his ego...

Thanks, Dean. That looks more scary than a regular aneurysm... but I can see that maybe it isn't more dangerous. In any case, good luck with your surgery. I hope you have an uneventful recovery!