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All good info. Thanks for all the replies. I go to the lab to get my INR checked once a month. That’s all I’ve done since the beginning. It’s usually within range and of not my doc will advise to lay off or take extra, whatever is needed to correct it and then I’ll recheck in a week. If I’m...

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I weigh 180 lbs and am 6’1” . I’ve always been very active. Before my heart surgery I was at my heaviest at 237 lbs. I just physically couldn’t do a whole lot. I used to like to run. Then I started getting a sensation of a side stitch in my chest. That...

Hello all it’s been a while since I posted here. Coming up on my 11 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement. So here I am, 62 years old, mechanical aortic valve. INR stays within 2.5-3.5 on 2.5 mg of Coumadin. My problem is osteoarthritis pain, mostly in in my knees. Tylenol doesn’t cut...

Hello all. I have an appointment with our family Doctor in a couple of weeks to see about some relief from pain in my right knee. With the colder weather kicking in its really bugging me. I know that cortisone injections are commonly given for joint pain and inflammation but I've read that it...

I'm 51 years old and had my aortic valve replaced with a St. Judes mechanical valve on April 17th of this year. Yes, there is a slight ticking sound that is noticeable to me but is usually masked or eliminated by other noises/distractions. To me the sound has never been bothersome, I usually...

Congrats! It's fantastic that you were able to resume normal activity so soon! Keep up the good work! Mail Man

On April 17th of this year I had open heart surgery to replace my stenotic, bicuspid, aortic valve with a mechanical valve. I have to admit, the first six weeks after the surgery were very hard. I felt at that time that I would never be able to do my job again. For those of you that don't know...

One week after I posted this thread and so far so good. Lungs sound and feel clear as can be. Youngmom, if you suspect bronchitis by all means go in and get this checked out. Really you should probably have your Doc check you out anyway just to be sure. I just had a hunch that mine was nothing...

Hello Flex. I have a question if I may. Your cardiologist said your heart output is low, what is the reason for this? Congrats on the good news about your last echo, that's great news. Just a little advise, don't blink your eyes, before you know it your 11 year old daughter will have graduated...

Hang in there Canon. Am glad your doing better. Sometimes its easier to drink than eat. After my surgery I had no appetite at all. I thing those drinks like Ensure brought me around and helped me to keep going. You can drink them warm and they still go down well. Like you I was so cold the last...

Ok so I went to my Dr. appointment on Tuesday. It was a very similar experience to when your car is making a weird noise. You all know how it goes. Your cars been acting up for a while so you decide to get it checked out and make an apt to see your mechanic. On the way to his shop, the problem...

I used the incentive spirometer for only two weeks after I came home from surgery per the cardiologists instructions and quit smoking twenty years ago. I have no pain, shortness of breath, and did well with my cardio rehab. Soon I will see my doc before returning to work and will tell him again...

Ok this sounds weird and is hard to describe. Whenever I lay down or sit a certain way in a chair and breath in deeply/exhale, I get this sensation in my left side, at the lower end of my ribcage. At one point I had it on the right side. It feels very similar to when I had bronchitis some years...

I was told to wear the stockings for two weeks after surgery to replace my aortic valve. The reason being, that I didn't see mentioned here yet, was they were supposed to help prevent blood clots from forming in the legs. That info alone had me wearing them just like I was told. I had no problem...

Thanks for all the replies. Wow, this is some very good information. I am SO glad I came upon this excellent, informative site. Really, I had no idea just how important the oral hygiene thing was. I mean I regularly brush twice a day but am going to take it up a notch with the floss and mouth...

Hello everyone. I seem to read a lot about people here needing to go through surgery twice due to bacterial endocarditis setting in. How does one get it? Are there measures to prevent such a thing from happening? I did a Google search on this and didn't come up with much info except to not use...

Hello Suzanne. I have a little amusing story for you regarding that follow up appt. All cardio docs are different, here's how my visit turned out. I too was sent after surgery on April 17 of this year with orders to see my regular cardio guy within ten days, which I was able to do. Having just...

Congrats. Tiny improvements add up over time. Keep going! Mailman

Thank you for all the replies everyone. I have an appt with my reg Doctor next week. Not so sure what he will be able to tell me one way or the other but I guess I will go just for peace of mind and be honest and tell him what the cardiologist recommended. When I do return to work, there is no...

Wow. Heck of a story ski girl. Glad you came through ok. I too have the St Judes aortic valve and yes it is noisy. After two months I don't know if its a bit quieter or maybe I'm just getting used to it. Probably the latter. Handy thing is you dont have to find your pulse to check your heart...