4 days out of surgery, all 100% except a "junctional heart rythm"

[paulschumann]

I'm 32 yrs old, 6'1" 190lbs and pretty active. I was born with BAV, pretty much no symptoms until a month or so before surgery. I had my aortic valve replaced on tuesday morning, surgery was way above and beyond most others. I was in surgery for just over 3 hours and was awake and consious with thumbs in the air as they were wheeling me into ICU with the breathing tube still in. docs say that I was at a very high risk of a stroke because the valve was so calcified it was almost unrecognizable.

They planned to release me saturday since I was progressing so quickly. I'm done taking pain meds. my oxygen levels have been 96 to 100% every time they've checked since tuesday. my BP is always around 115-120 over 60-80, great pulse, no swelling and maintained my usual body weight. everything is 100% except for this junctional rythm the say my heart shifts into about half the time. My heart rate is also higher than it was pre op. from 60-70bpm to 90-100bpm. I'm assuming this is my heart being confused after beating one way for 30 years and now dealing with the trauma of surgery and having to learn how to beat all over again. the drs. seem to be leaning towards a pacemaker, I think a few weeks of healing and getting my life back into its normal rythm should do the same for my heart.

Whats your opinions? are any of you familiar with this, do they usually work themselves out?

 

[carolinemc]

Well, usually after surgery, the heart will beat a little faster, almost catching up with you. It is saying I am healthy again and will beat faster for a short time till it has healed from the surgery to be a normal beat again. It happens to a lot of us. I was and was put on medication for a short time to get the heart to slow down to recover. It eventually did and I am still here to tell. Now for the sternum, it will heal slowly for a time. So no weight lifting for now. Hugs for today and be good to yourself.

 

[kfay]

I'm 3.5 years out from surgery and have junctional escape rhythms, although I think for the most part they have stopped since I have been taking Flecanide, but won't know for sure until the next time I wear a monitor. They don't bother me at all and are only a recent development in the last year. My Dr's aren't really concerned about them but did say that they think at some point I'll wind up with a pacer and that I'm probably 60-70% on my way. Here is a link that talks about treatment of them: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/155146-treatment

If it were me, I'd probably want to wait and see if aren't solely due to the surgery and might go away. Of course, I would want to make sure that my Dr's were on the same page with me and were comfortable with me leaving the hospital without a pacer.


Kim

 

[bradvo]

Wow, ya made it sound like a cake walk, they build em tough in ND.
Congrats and wishing you a speedy recovery.

Born in Rugby ND myself.

Brad

 

[JeffF]

Hi Paul, I am glad to hear that you are doing so well. I go in for AVR on the 29th and I am hoping my recovery goes as smoothly. Being very close to your age what kind of valve did you choose? I keep going back and forth and would love to hear which direction you went in.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[paulschumann]

I didn't really choose a valve, my surgeon seemed like he installs St. Jude valves profesionally so I wasn't about to throw the guy with a knife a curve ball & ask for something else that he obviously has way more knowledge & experience in than me. I ended up getting a St Jude mechanical 25mm aortic valve.

My surgery and recovery went smoother than 99% of the rest, according to what the Dr's & nurses have told me. I was awake while they were rolling me down the hall from the OR to ICU giving the surgeons a thumbs up with a crooked smile wrapped around a breathing tube.

Mys surgery was on a tuesday and I was walking laps thinkin about going home on thursday. The worst pain I have had since was from a blood draw to check my pro-time and the nurse must have hit a nerve in my arm or something. my arm hurt & didn't work right for a week.

My best advice to you Jeff is don't be too scared, I thought it was gonna be this horrible ordeal and as it turned out my biggest complaint was the crappy hospital food and one ugly annoying nurse.

a little tip, when you're laying on that table just about to go under start to imagine the breathing tube down your throat, then start to focus on a regular in & out breathing pattern. as you're doing this you'll be blinking your eyes open & closed, and all of the sudden after one of those short blinks you'll have the breathing tube in your throat & the successfull surgery will be all over & you'll feel like you tried out for the NFL drunk the day before. I even managed to keep a sense of humor as I woke up & pretended I didn't know who a few of my family members were.

coumadin is no big deal, I take a tiny little pill & a tiny little aspirin once a day with no side effects. I cut my finger and I didn't even notice that it took any longer to stop bleeding. I guess with aortic valve replacements you don't have to be all that thinned out anyway since its a really high flow & high pressure valve.

I feel better with each day, started driving a little the other day, spent the nigh fishing a week ago, and have even went hunting walking fields for deer & pheasant a couple times this week (with just a camera, not ready for the kick of a firearm yet) I could go back to work now no problem, but I think I'm gonna enjoy one more week of being lazy & playing Call of Duty. I find it tough to remember sometimes I shouldn't lift anything over 10lbs since I feel so good. I stop myself once in a while as I'm reaching to pick up my 4 year old daughter, and luckily she reminds me.

Oh and by the way, if you feel a sneeze coming on within 2 weeks after surgery DON'T LET IT HAPPEN!!! shoot yourself in the face with a shotgun, jump off a building, shove a firecracker up your nose, but whatever you do DON'T SNEEZE. I keep a Q-tip in my pocket & jam it up ther to wiggle it around when ever I feel a sneeze coming, anything to stop it. you will need some pain meds after a sneeze.

anyway, no sweat its gonna go fine, stop in & let us know how your experience went.

 

[drivetopless]

Congrats on making it through to the other side, Paul.

I think a funky heart beat after AVR is pretty common. THey cut a chunk out of your heart and put in a piece of plastic, after all. No wonder it's a little miffed. The trauma of the surgery can set up some inflammation response, which can make your heart beat wierd.