A little early but . . .

[mattwisconsin]

I think it is really the symptoms that have pushed the idea of surgery since I have about all the possible ones associated with aortic stenosis.

 

[sheridan07]

Your right about the symptom part. My Cardio said my echo showed severe stenosis and the cath showed my valve not to be as severe and then I had a TEE and Ct scan done last week and both proved that my symptoms were due to my valve and now I am seeing a surgeon. My Cardio said my symptoms worry her and will worry the surgeon too.

 

[mattwisconsin]

I now have an appt with Dr. Mendelson at the Northwestern Adult Congenital Heart Program on Monday and from there I have been told that it will be easy to schedule a surgery with Dr. McCarthy if necessary. Has anyone else here had Dr. McCarthy for a surgery?

 

[Lynlw]

I now have an appt with Dr. Mendelson at the Northwestern Adult Congenital Heart Program on Monday and from there I have been told that it will be easy to schedule a surgery with Dr. McCarthy if necessary. Has anyone else here had Dr. McCarthy for a surgery?

Ross did, he is his hero

 

[mattwisconsin]

Turns out that I have endocarditis. They are still trying to figure out exactly what is causing the infection, but I am now in the hospital, with a looming surgery after the antibiotic treatment is complete.

 

[Eva]

Good luck, Matt,

Keep us posted and I shall keep you in my prayers.

 

[Phyllis]

Sorry to hear this Matt. Please keep us posted when you can and we will keep you in our prayers

 

[Lynlw]

Turns out that I have endocarditis. They are still trying to figure out exactly what is causing the infection, but I am now in the hospital, with a looming surgery after the antibiotic treatment is complete.

I'm sorry to hear that, Was this picked up at your appt last week?

 

[vprnet]

Matt,

It's pretty well known that the Cleveland Clinic Foundation on 9500 Euclid Ave is tops in heart treatment and it's in your area.

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/about/default.aspx

Dr. Gosta Pettersson is also highly recommended for re-ops.

Good luck and best wishes.

Vincent (54)
BAVR with 27mm ON-X NYP Weill Cornell Dec 19, 2008.

PS. I am not a medical professional or a doctor. My comments in this forum are my own opinion and are not intended to be given as medical or professional advise or a recommendation of any valve choice. Decisions that affect your health and wellbeing are ultimately yours and your doctors. vprnet

 

[mattwisconsin]

They noticed the slight fever at my appt earlier this week and then did a blood culture which came back positive. Since then they have done most tests imaginable and I think they are going to do the final ones not done yet in the next couple days.

Dr. McCarthy is out of town currently but I have been talking with his team which are three people from the Cleveland Clinic and one who specializes in Aortic surgery, from what people have told me.

So far I have been pretty happy with the care that I have gotten here at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and with Dr. Mendelson, who luckily recognized the symptoms of endocarditis and it seems like we caught it pretty early.

 

[Lynlw]

They noticed the slight fever at my appt earlier this week and then did a blood culture which came back positive. Since then they have done most tests imaginable and I think they are going to do the final ones not done yet in the next couple days.

Dr. McCarthy is out of town currently but I have been talking with his team which are three people from the Cleveland Clinic and one who specializes in Aortic surgery, from what people have told me.

So far I have been pretty happy with the care that I have gotten here at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and with Dr. Mendelson, who luckily recognized the symptoms of endocarditis and it seems like we caught it pretty early.

I happy to hear that. Justin had BE when he was 11, but luckily his was caught pretty early and didn't have any perm damage.

 

[mattwisconsin]

I am now out of the hospital and started on the 6 week treatment at home for the endocarditis. I am on a once a day dose of Ceftriaxone. Has anyone had experience with this antibiotic and is there anything I should watch out for. It seems like one of the kinder of the options of what they could have put me on.

 

[Guest]

Matt,

Glad you are at home now ... and seeing Dr. Mendelson!



Cort | 35swm | "Mr Monte Carlo"."Mr Road Trip" | pig valve.pacemaker ...Chitown #2 = 07/25/09
WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"I can't take anymore" ... 3rd Eye Blind ... 'How's It Going To Be'

 

[OldManEmu]

Ceftriaxone

Ceftriaxone

I had a PICC line and almost a month of once daily Ceftriaxone for BE (Strep) on discharge from hospital.
In hospital I was treated with Penicillin however this needs to be administered several times a day making it unsuitable for out patient treatment.
I didn't have any side effects at all from the Ceftriaxone.

 

[Lynlw]

I had a PICC line and almost a month of once daily Ceftriaxone for BE (Strep) on discharge from hospital.
In hospital I was treated with Penicillin however this needs to be administered several times a day making it unsuitable for out patient treatment.
I didn't have any side effects at all from the Ceftriaxone.

When Justin had his pic line for BE he was on both geno and vanco every 8 hours at home. Yes we all got pretty sleep deprived.
Luckily last year when he had the 6 weeks of anitbiotics for his sternal, understernal infection he ended up not needing a pic line since oral bactrim worked.

 

[mattwisconsin]

So here is an update. I was feeling light-headed Sunday and Monday morning. I had the nurse there on Monday morning so I told her and she took my blood pressure and said that it was 70/40 and my heart beat was irregular and sent me to the ER. Once there everything seems normal. They also did an echo and things are not normal normal, but back to my normal, so they think the treatments for endocarditis are working and my problems may have been more closely linked to the infection than they first thought. However, they are confused by the low blood pressure. Do any of you have suggestions for that does it normally go along with the antibiotics, the pharmacist seems to think not, but dizziness yes?

 

[DebbyA]

Do you have any effusion as a result of endocarditis? Or could your blood pressure medications need adjustment? Mine were doubled after surgery, but had to be adjusted downward later.

Hope you get a solution soon.

 

[mattwisconsin]

I wasn't on any blood pressure meds before this and they don't think there is any effusion. So now I am wondering if this is dizziness from the antibiotics.