Almost 2-Weeks and Relieved!

[Hearty]

Hello Everyone,

I'm 37 and just had surgery on 2/7 to replace my aortic valve with a mechanical. Of course there was lot of anxiety leading up to the surgery while also wondering how I would recover and what life would be like afterward.

I was in the hospital for five days and returned home surprisingly able to walk and move around pretty well. The challenge now is the need to discipline myself by not lifting anything over 10 lbs and getting up and moving around quickly. My father, God love him, has been staying with me keeping me "in check" and I'm ready to lose my mind, but hey, it's all good. There have been routine blood tests done to make sure my INR levels are good with the dosage of warfarin (5 mg) and everything seems to be working out well so far....knock on wood.

Anyway, I don't want to brag, but this has gone sooooo much smoother than I anticipated. I'm simply relieved as all hell and look forward to a different and better perspective on life. So far, it's been very helpful and enjoyable reading some of the topics on this board. I'm happy to now be a part of it!

-Chuck

 

[cldlhd]

Congrats and it's not bragging. It's good for people out here who are anxious to read good outcomes.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

He's right you know... bragging is not what it is ... no matter how many people post how much better they feel, how easier it was its never enough. It needs to be said again and again because somehow that which happened last year isn't enough ... gets lost in the noise.

There is always someone new coming through who needs to hear it fresh

As I'm sure you know there are more steps to come, but these are steps of learning. Take it step at a time and as my mum used to say "chew your food properly or it wont go down properly. Same goes for chewing new experiences ;-)

Best Wishes

 

[dick0236]

Welcome Chuck. It is really important that folks fresh out of surgery post their experience. The most important people on this forum are the newer people, pre or post op. Thanks for posting and stick around to help others......who, like you, where scared to death prior to surgery.

 

[LondonAndy]

Delighted to hear the news Chuck, and welcome. I had a similar good recovery after mine, which was about 2.5 years ago now, but one thing my doctor missed on the blood tests was that I was going slightly anaemic. Apparently the mechanical valves can damage red blood cells for some of us, so might be worth making sure your after-care people are checking that. I now take iron tablets daily to compensate, so not a biggie.

And doubtless you will already have discovered our enthusiasm on this site for self-testing your INR using a finger-prick of blood and a hand held device. both for convenience and living longer!

 

[Seaton]

Greetings Chuck and welcome.

Fantastic to read that you are on the other side and doing so well. Always inspiring for waiting room people like me to read such stories. This is a great community to be involved with.
I wish you the very best for the days ahead and look forward to your updates.

 

[Hearty]

And doubtless you will already have discovered our enthusiasm on this site for self-testing your INR using a finger-prick of blood and a hand held device. both for convenience and living longer!

I've been reading about this and want to learn more. So far, I've just gone to a convenient location to get a blood draw when my doctor advises me to. I've gone two times in the last week and will go again this Wednesday. When you self-test, is it still mandatory to submit results to your doctor or how does that work? I've been told INR tests are usually done on a monthly basis after everything is dialed in with the warfarin dosage.

 

[honeybunny]

What a positive cost for those awaiting surgery

 

[Hearty]

Greetings Chuck and welcome.

Fantastic to read that you are on the other side and doing so well. Always inspiring for waiting room people like me to read such stories. This is a great community to be involved with.
I wish you the very best for the days ahead and look forward to your updates.

Glad I've done my part of putting you a little more at ease! I've actually sort of been in the waiting room my whole life until just recently. I used to see a pediatric cardiologist every year since I can remember up until I was 18 years old. Every year I would get an echo and was told the same thing, "You're a normal person with a very mild condition. Just stay away from really strenuous sports, and get it checked out in your mid-thirties. You will likely have a mild procedure done at that time."

19 years ago I was told that the mild procedure would be an angioplasty. However, my current cardiologist and the one I saw two years ago (I ditched him, long story), told me that angioplasties are not even an option anymore.

 

[Juli]

Hearty - great to read about your progress.

It is truly amazing to experience the advancements in modern medicine and the professionalism of the hospital staff. I am 20 years older than you and had my surgery a little over 6 months ago. Since you started the bragging - I was able to return to work (management job) after 2 1/2 weeks, felt great and staying home would have been too boring. Of course there could be complications and other issues that could slow down the healing process but I never expected such a fast recovery. It seems that you are on the same path - keep it up!

Juergen

 

[LondonAndy]

I've been reading about this and want to learn more. So far, I've just gone to a convenient location to get a blood draw when my doctor advises me to. I've gone two times in the last week and will go again this Wednesday. When you self-test, is it still mandatory to submit results to your doctor or how does that work? I've been told INR tests are usually done on a monthly basis after everything is dialed in with the warfarin dosage.

I don't know what it is like in other countries, but here in the UK my anti-coagulation clinic sets the date on which it wants me to email them a reading. The frequency of this varies, and seems to be based upon how different the reading is since last time - if a big difference it might be 14 days later, if a small difference it can be 6 weeks later. However, I always test weekly, or more frequently if going out of range and I am not sure why, and tweak my Warfarin dose if needed to stay on track. If I get a cold my INR drops dramatically and quickly, so I would never want to leave it a month.

Every six months I attend the clinic for a normal blood draw test, and I also email them my own home-test result taken around the same time, in order to ensure my machine is still within tolerance of their results. My difference seems to be between 0.1 and 0.3 from theirs, with mine usually a little higher than theirs.

If you search for "INR" on the forum you will find that there are many posts on the subject, and Pellicle in particular has posted some comprehensive graphs and great analysis. Staying in range greatly reduces the risks of thrombosis and bleeds, so significantly keeping your quality of life and avoiding a stroke.

 

[Hearty]

Hearty - great to read about your progress.

It is truly amazing to experience the advancements in modern medicine and the professionalism of the hospital staff. I am 20 years older than you and had my surgery a little over 6 months ago. Since you started the bragging - I was able to return to work (management job) after 2 1/2 weeks, felt great and staying home would have been too boring. Of course there could be complications and other issues that could slow down the healing process but I never expected such a fast recovery. It seems that you are on the same path - keep it up!

Juergen

I'm like you, and can't stay away from work too long or else I get bored. LOL! I was working remotely from home within 1 week of my surgery. The following week (today), I'm actually in the office. Pretty nuts, huh?

 

[cldlhd]

Not me, I was home 3 months and I wasn't too eager to get back. I missed some of the guys,some not so much, and I was happy to get back to my 'normal' routine but otherwise I was happy at home. Maybe that's partly because I have enough home improvement projects to last me if outlast Dick by 30 years....

 

[dornole]

I had a Valvuloplasty (like an angioplasty) so they are still done, but they're only good for stenosis. Most likely no longer good for me next round, but ya never know. . . .

So glad you're having a good recovery!

 

[Juli]

I'm like you, and can't stay away from work too long or else I get bored. LOL! I was working remotely from home within 1 week of my surgery. The following week (today), I'm actually in the office. Pretty nuts, huh?

Hearty - I already had a hunch that you are on a fast track - keep it up. Now you put me to shame being in the office after just two weeks ;-).

But: I did my first 30 mile bike ride after 6 weeks post OP - will you beat me here as well?

Juergen

 

[neil]

glad to hear your doing well

 

[Hearty]

Hearty - I already had a hunch that you are on a fast track - keep it up. Now you put me to shame being in the office after just two weeks ;-).

But: I did my first 30 mile bike ride after 6 weeks post OP - will you beat me here as well?

Juergen

That all depends on me getting my bike tuned up. It's been hanging in my garage unused for over 5 years! We might have to call this a draw.