another question about post-op meds

[ruthienc1]

Hi all! I'm trying to get things mentally sorted out before my AVR in May......... I know everyone is different,but, that said, can you give me a general idea of the number and kinds of meds I could expect to have prescribed after the operation? I'm expecting it to be a tissue valve- which I expect wll influence the meds. I'm not much of a medicine taker, so I want to get some sort of idea. Thanks!
Ruth

 

[Phyllis]

Dick was sent home with a beta blocker (he had one day of afib in the hospital) and 1 baby aspirin a day. Four years hence, he has added a blood pressure medecine as it was running on the high side.

 

[Susan BAV]

Vague recollection, but I hope it's helpful...

Vague recollection, but I hope it's helpful...

I ended up with a small pile of pills that I had to take off and on through the first three months post-op. Then I was down to only baby aspirin each day for several months (plus a thyroid med I've had to take for years) and at nearly one year post-op I had to add back in one simple bp med.

During that post-op period, I had to carefully schedule what all I had to take throughout the day, some with an empty stomach and some with food and some by themselves, and some more than once throughout the day, etc., and I did find it a little complicated. I was on Coumadin for three months (which is very common), and I had to take a med for A-fib/A-flutter a couple of times a day, and I took something to build up my blood (maybe iron and I don't remember what else), and I think I began taking aspirin then, and I don't remember what else. It seemed like a lot of pills to me though, the most I've ever had to take, and I got off of each one as soon as possible.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

My valve is mechanical, but the only thing I was sent home with, besides Vicodin, was Coumadin and an iron pill for anemia. I think it's pretty common for tissue valvers to get Coumadin for a short period of time, and many people take medicine for blood pressure, but I would guess that you shouldn't need anything long term due to the valve itself.

 

[CHDDoug]

I was sent home on several, but was weened off of most after a few weeks. I continue to take a beta blocker, ace inhibitor and aspirin daily. Other than those, I took a steroid for 4 weeks, pain meds obviously, stool softener and an antibiotic (possible chest tube infection).

 

[DebbyA]

Very general reply is that you will probably have a short-term course of diuretic (Lasix is common) and potassium, may have an anti-arrhythmic like amiodarone short-term. If you were taking blood pressure medicine or cholesterol medicine before, you will still take them. There is another new post about coumadin for tissue valves that already has lots of variety of reply.

 

[netmiff]

wow, I think I went home with something like 13 new prescriptions !!! I remember well when the pharmacy delivered it, because of my restriction on lifting anything heavier than 5lbs !!! I am 52, had AVR (mechanical) and was put on a beta blocker and 2 BP meds. Others included the warfarin, iron (got it OTC), a baby aspirin (again OTC), a breathing thing (Spiriva, maybe - I am a smoker), an antibiotic because they left my bladder catheter in too long - everyone forgot all about it, a painkiller that I never got filled and I can`t remember what else . . .possibly some Lasix. Some of those had no refills, and were to be taken only until they ran out, some I am still on (beta-blocker and 2 BP meds, baby aspirin and of course warfarin - plus what I had before for osteoporosis and depression . .





(mye heart had build up popeye-style and my BP afer was extremely high)