Any AVR patients completely off meds?

[jax3172]

I have my close out visit with my surgeon tomorrow (snowy roads permitting). As many of you may know, I had AVR (cow/tissue) and ascending aorta replaced (Dacron) 7/21/05 by Dr. Bavaria at U of Penn. My question is, are any of you completely off meds???

I would like to make a strong pitch to get completely off meds. I am on nortriptyline 2.5 mg/day (BP med) and one aspirin a day. The BP med is a tiny tiny dose. My BP and heart rate are fine without it (like 100/60, HR 70), but my cardio wanted me on it to slightly help "blunt" the force on my arteries since I have BAVD. The aspirin is to reduce the chance of a clot (apparently we are more susceptible to clots than the average bear). I am very much into homeopathy and removing all drugs (code word for toxins) from my system. When I read of many of the symptoms you all are experiencing, I can not help think that a great many of them are from all of the powerful prescription and non-prescription drugs you are taking. I'm not completely crazy (my wife would disagree) and I know some of us MUST be on some of these drugs to keep us alive, but in many cases there are natural alternatives to BP meds and anti clot meds.

Health tip of the day from Jack: for those of you with headaches and all sorts of other maladies, unless you have a fluid retention problem, drink a lot of (filtered) water - like 1/2 of your pound weight in ounces. Make sure it's not tap water (chlorine and fluorine are toxic).

 

[JimL]

This is an area with a lot of room for personal choice. Some medicines we MUST be on; I'm on coumadin for life, literally. Some medicines almost none of us SHOULD be on; I have a personal vendetta against amiodarone and the card who prescribed it. And then there is a wide area of more optional medications which we MAY be on; I have had discussions with cardiologists about Altace and aspirin, and decided for myself not to take them, but the evidence was not 100% for or against. It is this area where we need to ask lots of questions and try to understand and make our own decisions.
I came away from the whole surgery experience with a new appreciation for these medications. Some I regard as very effective, and I wouldn't hesitate to go back on lasix or digitalis if I needed to. Some I regard as absolutely delicious, and I would welcome the need to take them; I suppose I sense how very addictive painkillers can be. Others I regard as the "helping" kind of medications: they "help" do this or that, but don't actually do it; those I would tend to avoid, unless there is a clear reason to take them.
Does that help?

 

[Lynlw]

Justin didn't have AVR, but he has a dacron conduit from his right ventricle to his pulm artery and has a bovine pulm valve and is on no meds. Lyn www.carngbridge.org/nj/justinw

 

[savysmommy]

I am not on any meds. I take one asprin daily, and thats it.

Good luck,

 

[jax3172]

What about aspirin?

What about aspirin?

Thankx for the responses. I noticed one of the patients (Justin) wasn't even on aspirin. That's where I want to be. And as I pointed out, there are natural alternatives.

Also, is there a slam dunk compelling reason for BAVD patients who have had valve replacements to be on a mild BP med even if they don't have anything approaching high BP? I think not.

 

[Rush20]

I have AVR a little over two years ago and I am off all meds with the exception of Coumadin due to my St. Jude Valve. Post surgery, my cardio had me on a variety of beta blockers and calcium blockers to help regulate the heart beat, etc. I was eventually weaned off these.

However, my BP is now hovering around 140 over 90, although my resting heart rate is about 55-65. I'm trying to reduce my BP naturally however I'm having a difficult time due to the high stress job and long commute. I have a life-long commitment to exercise, thus the lower resting heart rate, however this BP issue is a viscious circle. The more you think about it, the more it's elevated, etc.

Any advise would certainly be welcome.

 

[rbl1999]

Hi, I had my Aorta Valve Replacement surgery the same day that you did!!! We were probably in the OR at the same time, just different states and hospitals...And I also went with the bovine. The only thing I take is one aspirin daily, plus xanax if I get a little panicky about something...Rose

 

[Kate]

Hi Jax!
Like you, I generally prefer to avoid meds when possible (one of the reasons I chose a bovine aortic valve rather than mechanical) and also like you, I'm currently only on aspirin and a low level of a BP med. However, I'm curious about your zeal to replace all traditional meds with natural alternatives. Natural doesn't necessarily mean harmless - many supplements have the potential to do serious harm including chaparral, comfrey, germander and some of the fat soluble vitamins. In addition, I don't really understand what difference it makes if you get your acetylaslicylic acid from a Bayer tablet or willow bark - it's the same chemical.

Again, I understand generally where you are coming from - drugs sometimes can cause as many problems as they solve - and, of course, it is important to follow a medical course that you feel personally comfortable with. I guess I don't understand why you think it is necessarily better to be ingesting a lot of chemicals from plant sources than ingesting alot of chemicals from other sources. To me, the ideal is avoid ingesting chemicals from any source when possible, and when not possible, at least go with chemicals subjected to rigorous testing and careful oversight. Best, Kate

 

[jax3172]

ingesting chemicals

ingesting chemicals

Kate,

Thankx for the response. You appear to be well educated on the topic. I agree that many herbs can be harmful in ways similar to manufactured drugs. I do however feel that drugs, for the most part, can be much worse. Understand that I'm just now getting into this so be gentle with me!

Most (but not all) drugs can wind up interfering with or stressing major body systems like the liver, intestines, lungs, etc - thus the side effects which I believe to be vastly underplayed by the Pharma and the FDA. Of course, many herbs or naturally occurring organic substances can also kill you (e.g., hemlock!). All that being said, I would rather get ALL my nutritional needs from organic food and take no supplements or meds (naturally occurring or man made). However, if I find myself ill or with a condition like BAVD, I'd rather medicate/supplement with something closer to nature. Vitamin E and Nattokinase can improve circulation and prevent clots. Vitamin E has lots of other benefits. When looking at negative Vitamin E studies, one must look at who is funding the studies and the exact substance used and the patient population. All Vitamin E is NOT created equal. I do not believe in taking a bunch of supplements but some selected supplements (high quality to be sure) can be beneficial.

JAck

 

[Christina]

Only Coumadin.

Only Coumadin.

Only Coumadin so far (17mg a day, down from 26mg) and that will be for life as I have a mechanical St. Jude's. I try not to go to doctors because they just love to write those prescriptions. A magic pill for everything and they all carry side effects, remember that.

 

[Mb]

I will be forever grateful, that God gave chemists the knowledge over the last century, to manufacture drugs that help people with heart conditions.

Drugs help my husband live. Period. In January, two days without a baby aspirin (and he does take coumaden), he had a TIA. In October, his BP and HR got elevated, and wouldn't come down on their own, even thought he has been over four years on a beta blocker. A trip to the ER, IV of more beta blocker, and nitro, and he was back in business. Thank you, all of the chemists and pharmicists out there, who help my husband. May He grant you a long life.

On this issue, we will have to agree....to disagree.

Marybeth

 

[parker04]

I had my AVR

I had my AVR

done 3 years ago and I take no medications for the heart. I have a homograft valve. I was on Toprol and a baby asprin for about 3 months after surgery and then weaned off of it.

 

[bobcatrel]

meds

meds

At 5 post-op I was only on a baby aspiran a day. I have been very fortunate in being able to make life-style changes and avoid meds. On the BP issue I believe many doctors are prescriping meds when people are in pre-hypertension as they are now doing for pre-high cholestrol, and pre-diabetes.

 

[Debster]

Right on Mary Beth! There is no way either my mom or stepfather would be alive if it wasn't for the medicines that we have today. My mom is on aspirin, Coreg, Plavix, and Lipitor-and my stepdad is in remission from leukemia. I am so grateful for what is out there to help people live longer...... Debbie