Aortic valve replacement

[sylviayasgur]

hi patty!
you know, they make the stockings toe-less. i had those. mine also came up to my upper thighs! (i know there are other lengths also)
i hope now that your mom has cut the toes she will feel more comfortable.
please keep us posted.
have a great weekend and be well,
sylvia

 

[Starmouse]

Aortic Valve Replacement

Aortic Valve Replacement

Hello Sylvia,

Thank you for your reply. Yes, now that my Mom has cut the toe portion she is more comfortable wearing the hose.

I will return to the store, next week, and purchase the open toe. She needs more than one pair, as this will eliminate the need to constantly wash the first set.

When my Mom had her visit with the cardiologist, he told her that the swelling would go down. A far cry from what he told her before. Sometimes I think these doctors don't have a clue about what is going on.

Anyway, take care and thank you for all the good advice.

Patty

 

[Ross]

The first pair they gave me were closed toe. VERY UNCOMFORTABLE! They then got the open toes for me and it really had no effect on the compression that I could tell. I really don't know why they even make closed toe.

 

[RonP]

Swelling & The Valve

Swelling & The Valve

Patty:

I had my aortic valve replaced and I didn't experience the swelling you're mentioning.

I suspect the swelling is caused by the congestive heart failure and not the valve. That's what should be addressed. Note that most who have had the valve replaced don't experience that swelling.

We'll keep your Mom and you in our prayers and she may need to get another opinion from another cardiologist.

RON P.

 

[Starmouse]

Hello Ross,

My sister also wears compression hose and she said the closed toe should be taken off the market. They are too tight, and squeeze the toes together to the point of having too much pain.

Sure can't figure out why they are made, but possibly some people find them useful.

Next week I will head to the store and get my Mom open toe ones.

Thank you so much for writing.

Take care,
Patty

 

[Starmouse]

Hello Ron,

Interesting that you should make that statement, because my sister and I were tossing around that same idea.

I know they have the new pacemaker, called In-Sync., which I read about on Web MD, and this one is supposed to be for patients who have CHF. However, when I confronted the cardiologist about inserting that one, he said my Mom was not a candidate for it. Sure don't know why as she I believe she is in the stage for it. Maybe the cost was too prohibitive, but who cares, when someones life is at stake.

As I mentioned before, this cardiologist said the swelling will go away, but she had the by-pass and aortic valve replacement done in May 2001. So how long must she wait???

I will certainly suggest to her that looking for a new cardiologist may solve this situation.

Take care,
Patty

 

[Zipper]

Hi Patti,

WebMD is a good source..the Heart Boards often address 'implanted devices' on one board and another board (with Laurie Andreson RN) is filled with updated info on the latest technologies by a couple of people that keep up with the latest.

You might try posting a question there and see if it helps. The boards are very active. Can't beat this one for 'valvies' tho!!!! My husband and myself have both had CABG, so I try to keep up with that info too.

Zipper

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi patty!
i hate to keep being the eternal optimist here, but i think i mentioned that my dad, age 69 this july, had his valve replacement- bypass surgery done 3 yrs ago. his legs still swell up. the cardio swears it's normal andhe just goes about his days like that, playing golf, walking, running, etc. i, of course, don't think this is normal, but he has asked several times and they keep saying this often happens as a result of this surgery (not to everyone, but it does happen).
maybe there's something to this if your mom's docs are saying the same thing? my dad has chosen not to wear the hose and just goes about life as usual.
please let me know if you find out anything new.
take care and be well, sylvia

 

[Starmouse]

Hello Zipper,

I took your advice and went to Web MD, so hopefully they may give me some additional information.

I think we will be finding a new cardiologist, though, as the current one has too many patients and is never on time.

Take care,
Patty

 

[Starmouse]

Hello Sylvia,

I wonder what causes some people to have leg swelling and others don't? There must be a logical explanation, don't you think?

My Mom had an appointment with her regular physician and he took her off the Triamterene and put her back on Furosemide and Potassium. Her urine output was far less with the Triamterene and he thinks the leg swelling is due to fluid build up. You would think the cardiologist would have noticed that, but sometimes I think he is in la la land.

We are going to find another cardiologist.

Take care,
Patty

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi patty!
i just emailed these last 2 pages to my dad, hoping he would join in on this discussion. i've been asking him to for months!
hopefully he will come forward and give you some of his own thoughts on this subject (swollen legs, nagging kids, etc)
all the best, sylvia

 

[sylgeren]

I had surgery at Riverside Comm.

I had surgery at Riverside Comm.

Hi Patti, Gosh I read your post and sorry your mom is having trouble with her leg. I had Dr. Mudge come and check me a couple of times while I was in the hospital. Dr. Micbach his partner did my surgery. I had no problems and doing good . I was kinda surprised to see someone from Riverside on the web. So hang in there and you will get all the information you can possible need.
Everyone here is ready to help and give advise and help to recovery. If there is anything I can do , please e-mail me. Syl

 

[Starmouse]

Hello Sylvia Y.,

Gosh, it sure would be nice if your Dad would come online and give his insights. He may have information that could be beneficial.

I had to laugh when you mentioned, "nagging kids." Ha!! We only want the best for our parents and I especially want my Mom to stay on this planet for 30 more years.

From what I have read on this forum, some people get the swollen legs and some don't. Go figure!!!

Have a great day.

Patty

 

[Starmouse]

Hey Sylvia G.,

Well I'll be a blue-nosed gopher. Like you, I never expected to hear from someone in Riverside.

Oh yes. Dr. Mudge and Dr. Misbach did my Mom's surgery and I tell you what. It took an act of God to get Mudge to go up and see my Mom. After she made so many trips to Intensive Care we were beginning to get worried. One day, when all of us were outside, I saw Mudge chatting away with another doctor and I went up to him and asked if he could go and see my Mom. He said that he would. Don't know why these doctors disappear after they perform surgery. You would think they would care about how their patients are doing.

And Misbach? We almost whacked that guy across his stupid head. After my Mom's surgery they put her on the floor with the hospice people, rarely did any therapy, and then he discharged her. She was still having difficulty breathing and I was leary about taking her home. And wouldn't you know it? After a day at my house I ended up taking her back to the hospital. Straight into Intensive Care. Our personal physician, Dr. Peter Y. Chang, made out orders to have my Mom stay on the sixth floor, which is the Cardiac Care Unit. They treated her like gold and really worked wonders for her. No thanks to Misbach. He originally wanted her to go to a convalescent home and I said, "Not in this lifetime." Dr. Chang is the one who told us about the Cardiac Care Unit. Initially the heart surgeons kept Dr. Chang out of the loop, which really made us mad. After she ended up back in the hospital I gave specific instructions that Dr. Chang will be kept informed. He came to see my Mom almost every day. I would not trade him for the world.

My Mom lives in Laguna Niguel, so that is why she has a cardiologist up there, but the guy has too many patients, is never on time, and I don't trust his judgement. So, most likely we will find someone at Hoag Memorial because they have top knotch cardiologists.

Well, hope to hear from you soon. Oh. Where in Riverside do you live?

Take care,
Patty

 

[sylgeren]

Live in Riverside

Live in Riverside

Hi Patti, Just got home from work and thought I would check to see if you had replyed. Wow. what a mess with Dr. Mischbak, I really can't say anything bad about him, he took such good care of me . I have no complaints. I did have some trouble after I got home. It was three days later and I was not feeling good. Called my girlfriend who used to work at Loma Linda as a surg. nurse. She asked what color I was and was I sweating? I said yes and she said go to the emg. right away.
Went to Parkview and they didn't want any thing to do with me, when they found out I just had open heart surgery. They took some x-rays and said I probably had a aneurism. Scared me to death and they transp me to Riv comm. and they got me ready for surgery.

Well to tell you it was the longest night I ever spent and my family. Dr. Mudge came in early the next morning and looked at the xrays. No to the aneurism , just fluid in the lungs, so back to the hospital for 4 more days .

So now you know why I liked Dr. Mudge so much , he came with good news. Those dr. at Parkview are crazy. Thank God I won't be going there anymore since they closed it.

After I got home , Everything just got better. I live out by Rohr off Tyler. Lived here for 30 yrs. same house. Kinda a boring huh!!
Where do you live? Be looking for your reply. Syl

 

[Starmouse]

Hello Sylvia G.,

Today I went to the Medical Discount Center and tried to buy the 15-20, open toe, thigh high compression hose for my Mom. No luck. Neither Jobst nor Juzo make open toe in that compression. So I ended up buying the closed toe, and my Mom will be cutting out the toes, again. Certainly don't understand why the ones I want are only available in higher compression.

Oh yes. I am familiar with the "sweating," as that is the same thing my Mom had. However, the doctors called her flare up, "Congestive Heart Failure," due precisely to the fluid build up in her lungs.

No wonder Parkview closed. After the diagnosis they made on you, it is quite clear how incompetent those morons are. Who is your family doctor? I would have thought he/she would have been called ASAP.

Unfortunately, with Parkview in the rears, it puts a major crunch on Community. I understand the wait in the emergency room is approximately 8 hours. Can you imagine how long it takes to get a room? Some people are waiting in the ER for over 24 hours because there is no bed space.

Sure better hope none of us gets sick.

I live on Greenbrier, down the street from Sears.

Anyway, I'm glad that things turned out ok for you. It's nice to know that the "Man Upstairs," is watching over us and our families.

Take care,
Patty

 

[Nancy]

Here's a good site for compression stockings, I ordered from them and found them very fast and nice to deal with.

http://www.discountsurgical.com/

Here's another site for all kinds of foot problems, plus surgical stockings:

http://www.footsmart.com/

 

[Starmouse]

Hello Nancy,

Thank you so much for the information.

I will check out the sites you gave and see what they have to offer.

Did receive a reply from Jobst and they do not make the open toe, thigh high, in the 15-20 compression. Seems pretty lame to me, but I assume the demand is higher for 20-30 compression.

Take care,
Patty

 

[Starmouse]

Hello Sylvia G.,

My e-mail message said you posted a reply, but I searched this site three times and could not find your message.

Did it get lost in cyberspace?

Take care,
Patty

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi patty!
must've gotten lost... i'll resend it. it just gave you my dad's email address. he is kind of uncomfortable coming in here, but said that he'd love to chat and if you have any questions to email him directly and he'll reply within 24 hours.
wish i could get him to join us; he's such a bright man and would have so much to offer.
will resend. be well, sylvia
p.s. is jobst the only kind that is recommended for this type of surgery? maybe one of the other companies make a good stocking in the compression you need?