AVR done Nov 19th, Post Op Update

[Chuck C]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I'm 53 and am heavily leaning towards the Inspira Resilia valve. My AV is 1.1cm2 and has stayed there for 18 months, when they first discovered my BAV and stenosis. I have no symptoms and my surgery might be years away, but the Resilia seems like a great choice for people in our age group. Going with a biological valve we will need future surgeries as the valve calcifies. Surgeons indicate that we should expect to get about 10 years out of a biological valve, because they calcify faster when you are relatively young. The Resilia gives us some hope that it will not calcify as quickly and last much longer. Of course, it has not been in use long enough to know for sure, but the 4 year outcomes from the Commence Trial and the 5 year outcomes from the European trial look very promising as far as how the valves are holding up. Resilia is especially insteresting to me, as I have high Lp(a), which generally accelerates valve calcification.
Please keep us posted as you progress through your recovery.

 

[Eva]

Well I met with my cardiologist and surgeon post surgery. My echo and ekg came back good. The valve is working great and the mitral is working good.
...

Hopefully I will get off the Metaprophol in a few months.
I started cardiac rehab today. I enjoyed it.
My heart rate is around 100 all the time. I hope it comes down but my Drs don't seem worried.
...

Funny how a new heart completely changed my out look on my future.

Great news and great attitude. Enjoy your new you. My heart rate stayed high for quite a few months after surgery.
My only advice is not to rush getting off Toprol. Follow your cardio‘s advice. I pushed my cardio to let me stop it after five years since my surgery, now I wish I did not! I’m back on it since last year due to Atrial flutters and AF. This could be only me, but I liked to share.

 

[Superman]

11 years after my last surgery I remain on metoprolol, low dose aspirin, and warfarin. I was just on Warfarin for 19 years after my first surgery. I’m 48 now.

Can’t say as I’ve really Noticed any negatives from metoprolol. I can still get my heart rate well north of 150 during running and spin classes. I can still run a 5k under a half hour. I finish in the top 5%-10% in my Peloton classes on the bike. Resting pulse is mid to high 50’s typically dropping to a low of 50 - 52 overnight. No issues in any other departments either.

I know I have fewer palpitations since being on it, so that’s good.

 

[FishnFool]

11 years after my last surgery I remain on metoprolol, low dose aspirin, and warfarin. I was just on Warfarin for 19 years after my first surgery. I’m 48 now.

Can’t say as I’ve really Noticed any negatives from metoprolol. I can still get my heart rate well north of 150 during running and spin classes. I can still run a 5k under a half hour. I finish in the top 5%-10% in my Peloton classes on the bike. Resting pulse is mid to high 50’s typically dropping to a low of 50 - 52 overnight. No issues in any other departments either.

I know I have fewer palpitations since being on it, so that’s good.

Good to know. I seem to be getting used to it.
I am doing rehab and can't get my heart rate over 108. I am going to have to push harder I guess.

 

[Superman]

Good to know. I seem to be getting used to it.
I am doing rehab and can't get my heart rate over 108. I am going to have to push harder I guess.

I’m over 11 years out. Don’t rush it! A month out I was battling pancreatitis and not doing anything. . Then I developed a nasty infection in my hand and forearm from cleaning a fish tank so I was back in the hospital for observation four months later to get things under control and make sure nothing spread to my heart. And a couple months later, we went to Disney World - so there’s that!

Things will come back. It’s weird. There’s no magical 1 month, 6 months, or whatever. We’re all different. At some point it just occurs to you that you haven’t really thought about the surgery in a while.