Bicuspid Valve - Longevity

[Agian]

Sorry to be a nuisance. I haven't even been surgically initiated yet. I have another dumb question. Do bicuspid folk have a shortened life expectancy compared to normal people, once the problem has been surgically fixed? Excluding the known complications, of course.

 

[JimL]

I had a life expectancy of about three seconds at the beginning of surgery, but that's been over eleven years ago now. It's still one day at a time.

 

[epstns]

My surgeon told me that now that my valve has been replaced, I have the same life expectancy that I would have had if I had never had the bicuspid valve and aortic stenosis.

 

[dick0236]

Do bicuspid folk have a shortened life expectancy compared to normal people, once the problem has been surgically fixed? .

When I had the surgery, normal male life expectancy was age 73.....since I am now 77+, my valve replacement apparently did not shorten my life expectancy. At my time of surgery, my docs pretty much assured me that I would not make 40 without surgery, so on the contrary, OHS has doubled my life expectancy LOL. Your question is not a dumb question....this "life expectancy question" dogged me for a long time until I learned to accept life "one day at a time". Welcome to the site.

 

[Agian]

Thanks guys. Dick, did you have a Bicuspid valve?

 

[dick0236]

Not sure. Docs, back then, thought it was due to rheumatic fever as a child. A few docs now think it might have been bicuspid. Doesn't make much difference....either way they cut out the diseased or the deformed valve and put in a new one.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Even though you may see no change in actual life expectancy if you monitor and manage your condition, the actuaries who price life insurance may see it differently. I found some companies would not quote life insurance because I had a BAV with moderate regurgitation. They would only quote for someone with mild regurgitation.

Likewise, I was not able to obtain as generous a disability policy due to my BAV. -- Suzanne

 

[tom in MO]

I had a mechanical valve put in at age 54. My cardiologist said I should live a normal life and die of something unrelated to my mechanical valve. Everything I've read says the same. For tissue valves, I don't know.

If you don't get the valve fixed, things are different. One study I read of deaths from undiagnosed BAV stated the youngest was 17 and the oldest in their 80s with the median age about 53. It is not suprising an insurance company won't give a policy with those kind of odds.

 

[dick0236]

Even though you may see no change in actual life expectancy if you monitor and manage your condition, the actuaries who price life insurance may see it differently. I found some companies would not quote life insurance because I had a BAV with moderate regurgitation. They would only quote for someone with mild regurgitation.

Likewise, I was not able to obtain as generous a disability policy due to my BAV. -- Suzanne

Hi Suzanne, unfortunately what you say is true. I was in the life/health insurance business for many years and was not able to get insurance without paying an additional "risk" premium, especially for long term disability insurance. There are a couple of ways to "skin this cat".....continue, or convert, group life insurance when you leave an employer. Take advantage of voluntary programs offered thru your employer that are "portable".....this is how I was able to aquire my personal life insurance. However, disability insurance can be a "tuff nut" because of the potential dollar outlay and can prove to be more difficult than life insurance......group disability insurance is normally not "portable", but be sure to check when you leave an employer. Individual "accident disability plans can be found, sometimes, thru organization such as AARP, AAA, etc. While there is not sickness benefit, it will pay a benefit for accidental disability. Good luck.

PS: I retired from the business 15 years ago and if there are any "insurance people" on the forum, they may know of new ways to handle this problem.

 

[Rachel]

Hi Suzanne, unfortunately what you say is true. I was in the life/health insurance business for many years and was not able to get insurance without paying an additional "risk" premium, especially for long term disability insurance. There are a couple of ways to "skin this cat".....continue, or convert, group life insurance when you leave an employer. Take advantage of voluntary programs offered thru your employer that are "portable".....this is how I was able to aquire my personal life insurance. However, disability insurance can be a "tuff nut" because of the potential dollar outlay and can prove to be more difficult than life insurance......group disability insurance is normally not "portable", but be sure to check when you leave an employer. Individual "accident disability plans can be found, sometimes, thru organization such as AARP, AAA, etc. While there is not sickness benefit, it will pay a benefit for accidental disability. Good luck.

PS: I retired from the business 15 years ago and if there are any "insurance people" on the forum, they may know of new ways to handle this problem.

Thanks for your post Dick - I've run into a similar problem - before my surgery my husband could cover me at a higher amount for life insurance than he could after surgery - although after my surgery I'm much less likely die suddenly - go figure. :confused2:

Makes no sense - but there you have it.

 

[dick0236]

Makes no sense - but there you have it.

Go figure. It's a numbers game.

Rachel, since you are on your husbands group term contract with dependant coverage, you may have conversion rights if your husband leaves that employer, even if he does not want to convert his coverage....check it out.

Most conversions must be make to a permanent "whole life" type coverage. People think that is a ripoff because the premium is much higer than "term" insurance.....however the policy will build Cash Value that can be used down the road. I recently used my policy cash value to trade in my life policies for a substantial amount of "paid-up" insurance....which means I will continue to have coverage 'till death without paying ANYMORE premiums.

 

[ElectLive]

Do bicuspid folk have a shortened life expectancy compared to normal people, once the problem has been surgically fixed?

I started a thread on just this topic about a year ago: http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?40446-BAV-and-Normal-Life-Expectancy. You should check it out, it has lots of good news (and medical evidence) for us former BAVers. Well, I guess so long as we're content being just "normal" again that is... :biggrin2:

 

[marc_kowal]

My life insurance premiums went down after my surgery. I am still a higher risk then your typical person (because I'm on warfarin for life), but because I already had my "high risk" surgery, my quotes on a new policy went down.