Perhaps it's because I had a repair and still have moderate stenosis and regurgitation that I'm being advised differently. Just saw my doc today.
Covid 19 Vaccine For Post Op
- Thread starter LinH
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Since I was original poster to this question, inquiring what post-op people’s heart doctors are advising their post-OHS patients regarding taking the vaccine, I wanted to do a follow up on my 83 year old Mother’s experience with the vaccines. (Refresh memory: she had her second OHS, full sternum, late August and they replaced her aortic, mitral and repaired tricuspid.)
Given her age and fragile condition, our large family wanted to be certain we were making the right decision. (Her circumstances are such that she lives at home with only one sibling caretaker, who works from the house; and Mom was only allowed outdoor mask visits from family members; making her chances of getting the virus very very low.) The majority of family felt she should take the vaccine and my mom was all for it too. (My mom is the type that isn’t afraid of anything and always positive attitude; probably why she got through her surgeries and recovering so well.) For her first vaccine she had no issues what so ever. Said she felt “wonderful.” Her second vaccine, about a little over a week ago, was different though. She received the second vaccine, on a Friday and all was fine for a few days. Then on the fourth day, she was home alone and suddenly felt faint. She said she had to lay down on the floor because she knew she would fall and everything was spinning and said she felt really sick. This came on suddenly and strong, and has never happened before. She forced herself to crawl across the kitchen floor through the living room hallway to make her way to her bedroom to get to her cell phone to call family for help. Half way there, she thought she was going to die and cried out to God for help. (She really believed this was the end.) She said she suddenly she felt a relief enough to get her to her room where she managed to get herself on the bed and called family. The heart doctor wanted to see her immediately the next day. She rested until her appointment and was watched carefully by family. At the heart doctor visit, and given she just had the second vaccine, he gave her the gamut of tests to make sure her heart is ok. She had stress test, CAT scan with dye, and they put a devise on her heart to monitor for 5 days. We were grateful the heart doctor did so much!
We all had to brace for the results and I am happy to say yesterday we received the results which are all normal. Thank God! They said their was some blockage in her veins to her heart but nothing to be concerned about. She has been feeling fine since that very very odd strange incident. Whether it had to do with the vaccine, we will never know. But felt it was important to share her experience and glad we got past this. We are thankful for the good news on the test results and that she is feeling fine. Blessings to all!
Given her age and fragile condition, our large family wanted to be certain we were making the right decision. (Her circumstances are such that she lives at home with only one sibling caretaker, who works from the house; and Mom was only allowed outdoor mask visits from family members; making her chances of getting the virus very very low.) The majority of family felt she should take the vaccine and my mom was all for it too. (My mom is the type that isn’t afraid of anything and always positive attitude; probably why she got through her surgeries and recovering so well.) For her first vaccine she had no issues what so ever. Said she felt “wonderful.” Her second vaccine, about a little over a week ago, was different though. She received the second vaccine, on a Friday and all was fine for a few days. Then on the fourth day, she was home alone and suddenly felt faint. She said she had to lay down on the floor because she knew she would fall and everything was spinning and said she felt really sick. This came on suddenly and strong, and has never happened before. She forced herself to crawl across the kitchen floor through the living room hallway to make her way to her bedroom to get to her cell phone to call family for help. Half way there, she thought she was going to die and cried out to God for help. (She really believed this was the end.) She said she suddenly she felt a relief enough to get her to her room where she managed to get herself on the bed and called family. The heart doctor wanted to see her immediately the next day. She rested until her appointment and was watched carefully by family. At the heart doctor visit, and given she just had the second vaccine, he gave her the gamut of tests to make sure her heart is ok. She had stress test, CAT scan with dye, and they put a devise on her heart to monitor for 5 days. We were grateful the heart doctor did so much!
We all had to brace for the results and I am happy to say yesterday we received the results which are all normal. Thank God! They said their was some blockage in her veins to her heart but nothing to be concerned about. She has been feeling fine since that very very odd strange incident. Whether it had to do with the vaccine, we will never know. But felt it was important to share her experience and glad we got past this. We are thankful for the good news on the test results and that she is feeling fine. Blessings to all!
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Thanks for the update and glad to hear she’s well. I already took my second Moderna vaccine. I‘m ok.
Got my second Pfizer shot yesterday. No issues except for soreness at the injection site.
Vasovagal Syncope (fainting) is common after vaccinations but not sure if that's the case for your mom as it sounds like it was a few days later?
Vasovagal syncope linked to fainting after vaccination
EMJEF
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I’m 38 and have had a mechanical St Jude for my aortic valve for 34 years now. Waiting for the call to have it replaced and was determined to have my 1st vaccination at least before my surgery. Not sure I’ll get the second one before as in U.K. there’s a 12 week gap between but I had no intention of taking the risk of recovering from surgery without the protection of at least one half of the vaccination. The thought of getting COVID without vaccination protection whilst recovering from OHS just seemed too risky to me. Only thing I was told (and this was by GP not cardiologist) was that it wasn’t wise to have vaccination within a week before surgery. He explained this had nothing to do with risks to the surgery but if steroids were used in that time it could lessen the effect of the vaccination.
Your GP is trying to be too smart. First it is better to have some immunity than none. Second generally high dose steroids are not typically needed for heart surgery. Third it is only a theoretical risk that even if steroids were used your vaccination would be nullified.
So at worst you might get a reduced effect (which is probably not likely)
verse no injection and no effect for sure.
So get vaccinated.
EMJEF
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Sorry, mustn’t have been clear. I did have my first vaccine in 27th Feb. I felt GP was trying to be supportive and just checking. They were very clear to me that it was a wise choice to have the vaccine before surgery.
Good to hear.
I had an attempted ablation on Tuesday (March 16). I say attempted because, once I was on the table, with arterial and venous catheters in my heart, I wasn't throwing PVCs, and they couldn't induce PVCs. Apparently, they probably occur when I'm NOT flat on my back.
My point here - I had my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine the Wednesday before the Tuesday procedure. I let my electrocardiologist know last week, and he was okay with it. My pre-op COVID test the day before the procedure was negative (obviously, or they wouldn't have done the procedure).
I had no reaction to the first injection.
Who knows what will happen after the second? I'm hoping that they're nowhere as severe as the one described here.
My point here - I had my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine the Wednesday before the Tuesday procedure. I let my electrocardiologist know last week, and he was okay with it. My pre-op COVID test the day before the procedure was negative (obviously, or they wouldn't have done the procedure).
I had no reaction to the first injection.
Who knows what will happen after the second? I'm hoping that they're nowhere as severe as the one described here.
