Howdy - AVR coming up!

[pellicle]

I don't mind a beer so that was my main concern of course with Wafarin

I had two tonight with a mate, a small glass of red with a steak for dinner.

Fillet

Nom

 

[Chuck C]

I had two tonight with a mate, a small glass of red with a steak for dinner.

3 drinks??!!!

Clearly you will not wake to see another dawn.

Rest in peace Pel.

 

[DJ-Rae09]

I had two tonight with a mate, a small glass of red with a steak for dinner.

Fillet

Nom

Nice mate! this is what I like to hear

 

[pellicle]

Rest in peace Pel.

thanks mate ...

 

[pellicle]

Nice mate! this is what I like to hear

I was gonna make Dianne but couldn't be fluffed flaming the brandy

 

[Superman]

One thing I'll promise you - once you're recovered (actually immediately after surgery) you will never know you have Dacron in you. You won't feel any different. It becomes part of you.

Other than the echo chamber I’m convinced it makes for a while.

I’ve had mechanical with and without Dacron. Maybe it’s luck of the valve. Maybe it’s age, but I swear it’s louder since the graft. I have the SJM valve/graft conduit.

 

[Gail in Ca]

I think the size of my 3rd valve makes it the loudest. A 25mm Carbomedic was placed in a graft created for me during my surgery. Now 13 yrs later, it still sounds like a basketball hitting the wood floor. I’ve always had a graft with my valves. I feel the valve is the culprit.

 

[pellicle]

I think the size of my 3rd valve makes it the loudest. ... Now 13 yrs later, it still sounds like a basketball hitting the wood floor.

hey there ... long time no see ... hope all's well there

 

[DJ-Rae09]

So....My date of OHS is Monday the 25th of July to replace my BAV, dilated aortic root and ascending aorta with the graft (Bentall procedure).

Surgeon has recommended the Medtronic ATS mech valve for the Bentall procedure which I think is this one? Open Pivot Mechanical Heart Valve

Apparently the hospital will give me the INR home monitoring device but not until after the operation. They said my GP will track my INR initially once out of hospital, then I take over with self management there after.

Do you think I should just get my own INR device and practice prior and do my self management once out of hospital?

It's now becoming real, lets get this thing done and dusted

 

[pellicle]

Do you think I should just get my own INR device and practice prior and do my self management once out of hospital?

Practicing prior to surgery is probably a good idea but not entirely needed. I know one member did that, then for various reasons blew a bunch of strips after surgery anyways.

Managing INR from hospital really needs a bit of supervision, unless you are established on a dose by a hospital or clinic directly. Also medical practitioners will feel anxious because it's not a game and the stakes are high.

Reach out if you want a hand.

Oh, nothing wrong with the ATS valve, it looks very close to the St Jude in many dimensions. As it happens I have that valve.

 

[Superman]

Oh, nothing wrong with the ARE valve, it looks very close to the St Jude in many dimensions. As it happens I have that valve.

That’s supposed to make them feel better?

 

[pellicle]

That’s supposed to make them feel better?

thanks, I just noticed that autoincorrect stuffed up what I wrote

 

[pellicle]

That’s supposed to make them feel better?

but as the St Jude is pretty much the benchmark anything that looks pretty much like it is fine in my books

My post here:

https://www.valvereplacement.org/threads/aortic-valve-choices.887840/post-902334
has some good data ... on the plus sides for the ATS valve is that mine hasn't stopped working yet and its ticked for over 10 years. I anticipate it has what it takes to last a lifetime like Joseph of Aramathea ;-)

 

[Superman]

I almost had the ATS as well. Opted for St Jude due to 19 years of first hand testing. Sleep at night test and all that. At the time, ATS and St Jude were the only ones doing the one piece valve-graft conduit. I just didn’t like the idea of another place for something to potentially go wrong so I didn’t want a separate valve and graft stitched together or however they do it. I ruled out On-X primarily for that reason at the time.

 

[pellicle]

At the time, ATS and St Jude were the only ones doing the one piece valve-graft conduit.

Yes, same here, although why the St Jude wasn't discussed I don't know. Still... at the time I knew stuff all about mechanical valves.

 

[Chuck C]

So....My date of OHS is Monday the 25th of July to replace my BAV, dilated aortic root and ascending aorta with the graft (Bentall procedure).

Surgeon has recommended the Medtronic ATS mech valve for the Bentall procedure which I think is this one? Open Pivot Mechanical Heart Valve

Apparently the hospital will give me the INR home monitoring device but not until after the operation. They said my GP will track my INR initially once out of hospital, then I take over with self management there after.

Do you think I should just get my own INR device and practice prior and do my self management once out of hospital?

It's now becoming real, lets get this thing done and dusted

Best wishes for your procedure DJ. It sounds like you are getting sound guidance.

Excellent that they will be giving you an INR home monitoring device. For most individuals this is the way to go and if you test regularly and manage properly, studies have shown that self testing reduces the risk of negative events by about 50%. I believe that even more reduction in events is possible with disciplined self monitoring.

Please keep us posted on how things go and we'll see you on the other side!

 

[DJ-Rae09]

Practicing prior to surgery is probably a good idea but not entirely needed. I know one member did that, then for various reasons blew a bunch of strips after surgery anyways.

Ok cool. I might bite the bullet and get one prior.

Reach out if you want a hand.

Thanks mate. I will certainly reach out!

Oh, nothing wrong with the ATS valve, it looks very close to the St Jude in many dimensions. As it happens I have that valve.

That's what I thought....surgeon said he preferred ATS with the bentall procedure. He said it's also quieter?

 

[DJ-Rae09]

Best wishes for your procedure DJ. It sounds like you are getting sound guidance.

Excellent that they will be giving you an INR home monitoring device. For most individuals this is the way to go and if you test regularly and manage properly, studies have shown that self testing reduces the risk of negative events by about 50%. I believe that even more reduction in events is possible with disciplined self monitoring.

Please keep us posted on how things go and we'll see you on the other side!

Thanks Chuck.

Yes looking forward getting onto the other side and eventually enjoying a nice cold beer to celebrate with my new shiny valve

Cheers!

 

[pellicle]

He said it's also quieter?

well it may be, but I'm not the right person to judge. This being my 3rd valve surgery the combination of scar tissue and a bental has made this (to quote my doctor) "quite the single cylinder diesel engine" in terms of noise

its a lottery and you get what you get is my observation.

if its any consolation I never hear it in these circumstances:

Oh, and btw, one of the first things my surgeon said to me in the ward was that I should probably give up motorcycling now ... clearly I took notice

 

[Timmay]

I would definitely advise getting one prior to your surgery. This was a really good decision that I made. Fact is, after surgery you’re gonna be pretty messed up. That’s ok and normal. It’s nice not to stress about how to use your device during that time. Get it PRIOR to surgery and practice with it. Don’t take it for granted that it will be easy. You gotta use a lance size and depth that will draw enough blood. And there is a technique to it. For real.

Because I purchased and practiced with mine prior to surgery, I was able to start testing successfully the day after I got home from the hospital. It was a HUGE help (for me).

Plus, my hospital seriously F’d up and let me leave with an INR of 1.1 and no Heparin shots (lovenox). They had put me on 5mg … but, that was too low. I need 10-11mg. Luckily - the fact that I was home testing allowed me to sort this out quicker. That said - I was still under 2.0 for almost a week with no heparin to compensate. Can’t imagine what this would have been if I wasn’t home testing. Ugh.