Improvements resulting from your valve replacement

[Superman]

Quick question to those that mentioned having "activity restrictions" lifted.
Were these doctor or self imposed restrictions?
Thanks!

My situation was pretty bad from birth. Strong murmur, stenosis. My first heart cath was when I was four years old. The debate was just how early to replace the valve. Going in as often as every 6 months for echo’s. Additional cath’s at 12, 15, and 17. A couple stress tests in there. 24 hour monitor tests a couple times.

Managed to hold off until just before my 18th birthday. The trade off was no sports, no participation in gym class at school, weight restrictions, etc.

Parents / Dr’s did what they felt was best. In hindsight, I kind of wish they would have just done the surgery earlier so I could have more fun. But time only travels one direction so far.

 

[tom in MO]

Tom , could they tell it was a BAV before surgery ?

In the beginning...it was a murmur from birth. For a brief period it went away (e.g. 2 years). Then they invented echocardiograms...it was a BAV from my first echo.

Quick question to those that mentioned having "activity restrictions" lifted.
Were these doctor or self imposed restrictions?
Thanks!

I was restricted from lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk for about 4 weeks. I was restricted from heavy manual labor for about 3-4 months. I was counseled to temper my sexual activity in a similar manner. There was a special handout on sex. I was restricted from driving until I stopped taking opiate pain killers. These were not so much doctor restrictions but hospital team restrictions. Some came from verbally from the doctor, the pamphlets, exercises and a reiteration of the doctor's statements came from the discharge nurse. Others have had different restrictions, such as no driving for a set time period not based upon consumption of opiate pain killers.

 

[epstns]

I never had any activity restrictions. I was diagnosed at age 52 with moderate to severe AS, and had the valve replaced at age 63. Over those eleven years, I did notice my exercise tolerance declining, but I was still a gym rat five days a week. My body, like so many others, accommodated its own shortcomings. Nobody thought I had a major heart defect.

The way I decided it was time for surgery was that, as I told my trusted cardio, "I am just tired of being tired." THAT was my one classic symptom - declining energy.

I had a rough time through and after surgery, so I won't try to explain whether I felt great after or not, but I will say that even now, at age 72, I am STILL a gym rat five days a week, doing things most men decades younger would not try. I may not feel vastly better after surgery, but I do feel better vastly farther into my "middle age" than most any man I know. Good enough for me.

 

[KatherineA]

Like several others, I didn’t realize how debilitated and Tired I was by the time I had surgery. After, I immediately noticed my heart was “quiet”. The weeks after I felt like mmmm. I think I’m stronger improved. But, it really wasn’t until this week, week 8, that I feel stronger and it is noticeable. I actually feel like doing activities like yoga, gardening, yard work, walking, going yo cardiac rehab. Before it was more of a chore and my breathing seemed still labored easily. week 8, everything seems “solid” again.

The restrictions I had imposed before surgery were imposed the last 30 days by the cardiologist in charge of my periodic echos and other tests. It was easy to follow at that point as I was SO Tired.

After were from the surgeon and I received a Ton o information about them and warnings. Almost to the point I was paranoid about even boosting up my fat cat onto her couch so not to “hurt” anything. If I did overdo, I could definitely feel it.

I forgot to add, I’m 69. To be 70 in a couple months. Surgery was Jan 7, 2020

 

[Astro]

What was striking for me was how much more quickly that I recovered from exercise. After pushing cardio at the gym I found that I gained my breath back more quickly and was ready to go again in a couple minutes rather than feeling wasted for several minutes.

 

[weaselbookmite]

I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences. You have given me heart that there is life and energy on the other side of surgery. I’m getting a second opt at the end of the month and then most likely I’ll sign up for the MINI AVR and be back in touch.

 

[Cactus52]

Quick question to those that mentioned having "activity restrictions" lifted.
Were these doctor or self imposed restrictions?
Thanks!

For me it was self imposed, the Doc's said if you start feeling light headed just take it easier. As my valve area decreased I started feeling more and more. Some of that might have been in my own brain. Doing a AVR in July. Actually looking forward to it.