It is time... and hello again.

[Keithl]

A second thought I’ve just had.


To each his own. I would have jumped on it. There was a time years ago when I swore I would DIE before I had a fake man made device device ever put in my body again. And I would take a chance on this before dealing with blood thinners any day. And if the man is affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic, he’s no slouch. Imagine what he had to know about the heart to have qualified to train. I’m calling the Cleveland Clinic Monday AM. This is not the first time in my life that regrettable Emory doctor’s have failed to tell me of my options.

The track record on mechanical valves is amazing, look at the folks here with mechanical valves (and older models at that) going on 20,30+ years. Find me tissue valves going 30+ years. Warfarin is no big deal, you take your dose daily and test weekly, people take daily drugs all the time. The othe warfarin issues are blown out of proportion. Yes if you eat a huge batch of kale or something high in Vitamin K you INR may drop a bit. The bleeding thing is a joke, I went to pick up my meds yesterday and got a vaccine at same time and nurse said, “you didn’t even bleed, I expected you to bleed on warfarin”. I will take the minor inconveniences of warfarin over wondering how long my tissue valve may last.

I say one person with a mechanical problem on this forum and it was not the valve, but the stitches for the valve that failed. Look at all the people here with tissue valves that lasted less than 10 years.

Again this is a personal preference, but sometimes man made is far superior to anything naturally made.

 

[Ladybug]

I"m not sure that I'd want a device made by a fake man put into my chest either. I don't quite understand the dread of using warfarin. Personally, I'd prefer something with a very long history of success (and having to take Warfarin) over something unproven, with a possibly limited life that doesn't require anticoagulation. OTOH - if I don't expect to liver longer than the device being implanted--and the chances are good that if or when it fails, the thing can be repaired or replaced, I may opt for the new technologies.

After having been on warfarin for 28 years, (and currently in a wierd low INR situation of my own making), I can still say that being on warfarin is not a very big deal.

 

[Ladybug]

The track record on mechanical valves is amazing, look at the folks here with mechanical valves (and older models at that) going on 20,30+ years. Find me tissue valves going 30+ years. Warfarin is no big deal, you take your dose daily and test weekly, people take daily drugs all the time. The othe warfarin issues are blown out of proportion. Yes if you eat a huge batch of kale or something high in Vitamin K you INR may drop a bit. The bleeding thing is a joke, I went to pick up my meds yesterday and got a vaccine at same time and nurse said, “you didn’t even bleed, I expected you to bleed on warfarin”. I will take the minor inconveniences of warfarin over wondering how long my tissue valve may last.

I say one person with a mechanical problem on this forum and it was not the valve, but the stitches for the valve that failed. Look at all the people here with tissue valves that lasted less than 10 years.

Again this is a personal preference, but sometimes man made is far superior to anything naturally made.

 

[Ladybug]

I’m the kind of person that if I had a mechanical device in my chest that I could hear ticking, I would go BAT S.... CRAZY. Just like if I heard water constantly dripping from a water spigot. I’m just real big on quality of life. Yes, I’m thankful to have eyes that see, and all of my limbs. But I would get very depressed if I had to go down that yellow brick road. I’m 73 years old and I know myself very well.

 

[Protimenow]

At 73 years old, you should be comfortable, whatever decision you make. A mechanical that may possibly annoy you by clicking, or having to manage warfarin (or have a doctor or clinic do it for you), just to be able to get a valve that can potentially outlive you, is probably not a great choice. Having a less invasive surgery than one that probably has more risks and a longer recovery process, is also not a great choice.

If you were 30 years old, your choice would probably be much different - but you should probably realize that a TAVI may last you until it fails (and you'll probably get ample warning of that). If you go with a tissue valve, it'll probably require open heart surgery, with operative issues (and potential mortality) similar to a mechanical valve.

I don't expect to make a similar decision when I'm 73 - but if I did, I'm not entirely sure what I'd choose.

I can't say that I disagree with your decision -- not that it's any of my damned business anyway. I'm sure that you and your doctor (and maybe significant others who are also involved in the decision), will steer you in the right direction.

 

[Astro]

Ladybug, I think that you are in a position where you have three good options - TAVI, tissue open heart or mechanical open heart. Pick the option that you feel is the best fit for you. You are likely to get a good result whichever you choose.

Best wishes

 

[Soulfeelings]

On getting another opinion. I would advise you to go with your head and heart. If you feel you need to get one, go for it. Never mind what the surgeon thinks, this is your body and you are the advocate for the care of it. It is not that you do not trust them, you just want to make a sound decision. Good luck in whatever you do.

I"m not sure that I'd want a device made by a fake man put into my chest either. I don't quite understand the dread of using warfarin. Personally, I'd prefer something with a very long history of success (and having to take Warfarin) over something unproven, with a possibly limited life that doesn't require anticoagulation. OTOH - if I don't expect to liver longer than the device being implanted--and the chances are good that if or when it fails, the thing can be repaired or replaced, I may opt for the new technologies.

After having been on warfarin for 28 years, (and currently in a wierd low INR situation of my own making), I can still say that being on warfarin is not a very big deal.

Warfarin isn't a big deal once you learn how to live with it

 

[carolinemc]

Warfarin isn't a big deal once you learn how to live with it

That is what we all say here, once a person gets comfortable with INR and dosages, it is an easy life.