I've crossed the line into severe and need to make a decision

[Chuck C]

One year anniversary!

Well, I made it to the one year! Sometimes called the valviversary.

At this point life is very normal for me and has been for many months. In fact, it’s easy to forget that I had open heart valve surgery just one year ago. I am reminded by a little pill that I take every morning and every time someone at my gym asks me if I want to box. Head strikes are now a no-go, so boxing is now out for me.

Although I now skip the boxing, I have been very physically active and within a few months of surgery started hiking Mt Monserate 5 days per week once again. At about the 12 week point after surgery I started running on the downhill. I uploaded a little clip below of me hiking up part of the mountain then running down.

I’m also back at training jiu jitsu, as of about 6 weeks ago. I’d like to continue working towards my black belt. It’s a grappling sport, with no striking, so it is ok as long as I use some caution in which training partners I choose.

My cardio has felt strong, in running and also in competitive jiu jitsu sparring.

As those of us on warfarin know, one of the challenges is when we have surgeries or procedures which require coagulation. A week ago I had my first such procedure- a radio frequency ablation of a benign thyroid nodule. We were able to successfully complete the procedure without bridging. I just had to bring my INR down to 1.5 or lower. Because I self-manage my INR, I was able to test often and only stayed in the 1.4-1.5 range for about 24 hours. I might create a separate post on how I achieved this.

If there are others that come across this thread who have not yet had their surgery, please know that you can return to a normal active life following recovery, even if you are on warfarin. It is a bump in the road, but life will return to normal.

I am so glad that I found this site 4 months prior to my procedure. I’d once again like to express my gratitude to the members here. It was such an incredible help emotionally to connect with others who had faced this procedure and the discussions also helped dispel many of the popular myths surrounding it.

 

[pellicle]

were able to successfully complete the procedure without bridging. I just had to bring my INR down to 1.5 or lower. Because I self-manage my INR, I was able to test often and only stayed in the 1.4-1.5 range for about 24 hours. I might create a separate post on how I achieved this.

I know such takes time, but I believe someone else other than me saying these things is beneficial.

 

[Lynn]

Happy 1st Anniversary Chuck, here’s to many more!

 

[Beach77]

Happy anniversary Chuck! I'm 1 year and 4 months and will have my first bridge in a couple of weeks! Life is back to normal too! I also forget at times about the surgery. Hope all is well with your thyroid! I think my thyroid causes me more issues than my heart! Ellen

 

[d333gs]

LOL! Thats a great clip Chuck! Bravo! Have you fallen yet? I gave up the chancy stuff when I went over the handlebars on decent with my mountain bike (two months pre ohs). I still hurt just thinking about it.

 

[Chuck C]

LOL! Thats a great clip Chuck! Bravo! Have you fallen yet? I gave up the chancy stuff when I went over the handlebars on decent with my mountain bike (two months pre ohs). I still hurt just thinking about it.

Thanks. Good question.

Prior to surgery on two occasions I fell while running the downhill. One of the falls was pretty bad- some cuts and bruises. Since surgery I have been much more cautious, being more mindful of my steps. No falls since surgery.

 

[Peej]

I am so glad that I found this site 4 months prior to my procedure. I’d once again like to express my gratitude to the members here. It was such an incredible help emotionally to connect with others who had faced this procedure and the discussions also helped dispel many of the popular myths surrounding it.

Happy anniversary Chuck. You've given a lot back to the forum too. Wishing you many more!

 

[bizinsider]

Congrats, Chuck. Well done. Just passed the two-year mark myself. Turning 70 in a few months. Nine-inch scar almost gone. Life goes on...

 

[caro]

Wonderful update. Happy for you. Congratulations, Chuck!

 

[KLS39]

Congratulations on the one-year anniversary. It feels great doesn't it!!

 

[Chuck C]

It feels great doesn't it!!

Yes, I would say it feels great. I think that we have a lot to be grateful for. Imagine if we had this condition and were born pre 1950. It's not cake walk, but it's treatable with a very successful operation and for this I am grateful.

 

[Dano64]

Congrats on your Valversary! Great update that is encouraging for all!

 

[Luckyguy17]

Yes, I would say it feels great. I think that we have a lot to be grateful for. Imagine if we had this condition and were born pre 1950. It's not cake walk, but it's treatable with a very successful operation and for this I am grateful.

A great update Chuck and congrats on the one year, wishing you many more.

We also need to be thankful for the diagnosis which allowed for the surgical solution extending high quality life.

I have lost several seemingly healthy friends in their 50’s and 60’s from heart attacks and strokes. Have often thought there may have been an undiagnosed condition, possibly treatable with medication, preventive surgery, or lifestyle changes, which could have extended their lives, possibly for decades more.

Heart disease today is so highly treatable once diagnosed.

 

[Chuck C]

Just had my 2-year valve surgery anniversary!

It almost slipped my notice. I guess that’s a testament to how normal life has now become.

Things are very normal for me and have been for some time now. I returned to all of my pre-surgery physical activities, with the exception of boxing, which I enjoyed very much, but not such a good idea to get repeatedly punched in the head while on warfarin. But, other than that, I have not had to give up anything and maybe a good idea to give up boxing at 55 years old anyway, lol.

I’d like to do my part to dispel the myth that you can’t be active with a mechanical valve. Honestly, I don’t know how people still believe this. Here is a list of things which I have done or which I do regularly since my valve surgery:

-Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; I do this 4 to 5 days/week.

-Swimming; currently swimming moderately hard 3 to 4 days/week

-Hike up mountains. There is a local mountain I love to hike, which is about a 1,200 ft elevation gain and steep. I’ll go through phases where I will hike the mountain daily. Come to think of it, I need to get back up there soon, now that it seems the crazy rains this season have eased up.

-I’ve biked several times

-I have gone running several times, although I find I enjoy swimming more these days.

-I’ve gone body surfing and taken some pretty big waves which sometimes tossed me around a lot.

Other lifestyle things.

-Despite the fact that a few still believe this, I don’t have to limit greens or foods which contain vitamin k. I have followed the studies published in the past 10 years showing that having a good amount of vitamin k, often found in leafy greens and other vegetables, helps to stabilize INR. I eat 1 to 2 large Mediterranean salads every day.

-I would classify myself as a moderate drinker, in that I sometimes like to have one or two glasses or wine or beer on occasion. This seems to have almost no measurable effect on my INR.

- Many fear the clicking or ticking of a mechanical valve. I seem to have the same experience as the vast majority of others in that it is not an issue for me at all. I generally can only hear my valve when I take a deep breath or when I exercise hard, but even then I have to consciously listen for it. Other people can’t hear my valve unless then put their head right on my chest. In jiu jitsu, a training partner will occasionally hear my valve, if we end up in a grappling position where their head is on my chest. There is one choke submission which I am known for, called a North South Choke, in which your opponent’s head does end up on your chest. When I do this choke, my opponents can sometimes hear the clicking and a few have come to refer to the sound as the “Click of doom”, because once the choke is deep enough that they hear the clicking, they are generally past the point of no return and need to tap out. lol

I’m so grateful to live in this era of modern medicine, in which there is a highly successful, highly effective, treatment for our valve condition. Happy to be alive and to have life as normal. I'm sure glad that I found this forum a few months before my surgery, as hearing from the other members realy helped me to have less fear of my upcoming procedure and to appreciate that life would return to normal.

Recently got promoted to brown belt in BJJ. For some reason, there is this barbaric tradition that is done when there are promotions. I was curious to see how long it would take the bruises and welts to clear up being on warfarin. They were mostly gone within about 5 days.

 

[pellicle]

Just had my 2-year valve surgery anniversary!

congratulations mate!

 

[pellicle]

Heart disease today is so highly treatable once diagnosed.

I'm not sure where I got it from, but I'd understood that valve surgery is one of the most successful surgical interventions in the surgical repertoire. Impressive for what is a highly complex surgery (although it just simply changes out one small piece of plumbing).

 

[d333gs]

Just had my 2-year valve surgery anniversary!

It almost slipped my notice. I guess that’s a testament to how normal life has now become.

Things are very normal for me and have been for some time now. I returned to all of my pre-surgery physical activities, with the exception of boxing, which I enjoyed very much, but not such a good idea to get repeatedly punched in the head while on warfarin. But, other than that, I have not had to give up anything and maybe a good idea to give up boxing at 55 years old anyway, lol.

I’d like to do my part to dispel the myth that you can’t be active with a mechanical valve. Honestly, I don’t know how people still believe this. Here is a list of things which I have done or which I do regularly since my valve surgery:

-Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; I do this 4 to 5 days/week.

-Swimming; currently swimming moderately hard 3 to 4 days/week

-Hike up mountains. There is a local mountain I love to hike, which is about a 1,200 ft elevation gain and steep. I’ll go through phases where I will hike the mountain daily. Come to think of it, I need to get back up there soon, now that it seems the crazy rains this season have eased up.

-I’ve biked several times

-I have gone running several times, although I find I enjoy swimming more these days.

-I’ve gone body surfing and taken some pretty big waves which sometimes tossed me around a lot.

Other lifestyle things.

-Despite the fact that a few still believe this, I don’t have to limit greens or foods which contain vitamin k. I have followed the studies published in the past 10 years showing that having a good amount of vitamin k, often found in leafy greens and other vegetables, helps to stabilize INR. I eat 1 to 2 large Mediterranean salads every day.

-I would classify myself as a moderate drinker, in that I sometimes like to have one or two glasses or wine or beer on occasion. This seems to have almost no measurable effect on my INR.

- Many fear the clicking or ticking of a mechanical valve. I seem to have the same experience as the vast majority of others in that it is not an issue for me at all. I generally can only hear my valve when I take a deep breath or when I exercise hard, but even then I have to consciously listen for it. Other people can’t hear my valve unless then put their head right on my chest. In jiu jitsu, a training partner will occasionally hear my valve, if we end up in a grappling position where their head is on my chest. There is one choke submission which I am known for, called a North South Choke, in which your opponent’s head does end up on your chest. When I do this choke, my opponents can sometimes hear the clicking and a few have come to refer to the sound as the “Click of doom”, because once the choke is deep enough that they hear the clicking, they are generally past the point of no return and need to tap out. lol

I’m so grateful to live in this era of modern medicine, in which there is a highly successful, highly effective, treatment for our valve condition. Happy to be alive and to have life as normal. I'm sure glad that I found this forum a few months before my surgery, as hearing from the other members realy helped me to have less fear of my upcoming procedure and to appreciate that life would return to normal.

Recently got promoted to brown belt in BJJ. For some reason, there is this barbaric tradition that is done when there are promotions. I was curious to see how long it would take the bruises and welts to clear up being on warfarin. They were mostly gone within about 5 days.

BRAVO Chuck ! But OUCH!