Just told I will need surgery #5...

[kerri73]

I'm so glad to hear everyone else's cath experiences - makes me feel so much better!

Al, it is a St Jude Mechanical Valve - I did ask him what he thought might be causing it and he alluded to growth of some sort - not sure if the cath will show more, or if they'll get the final diagnosis at replacement time, but I'll definitely keep you all posted. He agreed that the valve itself should last a lot longer, but some people just have more growth than others and these types of things become an issue. Maybe my heart is going on strike?

I'll order my echo report (as well as another copy of my last one, which I have somewhere, but we just moved, so who knows where!!) I want to be able to compare the gradient differences, though. Should be interesting to see what they're seeing. I figured I'd call this week sometime. I'm sure it takes a while to get all the paperwork written up/transcribed.

Sheepdog, adoption is starting to look pretty good right about now... who knows if we went the tissue valve route, if we could even conceive. There are so many variables to look at. The bottom line is that we need to get through this first, talk to the surgeon, the specialists, and get their opinions as well... and go from there. Until then, I hate the waiting and not knowing!

Kerri

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Sounds like Pannus Tissue Growth where tissue from your own body grows into the area of the valve and can block or lock movement of the leaflets.

Pannus Tissue can grow into both Mechanical and Tissue Valves (and has been reported on VR.com by both Mechanical and Tissue Valve recipients.

The *only* valves that I am aware of that have a barrier to retard (it's not clear to me that tissue growth can always be prevented) are the On-X Valves (see www.onxvalves.com)

'AL Capshaw'

 

[njean]

That's the battle I've got going on right now Kerri (pannus growth on my 33-yr. old mechanical mitral valve.) But for right now, everything is stable & I'm just being watched so I just pray for more time!

You sound a lot more relieved about what to anticipate w/your expected cath -- I'm so glad that you feel better about that. Really, it's not that big of a thing ---- like everyone's said, it's usually the time you have to lie still afterwards that's the hardest. The last cath I had a month or so ago, I had to lay immobile for 14 hours! I think my cardio is just being over cautious where I am concerned though, sometimes to the extreme!

Anyway, stay strong & I'm kinda of glad that you've decided on mechanical & perhaps adoption is the way to go for you. Regardless, God will show you the way! Trust in Him!

 

[lcwhitney]

Sorry to hear that you will need surgery! For me that was the worst most surreal feeling. I walked around dazed and glassy eyed for days before going to my stepdads farm and just spending hours walking and thinking and talking to God. It will take some time but you will adjust to the idea.
Lettitia

 

[kerri73]

I got copies of my last two echos (this one done last week and the one done a year ago), so I thought I'd share the difference in #s... open to input as it's all greek to me, other than just comparing gradients from year to year!

MV Mean 11.48mmHg this year; 6.4mmHg last year
MV Max 35.53 mmHg this year; 23.7mmHg last year

LVOT max 23.69mmHg this year; 21.66mmHg last year (up to 2.43m/s from 2.33m/s)

It also mentioned that the left atrium is mildly dilated.

It will be interesting to see what the cath shows!
Kerri