Kaiser experiences with heart surgery??

[jeferi]

I am a 38 yo male diagnosed with severe Mitral valve regurgatation and leaking aortic valve from a case infectious bacterial endocarditis. I have Kaiser health coverage and they are suggesting valve replacement soon. I was curious if anybody out there has any experiences with Kaiser doing heart surgery at their San Francisco hospital pros or con. they say they do 2000 a year, I was trying to get some outside opinions to guide my final decision. thank you in advance for any info
Jeff

 

[Nancy]

Hi Jeff-

Welcome to this great site. Everyone here understands heart valve stuff, so you are among friends.

I can't help you with Kaiser, but there are several members who have had their surgeries done with Kaiser, and I'm sure they will help you out.

I hope you will take a lot of time to browse around at all the posts. If you understand everything about the surgery it will minimize a lot of anxiety.

 

[elisha32177]

SAME SITUATION

SAME SITUATION

Hi:

I just wanted to let you know my family ios going through the same scenerio. my brother has severe aortic valve regugitation with vegitations due to bacteial endocarditis and he is scheduled for AVR next week at Kaiser also. He is at the Los Angeles facility now. My mom has been so impressed with the way the whole entire staff has ben caring for him. I will keep you updated on everything. Feel free to ask my any questions , I am not the expert on the surgery or anything like that but I can always help you with our experience with Kaiser. Best of luck to you. You will also be in my thoughts and prayers.


Elisha

 

[Phil]

Our member SWILL just had his sugury done at Kaiser in San Francisco. Might try sending him an e-mail under his user name.

 

[jeferi]

Kaiser

Kaiser

Hi Folks,
I searched Kaiser on this site and found a couple of people who had what sounded like positive experiences at San Franisco Kaiser Hospital. I will send a message to the members who have Been through SF Kaiser for Heart surgery. Lot's of great info on this site. I've spent dozens and dozens of hours searching the net for info on endocarditis, mitral valve surgery and heart functions.
thanks
Jeff

 

[jeferi]

Surgery soon??

Surgery soon??

Hi Folks,

I've corresponded with VR member Will or SWill about Kaiser experiences and gained some more info and things to watch out for. I feel like I should have to have a patient advocate by my side to make sure everthing is done correctly. Kaiser has a sugery date for me on May 13th but I haven't heard from them regarding any pre-surgery details. So it looks like I'll have to postpone it for a week or so. They are sending me my TEE tape today so I will finally have my Cath. report disk and TEE tape in my hand after a month of haggling. I have to re-schudule my other cardio consults now. They say I need to replace my mitral valve and aortic valve ( Has anybody here had both done in the same surgery??) after seeing the cath. results. I guess I should try to rent or borrow a recliner from what everybody says. Has anybody had any experience in hiring help like some type of nurse for their first few days at home?? I was wondering if I should look into that, I live in a rural area 30-40 minutes from the nearest hospital in case I had some problems.
Jeff

 

[Gail in Ca]

Jeff,
I only needed our recliner before my surgery since I was in CHF but didn't know it, so was trying to sleep in the recliner.
Don't worry about getting one, the bed with 2 pillows works just as well. I talked to my friend, a Kaiser member and RN and she also said SF Kaiser was the hospital for heart surgery and said it was excellent. Any overflow patients go to Seton, another good one according to her. If you choose to recover on your own, be sure you have a friend or neighbor that can drive you to the Doctor in case you need to go, since you can't drive for 6 weeks.
Above all with Kaiser, be persistant. As far as having both done at the same time, I was supposed to have that, but I was too sick going into surgery and my surgeon elected not to replace both, taking the more conservative approach. I guess he felt that I could handle a 3rd surgery later if needed. The cath showed a moderate to severe mitral leak, but when he got in there, it was odd looking, congenitally deformed and he just didn't have the time to replace it with me in my bad condition. Not too many have had both done on this site , but there are a few and they came thru it well.
Gail

 

[hensylee]

Jeff - you don't have to get a recliner. It's just that some feel it's a bit more comfortable for recovery (semi-sitting position). I didn't use one, even tho I had two. I slept in the bed the whole recovery time. I used pillows for propping at my side and back. Getting up is a bit uncomfortable, but every surgery causes that - a bit of a pull at the incision site. We have had a few others who did not have help at home, but we advised them to at least have someone check in regularly through the day in case of need. Perhaps there is a home health care group that your dr can order (via insurance to pay) that will stop in daily to check you. Help at home is always best, but it's not an impossibility to make it on your own. Just safer to have someone for a few days at least.

Please let us know when you get a new surgery date. Everybody wants to know - we are nosey like Mothers, fathers and friends always are. Besides, we care about our members. God bless

 

[Georgia]

Hi, Jeff

Hi, Jeff

Personally, I vote for the recliner. Many of us really found it to be much more comfortable and easier to get in and out of. Might as well have it there, especially if you don't have anyone available to stay with you at night, as getting out of bed is pretty hard the first two weeks or so.

I think you really need someone available for at least a week after you get home. You can get pretty light-headed, and since you'll be on painkillers, your judgment is not real good. You could do something pretty silly, or just slip, and be stuck after a fall.

I had two valves done - replaced mitral and repaired tricuspid. Many of us here have had multiple valves done. Doubt that it made any difference in my short-term recovery - stuff hurts, you take pills, you feel better. It may have had a small effect on longer-term recovery - the surgery was long, and the length of surgery, I'm told, makes a difference. And I was sicker because of the damaged valves.

Good luck; sounds like you've made good progress. We're here for you.

 

[TIM W.]

Jeff, I am also in favor of getting a recliner. No matter what I did or how hard I tried, I could not sleep in my bed for a couple weeks post-op.

One other suggestion: If you are to be alone when you get home following your surgery, have a cell phone with you at all times! Then you will always have "help" by your side if you need it.

Good luck with your surgery. Tim

 

[Mb]

Hello!

My husband had two valves replaced in October of 2001. He has rheumatic heart disease. Both valves are St. Jude mechanical valves. Prior to surgery, he was in congestive heart failure. He still has symptoms. He is 56 years old. I do have a couple of words of advice for you! (Don't we all!!)

1. I really think you will need someone at home with you for the first few days. You will be quite fatigued, and on new medications. I think it would be far less scarey for you, and easier to have someone with you 24/7 for awhile.

2. Recliner - I am a strong advocate. I knew for sure during the day my husband would NOT go up the stairs to rest, and the sectional we have is quite comfy, but since he is tall, does not provide the foot support. I fought a recliner in the house for 34 years, but when I read on here that it was a good idea, we bought one the next day. It has been a godsend, and I will leave it at that.

3. Ask your doctors to take a very very close look at the tricuspid valve prior to, and during the surgery. Often, with multiple valve disease, when the mitral valve is involved, the tricuspid valve also regurgitates, and needs a wee repair. My husbands echo only showed trace regurgitation, but post surgery it has become severe. He is having a tee next month, and it is possible that he is looking at additional surgery.

4. 90% of all heart surgery is for blocked arteries. The remaining 10% (about) is for valves. Only 10% of people having valve surgery are having two done at the same time. My husbands surgeon (Mass General) told us he only does this type of surgery, due to its length of time, twice a month, since it becomes a day long procedure for him, and he doesn't want any patient backed up behind a dual valve surgery.

5. You are much younger than my husband, but I would say that it is very important that you don't rush recovery. Let your body heal.

You are having your surgery on my birthday! I promise, I will think about you all day,wishing the very best results for you.

May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Marybeth

 

[jeferi]

Surgery postponed

Surgery postponed

HI folks,

Thanks for the advice and well wishes, we postponed my surgery a week or so, to give me more time for second opinions and such.
I did find out from other sources that my Surgeon comes highly reccomended from a highly regarded surgeon at Stanford. I was a little more concerned finding out that I needed two valves replaced instead of one though. Oh well I'll deal with it when the times comes and just hope I'm one of the lucky few that skates away without any major complications. The worse medical problem I ever had to see a Dr. for was a few stiches. OHS is a big jump for me.

Jeff

 

[Nancy]

Hi Jeff-

Just wanted to let you know that heart valve surgery is highly successful surgery and that the surgeons who do it are very expert at what they do. They do this and other heart surgeries on a daily basis.

So you will definitely be one of the lucky many who do just fine during surgery, not one of the lucky few. Having two valves done will be more time consuming for the surgeon, but you will do well.

You will certainly feel much, much better after the initial healing time is over with. Having two valves malfunctioning must be making you feel pretty poorly.

So think positive thoughts, my friend, it's a big step, but a lifesaving one.