Length of time between echos

[pellicle]

When you say you felt 'wrong' what do you mean exactly?

I have been described by some medical practitioners over the years as "very in tune with my body".

Aneurysm and valve surgery was Nov 2011. So back in 2008 I was back (again) living in Finland and was regularly skiing my local ski track this is XC skiing, not the downhill stuff, which looks a bit like this:



I only really learned to ski in 2006 and so even in 2008 I needed work.

Fastforward to the 2009/10 ski season and I noted that my times around my local track were essentially unchanged while I felt that I was pushing myself harder and had better technique. I was of course using a training watch and HR chest strap to record things.

I also noticed that my heart rate felt less "thump" and more a softer "wuuvvv" (descriptive I know, sorry works better with my mouth making the sounds). To me this signaled that my valve was becoming incompetent (this being my third time to go through this process) and I decided (as we were going back to Australia) that when we got back I'd go for a checkup and see ... I was correct, but there was the unexpected aneurysm (found at 5.3cm) which was considered more urgent than just the valve (which may have lasted a little more time yet perhaps).

HTH

 

[EasterRat]

Hey folks, long time no chat...

Long story short, I was called by my cardiac surgery office (I am not followed by a cardiologist) and told that my latest echo looked good and that I would no longer be followed by their team. I had a aortic valve repair done to alleviate severe regurgitation (BAVD) in Jan 2017, with no complications or other factors.

The advice is to be followed by my general doc, with another referral necessary if and when I become symptomatic. I plan to speak with my doc at my next appointment about this to develop a plan and/or advocate together for a different approach. I am a bit worried that I am just being "shuffled" in the system.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience like this and/or heard of something like this. I am in Canada.

TIA

 

[Zoltania]

Hi EasterRat,

I had mitral valve repair rather than any valve replacement, so my situation may be different from yours, but after my six-week followup echo after surgery, my cardiologist said I didn't need regular echoes, but that I should have my internist listen to my heart every year to see if a murmur develops again. If so, it would be time for an echo then.

 

[EasterRat]

Hi EasterRat,

I had mitral valve repair rather than any valve replacement, so my situation may be different from yours, but after my six-week followup echo after surgery, my cardiologist said I didn't need regular echoes, but that I should have my internist listen to my heart every year to see if a murmur develops again. If so, it would be time for an echo then.

Seems similar. Were you given timeframes for expected failure/re-op requirement?

 

[Enigmalady777]

I just had an echo last week. It had been close to a year since my last one. I haven't heard from my cardiologist (I'm assuming that's a good thing, lol) yet. It had been almost a year since my last one. My valve replacement was in March 2018. Mine are on an annual basis unless something abnormal is found and that's usually followed up by a TEE.

 

[EasterRat]

I just had an echo last week. It had been close to a year since my last one. I haven't heard from my cardiologist (I'm assuming that's a good thing, lol) yet. It had been almost a year since my last one. My valve replacement was in March 2018. Mine are on an annual basis unless something abnormal is found and that's usually followed up by a TEE.

So you had a repair, then a replacement? 2 separate surgeries? Sorry if I am being dense.

I had a repair and was told to expect that I would need a re-op to replace the aortic valve in 5-7 years. But at my last followup, another surgeon told me that it may last much longer, and now they are not even ordering yearly echos anymore.

 

[tom in MO]

well if you feel ok, then its probably OK....

I would posit that if you could tell by how you felt, DaVinci wouldn't need an echo every year. Heart disease is called the "silent killer" for a reason.

 

[Zoltania]

EasterRat, I was given no timeframe for expected failure/re-op. Mitral valve repairs are usually expected to last indefinitely. The best data I've found shows around a 5% re-op rate over 20 years.

 

[Iggy]

EasterRat, I was given no timeframe for expected failure/re-op. Mitral valve repairs are usually expected to last indefinitely. The best data I've found shows around a 5% re-op rate over 20 years.

6 weeks after I had my first MV repair, my surgeon and physician both said they couldn't hear anything. It was very reassuring to me, so I had my first echo 10 moths after the surgery that showed severe regurgitation.

 

[pellicle]

I would posit that if you could tell by how you felt, DaVinci wouldn't need an echo every year. Heart disease is called the "silent killer" for a reason.

I would posit such a conjecture held more water if it were not for the fact that studies have already been done and this was not the ongoing assessment it ie.

 

[Keithl]

My cardio says echo annual. I had one in November, but am going next week just becaus I had a lot of issues after a GI bleed and low INR back in February and had alot of PVCs and flutters. Also had numerous dizzy spells and issues getting INR under control for about 6 weeks. Doctor say anemia and iron do not impact INR, but until my hemoglobin and iron improved my INR was all over the map.

 

[Enigmalady777]

So you had a repair, then a replacement? 2 separate surgeries? Sorry if I am being dense.

I had a repair and was told to expect that I would need a re-op to replace the aortic valve in 5-7 years. But at my last followup, another surgeon told me that it may last much longer, and now they are not even ordering yearly echos anymore.

I had a replacement in 2018. I have a mechanical valve. No other surgery for the valve. I did have surgery last June to implant a defibrillator due to heart rate issues.