Longevity after heart valve replacement

[David Robbins]

The Apple Watch is rated as the gold standard and records 24/7. Since I also have Afib, I am curious as to the correlation. Last night it dipped as low as 38. I was an elite athlete for over 35 years up until my AVR in 3008. I still am an above average athlete but not as intense. The extremely high Heart Rate Variability is also concerning. Mine is always above 200ms, occasionally 300ms.

I guess I’ll ask my cardiologist about me wearing a halter monitor so she can make a diagnosis

 

[pellicle]

Longevity after AVR Aortic Valve Replacement Longevity Statistics Pooled data from 85 studies estimated that 89.7% of people survived for two years after surgery, 78.4% at five years 57.0% at 10 years 39.7% at 15 year 25.7% at 20 years.

I had my first valve done at about 12, I'm 56.

Yep subsequent reoperations and those stats are a pile of meaningless context free dung if you ask me. I'm just enjoying being alive as much as I can before the inevitable end

 

[Dan Williams 88]

My cardiologist told me I should expect to live as long as I would have without heart valve disease.
It is what it is.

From the beginning that has been the line I've been told. I think its a way of sidestepping a morbid question and personally don't appreciate their (possible) gallows humor, but then again it may have been conditioned into them (cardios) based on patient responses. My first cardio even downplayed reoperation to the degree it was like getting your oil changed. I could reason at a young age that there must be a compounded risk with reoperation--I'm not that dense.

Tell me the in-ink numbers you have (in context, as others have pointed out--that's another potential reason for the sidestep) and then I can go about the process of accepting whatever that may be.

Another thing that I didn't see mentioned is that, by the nature of time, studies lag behind technology (they trail patients for 10 or 20 years, time to publish) so, assuming any amount of incremental improvement, outcomes should improve. There are also those here, as I've learned, that have done 50+ years. Whether outliers or not, that inspires hope.

I would like some firm information though--my doc straight ignored the question is responding to an email after the PA punted to him.

 

[dick0236]

From the beginning that has been the line I've been told.........

.......and there is no reason NOT to believe what you have been told.

 

[Dan Williams 88]

I was browsing older threads today ingesting things, and saw another thread on this topic after posting--the one with Nocturne from a few years back. Helped me put some things in perspective after this post. Your response is what I'm working towards: acceptance and faith. I've been telling people for a couple years when they ask about my condition and anxiety "that you could go til [insert old age] worrying and wake up the day of whatever arbitrary milestone you set in your mind and say: 'I made it, but I was laid up every day worrying and had no quality of life; I was too fearful to live. At that point were you living at all? What were the years worth to you?"

I've been saying it now I just need to believe it with all my heart

The origin of the quote that I saw on that thread, I believe comes from W.C. Fields, "Don't worry about your heart, it will last as long as you live."

 

[Protimenow]

Another lie that doctors tell (or, at least I was told before my OHS): Don't worry, you'll be able to get life insurance. Your heart has been repaired.

Right.

 

[Dan Williams 88]

I get some through work, no physical--but I didn't attempt to go above the base amount and have a physical done. 150k base. If anyone has any notion of increasing that number/success stories, let me know. A friend said he shoots for 500k. I honestly try not to think about it.

 

[mina]

Most group life insurance plans require a physical if you want to increase the base or don't increase some small amount (it's usually around $10k) each year. The only exception is when you're new to the plan - that is, change employers. Then you're typically permitted to buy up to some amount (usually a certain number of times your salary), but only when you're first eligible. If you don't do the buy-up then when first eligible, you usually have to get a physical. And if you fail to do the incremental increase each year, you usually get locked into the amount reflected after your last increase - unless, of course, you do the physical.

 

[Dan Williams 88]

Thanks Mina. I did do the buy in at first. Maxed out. Considering the physical: are we uninsurable? Crazy premium? Whats the deal?

 

[spartangator]

Thanks Mina. I did do the buy in at first. Maxed out. Considering the physical: are we uninsurable? Crazy premium? Whats the deal?

I've wondered this as well but not had a chance to test it out with any insurers. Thank goodness for the group policy at work.

 

[pellicle]

.......and there is no reason NOT to believe what you have been told.

I always believe what the TV tells me ...
(but only when its on static)

 

[Dan Williams 88]

Being an outlier, part of the vulnerable segment of the population, is particularly not the best when your system is designed more for the average user.

 

[pellicle]

Being an outlier, part of the vulnerable segment of the population, is particularly not the best when your system is designed more for the average user.

I'm left handed (among other issues) and I can assure you (if you aren't left handed) that many power tools are outright dangerous to operate as a leftie.