Mitral Valve Replacement scheduled for 4th March 2017

[Agian]

i knoww :} funny... i think he was trying to be funny...he said " you won't even be able to play badminton " in case of an injury..he's actually a down to earth fella..easy to talk to..

Too bad he doesn't know what he's talking about. One of our warfarinised friends in Canada builds log cabins and plays with chainsaws. We got cops chasing varmints, motorbike riders, trail bike bandits, even a woman who climbed Everest. Unless you're contemplating deployment to a war zone or a career in kick-boxing, I doubt your lifestyle as a woman would be significantly altered by taking an extra pill(s) and pricking your finger once a week. They do tick though. I read about a young woman being devastated when her doctor told her he could hear it. I guess she thought it was 'unattractive'.

 

[Duffey]

Hi Judy bee,

My stepfather had mitral valve replacement due to stenosis from having had rheumatic fever as a teenager. Although he was 76 years old at the time of his surgery, he chose a mechanical valve. It has worked out very well for him. He says he can't hear the ticking (and I don't hear it when I'm around him). He has managed on warfarin without difficulty. Next month he will celebrate his 90th birthday and the 14th anniversary of his mechanical mitral valve. I'm glad he hasn't had to have a reoperation at his age, which would have been likely if he had chosen a tissue valve.

It's good that he is not bothered by the ticking.
However, I have to disagree with your last sentence. There is no reason to suggest that he would have needed another replacement with a tissue valve. It is widely accepted that the necessity of replacement at the age of 76 is highly unlikely. That's why tissue valves are generally recommended for someone of your stepfather's age.

 

[judy bee]

I'm seeing a 2nd surgeon next week to explore going mechanical.. This forum has been most helpful..Thanks Guys..

 

[rnff2]

Hi Judy. I have a mechanical mitral valve, its been just over a year since my surgery. My surgeon also suggested a tissue valve when we meet, but gave me the final choice. My cardiologists (I have 2 one local and one at my surgical hospital) both felt mechanical was a better choice due to my cardiac and surgical history. I didn't want to deal with coumadin and I also can't stand a ticking clock. On the other hand I was going into surgery #3 and tissue mitral valves don't have a long life expectancy in younger females, I'm 44, and who knows what the future will be for mitral valves. Also even if in the future I could get a valve replacement via catheter my cardiologist pointed out you can only have so many valves placed inside a valve before the opening becomes too small and it's not an option anymore. So since I'm still young and have already had 2 open heart surgeries I had to follow my gut and go with a mechanical.

One year post op I have found that coumadin is not as big of a deal as I thought it would be. I home test weekly and do pretty well managing my dose with little help from my cardiologist. I pretty much eat what I want and have a drink or two from time to time, I'm even going ziplining next month. As far as the ticking I hear it from time to time and some days are worse than others. It mostly bothers me at night when I'm trying to fall asleep. It's annoying and I really don't like it, but it is what it is. My cardiologist once said, we knew there wasn't a perfect option so we had to just go with we we thought would be the better of the 2 choices.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Good luck with your decision and your upcoming surgery.

 

[judy bee]

Thank You So Much for your feedback..Much appreciated

 

[judy bee]

Update...

Surgery postoned for 3 weeks as my thyroid is out of whack..

6 x 2d echos I've paid for over the last 6 months were proven inaccurate by the TEE and 3d echo I had done last week.. Also, my lungs had not been mentioned until 2 weeks ago..

I've really had to shop around but am happy now with the cardiologist I've found and I'm sticking to the first surgeon I met..Different ballgame when you're paying for everything..

 

[MIMISHA]

Hi Rubee I am in a more or less similar situation like u ... I will undergo a mitral valve replacement due to rheumatic heart disease complications. However, my surgeon advised me to have a mechanical one as I dont intend to go for surgery again as I had already operated to repair it long time ago. This time they need to change it. I am scared and I would so much like if someone who has already has valve replaced can tell me a little more about their experience. I had a bad experience with my first surgery but that was more than 25 years ago. I hope advanced techniques will ease the pain I went through, As far as yours is concerned I do think a mechanical is a best option as at this age you are looking to go for surgery again cause tissue valve lasts for a certain time only.

 

[judy bee]

Hi Mimisha... Good to hear from you esp a Londoner :}How old are you ?When have they said you need to have the surgery done ? What are your symptoms at present ? I'm sorry to hear it wasn't so good for you last time..Just trust that all will be well this time around... x Judy

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Mimisha - welcome to the forum from another member from London - well outskirts. I haven't had mitral vavle replacement, I had aortic valve replacement, but I'm pretty sure that surgical techniques have advanced since you had the repair 25 years ago. Which hospital are you under ?

 

[Agian]

Wow, you guys should meet up.

 

[dornole]

Welcome Mimisha. I have mitral valve issues from rheumatic fever also. Repaired 15 years ago, I was very fortunate to get this done via catheter rather than open heart surgery. Being monitored for replacement - so far so good. I wish you well with the replacement. There are a couple of people on here who recently had mitral valve replacement.

 

[judy bee]

Haha..we have ! On here

 

[MIMISHA]

Hi Mimisha... Good to hear from you esp a Londoner :}How old are you ?When have they said you need to have the surgery done ? What are your symptoms at present ? I'm sorry to hear it wasn't so good for you last time..Just trust that all will be well this time around... x Judy

Thanks for encouragement .. am focussing on the positive and this is really helpful

 

[MIMISHA]

Welcome Mimisha. I have mitral valve issues from rheumatic fever also. Repaired 15 years ago, I was very fortunate to get this done via catheter rather than open heart surgery. Being monitored for replacement - so far so good. I wish you well with the replacement. There are a couple of people on here who recently had mitral valve replacement.

It is indeed a very helpful site Dornole wish u all the best

 

[MIMISHA]

Hi Mimisha - welcome to the forum from another member from London - well outskirts. I haven't had mitral vavle replacement, I had aortic valve replacement, but I'm pretty sure that surgical techniques have advanced since you had the repair 25 years ago. Which hospital are you under ?

HI Paleowoman thanks for reply .. i am having surgery in st bartholomews (Barts hopital)

 

[MIMISHA]

Hi Judy. I have a mechanical mitral valve, its been just over a year since my surgery. My surgeon also suggested a tissue valve when we meet, but gave me the final choice. My cardiologists (I have 2 one local and one at my surgical hospital) both felt mechanical was a better choice due to my cardiac and surgical history. I didn't want to deal with coumadin and I also can't stand a ticking clock. On the other hand I was going into surgery #3 and tissue mitral valves don't have a long life expectancy in younger females, I'm 44, and who knows what the future will be for mitral valves. Also even if in the future I could get a valve replacement via catheter my cardiologist pointed out you can only have so many valves placed inside a valve before the opening becomes too small and it's not an option anymore. So since I'm still young and have already had 2 open heart surgeries I had to follow my gut and go with a mechanical.

One year post op I have found that coumadin is not as big of a deal as I thought it would be. I home test weekly and do pretty well managing my dose with little help from my cardiologist. I pretty much eat what I want and have a drink or two from time to time, I'm even going ziplining next month. As far as the ticking I hear it from time to time and some days are worse than others. It mostly bothers me at night when I'm trying to fall asleep. It's annoying and I really don't like it, but it is what it is. My cardiologist once said, we knew there wasn't a perfect option so we had to just go with we we thought would be the better of the 2 choices.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Good luck with your decision and your upcoming surgery.

Hi can you please advise me .. i am having worries about the surgery which I will undergo soon .. can you tell me a little about your experience when u woke up from the surgery .. it will be very helpful to me .. i guess i want to be reassured by somenone who has a mitral valve replacement as i am having the same procedure. Thanks

 

[dornole]

Mimisha, you might want to send a private message to rnff2 if you want to reach out to some who experienced a recent mitral valve replacement. Also, trinalovescats had mitral valve replacement about a year ago. I do think that the "waking up" experience is probably similar for any valve though.

 

[MIMISHA]

Hi Mimisha - welcome to the forum from another member from London - well outskirts. I haven't had mitral vavle replacement, I had aortic valve replacement, but I'm pretty sure that surgical techniques have advanced since you had the repair 25 years ago. Which hospital are you under ?

Hi thanks for replying to me .. i am back after a long time - my surgery has been postponed due to poor lungs capacity ... i had some tests and now after that the team is ready to go ahead with the surgery as the benefits outweights the risks in this case ... pfff too much to take really.

 

[Paleowoman]

When will you have your surgery Mimisha ? Which hospital ?