Nervous

[McCln]

Mjd414

Mjd414

Yes, for most people, it is a walk in a park, of sorts. I have a St. Jude's valve myself and have had no problems so far, except with the INR levels. But that is nothing to worry about. Just taking care of yourself and educate on what the real type of valve you really want. The choice is yours. We will back you up on what you finally decide. Take care and welcome. Ask any questions you may have. We will help.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortc valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[Ross]

He told me that if unrelated surgery is needed, it can be a real pain in the butt to deal with the adjustments to Coumadin.

I'll will once again sound an alarm. It appears that about 95% of the physicians out here haven't a clue how Coumadin works. Yes, it may require a hospital stay for some interventional procedures like Colonoscopy etc, but that has nothing to do with getting your INR levels straightened around.
Whatever you want to know about Coumadin, ask Al Lodwick or one of us that take Coumadin, because if you don't, your almost 98% of the time going to get a misinformed answer from the medical field.

 

[Debrinha GT]

choosing a valve!

choosing a valve!

Well, although my time for surgery hasn't come yet, I hope, if I had any doubts about getting another tissue one or opting for a mechanical this time, I guess Bob has just convinced me to get yet another tissue valve unless the doctor has other plans for me which I doubt. Your arguements can not be questioned, Bob.

Debora from Brazil

 

[Debrinha GT]

strange!

strange!

I'm sure I've just seen a post from Bob on this thread which I answered to and it's away now... Any idea of what might have happened, Ross?

 

[tobagotwo]

There are many here with tissue valves. Both the Medtronics porcine Mosaic and the Edwards Magna bovine are excellent choices. If you want more information on them, I can go on and on about them. Just ask Ross.

It is a lifestyle choice, inthat the worry is either in small doses with possible complications from living with Coumadin, or in one dose, about every 20 years.

While some people deal very successfully with Coumadin, others don't, and taking it is not negotiable with a mechanical. I like being places where there are no emergency rooms. My wife and I enjoy fossil-hunting, which involves remote sites, sharp rocks, hammers, chisels, and occasional personal damage.

I feel my life is much freer without the addition of Coumadin and its requirements, and my wife agrees. She was/is fully behind the choice I made. I fully believe I will choose it again in 20 years.

Most people with tissue valves never receive Coumadin at all. Most who do are just following a three-month clot-protection protocol. I had Plavix for four weeks to avoid clotting instead. Now I take one 25mg Atenolol in the morning, and one at night (a beta blocker). By my own choice, I take a baby aspirin and various vitamins. That's it. And the Atenolol may go away after a year.

Bonny, I know serveral people outside of VR.com who have had mechanicals replaced due to root damage from the pounding, which would presumably be less with the new models. As such, those people are either not posting, or not making it clear, as it must be happening. Frank, who I posted about recently, was one of them. There are also the recalls from the previous versions of ST. Judes models with Silzone and from others. It is not common, but there are reoperations on mechanicals.

Long-term survival is about equal for the two types, based on recent studies of valve type survival and stroke risks.

If you'd like to talk about the specifics of your choice, please feel free to PM me.

Best wishes,

 

[Ross]

I'm sure I've just seen a post from Bob on this thread which I answered to and it's away now... Any idea of what might have happened, Ross?

Ross didn't touch it, Bob deleted it himself. It's a shame too because it was a long one that I could argue with a little.

 

[tobagotwo]

Yes, I did delete it. Sorry about that. The gist of it seemed OK, but sometimes the tone of what comes out is really not what I intend. Usually a little pruning fixes it, but it was late, and I just couldn't seem to figure out a good revamp for it.

I did save a copy in Word, Ross, so pieces of it may reappear for you to debate, if I ever find ways to say them well.

Mea culpa,

 

[Granbonny]

Bob

Bob

We at VR.Com are just small fish in a big pond. There are thousands of people who have had valve replacement...I know 2 men in my gated community who take coumadin and only have their INR's checked every several months. I know a builder who had a Homograph sp?..that never saw his cardiologist again. Only his PCP in a small town. My favorite is Al's story of the man in a poor India village who had his valve replaced (mechanical) and never took coumadin..(Not available) and was still living. Must be a thousand valve stories in the Nekked world Bonnie

 

[Ross]

Yes, I did delete it. Sorry about that. The gist of it seemed OK, but sometimes the tone of what comes out is really not what I intend. Usually a little pruning fixes it, but it was late, and I just couldn't seem to figure out a good revamp for it.

I did save a copy in Word, Ross, so pieces of it may reappear for you to debate, if I ever find ways to say them well.

Mea culpa,

Ah but what you don't know my friend, is that I'm a wizard and I read it. With the click of my mouse I can make it reappear. About the only thing I disagreed with is that you made Mechanical valvies sound oh so restricted which is not true. Inconvenienced in lots of ways, but not restricted. Those that feel that way, are often restricting themselves.

 

[Karlynn]

Mark,
It is a personal choice. At your age (young tho' you are ) I might consider a tissue valve too. But as someone else mentioned, a tissue valve doesn't rule out Coumadin. Sometimes the heart doesn't take kindly to being messed with and decides to do the Atrial Fibrilation protest. A Fib puts you on Coumadin.

I've had my St. Jude mech. for over 12 years with no complaints. I was 32 when I had it done and I've said before that my life in the last 12 years would not have accomodated another valve replacement. I've been way too busy and active for that. At the time, tissue valves were given about a 10 year tour-of-duty.

I know it's hard, but try to project where you'll be in 20 years. Will you have grandkids graduating from high school or college, will you be just retired, or about to retire. What are your plans? Travel, sky diving? Obviously you can't know exactly what will occur, but this might be the time to take a look ahead.

 

[Granbonny]

Machanical Valvie

Machanical Valvie

Restricted? No Way..I'm meeting Ann (Hensylee) for lunch at 11 a.m. Then lots of walking, shopping, ect..Then a swim nekked in pool, a round of tennis and some canoeing. ..We would probably go horseback riding..but she needs to leave and beat the Atlanta Traffic tonight. Bonnie

 

[Debrinha GT]

Thanks for answering

Thanks for answering

Hello Ross, I mentioned you because you're good with computers. Sorry if it sounded as if I'd thought you'd deleted Bob's post. Since I'm a Brazilian, I sometimes get it wrong when translating my thoughts into English. Robert,my husband, and I have had some pretty bad fights over that thus misunderstanding each other when using each other's language, quite funny at times though.

Bob, as for your last post, I have it in my Email box and I liked it. You've always taken your time to clear up people's doubts and that's what matters. You've helped me a lot and I'm grateful for that too. In fact, there are many members here who have helped me since I first joined this site and you too Ross, is one of them. Thank you.

Debora from Brazil

 

[Rain]

It's not a'land mine'.

It's not a'land mine'.

When you go in fearing a land mine (which we all do) ........I think most of us leave the hospital feeling like it was ......... well... not like it was a ?walk in the park?......... but certainly not the ?land mine? we expected.

If there was one thing I could take away for all future heart surgery patients.... it would be the waiting. That?s so hard, on so many different levels. Religion, valves, surgeons, hospitals, insurance, recovery, children, parents, the list goes on and on about things to worry about..... who is gonna do all the things we do while we?re down.... much less ... God forbid...... we die!! It?s a very scary time in our lives!!

I didn?t pick out a wife for my husband...but I did make my oldest son swear to take care of his little brother and sister ...... forever!! I made my sister swear to raise them like her own. I swore up and down to my Mom (she was 78 at the time) that there was not the tiniest of chance that I wouldn?t be okay. I'm the baby of the family.

In the end............ I went in thinking...... I CAN DO THIS! I?ll be home soon... I?ll be fine, and life will go on....... Damn rat poison... Damn a-fib.... damn a lot of things........ but STILL......... I?m here!! I?M THE ONE RAISING MY KIDS. It almost feels like roses..... almost.

Keep a good attitude and educate yourself!! That will carry you farther than anything else.

Best wishes!