It is true. Each doctor seems to have his or her own preferred approach. The only prescription meds I take now that I took before surgery are Lisinopril for hypertension and Tricor to help maintain lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. My cardiologist agreed to stop the Metoprolol nine months after the AVR when it started pushing my heartbeat down into the 50s. When it became clear that I still had some mild diastolic dysfunction, verapamil and simvastatin were added as there are now studies that indicate over time they can help the reduce the stiffness in the heart muscle that is responsible for the dysfunction. This is an example of what Al is saying about medication being very patient specific and even within that context, different doctors are likely to use somewhat different approaches.
Larry, try not to worry to much about this. Surgery is a little like that room full of mouse traps into which someone tosses a ping pong ball. I did say "a little like" so we each will have different experiences. If you have a million rooms full of mouse traps, they are not going to trip in the same order in any two rooms. Despite our similarities, your recovery experience will be your own. Also, not all of the after effects of surgery are negative ones.
There is, of course, the major benefit - a wonderful new valve that lets your heart push blood through your body as it has not done in a long time. In my own instance (and for reasons none of my doctors can explain), I no longer seem to have pollen allergies. Since I was 15, I had terrible pollen allergies, especially, in the autumn and in some years took antihistamine more than once every day. One of my greatest worries was that my AVR was to take place in September which has always been the beginning of my worst allergy problems. I had visions of explosive sneezing episodes while my chest was healing and stocked up on antihistamine - boxes of them. It never happened and the boxes are aging in my medicine cabinet. I am days away from being a year and a half past my AVR and in that time I've used 9 tablets of antihistamine and I probably didn't really need those - 9 Tablets instead of 300-400.
It is spring now here in Northeastern Oklahoma with the pollen count rising daily but my sinuses are not swollen, my nose isn't running, there are no sneezing bouts and my throat isn't sore. Why this should be none of my doctors have a clue. As the French say, it is another "event of the race". Plan for what you can, Larry, and deal with the details as they arise.
Larry
Tulsa, OK
