Pregnant post-surgery

[ingridB]

Hi all,

I had my duaghter in May 2006. During the pregnancy I discovered how serious my heart disease was. I knew I had it since 1997, but not the severity.

Labor and devlivery were successful, but a few days before my three-month post baby cardio check-up to see if I needed suregery, I went into A-Fib. I had surgery the day she turned 6 mothns old.

I am 14 months post-op and am 4 months pregnant. I'm wondering has anyone else has been pregnant after valve replacement and how it went, and if they were pregnant before surgery, how the two compared?

Thanks,
Ingrid

 

[Ross]

Hello and welcome. The answer is yes, but not advisable if your a mechanical valver on Coumadin. If you are, you need to see a specialist in this type of pregnancy to prevent problems with the fetus and youself.

Do a search using the term pregnancy with the search feature and you'll find a few threads. Also there are some in this forum if I remember correctly.

I see you had the man that SAVED MY LIFE for a Surgeon. What did you think of the guy? I wish so bad that he were back at Cleveland.

 

[ingridB]

Thanks Ross,

I have a bovine valve, chosen so I could have more kids. I'm in a great hospital (Northwestern) where Dr. McCarthy works. He's great. When nurses and docs see my scar they comment on how good it is and ask if he did the "work"!

My cardiologist is the one I started seeing during my last pregnancy - she specializes in Heart Disease during Pregnancy and saw me through last time.

My OB/GYNs are a group od High Risk OBs. All they see are unhealthy moms!

I went off the coumadin a few months before pregnancy. So far things have been fine. Some more palpitations than usual, but they upped my metoprolol dose and that's eased off.

It's great having all my doctors in the one spot. I trust them all a lot.

Cleveland is not so far from Chicago???? Should you ever need his services again!

 

[marky]

Ingrid there is a lurker here.. I will pm her and hopefully she will come out and share with you her successful pregnancies yes I said pregnanicies after valve replacement. she too had a tissue valve.

 

[netmiff]

Hi Ingrid and welcome !

Hi Ingrid and welcome !

try this one for starters :

http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23884&highlight=pregnancy

I hope you won't have to go through anything like this, but there may be some follow-up posters that you could private message or e-mail for more info.

Sounds like you have things under control (choosing a valve to allow you to have more children, your choice of doctors etc.) but having had OHS just 5 months ago, I think I can understand some of the trepidation I am sure you must be feeling. Hope you can find someone you can talk to as I am not much help.

 

[Ross]

She needs to talk to Jaydee. She had two pregnancies go off without a hitch.

Ingrid, send a PM to this guy http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/member.php?u=383 His wife Jaydee is who I'm thinking of.

 

[ingridB]

but having had OHS just 5 months ago, I think I can understand some of the trepidation I am sure you must be feeling.

Sorry I'm new. Is OHS Open Heart Surgery? I had it 14 months ago now - Nov 06.

thanks so far. I will PP the user you suggested.

 

[Curtsmum]

Welcome to the forum, best of luck with the Pregnancy, hope all goes well and yes it stands (ohs) for open heart surgey.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Ingrid,

Welcome. I am another local. We are having a little "meet up" in ealry March. Would be great if you would join us!

MVR (mechanical) going on 9 years. Have my eye on Dr. McCarthy if I need him! It's obvious he's tops in the field!

May I suggest you start a thread with your experience (pregnancy)? You will find other threads of past members. You may wish to look under member Christian. His wife had a sucessful pregnancy after tissue replacement!

Congratulations! Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Ross]

Have my eye on Dr. McCarthy if I need him! It's obvious he's tops in the field!

Whoa, back off there lady, he's mine. I want him back at Cleveland.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

I hear he's pretty well settled in Chicago. Let's hope we don't need him! If you do need him, would be happy to visit with you during your stay. May be the only way we will get to meet We do have great pizza! Oh, and most rooms at NW have a view of the lake I hear. Not that I want to be excited about a hospital!

 

[ingridB]

Yeah. I really had a great experience there. I've been there quite a few times between babies and heart issues. With the exception of one nurse (who I should have reported) I think it's great.
I think you'll have to come here rather than Dr. McCarthy leave. He's ours now!

 

[Elcarim]

Best of luck with it Ingrid, I hope you have an uneventful pregnancy.

When I was preparing for my first AVR I was basically told to have a tissue valve to start with, due to my age (22yo at the time) and the fact that it would be much safer to be pregnant with a tissue valve. I was on no medications at all with the tissue valve and I was under the impression that it would last for at least ten years. I had two fairly normal pregnancies (and two cesarean deliveries) with the tissue valve. So in that regard it was a success.

I had my five-year follow-up echo when my second child was 8 weeks old. This revealed that my valve was failing, actually 'falling apart' was the term the cardiologist used. He said I should wean my baby and get scheduled for a valve replacement. That was a huge shock. He asked if I had noticed being any more tired than usual - I had a reflux baby who hadn't slept more than 3 hours straight since he was born, so of course I was tired! So when my bub was three months old I had surgery again.

I was given the impression that I would be completely safe having kids with the tissue valve. I was lucky that I decided not to wait too long because with only getting five years out of the valve I could have missed out on having kids altogether. I have since read that up to one third of pregnancies in women with tissue valves lead to the valve needing to be replaced during or soon after pregnancy. So by the time you have had two pregnancies there is a good chance your valve will be past it.

My cardio has told me that he would not support me through a pregnancy with my mechanical valve. And having read the stats I would not want to put myself at that kind of risk. But thanks to him I have my two boys and I am healthy now. He reckons I am no less likely to still be around in 50 years than anyone else my age.

 

[ingridB]

Wow Jodie,
What a story. Yeah. If my valve fails in the next few years I'll go for a mechanical. Heart Surgery was the biggest nightmare of my life. I appreciate it saved my life, but I could not imagine having to go through it more than once more. I had a mini-stroke the night after surgery so they took me off my pain killers. It was so painful. I'm sure plenty of you have felt it. Obviously I would hope I wouldn't stroke next time and so be off my meds, but the thought of it sends shivers down my spine. I feel like I was traumatized by the whole thing. I'm sure many of you don't and wonder why I feel like that, but I guess it effects us all in different ways.

I believe I'm due to have another echo at 20 weeks to see how the valve is coping. I had one at 12 weeks and things looked good. I hope it gets me through this pregnancy. I've always wanted more than 2 kids, but we may decide not to push our luck, and if everything turns out well this time to take what we have and run (so to speak).

Once again, thanks for sharing your story with me Jodie. Every insight is interesting and helpful.

 

[netmiff]

Ingrid, I am sure that a pregnancy takes a toll on your system, and I am not surprised if valves don't last as long after going through 2 pregnancies. I really think you have a level head, and if you take the hurdles one at a time, I am sure you will get through this just fine. You seem to have a wonderful team in place, both from the pregnancy and the heart, side of things. Your DH seems to be on your side, too. Not sure if this is going to come out the right way, but I think you are very lucky in a lot of ways, with the support etc. I salute your courage, and the courage of those that have gone before you, to give you and others in your position, these choices. Now you can have your cake and eat it, too! 50 years ago or so, you wouldn't have had the opportunity, or the choices, that you do now.

Maybe all VR.com members can become honorary grandparents or something !

Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[ingridB]

netmiff,

I really do count my blessings. Most of the time I really know how lucky I am that I have a wonderfully healthy girl, and that my A-Fib waiting until after she was born to start (thanks a-fib). Sometimes I feel hard done by for having heart disease at all, but I do remind myself that not too long ago I wouldn't have been able to have kids (well the second one anyway), and not too long before that I would have had a much lower life expectancy.
I really appreciate your comments - baby #2 would love to have honorary grandparents I'm sure

 

[Elcarim]

Ingrid, I am sure you will be fine, just make sure they keep an eye on the valve. In the three years where I was pregnant and having my kids I did not have an echo, with my second pregnancy nobody even listened to my heart, they all assumed there would be no problems. This enabled me to go through my pregnancies without any fear, but it could have ended in disaster.

I was treated for post traumatic stress disorder last year, I was having panic attacks and basically I was afraid for my life all the time. I fully understand you being traumatised by what you have been through. Anxiety is something I still struggle to keep on top of, it is hard work to beat it, but I find that keeping busy really helps. From what I have read it is very normal to suffer emotionally from having OHS, and when you are young and in your reproductive years it is not something you should have to deal with. There is enough worry in your life when you are pregnant and have small children to look after.