Replacement Pending

[ejonbry]

Hi, I am 37 yrs old and have known about my Aortic Stenosis since I was a child. I have recently reached the point of a looming valve replacement surgery(mechanical). I'm nervous, but after reading posts on this site, I am offered a hope that I am making this out to be more than it truly is. I will be having some dental work done on Friday Jul 24th, then 5-7 days later my surgery.

 

[ejonbry]

Replacement Pending

Hi, I am 37 and I have known my whole life that I have aortic stenosis. It was recently recommended that I undergo valve replacement surgery, and the mechanical valve seems to be the choice I have made. I had a clean catherization, so at least the surgery is as simplfied as it can be. I am only waiting at this point to have some dental work performed. Dentist on 7/24 and ohs 5-7 days thereafter. I am glad I found this site, it has been very strengthening to read about so many others who have been in the same boat I m in.

 

[ejonbry]

Thanks

Thanks

Hey, thank for the response. I'm nervous but I almost have my head wrapped around it. I have also researched my surgeon, on staff at Emory in Atl, can find alot of articles written by him, feel pretty confident. The tougest part is that my 11 yr old son is very anxious. He is having a harder time with it than I am.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hi, I am 37 and I have known my whole life that I have aortic stenosis. It was recently recommended that I undergo valve replacement surgery, and the mechanical valve seems to be the choice I have made. I had a clean catherization, so at least the surgery is as simplfied as it can be. I am only waiting at this point to have some dental work performed. Dentist on 7/24 and ohs 5-7 days thereafter. I am glad I found this site, it has been very strengthening to read about so many others who have been in the same boat I m in.

Welcome Aboard EJ -

If / When you have any questions please feel free to post them, preferably as a New Thread (click on the appropriate Forum Heading, then click on "New Thread"). This will then show up in the Index and offers the most exposure to your topic.

Glad you found us!

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Phyllis]

Welcome, I am glad you found us. Please let us know when you have your definite surgery date so we can help you over the mountain and in the meantime, use your time here to read as much as you can.

 

[terryj]

I have sent you a PM.

 

[WayneGM]

Welcome to VR, ejonbry. Glad you found us.

 

[Cooker]

Welcome to the zoo

 

[Karlynn]

Welcome! Since you are getting a mechanical, I recommend (if you haven't already) going to the Anticoagulation forum and reading/viewing all the stickies. Within one of the stickies is the information on the site www.warfarinfo.com. This is a site run by The Yoda of Warfarin (Coumadin) Al Lodwick. He is the best expert we know on the drug. I also recommend that you go to the Active Lifestyles forum a

My 2 biggest recommendations - don't let any medical person tell you that you must limit what you eat or what physical activity you participate in because of Coumadin. Start looking into home testing of your INR now (like diabetics do their own testing) and set that as a goal.

We would be concerned if you weren't nervous about your surgery. But know that it is a highly successful procedure and I'm sure you'll do just fine.

 

[ejonbry]

Thanks for all of the info, I feel like I've read so much in the last few days. To be honest, I am nervous, but on the other hand over the last few months or even more, I've begun to feel so poorly(tired, out of breath) that I'm also somewhat excited about the prospect of feeling better again.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Out of curiosity, what surgeon will you be using at Emory?

FYI, Emory is the sponsoring Hospital for the NO / LOW anticoagulation studies with the relatively New (1996) On-X Valve. You can learn about the advancements offered by this valve at www.onxvalves.com and www.heartvalvechoice.com

To MY (engineering) mind, the On-X valve offers significant improvements in hemodynamics (smooth turblent-free blood flow) with lowered damage to blood cells compared with older designs from 30 years ago. Several of our members are pleased with their On-X valves. Ask your surgeon if he plans to use the On-X valve.

 

[ejonbry]

My surgeon is Dr. Cullen Morris. He is on staff at Emory, but will actually be doing the surgery at Athens Regional Medical Center. He told me the valve that he will be using has only been in use or about 6mos. I didn't realize that there was a choice. So it would seem that I have a few more questions for him.
I have noticed that with everyone taking about coumadin, the level discussed here are higher that he told me I should achieve. He said normal levels are about 1.0 and he would like to see my levels at about 2.0. Can anyone tell me more about that?

 

[Ross]

My surgeon is Dr. Cullen Morris. He is on staff at Emory, but will actually be doing the surgery at Athens Regional Medical Center. He told me the valve that he will be using has only been in use or about 6mos. I didn't realize that there was a choice. So it would seem that I have a few more questions for him.
I have noticed that with everyone taking about coumadin, the level discussed here are higher that he told me I should achieve. He said normal levels are about 1.0 and he would like to see my levels at about 2.0. Can anyone tell me more about that?

Sounds like he's planning on using an On-X valve. Your anticoagulant level is called INR or Protime, 1.0 is a normal person with no anticoagulation and depending on the testing equipment 2.0 is 2X longer to clot then the normal person. Think of is this way, 10 seconds to form a clot in nonanticoagulated blood and 20 seconds for the anticoagulated blood. Most people with aortic valves have a range of 2.0 to 3.0 and mitral valves 2.5 to 3.5. Some aortic patients like myself run at 2.5 to 3.5 also.

Anything between 2 and 4 is acceptable. A lot of Coumadin managers don't get this idea, but it's very hard to maintain a specific level. Lets say he says 2.0 and nothing else, well it would be impossible to maintain that. 2 to 3 would be acceptable. Most of us like to run on the high side of our ranges so we can eat anything and not have to worry about falling to low and clotting.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I would think / hope your surgeon said / meant 6 YEARS, not 6 months.

The On-X Valve was introduced to the World Market in 1996 and was approved for use in the USA in 2001.

I second the suggestion to read the "sticky's" at the top of the Anti-Coagulation Forum listing and also AL Lodwick's website www.warfarinfo.com to learn about the realities of living with / on Coumadin / Warfarin (versus old myths and horror stories from before the days of INR testing which came into wide use in the 1990's).

 

[ejonbry]

It's highly possible that he said 6yrs. I wrote most of it down. Didn't get that unfortunately.