Severe Aortic Stenosis - My waiting room period has expired

[SiestaKeyJimmy]

I’ve been lurking on this group since 2018 when I first learned I had mild Aortic Stenosis and would need yearly echos. (My background: Quad By-pass in 2016, currently 82 years old). This morning my doc said my AS has gone from about 2.7 in 2018, to 3.5 or so in 2021, to 4.1 (severe).

He then outlined the next steps I will need. (But nothing is scheduled yet). At my age, his advice is that it is time for me to plan on having a TAVR, this year for sure. I was initially kind of depressed, but then I remembered it seemed to work OK for Mick Jagger.

Mentally it’s a way different experience than when I had the Quad By-pass. Back then, I was having a heart attack, felt terrible, knew I needed immediate treatment, was relieved once I was in the hospital and they quickly relieved most of the initial pain.

Now it’s the opposite. I’m feeling good (to great) at my age, and it seems so unreasonable to have to subject myself to this relatively new procedure with its small (but real) fair share of scary bad possible outcomes (stroke). Guess I've got to “man up”!

 

[pellicle]

Hi Jimmy

Now it’s the opposite. I’m feeling good (to great) at my age, and it seems so unreasonable to have to subject myself to this relatively new procedure with its small (but real) fair share of scary bad possible outcomes (stroke). Guess I've got to “man up”!

a couple of points which I hope help

• we all do scarry stuff which has relatively strong possibilities of bad outcomes (do you drive a car? cycle on a bicycle?? mow the lawn?) but we just get used to that because we've done it so many times before (or better, started doing it when we were young and ignorant).
• when driving along the highway we get used to doing 70mph and think its not fast (in Australia the speed limit is closer to 60 than 70) but when we enter a small "village" we may be required to slow down. We often "feel" that's too slow ... but it isn't. This is because perception fools us. The numbers count.
• when you've been sick or injured for a while you may not notice just how far below your previous norm you were. Until you get better.

I'm no very familiar with the numbers of AS or other cardiology stuff, because I compartmentalise and I trust my team. I focus on my own compartments of management responsibility (which in my case is INR management).

I agree that TAVI is not without risk (something I sure wish that the myopic folks here who are avoiding warfarin use to push for their choice to not get a mechanical at an age where the numbers show its better and instead plan for the maximum possible outcome of durability of the valve and the minimum possible harm outcome from a TAVI). But as its now "5hit got real" time for you, its weighing on you.

Ultimately we roll the dice we have. As I see it the odds are in your favour.

Best Wishes for the procedure.

 

[q2bruiser]

Heart surgery is scary, but IMHO (not a doctor) having done a bypass and a heart attack is at least as if not more serious than TAVR. Your new valve will be functioning properly, your body will be nourished by the proper amount of blood, and your heart will get to rest from the extreme work it is having to do now. God speed and God bless to you.

 

[pellicle]

but IMHO (not a doctor) having done a bypass

wow ... they let you do a bypass.

Man I'd like to give that a go too ;-)
(*"I say that's a joke son" Foghorn Leghorn NaMD)

 

[SiestaKeyJimmy]

Best Wishes for the procedure.

Thanks - its still a long ways off!

 

[tom in MO]

Sounds like you are a good candidate for TAVR . A little old for a full replacement, but in excellent health as far as recovery. TAVR has been tested with patients not in your relative good health and found successful. Good luck!