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Guest
Hi Everyone! This forum is very informational and I appreciate all of the feedback that I have read here. In one week I will be having AVR with tentatively a mechanical valve. I am 68 years old and have always considered myself to be in good health but with a few vascular problems that my primary care discovered in 2000. I have diabetes but usually always have managed my A1C around the 7.0 range that the diabetic guidelines recommend. In 2000 a vascular surgeon diagnosed me with a 100% right ICA occlusion and my left ICA was about 90-95%. These were verified by a Echo, followed by a MRA and then an angiogram a few days before surgery. I ended up with a stent in my left carotid artery. Things went well for about three years until I had experienced a TIA one evening at home. A Cat scan revealed a brain bleed from a blood vessel in my brain. It turned out well for me with no surgery or lingering side effects. At my next appointment with my vascular surgeon it was discovered my left ICA was also 100% occluded. The surgeon told me that because this occlusion process took place over time that my body was using the artery in the rear of my neck and veins in my face to supply the blood to my brain that it needed. He called it collateral activity. Since 2003 I have had 4 to 6 brain MRI and have always managed to get approval from my neurologist to drive a commercial vehicle. (18 wheeler) In the ICA occlusion process I never experienced any symptoms other than the Tia in 2003.
Several years ago my cardiologist ordered a Echo of my heart when he discovered a murmur and advised me that I have calcium deposits on my aortic valve and I should have annual echo to keep an eye on this situation. The second year the VA did the Echo and my VA Doctor called me and advised me that the recent echo looked better than the first one. Another years goes by and last September I had my third echo at the VA. It came back as moderate to extreme aortic stenosis. My VA doctor made an appointment for me to see a VA cardiologist. The meeting with him went fine and because I have had no symptoms he recommended we keep an eye on it with 6 month echo tests and a visit with him for the results. Searching Aortic valve stenosis on the web I found info speaking of possible death from the AO stenosis without symptoms. My wife asked me to get a second opinion from my previous cardiologist. I met with him about a week later and gave him the radiology report I received from the VA and why I needed a second opinion. He told me that AOS never gets better and only gets worse. He scheduled me for a cardi catherization at the Maine Medical Center about a week later. He performed the procedure and I met with him again about four days later. He told me it was confirmed that I did have a severe aortic stenosis and he thought I should talk to a good Thoractic surgeon and set up an appointment for me.
About 10 days later my wife and I met with the surgeon. I explained to him my medical history and told him I would rather undertake this surgery when I’m feeling healthy than wait for my condition to change in some way. He advised me that taking care of this serious health issue now would be what he would advise his brother if I was him. He also mentioned that sudden death with no symptoms is a possibility with AOS.
I will say I am not afraid of this operation which will be a full opening of my chest and being on a heart and lung machine for the replacement process. I am nervous as heck about it because of my previous ICA vascular issues and the recovery maybe much longer that I expected. I’m scheduled for preop tests in a couple days and the operation as of right now is set for next Monday morning the 21[SUP]st[/SUP]. Any thoughts would be welcomed.
Several years ago my cardiologist ordered a Echo of my heart when he discovered a murmur and advised me that I have calcium deposits on my aortic valve and I should have annual echo to keep an eye on this situation. The second year the VA did the Echo and my VA Doctor called me and advised me that the recent echo looked better than the first one. Another years goes by and last September I had my third echo at the VA. It came back as moderate to extreme aortic stenosis. My VA doctor made an appointment for me to see a VA cardiologist. The meeting with him went fine and because I have had no symptoms he recommended we keep an eye on it with 6 month echo tests and a visit with him for the results. Searching Aortic valve stenosis on the web I found info speaking of possible death from the AO stenosis without symptoms. My wife asked me to get a second opinion from my previous cardiologist. I met with him about a week later and gave him the radiology report I received from the VA and why I needed a second opinion. He told me that AOS never gets better and only gets worse. He scheduled me for a cardi catherization at the Maine Medical Center about a week later. He performed the procedure and I met with him again about four days later. He told me it was confirmed that I did have a severe aortic stenosis and he thought I should talk to a good Thoractic surgeon and set up an appointment for me.
About 10 days later my wife and I met with the surgeon. I explained to him my medical history and told him I would rather undertake this surgery when I’m feeling healthy than wait for my condition to change in some way. He advised me that taking care of this serious health issue now would be what he would advise his brother if I was him. He also mentioned that sudden death with no symptoms is a possibility with AOS.
I will say I am not afraid of this operation which will be a full opening of my chest and being on a heart and lung machine for the replacement process. I am nervous as heck about it because of my previous ICA vascular issues and the recovery maybe much longer that I expected. I’m scheduled for preop tests in a couple days and the operation as of right now is set for next Monday morning the 21[SUP]st[/SUP]. Any thoughts would be welcomed.
