Valve selection question from someone who travels half of the year

[stewartu]

I'm a 57 year old male and will have my BAV replaced this week. I am still trying to decide whether or mechanical or biological valve will be best.

My wife and I are retired and travel at least half of the year, mostly internationally. I am concerned that a mechanical valve, daily warfarin, and being tethered to periodic INR testing will prevent me from this traveling lifestyle.

Has anyone here selected a mechanical valve and then been able to roam the planet without being stuck with frequent lab INR tests?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Dano64]

I am 58 and just had my second OHS mainly for an ascending aortic aneurysm on 2/7/22. They also replaced my homograph and I went with the Inspiris Resilia valve. It was developed around 5 years ago, so not a longer amount of data, but the expectations are that this valve will outlast prior versions of bovine valves. Having never undergone the regimen with Coumadin, I decided to go with the tissue valve. Just my personal choice and I feel great right now at 4 months out. Best wishes for you in whatever you decide.

 

[tom in MO]

I'm a 57 year old male and will have my BAV replaced this week. I am still trying to decide whether or mechanical or biological valve will be best.

My wife and I are retired and travel at least half of the year, mostly internationally. I am concerned that a mechanical valve, daily warfarin, and being tethered to periodic INR testing will prevent me from this traveling lifestyle.

Has anyone here selected a mechanical valve and then been able to roam the planet without being stuck with frequent lab INR tests?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

You can carry a meter and home test. You can call in your results or self-dose. The only way travel will restrict you is if you are so remote you cannot receive supplies or use the phone. Even this can be mitigated by bringing along enough test strips and warfarin and learning self-dosing.

 

[KLS39]

I'm a 57 year old male and will have my BAV replaced this week. I am still trying to decide whether or mechanical or biological valve will be best.

My wife and I are retired and travel at least half of the year, mostly internationally. I am concerned that a mechanical valve, daily warfarin, and being tethered to periodic INR testing will prevent me from this traveling lifestyle.

Has anyone here selected a mechanical valve and then been able to roam the planet without being stuck with frequent lab INR tests?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the forum. I am 59 and had my second OHS in March 2021. I chose a mechanical valve in the hopes it would be my last OHS. My husband just retired and we hope to do as much traveling as we can since he has a progressive degenerative disease (spinocerebellar ataxia 3). We have been on 4 trips since September. I have a Coagsense machine and test at home weekly. I input my INR into an app and the company calls my cardiologist who will then call me to discuss if we need a change in my dose. They were even able to reach me in Serbia despite the time change. The only trouble I had in Serbia was eating as much vitamin K foods as I do when at home. It just required a little dose change until I got home and back to my normal eating habits.
Best wishes.

 

[pellicle]

In case anyone provides more answers it seems that the guys other thread is here:
https://www.valvereplacement.org/th...the-year-while-on-warfarin.888601/post-916800

 

[newarrior]

You can carry a meter and home test. You can call in your results or self-dose. The only way travel will restrict you is if you are so remote you cannot receive supplies or use the phone. Even this can be mitigated by bringing along enough test strips and warfarin and learning self-dosing.

It sounds like self-dosing is the way to fly especially if you're not able to reach your clinic easily unless you've got an appointment.

 

[newarrior]

Welcome to the forum. I am 59 and had my second OHS in March 2021. I chose a mechanical valve in the hopes it would be my last OHS. My husband just retired and we hope to do as much traveling as we can since he has a progressive degenerative disease (spinocerebellar ataxia 3). We have been on 4 trips since September. I have a Coagsense machine and test at home weekly. I input my INR into an app and the company calls my cardiologist who will then call me to discuss if we need a change in my dose. They were even able to reach me in Serbia despite the time change. The only trouble I had in Serbia was eating as much vitamin K foods as I do when at home. It just required a little dose change until I got home and back to my normal eating habits.
Best wishes.

My understanding is some countries don't participate in this service. Plus I'm living out of the Western World in Asia and I don't believe any of the doctors here would take a phone call from a outside lab company. Also they don't allow self testing here or even sell self testing kits

 

[pellicle]

Also they don't allow self testing here or even sell self testing kits

And yet I've already put you in contact with a guy from Thailand (who I taught how to self dose) who has a Coaguchek.

If you hadn't been such a pain in the *** to him he'd still be working to help you.

You like to speak with authority and confidence, yet you are often misinformed or wrong. You ask advise, dismiss it and ask again in some sort of infinite loop.

Try listening

 

[DJ-Rae09]

I'm a 57 year old male and will have my BAV replaced this week. I am still trying to decide whether or mechanical or biological valve will be best.

My wife and I are retired and travel at least half of the year, mostly internationally. I am concerned that a mechanical valve, daily warfarin, and being tethered to periodic INR testing will prevent me from this traveling lifestyle.

Has anyone here selected a mechanical valve and then been able to roam the planet without being stuck with frequent lab INR tests?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Hi mate, I had my BAV replaced last year with mechanical.

I frequently travel overseas for work and I've had no issues with managing my INR and Wafarin. I self test and bring my machine with me when travelling.

Hope you're operation and recovery went well