What's it like on the other side? Aortic Stenosis progressing

[Dale 1]

Hi m,

I'm ten months post-op today (whoopee!). I was diagnosed with BAV and an aneurysm mid-Oct. of last year and had surgery about six weeks later, so I didn't spend too much time in the waiting period. My valve was at .7, and I had a lot of shortness of breath, some pain, and was exhausted all the time. Here are the not-so-positive things I've experienced since OHS: it's a long recovery, and the first 3-4 weeks are tough; I'm still sore; if I lose sleep, I really feel it; I have a scar; can't think of anything else. On the plus side, I feel much, much better. I, too, thought I was just getting old and wondered why my friends weren't. My stamina has improved tremendously (and cardiac rehab really helped with that -- don't listen to anybody who tells you it's not worth it). The soreness is disappearing really quickly now. And, at age 60, I swam a half mile for the first time in my life a couple of weeks ago. So, in my opinion, the plusses far outweigh the minuses.

Dale

 

[pat45750]

I'm 3 1/2 weeks post op of AVR. I am still really tired, but don't take pain meds. I have fought with a-fib and the meds are making me more tired than before. They say I will get use to them until I am able to get off them. I am hoping a few months from now, I will have some energy back and be active again. It is not bad now, but I am just really slowed down. I had a tissue valve since I am 66. Would not look foward to another surgery, but they say these valves can last 15 or 20 years at my age. I have a minimally invasive surgery with about a 4" cut in my sternum. So my chest is pretty stable. Doesn't hurt as much to laugh or cough any more. It all just takes time and I am sure next year I will look back and think it was not a bad recovery. While in the middle of it, it seems going a bit slow. Pat

 

[wristshot]

Howdy. You've gotten a lot of helpful advice here -- and I'd echo most of it. I'm about 10 months post-op and feel great. To quote Tom Petty, "The waiting is the hardest part."

If you are interested in a real-time report, I offer to share a blog I kept for family and friends. It starts with status updates from my wife immediately after the surgery. Three or four days after surgery I take over and wrote several entries a week for about two months -- until the bill came in!

Blog is at http://michaelrehab.posterous.com/

Good luck!

 

[Lynlw]

Howdy. You've gotten a lot of helpful advice here -- and I'd echo most of it. I'm about 10 months post-op and feel great. To quote Tom Petty, "The waiting is the hardest part."

If you are interested in a real-time report, I offer to share a blog I kept for family and friends. It starts with status updates from my wife immediately after the surgery. Three or four days after surgery I take over and wrote several entries a week for about two months -- until the bill came in!

Blog is at http://michaelrehab.posterous.com/

Good luck!

I just read you whole blog and enjoyed your writing.

 

[Luckyguy17]

Mcarmical,

Life on the other side is fine and dandy.
Had my AVR and MV repair done, just over 3 months ago, am totally off medication now, back at work almost a month, been working out at the gym daily for about 5 weeks and feel fine, as well as I felt about 5-7 years ago....cannot seem to shed the 10lbs i gained while taking it easy (smile), but am sure will get it off with time
At 57, I chose bio valve, surgeon chose porcine during the operation, as best fit for me and all is well. I have had little to no complications, was well at 10 days post op, almost back to normal about 4 weeks post op and fully capable of lifting like before the operation at about 6 weeks post op. At 3 months, there is nothing I could do physically before the operation, that i cannot do now.
Was at .6cm at time of operation several months overdue and had some heart enlargement to compensate.
Wishing you as a smooth and speedy a recovery, as was mine.
Good luck with the process.
Gil

 

[Bina]

I really enjoy being able to breathe properly and not having sternum pain. YAY.

 

[wristshot]

I just read you whole blog and enjoyed your writing.

Thanks, Lyn.