Whats the longest you have gone post op without having your mechanical valve checked?

[newbud]

Hey, can't talk about the after surgery i'm still in waiting my valve area down to 1.2cm2 so cardioloigist isn' in a hurry.
My latest checkup echo was $427 and i;m in a remote part of Western Australia and the cardiologist visit was $380 but with medicare cost $160ish.....
I have full private but didn't have to use it our gov covers most costs. Surgery I will get it done straight away when ready.
I would get it checked every year eh, I know a friend of friend dropped dead last year from an anuerysm from his aorta down to his stomach. BAsically split the whole way...
the doctors reckon a slim chance that he would have been fixed anyways but i'd like to keep a check on my body I don't want to be a statistic when docs can pick up anything these days

 

[aussigal]

Guilty , I havent been for 3years, did go yearly for the first few years then got busy & lazy, PLUS I feel fine. If i felt weird in any way I would go get checked out...I was sent on my healthy happy way last time I saw my cardio, all was good and he said to come back if ever I had any worries. My Cardio is one of a few that charges only a little above the medicare refund so I am out of pocket maybe $20 to visit him and an echo at his office is not pricey either so co$t is not an issue.

 

[Marty]

Hmmm? Checkup mechanical valve?

Hmmm? Checkup mechanical valve?

Guilty , I havent been for 3years, did go yearly for the first few years then got busy & lazy, PLUS I feel fine. If i felt weird in any way I would go get checked out...I was sent on my healthy happy way last time I saw my cardio, all was good and he said to come back if ever I had any worries. My Cardio is one of a few that charges only a little above the medicare refund so I am out of pocket maybe $20 to visit him and an echo at his office is not pricey either so co$t is not an issue.

My St Jude installed 1998. I see a general internist now since discharged by my cardiologist a few weeks after the surgery. The cardiologist never mentioned checking on the valve and neither has the internist. I think, as long as you are asymptomatic and the valve is clicking along OK no echo or other test is indicated. I guess these St Judes are supposed to last as long as the ptient does.

 

[pellicle]

If you go back up and read post #5, .

Post#1 however did not, and that was what I was commenting on I didn't see the other post til new. Perhaps it came in while I was writing the other post?

 

[clay_from_nj]

woktheday,

Don't worry about insurance; soon you'll have compulsory Obamacare and it'll be fine.

 

[kimcdougc]

Had my aortic valve replaced with an on-x 21mm valve in May. I have every intention of going for my annual echo. Have to prove to them that they did a good job with me and my heart.

 

[robojerry]

I'm in the UK so its different here, free health care and all that so why the hell not? Seven years post-op and I've been every December since then with no change. In fact I had an appointment just last week and they mentioned then that an echo is only necessary every five years whilst things are feeling, looking, and sounding good, although an annual check-up (they really just listen to my chest and ask if I've been having any problems) is still compulsory (I think that might be the right word, or encouraged...I'm sure I could skip it if I really wanted to).

He did ask if I had any questions and I said "no" as I've asked them all before and know from here and elsewhere that things are fine and probably will be for some time until they're not fine and then they'll most likely get fixed. Despite me saying no he still launched into a spiel about how on average the valve will last 15 years but that's an average and it could last 30+, etc, etc...I just found it a little odd that he offered this kind of vague info without me having asked. Maybe he just had some time to kill...