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

[worktheday]

As the question states, I'm wondering what is the longest some of you out there have gone without having an echo or ultrasound done to check the status of your replaced aortic or mitral valves for any reason, ie: no insurance, laziness, etc? I am not asking for responses for AHA or any other guidelines. I'm wondering real world lengths for people and maybe if extended if they would like to share why?

I thank you in advance for reading and hope to receive some replies. Wishing you all the best of health

 

[ski girl]

I'm probably a bad example as I went 9 years, then 7 years, without seeing a cardiologist before my OHS (I was supposed to go every year). My cardio now is on to me and gets his PA to schedule me in once a year. However when I move I reckon I'm unlikely to worry about the valve again as I consider myself fixed and shouldn't really need an echo unless I start to feel symptoms (and there shouldn't be any with a mech valve).

I'm assuming if I move back to the US I can get a warfarin prescription from my GP as I do here, and that's probably all the cardiac care I'll get on a regular basis . . .

 

[worktheday]

so you mentioned "before" your open heart surgery, but after you have been going yearly if I understand correctly? And it sounds like your not in the US now. And when you move back you don't plan on getting regular echos, just monitoring your INR?

Thanks for the reply

 

[ski girl]

My second OHS was 2011 so yes for the past two years I have been going annually - but only because my cardio makes me!! And I'd feel terrible if I disappointed him, he has been very good to me. Otherwise I think I would have gone to the first annual check up and then not bothered afterwards. I'm most likely leaving Australia next year and I'll probably find a cardio, go once to establish myself as a patient, and then disappear.

I monitor/adjust my own INR (and I'm also slack at that - like I said, I'm a bad example!!!)

 

[worktheday]

I appreciate the responses and detail. I too monitor my own INR (Coaguchek XS) and am relatively on top of it. I'm 8 years post op, 39 years old, always got checked 2x a year up until about 2 years ago. No insurance and haven't been checked since, had me slightly concerned even though feeling no issues.

Thanks again ski girl. And am still looking for any more input from others.

 

[pellicle]

your stated subject is about mechanicals, but your question text leaves room for others. So with that excuse in mind my longest was around 12 years. This was after a homograph.
why
Everything felt fine

When it didn't I went in. When I went in they found an aneurysm (valve still sufficient) ... So going in to check was just bad news. I could be dead now if I hadn't gone in.

An ATS mechanical was fitted in Nov 2011, self checking INR.

HTH

 

[pellicle]

I'm assuming if I move back to the US I can get a warfarin prescription from my GP as I do here, and that's probably all the cardiac care I'll get on a regular basis . . .

Or you could buy a couple of kg of ratsack to takw with you, save heaps. Should do you for life

 

[dick0236]

Early after the introduction of the "Echo" test I got them every 4-5 years. In recent years I have normally gotten them every 1-2 years(depending on the cardiologist). My new cardio told me, a few months ago, that annual echoes, for me, are not necessary since my echo history shows little change. I plan to get them about every two years, or so, unless a problem arises.

 

[Agian]

I'm most likely leaving Australia next year and I'll probably find a cardio, go once to establish myself as a patient, and then disappear.

Look at what you got, and you wanna leave already?

 

[Agian]

Or you could buy a couple of kg of ratsack to takw with you, save heaps. Should do you for life

I'm going to try that one on my cardiologist: 'So you won't prescribe Warfarin?'

 

[ski girl]

I was thinking about this last night - if any of us had a knee reconstruction, would we be going back to see the surgeon once a year for the rest of our lives? No.

We have heart reconstructions, why do we have to get that checked once a year for the rest of our lives?

(And thx pellicle for the very helpful suggestion on sourcing anti-coags in America!)

 

[worktheday]

I appreciate all of the responses so far on this topic. As I said, I'm at about the two year mark now (since having my last echo), for the past 6 years prior no indicated issues. With me being someone who also has an anxiety issue, it makes my concern that much more. But as stated, not really in a position due to financial reasons to go in and have one for "piece of mind", as much as I'd like that.

You pose an interesting point ski girl. I suppose my only response to the contrary may be that if something went wrong with a knee construction it wouldn't kill us. If something went wrong with a heart "reconstruction" (in this case valve replacement), it very well has the potential to, possibly.

 

[ski girl]

Fair point - so I'd be keen to know, has anyone with a mech valve had something go wrong, without any symptoms to alert them?

 

[pellicle]

Hi

. But as stated, not really in a position due to financial reasons to go in and have one for "piece of mind", as much as I'd like that.

Actually you didn't state it as it was a conjecture. I was going to ask what are your reasons for the contemplation but you've cleared it up

Personally I would do anyone year followup after surgery then every two years after at. That was what my initial pattern was. After some years I stopped going, until I went again.

Also, how old are you? This could also make a difference to the equation of how often you need a checkup too

 

[Rachel]

I was thinking about this last night - if any of us had a knee reconstruction, would we be going back to see the surgeon once a year for the rest of our lives? No.

We have heart reconstructions, why do we have to get that checked once a year for the rest of our lives

Ummm.... an aortic aneurysm would be one reason at least!!!!!! I know of several people who get a mechanical valve and years later develop an aneurysm.... I can tell you from experience that an aneurysm is a silent killer you just don't know if you have one unless you get an echo or some other related test.

Believe me, since my OHS I do not feel restricted from doing the things I used to do....I do feel "normal" yet I will ALWAYS go in for my check-ups (and yes, I have a tissue, but I'd do my annual check-up if I had a mechanical as well) Seriously, why not???????

 

[T in YVR]

I'm a newbie, with my valve only 2 months old, but I'll go annually and be proactive about it (and the rest of my health care). I'm in Canada, its paid for, and costs me nothing but a bit of time - and its only a 20 minute procedure to get an echo. Besides, the echo looks at other aspects of your heart (other valves, etc). Waiting years for a check up is personally not for me. If I did that from the start, I'd still have a BAV inside me...and waiting for symptoms to decide whether you go to the Dr. or not is a bit like waiting until the last minute to realize that the light at the end of the tunnel is in fact a train!

 

[worktheday]

Hi


Actually you didn't state it as it was a conjecture. I was going to ask what are your reasons for the contemplation but you've cleared it up

Personally I would do anyone year followup after surgery then every two years after at. That was what my initial pattern was. After some years I stopped going, until I went again.

Also, how old are you? This could also make a difference to the equation of how often you need a checkup too

If you go back up and read post #5, I actually did answer all of the questions you asked above. I'm 39, 8 years post op, and no insurance. Also mentioned in later post, First 6 years post op regular (2x/year) echo's, over the last 2 years I haven't had one.

 

[worktheday]

I'm a newbie, with my valve only 2 months old, but I'll go annually and be proactive about it (and the rest of my health care). I'm in Canada, its paid for, and costs me nothing but a bit of time - and its only a 20 minute procedure to get an echo. Besides, the echo looks at other aspects of your heart (other valves, etc). Waiting years for a check up is personally not for me. If I did that from the start, I'd still have a BAV inside me...and waiting for symptoms to decide whether you go to the Dr. or not is a bit like waiting until the last minute to realize that the light at the end of the tunnel is in fact a train!

Glad to hear your doing well 2 months post op. And also glad you have the insurance coverage you do in Canada. We are much less fortunate here in the States. If we all had your circumstances, this thread probably wouldn't be here, as most of would go, as you stated, because it costs you nothing but 20 minutes of time. Unfortunately finances do become a major obstacle if you aren't someone who is in your fortunate position, which I'm glad for you. Hope you continue to be on the successful mend

 

[ski girl]

Agree about the cost being a factor. My insurance thinks that echos and cardiologists should be much cheaper than they really are - I end up over $300 out of pocket for my echo and associated cardio visit. Considering I feel completely fine (and I'm training 10-12 hours a week for three sports so I'm likely to notice), that's not an expense I feel is necessary.

And with a dacron aorta I'm not too concerned about an aneurysm. I'd rather put that $300 into bike parts to fix whatever I break when I run into trees etc. on my mountain bike! (But as I said above - I'm a bad example - and I'm single with no kids so I'm not potentially hurting anyone else by taking this 'risk' if it evern really is a risk . . . .)

 

[worktheday]

Agree about the cost being a factor. My insurance thinks that echos and cardiologists should be much cheaper than they really are - I end up over $300 out of pocket for my echo and associated cardio visit. Considering I feel completely fine (and I'm training 10-12 hours a week for three sports so I'm likely to notice), that's not an expense I feel is necessary.

And with a dacron aorta I'm not too concerned about an aneurysm. I'd rather put that $300 into bike parts to fix whatever I break when I run into trees etc. on my mountain bike! (But as I said above - I'm a bad example - and I'm single with no kids so I'm not potentially hurting anyone else by taking this 'risk' if it evern really is a risk . . . .)

$300 for an echo and an appointment out of pocket?! I don't know where your paying that but good for you. I'd do that in a heartbeat. In the thousands here just for the echo. Flawed system