What's Your Life Like?

[pgammo]

Hey all,

I am set to get a BAVR on June 1st and to all the AVR alumni, I was wondering:


What is your life like now? What kind of sports do you play? What kind of work do you do? Do your children jump all over still? Has your INR level been hard to manage?



Thanks!

 

[Greg~]

pgammo
Honestly, my life has been great since my AVR. I too had a bicuspid valve with severe stenosis that significantly limited my activity. I'm currently walking 9 miles per day and I just finished my first week of cardio rehab. And I now have more energy than I can remember having in years. I've lost 42lbs, I'm eating a low sodium, low fat diet and I'm keeping the portions down to a healthy size.
This surgery has seriously changed my life and my life style - for the better. I don't drink caffeine anymore (I never thought I could manage without my coffee), I'm very conscience about what I eat, and I walk everyday. And once I get the green light from my cardio, I plan on running.
Since I’m still recovering, I can't wrestle with my grandson, but I'm sure I'll be able to in the not to distant future.
The INR hasn't been a big deal for me to keep in the range. It's just important to stay consistent with your diet (as much as possible) once your INR has been stable. My cardio is awesome. He believes you should eat as healthy as possible, including all of the leafy greens you want, and then "dose to the diet".
Have you chosen the type of valve yet?

 

[RunMartin]

Life is back to normal. I do most of the things I used to do. Yesterday I competed in a 24 mile hill race and did OK (finished about midfield). It took a while to get back to normal but I now feel like I have not had the AVR. INR is no big issue as many members of this forum will agree.

 

[pgammo]

Greg, because I'm 25, the surgeon recommended an On-X valve. I have 2 small children, so they love to use my sternum as a trampoline. lol

 

[OldManEmu]

pgammo
I am a double AVR alumni if there can be such a thing.
What is your life like now?
My life is normal and I have no physical limitations, except heavy weight lifting. If it’s that heavy that I have to hold my breath to lift it, it is too heavy as this spikes the blood pressure.
What kind of sports do you play?
I do not play competitive sport however I train at the gym 5-6 times a week and do 3-4 hour spin classes as well each week.
What kind of work do you do?
I work in IT.
Do your children jump all over still?
I do not have children so this isn't relevant to me.
Has your INR level been hard to manage?
I do not take warfarin so do not manage an INR level.

 

[JimL]

It dawned on me yesterday that in a race, I have sort of an unfair advantage, because my heart has been surgically altered, so that I have full flow through the aortic valve. I suppose that's just another take on the $6 million dollar man.

 

[Lionheart]

I think I'm Normal! After about a full year of recovery to get that way, I now feel better than I did before. I try to avoid heavy lifting due to repaired aortic aneurism but I stupidly do it occasionally. Sometime I run and often bike. I backpack. I do physically challenging work in remote wilderness areas with no problems. Oh and I may do a sanctioned high speed (120MPH+) sports car road race this fall as a navigator.
John

 

[ElectLive]

Life is better. All the same sports and more. Can work just as much or more, but now have the perspective to work less, and do more important things, like letting my children jump all over me. :thumbup:

 

[Jkm7]

Once you heal and fully recover from your surgery, your life will be full of your kids and activity and everything you want it to be. Assuming you are otherwise healthy, you'll forget you ever had a heart problem other than you will need to maintain your INR and have periodic Echos to check your valve.

The best way to get the greatest 'reward' from your surgery is to be meticulous in following your surgeon's instructions post op. Allowing your sternum to heal fully before lifting, pulling, pushing too much weight will allow for full and proper healing. The price to pay for not giving your body time to heal can be high.

No reason for you to think other than a long full life awaits you.

 

[Superman]

In my time as an adult, I know nothing different than living with a mechanical aortic valve and anti-coagulation therapy. I think I have a pretty full life. A wonderful wife, five great kids, and my work. Sometimes too full with two of my kids in baseball right now and coaching one of their teams. My kids don't hesitate to jump all over me, and I honestly don't even think about my heart or sternum when they do. I had my second OHS in 2009 and had four kids at that time. They were great during my recovery and new I needed time to heal. But once they got the green light - they didn't hold back at all.

For my own "sports", I was able to run a 25k in 2000 (before kids) and several 5k's along the way. I've spent more time and less time at the gym, more based on how busy my schedule is than how I felt.

All right - gotta go help with bed times...

 

[Julian]

Let's just say the first year is the hardest. Everyone is different. In the end I'm 9 months post op and overall have more good days then bad days now. My endurance has improved greatly I'm able to run 4 miles in 46 minutes, when before surgery I was barely able to jog a mile without feeling winded. I've never been able to do this in my whole life and I'm 29 years old!

I work at a hospital and some people do have some horror stories post op from this surgery. Severe depression, bad pump head with permanent damage, people plagued with serious arrhythmia issues. Even though these results are not common they do happen and it can happen to anyone.

In my case I got a little from column A,B, and C. Not enough to be bad but enough to be annoying.

In the end I will never be the same again and 80% of this is a positive statement if that makes sense. I can't forget the fact that without this surgery I wouldn't of seen my 29th birthday. Ya... this is pretty serious stuff. :thumbup:

 

[AgilityDog]

Given that I was dying when I was diagnosed, I'd say I'm doing great! Seriously, I would have been pushing up daisies in another 3 months if I hadn't gotten referred to a cardiologist.
I've got a lot of damage to my heart caused by misdiagnosis. 40-45% EF (mild heart failure), 2 mech valves, 1 repaired valve, total heart block, pacemaker dependent. etc. etc.
The fact that I am still breathing, and can do what I want to 90-95% of the time, including run dog agility, is pretty danged good. So I can't jog. So there are some agility courses I can't handle. So I can't scuba dive. So Freaking WHAT! My minor limitations are nothing.