Yet another person plagued by indigestion

Ambience · Sep 19, 2005

Hi all,

I ran a search on the topic and came across some simliar stuff, but not quite the same symptoms I have. It seems like lately everything has been giving me gas (sorry

). Prior to surgery I had no issues, I'd burp or whatever and all would be well. Now when I exercise with heartburn, I cannot sustain a heartbeat above 140 without my heart throwing extra beats and getting light-headed. Then my chest gurgles and out comes the gas and I exercise well for another ten minutes before the next bout. It doesn't just happen when I'm working out, but also when I'm sitting, usually in a leaned back position. I always have to sit up straight for the gas to get out, and I get extra heartbeats/dizzyness. I've been living this personal hell for the last three years after surgery. At first I didn't relate the arrhythmias to indigestion, but after awhile I've come to expect it. Am I a freak, or are there other people out there worried that they weren't put back together the right way?

Ambience · Sep 19, 2005

I should probably say Hi and introduce myself.

Hi!

My name is Daniel, I had aortic valve replacement in 01 or 02, I don't quite remember. The wonderful Dr. Hanley at Stanford did the deed, it took about 9 hours and they found an aneurism, which I understand is pretty common with a bicuspid aorta.

I found myself going back into the hospital with some of the normal complications post surgery. Due to a celeberation hamburger I began to retain water which I believe thinned out my blood so much I needed a transfusion. The doctors at the hospital couldn't figure it out, but luckily I managed to finally contact my cardiologist who instantly knew what the problem was and gave me steriods.

Since then my heart has been ticking away. St. Judes to be exact and I have the local honor/dishonor to have one of the loudest valves anyone has ever heard. Don't know I was so lucky, but it's gotten so if I can't hear it ticking due to loud music I freak out, odd how something so annoying turns into something I can't live without.

I'm a computer tech, or as I like to tell my doctors when they ask, a technology surgeon. I just turned 28 and live in Nor California. I've had the same cardiologist since birth, a great Pediatric cardiologist named Dr. Robert Achtel. Through this whole ordeal I know a higher power has been looking out for me, to have such great medical care and also to go into surgery prior to having my aorta burst open because my aneurism was never discovered.

I'm a published writer, who has been working on a novel based around all of the emotions I felt before, during, and after surgery. It was a roller coaster ride, and I pray regularly that my mechanical valve will last longer than I do. I'm still alive but I'd rather not go through the experience again. I'd never consider myself athletic, but I love exercise and have rebounded quite nicely minus the hitch of my arrhythmias that I've discussed above. I love to read, take pictures, paint, study/learn, pretty much everything. Life is too short not to take in absolutely everything you can before the ticker stops ticking.

I take Inderol LA after being on Atenolol to treat my arrhythmias, though at this point I'm not sure I need it if it's just acid reflux causing the irregular heartbeats. I've probably talked too much already, can you tell I'm a writer?

If anyone wants to know anything, just ask. I'm very open about my condition. As my niece likes to say, I have a robot in my tummy.

Ross · Sep 19, 2005

Since my last surgery, I can only get rid of it laying on my stomach on my left side, so yes, I wonder if they put humpty dumpty back together again right.

I highly doubt the hamburger had a thing to do with the problem at hand. Just one of those complications that so many of us end up going through. By the way, not to sound like a school teacher, but we do not use the term "Thinned the Blood" because it's not thinning, but anticoagulation. The blood is just as thick as always only with some nice ingredients to keep it from clotting.

Karlynn · Sep 19, 2005

Hi Daniel! and welcome.

Yah, I doubt it was the hamburger, but just that it happened to be eaten about the time something else was going on.

I've had my valve for 14 years (next month), Twinmaker is on year 24 and we have other long-time mech valvers here, so you are just a toddler in valve age.

I too get mild arrhythmia when I have indigestion, but it sure sounds like you have GRD (gastric reflux disease). I have read your other post on lifting weights and I'm wondering if your weight lifting isn't contributing to your indigestion. The diaphram could be pushing the stomach acid back up into the esophagus. I'm not an expert, it's just a thought when I think about what my body does when I lift weights.

You should check with your doctor on weight limits since you have had your aorta repaired. Once a mech valve is well-seated regular weight lifting isn't a no-no, but I do know that those that have have their aortas repaired are usually given life-time weight restrictions. My replacement is a mitral valve replacement, so my knowledge on the aorta is just based on our members here. I'm sure others will be along that know first hand.

Best wishes!