Good day!!

I recently underwent aortic valve replacement and received a St Jude valve. I was out of the hospital in 3 days and back to work in 30 days. I feel great but am really uneasy at times for which I have no reason. I went to a little get together this past weekend and met a gal who underwent ohs about a month ago. I practically hugged and kissed her because she was the only person somewhat close to my age(47) that I could talk and ask questions. You see I was having some things happen to me that no one warned me about and I initially thought there might be something wrong. She had some of the same things happen to her such as skipped time. This happened right after my surgery when I was in CCU. It was like a stuck DVD! I would be watching someone do something and all of a sudden they would be across the room. I thing the anetesia had something to do with that. I also had a little case of atrial flutter in which I ended up in the emergency room and was shocked back into rythmn. I was told this was somewhat normal to have this happen. Also dizziness is still an issue...about once a day in no particular time or circumstance.
If anyone has had similiar things happen to them or different things I would love to hear of it...peace!!!!

Good to hear you are doing so well and so fast! I can't help you, but hope you might help me! What is a St Jude valve? Can it be used to replace the Mitral? I am 44 and looking to have mitral valve replacement within the next few years.

Do you mind me asking WHY you had valve replacement? What symptoms did you have before they did the surgery and how long did you have them?

I have Stenosis and no symptoms. My fear is HOW sick I might have to become before my doctors will do replacement or repair. Saw the Cardio last month and we still have some time, but he didn't even discuss repair with me this time......saying only that I would need replacement, but not yet.

Sorry I can't answer your questions.....and I do hope someone else will help you!

Mileena

Joab, I'm amazed with the speed of your recovery. You must have been in great shape beforehand. I've never heard of anyone leaving the hospital in 3 days. It was a week for me. 2 days in ICU, then the rest in a room. I know everyone recoups at their own pace, but I feel like a real slacker now!

As to losing time... Yes, I lost a lot. In ICU and in my room. Very disturbing feeling. And, yes, I think it was the anesthisia that did it. I've been back to the ER a couple of times with what I thought was my heart. It is/was in a way. My St. Jude heart valve is shredding my red blood cells. Or so the docs think now. Or, my heart had to work so hard before surgery that it damaged other organs. Depends on who you listen too.

At any rate, glad you got to go back to work so quickly.... I know I couldn't have done it so soon. Could barely get off the commode by myself. Oh, I'm a 54 year old woman.

Hi To all,
I too will be in the same boat as the rest of you. I will need to have my aortic valve replaced. I am not looking forward to it. Quite scary, but This website really helps. I too am in my 50s. It sounds as if you all made it ok, but had to endure a few bumps on the road to recovery.
I had seen bikerbabes post before. Good to know you are on this site.
georgi

Hi Georgi,

If I can help in any way, please don't hesitate to ask. It's a scary situation... although I felt so bad before hand I wasn't scared of the surgery itself, but the recovery.

Have everything set up for finances ( I'm alone ), meds, anything that has to be done before a few weeks. Find a friend who will go to the store for you. There's lots of little things to do beforehand.

I was lucky in that I had a friend who went thru the surgery a few years ago so she was able to help me at every bump in the road.

Good luck,
Mary

Anyway, I may try to get your advice as I get closer to surgery. I am told that putting off surgery is something that I should not do. They want to operate on people before their heart gets too bad. I have moderate to severe aortic insufficiency.
Glad that you are better. Still you had to go to the ER?
georgi

It's kind of a long story about going to the ER. I had iron deficient anemia before the surgery... The surgeon said surgery would help that part of my illness. That it was not unusual for people to have anemia due to heart problems. There were a couple of times that I thought I was having problems with my heart ( after the surgery ) and ended up going to the ER. It turned out to be anemia again. I had been scoped a lot already and they couldn't find anything. So they determined that the valve was "shredding" my red blood cells. I was told that it was fairly common and that most people's bodies adjusted to it and were fine after awhile. Mine hasn't adjusted yet. Then my GI doc sent me to a GI doc in Dallas, TX who does a new procedure called a double balloon entroplasty (sp). Anyway the test showed I had hundreds of "lesions" in my small intestine and stomach now.... from the warfarin... you'll have to take afterwards. These lesions will make you ooze blood. He cauterized as many as he could but said he couldn't get them all. I was told there was nothing I could do about it except get them cauterized again if I have another bleed. He said because my heart had worked so hard before surgery it had weakened my other organs.

Anyway, that's the story as I remember it. Please, someone else, if you've had similar experiences jump in. Mary

Mary, you guys bring strength and courage to all of us who come here and are scared of open heart, chest splitting surgery. I went to the Cleveland Clinic in September for a minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery evaluation. I was turned down and really do not know why.

But time is drawing near for some procedure to get blood through the 4 stents end to end, in my Lad. I cannot have another stent in it. I went to bed with bad angina, and woke up with the same.

So I am so thankful to have people like you and Joab, yet I am so sorry for the experiences your kind have had.

Happy New Year to all :)