Comments on: “How Long Will My Dad’s Pumphead Last After Heart Valve Surgery?” Asks Rob

By: Frank Marocco

Frank Marocco — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 16:38:25 +0000

I am a little over year post surgery. Short term memory seems to be getting worse. Starting to get concerned. My kids are making fun of me, not remembering conversations I have had with them. Anyone have this happen? Thought it was supposed to get better.

By: chantal cermak

chantal cermak — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 05:04:22 +0000

I have suffered from memory loss and am slowly coming back. I used to do word scrambles and at first was confused post surgery but am able to do them again. I don’t have good short term memory at all. I have long term and now. I cannot remember people but do know that I know them. I explain to people and sure enough I have known them. I’m very tired. I had an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm repaired before dissection at the Cleveland Clinic. I now have leaky valves which I never had before but they say it’s just weakness in my heart showing up after the aneurysm was corrected. Once you correct one thing, other things show up. I have lack of ambition. It seems like a ton of work mentally. My spirit is ambitious but I’m tired. I’m an Olympian 1994. Driven, focused and capable. Now the simple things in life are what I do. I don’t know though, how can a person be angry if it let you raise your kids and kept you from dying. It is getting better though.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 01:42:46 +0000

I believe I am a ‘pumphead’ following my aortic valve and root replacement three years ago. I came to your site for persistent pain in the sternum, but I was wondering whether anyone else had experienced a form of aphasia since the surgery. I can visualize a word, describe the number of vowels, the number of letters in the word, and such but I cannot say the word. Sometimes I feel that a conversation with me must be like playing Wheel of Fortune. I had nothing like this prior to the surgery. I also feel that my mental acuity has been affected. I feel fortunate to have had above average intelligence that allows me to function normally, even with the loss.

By: James Pellechi

James Pellechi — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:02:43 +0000

Had Ascending Aorta aneuyrism repaired in March 2007 … Have experienced deminishing mental abilities since. I stumble frequently to remember peoples names – including my employees who have worked years with me? It often takes an external ‘trigger’ to assist me in remembering, rarely am I remembering on my own …

Had Aortic Valve replacement in June 2011. I’ve just returned to work, some 10 weeks later and experienced something that has never happened before … I had absolutely no recollection of ever meeting my Boss’s boss? … This isn’t just a temporary loss of memory – this is actually a memory ‘wipe’.

It’s very disturbing to realize your now mentally different … and no short term solution anywhere on the horizon … The instinct is to ‘run’ from whatever it is you do in life … and find something ‘new’ to do … if your fortunate enought to afford such a change in life …

By: Colleen

Colleen — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:23:29 +0000

I had open heart surgery 18 months ago. I was on bypass for some time. I had an aneursym in my aortic root and they replaced my aortic root with a dacron graft. I was 47 at the time. I am a Surgical Technician. I have noticed a decrease in my cognitive thinking. Since the surgery I have had issues at work with remembering instruments during surgeries, as well as, everday tasks. I started to do research on the subject and came across your articles on “Pump Head”. It sounds all too familiar. It is really impairing my work. Can this be considered a disability? I would appreciate it if you would email me about this subject and help me find more information. Thank you. cbbcd@aol.com

By: emily

emily — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:01:39 +0000

Wow, such interesting stories that I can somewhat relate to. I had open heart surgery 15 months ago and my short term memory was absolutley effected. I am constantly having to grasp for peoples names and the names of places. It always eventually comes to me, but it takes a little while. so frustrating because I am only 36 years old. I am uncertain if I was on bypass during surgery, but I believe so. Has any one had any positive results with any natural memory enhacers?! ginko…DHA?

By: Don Walls

Don Walls — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 05:32:46 +0000

I had mitral valve repair and double maze procedure 1/26/2011. I have had the trouble getting words out. Also some times saying the words in the wrong order. And trouble understanding what people are saying. Some of this could be called aphasia I think. At 10 weeks now and most of that has faded.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 04:48:45 +0000

Dear Adam,
So glad I found this blog. My mother had an aortic valve replacement and triple by-pass in July. She was a vivacious, busy, 85 year old, who mowed her own lawn, ran her church group, and kept up with her 7 kids and 22 grandchildren. Sadly she is not the same person now. My father died of Alzheimer’s disease, and tragically she almost seems to be showing similar symptoms to his onset. She can no longer get her own meals- last Thanksgiving she cooked for the whole family. She was an avid cross-word solver and enjoyed reading the paper, now she doesn’t even open the first page. We are at a loss of what to do. She has been a hard working dairy farmer, homemaker, friend, and a wonderful mother, and we just don’t know what to do for her.

We have tried everything the doctors have told us to do, and we are obviously seeing to her daily needs, but it is just so heartbreaking. I realize that at her age some of this could be expected, but it’s not her, she has always been so independent. She is currently on anti-depressents, but we think there has to be more to it than that. She has an MRI on her brain scheduled next week. Any advice would be appreciated.

By: Randy johnson

Randy johnson — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 01:39:58 +0000

Several things have occured after a mitral valve repair. A loss of creative writing skills and it takes concentrated effort to make journal entries. I’ve noticed a reduction in the ability to multitask and it has been difficult to learn new skills. I found that I have less tolerance of people than before the surgery and that I’m quick to verbably retaliate. I’m on my second pacemaker now. The surgery was in late 1999. Then again, maybe I’m just getting older.

By: Bill

Bill — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:07:47 +0000

I had quadruple bypass surgery preformed in July. For about 30 days post-op, I felt like I was in a fog…Thank God that passed. However, I find myself constantly grasping for words, especially when I am speaking. Oddly, that does not seem to happen when I am typing or writing.
I am a 53 year old health care professional. I am not worried that my clinical judgement it off, I’ve done a lot of CME tests on-line and seem to have no impairment in that respect. However, I am constantly required to give verbal patient assessments and updates.
I am terrified that I am going to be spitting and sputtering like an old car.