Kerrigan just sent me a very interesting update about his heart valve surgery recovery. As his email touched on many patient issues — fatigue, blood pressure, beta blockers and patient advocacy — I thought you might enjoy his perspective and positive results.

Kerrigan Gray – Heart Valve Replacement Patient

Hi Adam:

Remember how I was saying even 1-1/2 years after the surgery for aortic valve replacement I was still losing energy?  It was so bad that, after climbing stairs, I had to sit down and rest. I could not do normal activities without becoming exhausted.

So I started searching the Internet for more information. Eventually, I discovered a discussion group that connected fatigue to the use of beta blockers. FYI, I was on a beta blocker (metoprolol)… a generic for Lopressor.

As I did not have high blood pressure before the surgery, I finally pressed my cardio-physician as to the clinical reason I needed Lopressor after surgery. She hemmed and hawed for a moment and responded, “It’s basically a protocol to have heart surgery patients on blood pressure meds after surgery.”

I questioned, “Forever? Even if I did not have previous problems with blood pressure? What if I stop taking it?”

The cardiologist said, “Okay, lets try getting you off Lopressor.”

Within a week after discontinuing the medication, my energy started to return. Within three weeks, I was feeling like my old pre-op self. I was finally able to do most activities without exhaustion. And, my blood pressure is now normally LOWER than when I was on the medication! My blood pressure runs around 115/79 most days I check it now. On the meds, it was 125/85 on a good day. I think exercise and diet keeps my blood pressure low.

The bottom line for patients… Don’t assume anything. Ask questions. Press the doctors for specific data as it relates to YOU.  Often times, I’ve found many physicians follow “protocols” instead of what YOU, the patient, might specifically need.

Boy is it nice to walk up a hill again without stopping every 10 feet to rest!

Adam, thanks again for all you do. Your website, together with your heart valve book, made all the difference!

Kerrigan

P.S. A quick note from Adam… Please remember to check with your physician before altering your medication therapy. While Kerrigan’s story illustrates a positive result from stopping Lopressor, each patient case is unique and should be evaluated under proper medical supervision.

Great news! We have another patient success story!

After aortic valve replacement surgery due to aortic stenosis last May, Barbara Walters returned to The View yesterday. In case you missed it, the show opened with a fun parody about Barbara’s recovery and a meaningful discussion about heart disease.

During the show, Barbara and her co-hosts discussed many topics including:

• Diagnosing aortic stenosis
• Open heart surgery scars for women
• Median sternotomy (sternum incision)
• Walking during the early recovery

Also, we finally learned who performed Barbara’s heart valve surgery. It turns out that Barbara Walters’ heart surgeon was Dr. Craig Smith, the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because Doctor Smith performed quadruple bypass on former President Bill Clinton in 2004.

Dr. Craig Smith, M.D. – Barbara Walters’ Heart Surgeon

On Wednesday (today), the show is going to further discuss Barbara Walters’ heart valve surgery and recovery. If you are interested, don’t forget to tune-in or set your DVR!

Keep on tickin’ Barbara!

Cindy just sent me this great email. Given her unique story, I thought you might really enjoy it.

Hi Adam,

I have written you before about the recovery from heart valve surgery. We exchanged emails about when you really felt healed. Last year, I had mitral and tricuspid valve repair by Dr. David Adams in New York — even though I live in California.

We just returned from our summer vacation in Jackson, Wyoming. While I’ve been there many times, this experience was SO different!!!

Cindy & Rich Tarver, Double Heart Valve Repair Patient, Hiking at 7,000 Feet Post-op

I was able to hike and SEE lakes that I never could see before! Prior to surgery, the altitude was too much for my severely damaged valve.  (So you know, I’ve had problems with mitral valve prolapse since childhood, gradually getting to the point of 100% mitral regurgitation with calcified leaflets.)

This year, I was hiking at 7,000 feet with NO shortness of breath!

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Some really interesting patient stories continue to fill up my inbox. Here’s a great one from Don about his new mission saving dogs after mitral valve replacement.

Don Hull, Heart Valve Replacement Patient, With Hooch

Hey Adam,

I recently regained my Special Issuance Class III FAA medical certificate which allows me to fly my airplane as a private pilot again.  I had an Edwards Bovine tissue mitral valve placed in April 2009 and had to wait at least six months before beginning the rigorous physical testing to regain my FAA medical certificate.

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This is quite interesting…

When Doris Snyder celebrated her 102nd birthday on August 10, she was that much closer to the expected birth of her first great-granddaughter who’s due to arrive early September. She is very excited about the milestone, which might not have been possible were it not for a cutting-edge, experimental procedure that replaced one of Doris’ heart valves weeks earlier — when she was 101 years old.

Doris’ valve had been rendered useless by aortic valve stenosis — hardening from calcium deposits that restrict the flow of blood from the heart. Her surgeon, Patrick M. McCarthy, MD, chief of the division of cardiothoracic surgery for Northwestern Memorial Hospital and director of the hospital’s Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and the Heller-Sacks professor of Surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, noted:

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