Hi Maureen. I was reading your story and feel we have a lot in common. I also found out I have a bicuspid aortic valve and at age 40 was told I had moderate ...Read more
Hi Maureen. I was reading your story and feel we have a lot in common. I also found out I have a bicuspid aortic valve and at age 40 was told I had moderate stenosis. I will be 44 in July and I am planning to have valve replacement in July. I am married with 2 sons age 8 and 13, and have even very active as well. This has all happened so fast and unexpectedly. Reading your story has helped me find someone to relate to. Thank you for sharing. I am currently leaning toward the mechanical valve but I am very concerned about the blood thinner (I enjoy playing soccer and other sports). I am wondering if it would be too much to ask you how you made your decision on which valve to choose? Thanks and congrats on your successful surgery. Karin Georgeson
Maureen Hoganson Hi Karin, Again, please forgive me for not checking this in a timely manner! I sent you a message o ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson Hi Karin, Again, please forgive me for not checking this in a timely manner! I sent you a message on your guestbook page -- so please let me know if you did not receive it. I would be glad to answer any questions about choosing a valve for BAV replacement, etc. Thank you! Maureen
Karin Georgeson Hi Maureen. Yes, I did receive your message. Thanks for getting back to me. I feel like I will go wit ... Read more
Karin Georgeson Hi Maureen. Yes, I did receive your message. Thanks for getting back to me. I feel like I will go with a mechanical valve but will probably be back and forth until I actually do it. I was scheduled to have my replacement on Wednesday of this week but it has been postponed. After my cath a couple of weeks ago they want to wait and compare my numbers to an echo again in October. I'm back to monitoring. Thanks for your offer to help and I will stay in touch. Karin
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Karin! Yes, please keep me posted. You have to make the decision that you feel is best for y ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Karin! Yes, please keep me posted. You have to make the decision that you feel is best for you and that you have peace about after researching. I was not a good candidate for being on coumadin, but there are many people who are able to tolerate it just fine -- and feel like the added longevity of the valve is worth being on the blood thinners. I don't look forward to having open heart again -- and am hoping that the methods are even more advanced by the time I have to think about it again (10-15 years or so...) Again, prayers for you and your family!
Hi Maureen,
I'm over a year passed my double heart surgery the same day but did have my MV with REG. repaired. I was still having A-Fib on and off here and ...Read more
Hi Maureen,
I'm over a year passed my double heart surgery the same day but did have my MV with REG. repaired. I was still having A-Fib on and off here and there, this past fall sometimes twice a week. My doc.had me take 1/2 metro each night which I did for a while. At the same time I searched it on-line and found out I may need to take some magnesium to help with arythmias, (sorry if I spelled it wrong).So I bought 500mg. and started it and told my Doc. office when I dropped off the 24 hr monitor he had me wear. So they seemed to stop and I only take the Metoprolo if I need it. Now I don't take the mag everyday but do take vitamins and that a couple times a week. I am older but young in my head. LOL Anyway I get my heart going pretty quickly so I know my limits so I stop in between stuff because I am not as active as I should be but I try. So check out magnesium and check with your doctor. Hope this helps.
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Marie! I can definitely resonate with that. When I took iron glycinate, my rhythm responded ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Marie! I can definitely resonate with that. When I took iron glycinate, my rhythm responded immediately. My magnesium levels may need to be adjusted, too, and I will talk to my PCP about this. He went to Vanderbilt and practiced at the Mayo Clinic, but is also very knowledgeable about supplements, etc. I'm pretty sure that my system is just trying to regulate itself, but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. Glad to hear you are dong well. It's great to be able to correspond with other heart patients. And good to meet another woman who had a bicuspid valve disorder. I wonder if the # of women with BAV is underestimated--They say it is a very small percentage of women that have this, not to mention men with BAV overall. Thanks again!
Hello Maureen -
I had my bicuspid aortic valve replaced with a ON-X Mechanical valve on 2.27.2013. I began having lots (>20,000 per day) of PAC's 3 weeks ...Read more
Hello Maureen -
I had my bicuspid aortic valve replaced with a ON-X Mechanical valve on 2.27.2013. I began having lots (>20,000 per day) of PAC's 3 weeks post operation. My heart would pause approximately every 5 beats. I didn't really feel bad but it was disconcerting. Like you, my heart would behave perfectly while excercising. I was taken off my beta-blocker and began taking a calcuim channel blocker (Diltiazem) in July. It helped some. In early November, they went away and have very few skipped beats since (I might have noticed 5 total). The doctors are not worried about the skipped beats and I have searched the internet for hours and the concensus is that they are harmless. Hang in there. Your heart went through a traumatic event and needs up to a year to fully heal. God Bless.
Maureen Hoganson That is great information Keith! Thanks for posting this. You are so right about going through a tr ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson That is great information Keith! Thanks for posting this. You are so right about going through a traumatic event--and needing time to fully heal. I tend for forget that it's only been a little over 2 months. I really think a beta blocker would cause me more problems than benefits--and not even sure it would help with the early beats and/or skipped beats. That definitely makes me feel better, as I've scoured the internet, too. Glad to hear that your rhythm issues have resolved--and hopefully, you are feeling well! Thanks again!
I tell you Maureen it sounds like you are doing wonderfully. Congrats! Keep up your great progress. I look forward to your next post. Best!
Maureen Hoganson Thanks for the encouragement Jim! Yes, moving along--I certainly have my doubts some days, but looki ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson Thanks for the encouragement Jim! Yes, moving along--I certainly have my doubts some days, but looking forward to healing up completely! They say you can water ski once your sternum heals, but I'm still not too sure about that, LOL! Hope you are doing well--and will keep you posted!
Great to hear how we'll you are progressing. I had my surgery exactly one mon th after yours. I had my aorta valve replaced (bovine) and the aorta replaced ...Read more
Great to hear how we'll you are progressing. I had my surgery exactly one mon th after yours. I had my aorta valve replaced (bovine) and the aorta replaced with Dacron. Started rehab today. Cardiologist visit is next week and surgeon visit the end of the month. I am almost 57 and have known about it since age 8, but no significant symptoms. Although that will be interesting to see if I feel significantly different/better this spring/summer.
Maureen Hoganson Thanks for your response--it should get better as you go--as you are still in the thick of recovery! ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson Thanks for your response--it should get better as you go--as you are still in the thick of recovery! I feel significantly better now--and am thankful to be able to sleep on my side in my own bed--instead of on my back on the couch. I tried a recliner for the first few days at home, but my back got too sore. (It was a smaller ladies recliner...) Hope you continue to do well--and that everything is good at your surgeon's visit. It is a relief to finally see the doctor so that you can ask specific questions. My surgeon waits until 6 weeks to see you--and then waits to do an echo until 6 months out. May see if they can move it up a little just to make sure everything is working right! I am only required to take a baby aspirin at this point as long as my heartrate stays low enough. Don't want to wear out that valve any sooner, as I'm sure you don't either. Prayers go out to you for a good recovery!
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Dan! As long as I don't over-do-it and pull anything! I think some of my muscles are still " ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Dan! As long as I don't over-do-it and pull anything! I think some of my muscles are still "angry" with me, but as long as those sternal wires hold together well, I'll be happy! It's scary some of the stories you hear...Hope you are doing well!
Maureen
You are doing wonderfully in a very short period of time. This is more than terrific. I know what you mean about walking in the house- it does get interesting. ...Read more
Maureen
You are doing wonderfully in a very short period of time. This is more than terrific. I know what you mean about walking in the house- it does get interesting. Great about cardiac rehab. Everyone says it really helps. I will start in Jan which will be about 8 weeks post op. I am looking forward to it. Keep up the great work!
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Jim! Yes, will let you know how the cardiac rehab goes. I am looking forward to it! And we ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Jim! Yes, will let you know how the cardiac rehab goes. I am looking forward to it! And we are having a slight break in the cold weather this week, so am looking forward to walking outside today! I was discouraged yesterday when i was really achy--but feel better today--and probably just over-did-it. Slept in a better position last night, so hopefully, that will help, too. Considering what they do to your sternum, I know I should be thankful that I'm doing as well as I am. I didn't have any other heart issues, other than the congenital bicuspid valve, so I can't complain otherwise. Thanks again for your encouragement!
Carol Jackson posted a note for Maureen that says:
Maureen,
Yes, I had a full sternotomy too....8 in scar but ...oh well it is healing very well. Just happy that I did not have any complications after surgery. ...Read more
Maureen,
Yes, I had a full sternotomy too....8 in scar but ...oh well it is healing very well. Just happy that I did not have any complications after surgery.
I finally was able to stack big pillows towards the middle of the bed, lay on my side using 2 pillows plus a hroseshoe travel pillow. I would lay on 1 side all night and carefully lean into the middle of the bed pillows. That seemed to help. After 3 nights then I would switch to the other side of the bed and set it up the same way.
Do you have night sweats/ I had them for 3 weeks after surgery and then one night the sweats were gone.
Everyday gets better unless you over due...I have done that several times.
Take care
Maureen Hoganson Thanks for the advice! I was able to sleep on a couch 2 nights in a row now, but do wake up more fla ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson Thanks for the advice! I was able to sleep on a couch 2 nights in a row now, but do wake up more flat on my back, but guess it's okay. The recliner is fine for the day, but had a slight mishap yesterday--it is a smaller ladies recliner--and has an electronic control--it wasn't up the whole way and tipped slightly when i tried to scoot to the end. Luckily, my husband and boys were able to help me up to standing position. My leg muscles will be in amazing shape after all of this, LOL! However, that didn't feel very good. It's now day 9, and have realized that this recovery will take some time. As the discharge nurse said, "Your muscles are really angry at you right now." I can't wait until I am healed enough to go to my physiotherapist! Thanks again for the advice--and to answer your question--I have only had night sweats a couple of times, but I hear this is common. What did your doctor say? Well, hopefully, the pain will continue to subside--I'm looking forward to walking my first mile--and doing push ups again! Have a good week!
Carol Jackson posted a note for Maureen that says:
Glad to hear that your surgery and stay in the hospital went so well. Thats great that you didnt have to be on blood thinner. Take it easy and try to get some ...Read more
Glad to hear that your surgery and stay in the hospital went so well. Thats great that you didnt have to be on blood thinner. Take it easy and try to get some sleep. Look forward to hear of your progress.
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Carol! Had a full sternotomy, so still sore of course, but don't like the way the painkillers ... Read more
Maureen Hoganson Thanks Carol! Had a full sternotomy, so still sore of course, but don't like the way the painkillers make me feel--and trying to just do tylenol. My recliner has been great for the day, but am trying to figure out a better way to sleep at night! I feel like I'm stuck in my chair!!! Thanks again for checking on me. Hope you are well, too!
I am from: Smyrna, Tennessee
