Ben's Posts

Diagnosis: Aortic Regurgitation, Aortic Stenosis, Bicuspid Aortic Valve, Atrial Fibrillation

Member Since: June 26, 2025

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Ben Jones posted an update
11 months ago (June 26, 2025)
Hello everyone. I'm new to this site. I just had my Aortic valve replaced on 16th June 2025 and was discharged from hospital yesterday. I'm 43 years old and was fit and healthy prior to developing symptoms back in March. Things progressed quickly and culminated in me having to be... Read more.
I didn't have much pain because I stayed ahead of it with meds - mostly Tylenol when I returned home.
I didn't have much pain either during my stay in hospital-I suppose was given meds, but when I was discharged from hospital already at home, I had no pain anymore.
To tell the truth, I occasionally experience pain or irritation in the area of my esophagus or trachea, but doctors haven't diagnosed it, and I've had it for about 20 years. I deduce it's of nervous or psychological origin, and I've stopped worrying about it.
Ben, I found using a heating pad helped, if pain around incision.
I didn't have much pain with my incision either in or out of the hospital. In the hospital, I had a lot of back & neck stiffness I handled with heat packs. I'm now on Day 24 of my recovery & I'm weaning myself off Tylenol. The only pain issue... Read more.
Hi Ben, I had my Aortic Valve replaced in 2015 with a right anterior thoracotomy (smaller incision on the right side of the chest) and not a full sternotomy. I had significant pain for the first 2 weeks after surgery and kept the recommended schedule for pain medication and made... Read more.
Welcome to the HVS community Ben…and to this side of surgery! The worst of my pain was in the hospital (I was in for 10 days) but I took prescribed pain relief and Tylenol as needed for the first 2 weeks at home. I also took sleeping meds because that... Read more.
Thank you all for the messages. It's reassuring to hear that in most cases the pain went quickly. I went to my GP yesterday, general practitioner, this is what we call the family doctor here in the UK, she prescribed me some additional pain meds and as a result yesterday... Read more.
Thank you Deena for the suggestion of a heat pad. I'm going to try that now.
HI Ben, I am new here too though a bit older than you 64). I had coarctation of the aorta at 15 years old resulting in being alive - hooray but also partial paraplegia. I dealt iwht it, im a survivor at heart (excuse the pun) or have been but... Read more.
Ben - Make sure you're not overdoing it. Recovery is anything but linear. Some days you'll feel like a rock star other days taking a shower and a lap around the kitchen is all you'll feel up to doing. On the good days, you'll want to do more, but one... Read more.

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