Chris's Journal

Tee Ad  Give the more plant based approach some time and do lots of experimenting with new recipes, ingredients, etc. Also, I'd suggest easing into it. If you go cold ... Read more

Tee Ad  Give the more plant based approach some time and do lots of experimenting with new recipes, ingredients, etc. Also, I'd suggest easing into it. If you go cold turkey (pun intended) you'll get depressed and just crave the foods you gave up. Sweets are my problems--there's no substitute for chocolate!! Good luck and it does get easier! You're not only helping your health, you're helping the health of the planet when you eat less meat.

Rose Madura  Personally, I can't imagine this kind of diet. Once a year, I do the 21 day biblically based Daniel Fast. You basically wat only things that are grown...fruits, ... Read more

Rose Madura  Personally, I can't imagine this kind of diet. Once a year, I do the 21 day biblically based Daniel Fast. You basically wat only things that are grown...fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts. It's a rough three weeks for me. I admire those of you who stick to it but it's not for me. I try to eat a. Balanced and healthy diet. But ..... all I can say is wow. 😊

Marie Myers  It is hard, but I am trying to do the same thing. My hubby and I have cut back on red meat, rarely eat fried foods, and I try to hold myself back from sweets. ... Read more

Marie Myers  It is hard, but I am trying to do the same thing. My hubby and I have cut back on red meat, rarely eat fried foods, and I try to hold myself back from sweets. it is hard, but it is a valuable investment in your health. Like your Mother said, “Eat your vegetables”!

Deepak Khanka  Hi Chris
I had a spark pain towards my left just below my left deltoids. I am just over 7 months . The pain is now gone if lasted for few months. But when ... Read more

Deepak Khanka  Hi Chris
I had a spark pain towards my left just below my left deltoids. I am just over 7 months . The pain is now gone if lasted for few months. But when I run for 15 mins I get similar kind of pain but it stops once relaxed . When the pain started I was given a ramipril , which I am currently on 2.5mg. This definitely helped me . What is your last echo results ? Ejection fraction ? No regur? If these elements are ok then I guess it might be a process of healing . Some things that can be discussed with the doc. Also do you get bloated ?

Marie Myers  I think you are feeling some of the now-healed tissues in the whole area. Scar tissue is not as flexible as your original tissue, and maybe you are feeling ... Read more

Marie Myers  I think you are feeling some of the now-healed tissues in the whole area. Scar tissue is not as flexible as your original tissue, and maybe you are feeling tightness /pulling due to that healing. Some gentle stretching of your whole chest area and shoulder may help. My upper back and shoulders were very aching during my early recovery. I loved getting my first massage post surgery!

Chris Calhoun  Deepak my EF was 60 % pre op then dropped to 34% post op now back up to 44% - no regurgitation that I know of - none mentioned after 2 post op echoes - my ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Deepak my EF was 60 % pre op then dropped to 34% post op now back up to 44% - no regurgitation that I know of - none mentioned after 2 post op echoes - my cardiologist seemed pleased with my ef heading up and said see you in 6 months

Chris Calhoun  I was running 5k's with my EF supposedly at 34% - my surgeon said he did not believe my ef was really that low - I am running / (should say slow jogging) 5k's ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  I was running 5k's with my EF supposedly at 34% - my surgeon said he did not believe my ef was really that low - I am running / (should say slow jogging) 5k's regularly and am feeling much stronger these days - could not walk to the mailbox when I got home from the procedure!! - I am 53 years old

Peggy Whitecotton  I had soreness in the same area that lasted several months. But i was told that the surgeon broke 2 ribs and he wired them together during surgery for better ... Read more

Peggy Whitecotton  I had soreness in the same area that lasted several months. But i was told that the surgeon broke 2 ribs and he wired them together during surgery for better healing. He did it because I am a small frame person and he needed better view of my heart. not uncommon for surgeons to do that.

John Hannon  Yes, I went from LVEF 56% before surgery to 45% after at four weeks out. Before surgery I could run a 10k in an hour and at six weeks after surgery couldn't ... Read more

John Hannon  Yes, I went from LVEF 56% before surgery to 45% after at four weeks out. Before surgery I could run a 10k in an hour and at six weeks after surgery couldn't jog half a block. I work out every single day and have been very gradually improving for a year and two months since surgery. Echo at 6 months out was improved to 52% and I have increased aerobic capacity since then. I still can't run over a couple blocks without stopping for a bit and am at just under a 12 minute mile in a run/walk combo. I'm thinking in maybe another six months will hopefully be back down around a 10 minute mile or so.
So, yes, it can improve and for me it has been slow and steady increase. I've been on lisinopril 2.5 mg/day since 4 weeks after surgery (and an aspirin a day) and it makes me dizzy if I get up too fast but I'm used to it now.

Chris Calhoun  John - thanks so much for this reply - this is pretty much what happened to me except I went down to 34% and could not walk to my mailbox!! I have never been ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  John - thanks so much for this reply - this is pretty much what happened to me except I went down to 34% and could not walk to my mailbox!! I have never been a great runner but am now doing a slow jog 5k that takes me 45 minutes - my EF is now up to 44% - what kind of valve do you have? How old are you ? I am 53 and have mechanical On X

John Hannon  This was my second surgery and I had pulmonic and aortic valves both replaced with Edwards Model 3300 TFX 29 mm size (cow tissue). First surgery was a Ross ... Read more

John Hannon  This was my second surgery and I had pulmonic and aortic valves both replaced with Edwards Model 3300 TFX 29 mm size (cow tissue). First surgery was a Ross Procedure in 1993. I am also 53. I'd say keep up the steady exercise and things should continue to get better. My cardiologist said to keep up the exercise and just don't push it to 100% effort.

Alex Sigalov  Hi Chis from the sutudies i have read people with mechanical valve avg life span is only 5 years less than a normal population, i guess not that bad considering. ... Read more

Alex Sigalov  Hi Chis from the sutudies i have read people with mechanical valve avg life span is only 5 years less than a normal population, i guess not that bad considering. My cardiologist told me that about half of her patients are on blood thinner due to other reasons(stents etc). Also someone on my surgical team told me that it is highly unlikely that aortic mechenical will get a clot due hight blow flow and warfrin is being more of percussion until someone does a study saying its not necessary or another class or drugs can be used see link below its a good read.
 https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog/2014/03/06/on-x-mechanical-valve-lower-coumadin-study/

Carlos Banuelos  That would bother me too. Haven’t heard of that happening to anyone. Seems like those measurements are somewhat subjective. Perhaps, if you had another ... Read more

Carlos Banuelos  That would bother me too. Haven’t heard of that happening to anyone. Seems like those measurements are somewhat subjective. Perhaps, if you had another echo it would be better now. What does your cardiologist/surgeon say about it? I would think they would have more insight.

Deepak Khanka  Chris , EF coming up is a good sign. During my rehab I had few patients who had similar issue. Their EF was gradually increasing . So carry on doing your normal ... Read more

Deepak Khanka  Chris , EF coming up is a good sign. During my rehab I had few patients who had similar issue. Their EF was gradually increasing . So carry on doing your normal activities and gym, ( confirm the intensity with your cardio) . Give some time it will be ok

Ana Brusso  Chris, I have seen your post on this before and how frustrating it must be. Have you talked to your surgery team, cardiologist or primary care doctor? Maybe ... Read more

Ana Brusso  Chris, I have seen your post on this before and how frustrating it must be. Have you talked to your surgery team, cardiologist or primary care doctor? Maybe there is a test that can tell you what is causing the number to be low. Don’t wait. Blessings

Chris Calhoun  Ana - I have talked to them - now they are telling me not to worry so much about numbers and more about how I feel - which is good - but I do worry about numbers ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Ana - I have talked to them - now they are telling me not to worry so much about numbers and more about how I feel - which is good - but I do worry about numbers - I felt good right before I had a stroke and then AVR - I am wanting to know how many people had or have this issue the Ejection Fraction is one of the most important numbers there is - thanks

Ana Brusso  I’m sorry Chris, I wish I could provide you more support. There is an upside, at least the number got higher. Stay positive and if you feel you need to go ... Read more

Ana Brusso  I’m sorry Chris, I wish I could provide you more support. There is an upside, at least the number got higher. Stay positive and if you feel you need to go to a different doctor or cardiologist just do it. I will pray for you to get the numbers you want. Hang in there

Chris Calhoun  I like the added sex drive - but also like how it helps shrink belly fat and my joints feel much better - I believe it helps my mood as well- I truly found ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  I like the added sex drive - but also like how it helps shrink belly fat and my joints feel much better - I believe it helps my mood as well- I truly found it to be a fantastic thing but now fear it may adversely affect my heart muscle

Alex Sigalov  Hi Chis, thats great news, after your post i looked over my echo and i had a drop of 10% of EF from 60% before surgery to 50%(on last day of my hospital stay) ... Read more

Alex Sigalov  Hi Chis, thats great news, after your post i looked over my echo and i had a drop of 10% of EF from 60% before surgery to 50%(on last day of my hospital stay) but I remember my Dr not even wanting to order echo right after surgery because she warned me there might be drop in EF and it would be a misleading and it would be better to have one done later on

Rose Madura  Chris, I'm sorry you are not getting any responses to your question. My EF was 55-60 after surgery so I can't offer any advice. I've been told that the echo ... Read more

Rose Madura  Chris, I'm sorry you are not getting any responses to your question. My EF was 55-60 after surgery so I can't offer any advice. I've been told that the echo technician can not always be accurate meaning some are better than others. What does your cardiologist say? You may have mentioned it but I don't remember seeing it.

Susan Lynn  Chris - I'm not sure if you read the recent posts from Chris Purvis. He incurred a complication and significant drop in his EF 18 months after AVR. He reported ... Read more

Susan Lynn  Chris - I'm not sure if you read the recent posts from Chris Purvis. He incurred a complication and significant drop in his EF 18 months after AVR. He reported that his EF is back to normal just 6 weeks after treatment. I think we have to remember that echocardiograms are a snap shot in time and are not necessarily going to be the same even a few months later. I suggest having it rechecked in a few months. I wish you all the best! ❤

Thomas Brusstar  There is a measure called longitudinal strain, or myocardial strain, which is an alternative to ejection fraction to measure heart function. I think it's a ... Read more

Thomas Brusstar  There is a measure called longitudinal strain, or myocardial strain, which is an alternative to ejection fraction to measure heart function. I think it's a physical measurement of the contraction of the chamber on a linear scale rather than the volume measurement. It seems like volume would be more complex and better; but some people find the "strain" number easier to measure, in the sense that it is more consistent among echo technicians and even for repeat measurements by the same technician. Some people think it's a better measure of heart function than EF.
 https://cardiovascularultrasound.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12947-019-0168-9
I don't know. If it really does portray heart function better than, or even equal to, ejection fraction, and it's simpler for the tech person to measure, then great. You might ask your cardiologist about it. If the strain measure isn't as poor, maybe that's good news and will help to understand it better.

Sherry Jones  Hi Chris,
I had the same occurrence only it is because I suffered a heart attack during my surgery.
My surgery was in 2011 and my last EF was normal but it ... Read more

Sherry Jones  Hi Chris,
I had the same occurrence only it is because I suffered a heart attack during my surgery.
My surgery was in 2011 and my last EF was normal but it was half that after my surgery. I was able to increase my EF in two ways, one was by having a biventricular pacer placed and the other was water aerobics! Consistent exercise in the water helped me to regain a normal EF.

Marie Myers  Is your cardiologist concerned, and What are their thoughts on this? If they are concerned, would a TEE show the EF more accurately? I tried to look that answer ... Read more

Marie Myers  Is your cardiologist concerned, and What are their thoughts on this? If they are concerned, would a TEE show the EF more accurately? I tried to look that answer up, but have not gotten too far yet. Just a thought..

Marie Myers  I read 2 articles that said it is okay to take beta blockers and Cialis. As long as you don’t experience dizziness, fainting, (signs of a low BP) many docs ... Read more

Marie Myers  I read 2 articles that said it is okay to take beta blockers and Cialis. As long as you don’t experience dizziness, fainting, (signs of a low BP) many docs are OK with it. I also read one article that showed testosterone levels can be Low in patients on beta blockers, so the extra testosterone may help. The thing you have to be careful about is using nitrates (like nitroglycerin for chest pain), because the combo of nitrates and Cialis/ Viagra can cause a possibly dangerous lowering of the BP. Hope that helps. I would get the cardiologists opinion on this question.

mark sherwinsky  sorry there was a misunderstanding with my previous reply My doctor said it was ok to try all the ED Medicine. I was just giving you i quess my personal experience. ... Read more

mark sherwinsky  sorry there was a misunderstanding with my previous reply My doctor said it was ok to try all the ED Medicine. I was just giving you i quess my personal experience. But loosing your sex drive after heart operation is very common.. it's based on each person. But the more meds. you need to take for the rest of your life will make that Stand Up Salute your looking for non existed. or you become a revolutionary MinuteMan soldier See i still have a sense of humor never lost it seems to have gotten even better as you have something more to joke about. So if you use your ED med and it works for you i'm jealous just don't go crazy and have a heart attack, although not a bad way to go out. better than dying on the toilet

Chris Calhoun  Thanks all - I am perfectly able to get an erection - I just like the extra boost the cialis gives - my question is really about whether people believe the ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Thanks all - I am perfectly able to get an erection - I just like the extra boost the cialis gives - my question is really about whether people believe the testosterone would thicken my heart muscle - I know the testosterone has way more qualities than just sex drive - I bet I would heal faster too - I use to take it years ago and miss all the benefits including reduced waist size - but is it going to kill me?

Marie Myers  I asked a similar question 3 years ago, but did not get any answers. I think the bottom line is you never know how long a biological valve will last. And ... Read more

Marie Myers  I asked a similar question 3 years ago, but did not get any answers. I think the bottom line is you never know how long a biological valve will last. And the younger you are, the shorter is the life span of a biological valve .

Rita Savelis  I've had 2 mechsmical valves for 5 yrs so far but have read about those who have 30 year valves put in before INR testing even existed. Who can ever know? ... Read more

Rita Savelis  I've had 2 mechsmical valves for 5 yrs so far but have read about those who have 30 year valves put in before INR testing even existed. Who can ever know? Things happen and are out of yr control. No right snswers. One day at a time. I rarely think about my 2 mechanicals anymore...

mark sherwinsky  had mine for 19yrs. war 48 when done now 62. so far it seems that my arortic valve (benal Process) surgery has had the most compications ive been reading. ... Read more

mark sherwinsky  had mine for 19yrs. war 48 when done now 62. so far it seems that my arortic valve (benal Process) surgery has had the most compications ive been reading. I am here to help people with any questions, and give you answers from my surgery that might!!! help you. Once i had my heart surgery, all the meds i take the rest of my life. My sex drive is gone. you kinda get used to it. not really. Those pill don't work for me. Pills only work if you have the drive in your head first. that is what gets a person excited. I've taken one of those pills where my vision meet greenish. Sigh of an overdose. Still nothing except seeing a green alien wike and a massive headache kind of funny when you think about it. If i was gonna meet my maker whata way go. Sex with a little green person.

Marie Myers  2 articles that I looked at stated that Ejection fraction can take up to a year after surgery to improve. One study found that whether your EF was low or ... Read more

Marie Myers  2 articles that I looked at stated that Ejection fraction can take up to a year after surgery to improve. One study found that whether your EF was low or normal before surgery, all subjects improved over time. I would say that you might be too early in your recovery to see an increased EF yet. I had a normal EF (>55) prior to surgery, and I never even asked what it was post op. I felt good, returned to work and played a little tennis after a year. I still don’t know what my EF is today. As long as I am feeling good, I am trying not to sweat the details. Hope that helps in some small way. Wishing you an ever-increasing EF!

Chris Calhoun  Marie thanks!! I think the only reason I am concerned is because the tech that did the echo kind of freaked out and did not like the low 34% reading - her ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Marie thanks!! I think the only reason I am concerned is because the tech that did the echo kind of freaked out and did not like the low 34% reading - her being concerned made me very anxious even though I feel great and am jogging 3 miles with no issues

Chris Calhoun  Rose - thanks !! I have another echo in 4 weeks - I have been jogging 3 miles - (3) times a week and feel very strong - we will see how it's progressing and ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Rose - thanks !! I have another echo in 4 weeks - I have been jogging 3 miles - (3) times a week and feel very strong - we will see how it's progressing and I will update - it was a mental curve ball - going in feeling fantastic and the tech looked like she had seen a ghost

Marie Myers  Keep in mind that echos are a good screening tool, but not a perfect test. The results can vary with the technique/ skill of the person performing the test. ... Read more

Marie Myers  Keep in mind that echos are a good screening tool, but not a perfect test. The results can vary with the technique/ skill of the person performing the test. It would take a TEE to get a more exact measurement.If you are feeling strong and being active without problems, I would not worry about it. Another thought is that the tech may be relatively new or inexperienced, which could lead to an overly dramatic reaction to what she saw on the screen.

Catie B  Chris, yes! This happened to me also and it's a good thing to be aware of. Marie's exactly right--those should be your external temporary epicardial pacing ... Read more

Catie B  Chris, yes! This happened to me also and it's a good thing to be aware of. Marie's exactly right--those should be your external temporary epicardial pacing wires. (In case you ever need to look them up.) I actually had some problems with mine and ended up in the ER one morning. I had used a monitor with a chest strap. The end of one of the wires gave me massive pain while breathing for a few hours and it took some doing to figure out what was going on! In my case, I believe they were left in because I was on Warfarin due to post-operative afib when I left the hospital. Clipping them was one of the last things they did... Also, I had to document to radiologists that the pacing wires were safe when I needed to get an MRI.

William Hirshman  I don't know what my ejection fraction was before my last OP in May for a Bentall procedure (fixed aortic root aneurysm and replaced St. Jude mechanical valve ... Read more

William Hirshman  I don't know what my ejection fraction was before my last OP in May for a Bentall procedure (fixed aortic root aneurysm and replaced St. Jude mechanical valve that I had had for 25 years with bio valve, unfortunately also requiring implantation of a pacemaker). But my ejection fraction was down to 25%, I believe, after the OP. It is currently at 45%, halfway between the 55% considered the low end of normal and the 35% considered the high end of problematic (someone correct me if my percentages are not correct). I will have another echo in early December. I must admit to being a bit worried about my stamina - for example, I can still bicycle as before my OP, but I feel a heaviness in my legs when I bike uphill, something new to me and demoralizing. I am hoping I will hear that my EF has improved after the upcoming echo. No one has told me yet whether an improvement is possible. Would be happy to hear from others on this topic, including both HeartValveSurgery members and cardiologists. Anyway, I share your concern, Chris.

Susan Lynn  Chris - I was put on metoprolol, along with several other drugs after leaving the hospital. At my one month follow up appointment with my surgeon, I was told ... Read more

Susan Lynn  Chris - I was put on metoprolol, along with several other drugs after leaving the hospital. At my one month follow up appointment with my surgeon, I was told I could stop taking it. My dosage was gradually reduced over a few days. A few weeks later at an appointment with my local cardiologist, he told me that my ejection fraction was below normal, and he wanted me to go on metoprolol and lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor) to aid in what he called "heart remodeling." He told me there was a window of time where this treatment would be effective and if I waited, it might not work. I was reluctant to go back on medication, but agreed to do so if I could have another echo in three months to determine if it was working. I had the echo, but couldn't get the cardiologist to return my repeated calls for the results. I finally had to leave the practice, had my records transferred (including the echo from that follow up appointment), and found out almost eight months after beginning that Rx combination, that my echos (all of them) never showed a below normal ejection fraction. My new cardiologist told me I could stop both medications immediately which I did. I had an echo recently and my ejection fraction is still normal.
In your situation, this protocol may be effective. I understand that the combination I was on was tested in clinical trials that indicated it could improve ejection fraction. I believe these might be considered "off label" uses for these drugs since they are designed for other purposes. I wish you the best in finding your effective approach.

Chris Calhoun  Susan/ William - thanks for the info - I can certainly hope the tech that looked like she had seen a ghost when coming up with my 34 EF has made a mistake ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Susan/ William - thanks for the info - I can certainly hope the tech that looked like she had seen a ghost when coming up with my 34 EF has made a mistake - I was like 58% before my new valve and I feel really good - zero symptoms can jog 3 miles just 60 days after procedure and feel very strong -

Susan Lynn  Chris - My ejection fraction dropped after a mitral valve repair, but I was still in the normal range. My cardiologist put me on low dose metoprolol and ... Read more

Susan Lynn  Chris - My ejection fraction dropped after a mitral valve repair, but I was still in the normal range. My cardiologist put me on low dose metoprolol and lisinopril to facilitate heart remodeling. I went off both drugs just over a year ago and doing fine. Is your cardiologist recommending any treatment?

Joy Vera  Yes, Chris. My EF was normal before my heart surgery in 2010. It has been below normal ever since & I've been on meds to reduce the strain on my heart for ... Read more

Joy Vera  Yes, Chris. My EF was normal before my heart surgery in 2010. It has been below normal ever since & I've been on meds to reduce the strain on my heart for several years now. I'd hoped that my second OHS this last May might help that but, as of my July echo, it's at 35%. Adam, I'd be interested in knowing what one of the surgeons has to say on this. I'm grateful for what you do to put us in touch with each other & while I don't visit as much as I did in the days surrounding my OHS, I do read when I can & comment from time to time. Thank you!

Chris Calhoun  Adam - thanks for the reply - I had an On X Aortic Valve done on Sept 12th this year. Had my first echocardiogram 2 days ago and the tech looked like she had ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Adam - thanks for the reply - I had an On X Aortic Valve done on Sept 12th this year. Had my first echocardiogram 2 days ago and the tech looked like she had seen a ghost when she read the results - her concern alone scared me - I have not been able to get a phone call back from my cardioligist yet - was just told he read the results and did not think I need to be hospitalized - and I have a follow up next Tuesday - it will be a long weekend wondering - so absolutely I would like to hear from one of the Surgeons - I can tell you I feel pretty good and have been jogging 30 mins without trouble

Chris Calhoun  Thanks to Susan and Joy - again I feel great but I felt great before I had a stroke and subsequent valve replacement too - so I am praying that feeling good ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Thanks to Susan and Joy - again I feel great but I felt great before I had a stroke and subsequent valve replacement too - so I am praying that feeling good and feeling strong counts for something !!

Chris Calhoun  Adam - were you able to ask a surgeon about reduced ejection fraction after Aortic Valve Replacement? went from 58% to 34% - surgery was on Sept 12th - just ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Adam - were you able to ask a surgeon about reduced ejection fraction after Aortic Valve Replacement? went from 58% to 34% - surgery was on Sept 12th - just had the echo this week showing the poor EF - I am 52 years old

William Hirshman  I don't know what my ejection fraction was before my last OP in May for a Bentall procedure (fixed aortic root aneurysm and replaced St. Jude mechanical valve ... Read more

William Hirshman  I don't know what my ejection fraction was before my last OP in May for a Bentall procedure (fixed aortic root aneurysm and replaced St. Jude mechanical valve that I had had for 25 years with bio valve, unfortunately also requiring implantation of a pacemaker). But my ejection fraction was down to 25%, I believe, after the OP. It is currently at 45%, halfway between the 55% considered the low end of normal and the 35% considered the high end of problematic (someone correct me if my percentages are not correct). I will have another echo in early December. I must admit to being a bit worried about my stamina - for example, I can still bicycle as before my OP, but I feel a heaviness in my legs when I bike uphill, something new to me and demoralizing. I am hoping I will hear that my EF has improved after the upcoming echo. No one has told me yet whether an improvement is possible. Would be happy to hear from others on this topic, including both HeartValveSurgery members and cardiologists. Anyway, I share your concern, Chris.

Chris Calhoun  Mike - that is what I have heard a bit via massive amounts of googling it - I hope you are right - 34 is very low- but as has been the case all along I feel ... Read more

Chris Calhoun  Mike - that is what I have heard a bit via massive amounts of googling it - I hope you are right - 34 is very low- but as has been the case all along I feel great - my entire experience I have been asymtomatic - so I know all too well feeling great doesnt mean there are no issues