Cátia's Posts

My wife claims that the thin hair on top of my head got thicker/more dense. Before the surgery, I used to take supplements from Costco that supposedly help with hair but it didn't do anything. But to answer your question, no, I did not experience hair loss after surgery. Other people might have different experiences.

I lost hair but it's not specific to heart surgery. I lost a lot of hair after other procedures. When it happened the first time my doctor checked my B12 and iron level. B12 was fine but iron was low, so he prescribed iron. He did not prescribe but suggested biotin, too, so I took biotin, too. It takes a while but it does come back.

I have read your recent posts with interest probably because you are from portugal and i was born and raised in new bedford, massachusetts which at one time had a huge Portuguese population, and still does. As a young man, all my friends parents spoke your language. Many could not speak english at all which always seemed like such a huge disadvantage in life. Its good to see you ask a lot of questions on this site due to the many experiences we have all had after heart valve surgery. One thing to keep in mind is that we all have different bodies and our surgeries are not all identical because of that. That also is true when it comes to recovery . Some faster than others, some different than others. So just because richard was in the hospital 5 days does not mean you will also be there 5 days, etc. my biggest issue once getting home was taking a shower. That might not be true for you or someone else. Keep asking questions however as that is how you reach your final destination. The bottom line is you probably need the surgery or you would not be here, so no matter what the recovery timeline is, you will lead a better life after you have it.

Your english is fine. Probably better than mine and i was born here. I will follow your journey closely as you get nearer your surgery. Keep asking questions. We are on i think different ends of the age cycle, you sound very young, i am over 80 and had my surgery at 79 but our hearts beat the same.

Thank you very much for your kind words. 😊 I'm 33 years old. I really appreciate this website for being able to answer my questions. Keep me more calm knowing that I'm not the only one going through this, and knowing that people can overcome it and return to your life.

You will be fine as long as you don't consider that everyones experiences will be exactly what yours will be like. A big part of my recovery other than my wonderful wife of course was the love and devotion i received from my dog cassie. She stayed by my side once i returned home like glue. That does not mean you should run out and get a dog. You might notice on my hvs site picture, me in bed on my first day home from the hospital and my girl with her head on my coughing pillow.

Hi Cátia I think you need to take coudamin with the mechanical valve? Generally they tell you to limit your greens (Vit K--including broccoli and asparagus) and that you can eat them, just not much, or that you have to "be consistent" with eating and match the same amount of the drug to the greens to manage you INR.... I found it very difficult, and actually couldn't manage it, as I'm vegetarian/pescatarian and trying to lose steroid weight from chemo and I eat a lot of greens. I also do not have a mechanical valve So I went back on eliquis. I don't know if it's as effective for me but the dietary thing was huge for me. Some people find it ok, and it also I think it differs with your body. Mine was never good on warfarin, aside from the food issue. If you are concerned then maybe think about what you eat, and if you have strong habits and if this is something you can manage, if you have a choice about it. But again, the food is not an issue for everyone. I'd ask as many people as possible. Hope this helps

I echo Trygve and Rita's comments. You can eat whatever you want and your doctor or nurse will adjust the warfarin dose. Once you get used to it, you would be able to adjust it yourself. My coumadin clinic nurse told me they only had to ask a patient to modify their eating/drinking habits once, when someone was drinking multiple 32 oz cups of iced green tea a day. So yes, everything in moderation… Consistency is key. I found it helpful to track what I was eating. The most random food or beverage will affect your INR level.

Thank you very much for your help. You are amazing! Do you follow any eating plan or do you eat without worrying too much, even if you are careful? It seems like something that gets easier over time. I like to eat vegetables, I never eat a dish of spinach, for example, but I always eat soup and lettuce, but almost always in similar quantities. It may not be a problem. Do vegetables make INR lower?

I eat without worrying. But I worried my first year because everyone makes you worried for no valid reason. Eventually I relaxed and now it's been 9 years. INR will go up and down. That's what it does. Everyday, all the time. It is not static. It will change for reasons that are not explainable. And then it will go back to where it was. At some point one relaxes about that. It takes some bodies longer to get used to, but at some point you will know how your body reacts on INR and it may be high or it may be low but you will be okay. None of this is easy, but do not overthink it. That said, I do wish that a young body like yours (age 33?) did not have to have heart surgery so young and did not have to be on any meds. Know that you are different than most people on this site and I feel for you. There is no perfect solution.