Diana's Journal

I haven't checked in here for a very long time. My mitral valve repair was September 2022. Recovery was quite long and arduous. I have been on metoprolol and bisoprolol to lower heart rate. But it also lowered my blood pressure too much and I am currently not on anything. But one again my heart rate is often in the 90's-120's and BP is still all over the place too, 93/79, 122/76, 91/76, 79/64 even 85/71! Sometimes my heart rate shows 48 and 49. My left atrium has remained stretched out a bit from the severe regurgitation and there is some residual thickening of the heart muscle. My question for everyone post mitral valve repair, is anyone else experiencing low blood pressure and high heart rate. if so how is your cardiologist treating it?
Saw my lung specialist today and his dad had mitral valve repair and has the same issues so wondering if it is a common problem? I get dizzy, have bouts of double vision, get short of breath at times,
Thanks for any input you an give me.

I am thinking I should be 100% by now but I still tire easily and from all your responses it sounds like the dizziness and double vision is normal. How long till you had all your energy back? 

7 months post op now. Went back on Metropolol 12.5mg 2X daily after being on no meds for several months. Heart rate up to 159 at one point. Couldn’t get a hold of my cardiologist and GP was no help. Finally called my surgeon and he was very upset I had been taken off all meds and my heart rate was high. He put me back on my current dose. Most recent ECG showed valve repair is 100%. Heart rate is in mid 70’s now but BP is still 80’s over 60’s . Too low! I get dizzy, blacked out a few weeks ago when I got out of bed, and have episodes of double vision. Scary when driving. Dr. Blew me off and told me to get my eyes checked. Optometrist said low BP causes double vision because not enough blood getting to the eyes. Curious if others have had any of these issues this far out and if so what has helped? By the way, there is a FaceBook page for this group Heart Valve Surgery Support Group.

For those of you who had mitral valve repair for severe regurgitation I am curious how long it took for your heart rate to come down and normalize so you no longer needed beta blockers like metropolol.

Just found some comment by Adam on valve calcification. When my surgeon got into my Mitral Valve to repair it he found calcification. Never mentioned it to me but told my husband and said it was nothing to worry about! Really??  Does anyone have any info on this? I read from Adam that I should have an Echocardiogram every 6 months to a year to check on it.

Hi from Alberta Canada! Our socialized health care is in shambles and hospitals and cardiologists are overwhelmed. Therefore it has been difficult to get any answers or to be seen. I would appreciate your input or thoughts from your own experiences. I am now 4 months post op mitral valve repair, minimally invasive through right side of breast, not minimal pain though. My biggest concern is my heart rate. My BP was quite low and has risen somewhat to 90’s over 60’s but sometimes all over the place. Sometimes with just sitting quietly it will be 100/80 then 90/68. My heart rate is usually over 100. Walking through the mall today it was 128, just walking leisurely. Last week when I was standing at the stove cooking meet it spiked to 158-59 for 2 minutes. It seems to jump up when I’m sitting quietly at the computer or watching tv. Resting heart rate is average 81-91 for January. Walking heart rate average 103-128. Sleeping rate is always 78-99. My GP looked up from checkups pre-surgery to see what my heart rates were the past couple years and it ranged between 60-80. I’m concerned my heart is working too hard. I am 135 pounds, 5’6” age 68. I am not on any meds. Doctors took me off heart meds cuz my BP went dangerously low. Thanks for reading this long post and sharing any thoughts, experiences or insights.

Wondering if someone can comment on this data from my Apple Watch. My cardiologist had me forward it to him but I won’t hear back for another week. I am 3 mos post mitral valve repair. Heart rate still high and BP 90’s over low 70’s/high60’s. Wondering if anyone had experience with their heart rhythm looking like these.

Did anyone else have numbness in right armpit and on top of right chest and breast area after minimally invasive mitral valve repair? Did it eventually go away? Did you feel painful twinges as it regenerated?

I am 10 weeks post op minimally invasive Mitral Valve Repair. i purchased an Apple watch as my heart rate is high and BP was very low but has come up somewhat. I want to know how reliable the Apple watch 7 is for ECG. Mine is telling me no Afib, just high heart rate or it will say Sinus Rhythm. When I look at the pattern made it looks very irregular. I took my iphone to my doctor and showed her the readings and she basically poopooed the Apple watch and said it was unreliable. I would love to hear your experience with this.

I am now 10 weeks post op and feeling great! My only concern is still Blood Pressure and heart rate. My BP was very low for so long and now my Systolic is over 100 and Diastolic is over 80 which is not normal for me! And heart rate is staying around 100 with upticks anywhere from 108 to 136 but doesn't stay elevated.

I am 9 weeks post mitral valve repair. My BP is all over the place but mostly low as in 80-90's over mid 60's. Heart rate is consistently 100 or higher and the last two times I took my BP readings yesterday it indicated that I had an irregular heart beat. I am having headaches pretty much 24/7, have dizzy spells and my vision has gone double a few times and takes a few minutes to normalize. The good news is my mitral valve repair looks good on the echo but I didn't have these issues prior to surgery. My cardiologist seems frustrated and took me off all meds and said he was more worried about my low BP than high heart rate. He is so overworked that the one phone appointment I had last week he had to put me on hold at least 4 times and then when he came back on he didn't know where we left off and had to ask if I had had an echocardiogram since we last met (which was only once). When I told him yes last week he ha to go check. I don't feel like I have anyone to get answers from. Thoughts please.