Holly Hannula - Heart Valve Journal

My Journal

1682 days ago

Susan Lynn reacted to this

Hi Everyone. I was directed to your website by the APS site called “Health Unlocked”. I’m sure happy this site exists😁. I am a 61 year old female who ...Read more

Hi Everyone. I was directed to your website by the APS site called “Health Unlocked”. I’m sure happy this site exists😁. I am a 61 year old female who has Lupus, APS, OCPD, pulmonary hypertension and lastly I was diagnosed with atherosclerosis with a calcium score of 800. Approximately 13 years ago I had my mitral valve replaced with a St. Jude mechanical valve. Unfortunately my valve is severely calcified as well and I would like to know if it would be possible to replace it with another mechanical valve or preferably a pig valve? I thank you for any information you could give me. Thank you kindly Holly Hannula

Susan Lynn Welcome, Holly! You've come to the right place! ❤

Rose Madura Hi Holly. That's an interesting question. What did your cardiologist suggest?

Catie B Welcome, Holly! In light of the calcification, I'd be posing the question of which is the best valve ... Read more

Catie B Welcome, Holly! In light of the calcification, I'd be posing the question of which is the best valve to a very experienced heart surgeon. Am I understanding that it's the replaced mechanical valve that has calcified, or is it a different natural valve of yours?

Joy Vera Hi Holly. It is a question for both your cardiologist & your surgeon. I'm on my second aortic valve ... Read more

Joy Vera Hi Holly. It is a question for both your cardiologist & your surgeon. I'm on my second aortic valve but my first one was tissue, not mechanical like yours.

Holly Hannula Thank you all for your comments. To answer Catie B 's question. I had my human mitral valve replace ... Read more

Holly Hannula Thank you all for your comments. To answer Catie B 's question. I had my human mitral valve replace with a mechanical valve. Unfortunately this mechanical valve is densely calcified, so it's a very short matter of time the valve will not be able to work. My cardiologist just told me that news and offered nothing other than a couple of stents elsewhere in the body, which doesn't fix the way the mechanical valve operates. I am hoping to hear from someone who has had their mechanical valve replaced by a new mechanical valve. Thank you for reading my post.

Catie B That's what I thought you were saying and I've heard of the mech. valves becoming calcified, Holly. T ... Read more

Catie B That's what I thought you were saying and I've heard of the mech. valves becoming calcified, Holly. Though I don't have this experience, I believe thoracic surgeons would be the most knowledgeable about your valve choices, going forward. I've never heard of a mechanical valve getting calcium deposits. I've certainly read that pannus or thrombus can cause mechanical valves to fail in rare cases. I wish I had information for you ...

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