Jay's Posts

Yes, I had an aortic valve replacement, an aortic root aneurysm replacement , and an ascending aortic aneurysm replacement. I was 63 at the time of my surgery, and I am doing well today. My surgery went smoothly and without complications, so I felt ready to go back to work 2 months later (part time). You can get through this adventure! It is very overwhelming when you first hear you need to have this surgery…

Hi My strong belief is even if I have not had an aortic root surgery you can come back. I had my aortic valve replaced with a mechanical valve 2 years ago, had a dual surgery last summer trying to repair a anerysm on my kidney artery with socks, coiling, hoses and in the end lost almost all capacity in one of my kidneys. Still I live a very normal life except that I have to take bloodthinners and follow that up. You can definitely come back after that. As some at the office said and I joke about it. I am a bit of a Terminator/cyborg that get stopped in security at the airports but one with a nice and caring heart.❤️

Yes, it is a huge operation, but cardiac surgeons do this every day! And yes, you can get back to normal. The first 2 weeks post surgery are the hardest, and the exhaustion I felt surprised me. The hard part is to not freak out while waiting for surgery. It is a stressful time, but you can listen to calming meditations and affirmations. I also enjoy calming yoga, and did that during my pre-op wait. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Hi Jay, I had a 4.2 cm aneurysm discovered on my ascending aorta at age 32, along with a bi-cuspid aortic valve. I didn't need surgery until 23 years later when the aneurysm had reached 5.0 cm. So a good while. I was REALLY stressed after I first found out about it. In time, I was able to accept it and relax about it. Adam's site has a lot of info and the more you know the better you will probably feel with knowledge and time. Really, you are fortunate to know it is there and this is something that can be watched and fixed. I had no physical restrictions, so I lived life normally and physically active until my doctor's said it was time for replacement. After the aneurysm was discovered I had genetic testing to rule out connective tissue disease, as I am 6ft tall and my doctor wanted to rule out Marfan's. Has your doctor suggested this for you? I am 3 years out from surgery now and doing well.

Thank you so much for sharing your story. That’s the thing my two cardiologist here in Jersey seem to blow me off when I ask about marfan. They say is not necessary to get tested since it’s not obvious for me. (Whatever that means) I am currently searching for a better doctor. I went and got an echo done 6 months ago and that’s when they found it. Now I’m afraid to work out, stretch etc . I definitely need to lose 100 pounds but don’t know how to work out with out hurting my self. I’m just extremely stressed.

Just FYI the only physical restrictions suggested for myself, was not to lift to straining (like 70lbs or more). As far as other activities I didn't have to limit those. I jogged and biked with no issues. I think you are wise to seek other opinions on the connective tissue testing. I don't think my insurance covered it but it wasn't terribly expensive either, around $150. This can help rule out Marfan's and Ehler's Danlos, for peace of mind if nothing else, even if you don't exhibit common signs. Being stressed after discovering you have an aneurysm is totally normal. I would talk to your doctor about that too. Hopefully they can give you additional assurance and/or refer you for genetic testing.