Jennifer's Journal

It's 8 years since today since I had my mitral valve replacement surgery on 31 May 2017 in Auckland New Zealand. Time has certainly gone fast with a few challenges along the way. I left my job in 2019 to care for my Dad and I lost him to cancer in 2021. In 2022 my husband became very ill and I had a few health issues myself. He is improving now thankfully. I also lost a good friend and neighbour in 2023.
At my last echo in 2023 everything looked good and my mechanical valve was working well. I still walk each day and am generally reasonably healthy.
Since the surgery I have had four holidays in Australia. I went to Sydney in 2018 with my sister to see my niece, to the Gold Coast in 2018 with my husband to see his cousin, to Melbourne in 2023 with a friend for a holiday and to Sydney in 2024 with my sister to see my niece again. I feel fortunate to have had these lovely trips.
Today I just did some just some shopping and I went to a fabulous Art exhibition at my local art gallery. I love art and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this exhibition.
I feel like I've changed since the surgery especially in my thinking and I appreciate more the time I spend with my husband, friends and family and doing the things I love.

Today I celebrate 5 years since my mitral valve heart surgery on 31 May 2017. Although it's awhile ago it's not something I'll ever forget. There were many positives my great surgeon who was highly skilled and did a maze procedure at the same time which fixed my AF, all the kind caring doctors and nurses that cared for me before and after surgery. My husband who visited me everyday and was there by my side when I woke up after surgery. My late Dad who visited and phoned regularly and other family and friends that visited and made contact. I was so blessed. I am glad in a way to have had the surgery because it changed the way I think about life. The last 3 years have been a bit rocky I cared for my elderly Dad for 2 .5 years and lost him to cancer last December. It was a difficult time but I'm glad he could stay in his own home until the end as he wished. Two months after he passed away my husband became very ill and went into hospital he was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. Thankfully he is now stable and doing well. We had a lovely dinner out together tonight.
My plans for the future are yet to be decided in terms of work etc. I am trying at the moment to just enjoy what I love doing, going for walks along the beach, reading, painting, meeting up with friends and spending time with my husband. I have also been able to provide some support for my elderly neighbour with recent heart issues.

It's 4 years today since my heart surgery to replace my mitral valve with a new mechanical valve. It feels a bit like a distant memory now. I continue to walk everyday and care for my elderly father which keeps me busy and presents a few challenges. I am fit and healthy apart from having migraine headaches a couple of times a month. I don't think the same way I did before the surgery and have become a more assertive determined person. I am pleased about these positive changes in me which most likely would not have occurred had I not gone through the surgery experience. I had a nice lunch out today with my husband who is off work after a serious wrist surgery 8 weeks ago which is healing well.

Time goes fast It's hard to believe it's now been 3 years today since I had heart surgery to replace my mitral valve with a new mechanical one. I was very sick after contracting endocarditis a few months earlier which had caused a massive infection and damaged the valve. It was a rough ride for a while after surgery but I made good progress once I got home 3 weeks after surgery. I had been doing regular short walks around the ward while I was in hospital and gradually increased the walks once I got home. I have walked virtually every day since as it helps to keep my heart calm and regular. I average 70-80 k steps a week. I feel fit and healthy and feel lucky that I am this well now. I left my job over a year ago and now care for my elderly 94 yr old father. It is challenging at times and keeps me pretty busy but I feel so fortunate to be able to help him when he needs it. The only medication I take now is warfarin and I manage it well with a finger prick test monthly and have relatively stable INR levels. Good luck to everyone just beginning this journey it may change the way you think about your life but in a good way.

I recently had my 2 year check up with an echocardiogram, blood tests and a consultation with the cardiologist. My replacement mechanical mitral valve is working well and all my valves are fine. My full blood test also shows everything is fine. I feel like I've come a long way since the heart surgery. Maintaining a regular fitness routine, a healthy diet and having a positive attitude have really helped. It all gets better in time and I'm so glad for the way it's all worked out.

It's 2 years today since my mitral valve replacement surgery, time has certainly gone fast. I am fit and healthy and have reached all of my health goals of consistently walking 70,000 steps a week, weighing less than 70kilos and having a resting heart rate of less than 70bpm. My blood readings are all in the normal ranges now and I've had no more atrial fribrillation episodes since shortly after the heart surgery. Although it was initially tough going after the surgery the experience has helped me to really appreciate and enjoy my life.

I have just read Adam's latest newsletter with interest and I was so pleased that an article on endocarditis was included. I contracted this in 2017 which lead to my heart valve replacement surgery. I did not seek medical treatment straight away as I thought it was the flu and when I finally went to the doctor she thought I had a lingering virus so by the time I got to hospital it had well and truly destroyed my heart valve. Previous to getting the endocarditis I did have a healthy heart except for some atrial fibrillation. My symptoms began short;y after having a deep filling at the dentist so this was a likely cause but it could have been something else. I was extremely ill with the endocarditis and was glad that the pencillin was so effective so quickly although it was too late for my heart valve to be saved. Anyway I think there needs to be more awareness of this serious condition as I had not even heard of it before i got it, so a big thanks to Adam for including this. It is now 1 year 8 months since my valve surgery and I'm doing well, my heart rate is good and blood pressure normal. I have recently come off 3 medications leaving me just on the warfarin. Unfortunately I am still plagued by migraine headaches and I am working on trying to reduce these. Leaving my stressful job before Christmas was a start and in time hopefully they will subside. I would be Interested to hear if anyone else has had endocarditis leading to heart valve replacement surgery.

It's now 1 year 6 months since my mitral heart valve replacement and I've had a few changes in my life recently. Everything looks like it's heading in a more positive direction, previous low iron levels are back to normal and after seeing the cardiologist for a yearly review I'm now off the metoprolol- yah and I can also come off the asprin if I wish in the next few months, leaving me just taking the warfarin. Hopefully this will help eliminate the ongoing fatigue and dizziness I have been having. I have also been getting regular migraine headaches all year and I noticed they increased alot with stress at work as this year there has been so much going on with bullying behaviour from my manager and a general toxic work environment. Anyway after a trip away for 2 weeks relaxing in the sun on the Gold Coast in Australia I came back to work to find a whole lot more problems so decided that I had finally had enough and have quit my job. I am really relieved and my doctor is too as she's been trying to get me to leave for awhile because it was affecting my health. I hope to work for myself in the future and my energy should improve with no more sleepless nights and coming off some medications. I feel quite excited and much happier for the first time in awhile it's been a few weeks since I was at work as my doctor said I was not to go back after giving notice. If I hadn't gone through the heart surgery I may have just stayed and tried to put up with work but I think a bit differently now and know how precious life is and how important it is to feel happy and healthy.

I had another blood test recently to check my ferritin levels and they have improved from the previous low 12 to 21 which is still on the low side of normal but at least it has gone up and improved. I have been taking daily iron supplements which have obviously worked. My doctor still wants me to remain on the waiting list for a colonoscopy and gastroscopy becuae of the possibility of internal bleeding, I have another blood test in two months and hopefully my iron levels will continue to improve I will be staying on supplements until the next blood test. I have also read and heard that asprin can inhibite the absorption of iron and wondered if this might be part of the problem with my iron. I take 100mg daily. also asked my doctor about coming off metoprolol as it is over a year since surgery and I have had no more atrial fibrillation episodes. I had a maze procedure to hopefully stop the atrial fibrillation and would like to see if my heart remains in a normal sinus rhythm off the metoprolol. She was not keen but did an ecg to check my heart rythym and just at that time I was feeling stressed after work and the ecg showed sinus rhythm with arrhythmia and she said I don't think you'll be coming off the metoprolol. I will be seeing the cardiologist sometime in October so she said I need to ask him about coming off it. I have also read and heard that asprin can inhibite the absorption of iron and wondered if this might be part of the problem with my iron. I take 100mg daily in addition to the warfain. My friends husband had aortic heart valve replacement surgery the same time as me and had heart failutre before surgery and still only has 50% heart functioin. He has recently been able to come off metoprolol and asprin remaining only on the warfain. So maybe in time I can just take the warfarin too. When I see the cardiologist in October I will ask some questions about the medications and long term use.

I have had problems with low iron since my heart valve surgery just over a year ago. After surgery it was low and I had two blood transfusions in hospital as I was anaemic. When I went to see the cardiologist 6 months after surgery he said it can take a long time to replenish the iron stores (ferritin) and not to worry about it. I was on iron supplements for months and months and finally 9 months post op my ferritin and hemoglobin come back to normal levels. However my last blood test a few weeks ago showed low ferritin again. My doctor has become very concerned and contacted the hospital because she is worried about bleeding as I'm on warfarin and asprin. Now I have been referred to the hospital for a gastroscopy and colonoscopy. I have started iron supplements again and have been feeling good I have no other pain or symtoms. I am a vegetarian also so need to be careful of getting enough B12 and iron however I haven't had any problems with low iron in the past before the surgery. I am having another blood test in a weeks time and hoping the ferritin has come back up. I am not keen on having either of these tests at the hospital and hope I do not need them but will discuss this with my doctor after the next blood test. Wondering if anyone else has had probelms with iron levels after surgery.?

It's 1 year today since my mitral valve replacement surgery at Auckland hospital in New Zealand. Time has gone fast. I have been fit and well except for some work stress which has caused a few sleepless nights and headaches otherwise everything has been going well. I visited my niece in Sydney 2 months ago and had a great time did lots of walking and visited the Opera House beaches, botanic gardens and the city in general. I am glad to be back to normal again can travel and do the things I used to do. Still on all the same medication as when I left hospital but luckily no side effects only the need for regular blood tests for the INR levels as I'm on warfarin for the rest of my life. it was a beautiful autumn day today and I had a lovely walk around my local Estuary in Orewa as I had the day off work.

It's now been 6 months since my heart valve surgery and I have been feeling good and am almost back to normal doing usual activities including regular walking, housework, cooking, gardening etc. I still do get quite tired at the end of the day though especially if I overdo things. However my job over the last two months has become very busy and stressful due to two resignations and the staff not being replaced. I only work three days a week but am finding that by the end of the working week I'm not able to do anything until I rest and recover for a few days. My work is in a demanding and relatively distressing field which doesn't help. I got so tired I had to ask for a week off as holiday leave as I was almost in a daze and making mistakes. I thought some of this fatigue could also be from my medications. After a week off I felt much better, on the third day I slept for half a day in the afternoon and all night and then gradually felt better each day. I have discussed the fatigue with my doctor who would like me to try and change my work schedule with a day off between each work day but it really isn't a possibility at the moment. After going through the surgery I think a bit differently about life and don't want to spend time doing something that is obviously impacting my health like this. I feel quite upset and frustrated by my work situation as they were supportive when I was unwell and allowed me three months off to fully recover unfortunately though it was too much for the person doing my work and their own so they left after a month of me returning, which was upsetting as we had a good relationship. I will stay until after the Christmas break and re-assess the situation when I return in Jan next year, but I am considering leaving at this stage. Any thoughts ideas etc would be appreciated. My husband and family are very supportive of me and think leaving my job is a good idea.

It's almost five months since my heart sugery for mitral valve replacement. I had my cardiology appointment two days ago and I'm doing well. No pacemaker required now. All medications are to remain the same but I may be able to come off the metoprolol in 6-12 months if I have no more atrial fibrillation and as I also had a maze procedure during surgery I hope it won't occur again. The only slight concern is low ferratin as it is only 18, my doctor is quite concerned about this but the cardiologist said it's as a result of the surgery and will go back to normal eventually and to just keep a check on it. I did take some iron tablets after surgery but they gave me bad constipation so I've started on spatone a natural liquid supplement which does not cause constipation so this should help. As I don't eat red meat it is alo a little harder as the non-heme iron in plant foods is not so easily absorbed. Now my appetite is back to normal and I'm having the spatone I think this will come right. I'm otherwise feeling great and back working, walking most days and doing all my usual acitivites. I look forward to getting into the garden as we are now in late spring so I will plant my flowers and veges this wekend or next.

Was feeling really good at 8 weeks post op then got a cold. At 11 weeks post op I had some heart palpitations and then heart rate was over 100 and not coming down as usually around 75-85bpm. Than I was sick and sweating and nauseous so I asked my husband to call an ambulance and went to hospital, I stayed 4 days and had blood tests, a chest xray and new echocardiogram. Heart was in SR the whole time thankfully and all tests were fine except for mild septum hypokinesis on the echo which is apparently caused from the heart surgery and can cause higher heart beats does anyone else have this? The doctors concluded that I had a gastro infection and treated me with fluids and antibiotics. I am feeling good again now I'm back home. I think maybe I've overdone it lately with returning to work, doing things around home and walking a bit much. I will take things a bit slower for now and then try to pace myself a bit better. Now awaiting cardiology appointment follow up and decision on having a pacemaker or not.