I will be seeing a surgeon Oct.28 to talk about having my mitral valve replaced. I will be 61 in November and am trying to decide whether to get a tissue valve ...Read more
I will be seeing a surgeon Oct.28 to talk about having my mitral valve replaced. I will be 61 in November and am trying to decide whether to get a tissue valve or mechanical. I just feel real unsure about the mechanical...the clicking noise I feel would be stressful and also I have a hard time already keeping my INR where it should be. oh well, I guess the surgeon will help me by explaining all the pros and cons...and maybe some of you could offer suggestions. thanks!
Phyllis Petersen Even though I knew it was a 99% chance I'd have repair, I still needed to pick out a valve in case. I ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Even though I knew it was a 99% chance I'd have repair, I still needed to pick out a valve in case. I'm 62, but after several discussions and speaking with the surgeon, I decided on the pig valve. The potential problems if I had a bleed while on Coumadin decided me.
Marie Leighton It's a very personal decision... I am 60, will be getting a tissue valve, possibly 2 of them, on Wed ... Read more
Marie Leighton It's a very personal decision... I am 60, will be getting a tissue valve, possibly 2 of them, on Wednesday. For me the mechanical valve issues were more of a problem than the drawbacks to the tissue valves. I did a lot of research and it became clear what my choice was. Others have done the work and come down on the side of the mechanical.
When it comes to these decisions about our bodies, it is crucial that the choice be 100% yours. Best of luck with your choice and your surgery.
Kay Walker thanks so much for your comments. do you also have afib? I have had to have two cardioversions done ... Read more
Kay Walker thanks so much for your comments. do you also have afib? I have had to have two cardioversions done and have heard that after valve replacement you can still have afib...sure wish I could get rid of the afib! do you know much about the maze procedure?
Amy Steele Hi Kay. I'm 52 and chose a tissue aortic valve. At my age, the surgeon usually recommends a mechani ... Read more
Amy Steele Hi Kay. I'm 52 and chose a tissue aortic valve. At my age, the surgeon usually recommends a mechanical valve, but I really didn't want to be on Coumadin if at all possible. Not only being on the medication, but the cost and time associated with monitoring levels. What cemented my decision was that I also needed the aortic root replaced and the Medtronic Freestyle is an all-in-one valve and root with excellent flow dynamics. I'm counting on cardiac surgery to improve in the years before I will need another surgery... YOU always have the final decision about what works best for you. Surgeons can recommend, but you get the final say.
Ellen Leng In a Maze procedure, the surgeon makes small cuts in the atrium to promote scarring and decrease the ... Read more
Ellen Leng In a Maze procedure, the surgeon makes small cuts in the atrium to promote scarring and decrease the chances of long term afib. Don't know the success rate, but suspect this is something you will be offered as you already have afib.
Corey Sines Again, its a personal decisions on prosthetic valve type choice. It does matter which valve position ... Read more
Corey Sines Again, its a personal decisions on prosthetic valve type choice. It does matter which valve position it is replacing (Mitral vs Aortic). Mitral has additional pressures/complexities over the Aortic, and as such means BioProsthetic (Pig/Cow) don't last as long in this position. Also, Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR - google it) is in its infancy, compared to TAVR, which many Aortic tissue replacements are banking on in the future: Read this: http://www.tctmd.com/show.aspx?id=133937
At 61, you can realistically choose either, your surgeon will give you an estimated 'valve life' and make your decision from there.
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Joanne Casserly I had it done and it was to be a repair, but he opted to take a vein from my leg and build a new 1. ... Read more
Joanne Casserly I had it done and it was to be a repair, but he opted to take a vein from my leg and build a new 1. Good Luck. <3
I am from: Church Hill
When it comes to these decisions about our bodies, it is crucial that the choice be 100% yours. Best of luck with your choice and your surgery.
At 61, you can realistically choose either, your surgeon will give you an estimated 'valve life' and make your decision from there.