Leslie Bakos - Heart Valve Journal

Leslie Bakos Fresh walnuts on plain oatmeal....with some cinnamon and even a banana....just a touch of honey....Quaker oats are gluten free....

Barbara Wood I have that everyday for breakfast :), I add wild blueberries too!

Lilly Black Barbara, me too.....deliciousness!

Civita Fahey Me too Barbara.. can't life without my blueberries on my oatmeal!
This is great news, I Love walnuts!

Rose Madura I eat oatmeal nearly every day with walnuts and any kind of fruit - mainly what is in season. Right now I'm into fresh apples and cinnamon plus one packet ... Read more

Leslie Bakos Thanks for the shares....Interesting about oatmeal brands...I guess steel cut is the most nutritcious....

Lilly Black that's it then......we all meet for breakfast and indulge in a bowl of old fashioned steel cut oatmeal smothered with cinnamon, fresh blueberries, walnuts and ... Read more

Marie Myers 2 coworkers of mine have had the same surgery, and they both did well. Both are back working full time. It can be a little tricky to regulate the replacement ... Read more

Bonnie Stone-Hope Hi Leslie, just had lunch with a friend who had thyroid surgery for cancer 10 years ago and he advised he has had no problems. Doing very well!
Also know ... Read more

Leslie Bakos Thanks guys...I really don't need this right now....I have so many other problems.
I really need to get my hernia fixed as well..I hope my heart holds up ... Read more

Bonnie Stone-Hope So sorry that you are having these health issues.
It must be a very stressful time, please know I am sending prayers for you.

Leslie Bakos Thanks Bonnie very nice of you...Life is so fragile....

Bonnie Stone-Hope You are NOT alone :)

Bonnie Stone-Hope Hi Leslie, Have not done any research as yet, but really, really hoping that it is good for us (even if only to release those all-important endorphins!)

Michael Meyer Flavanols are good for your heart health. Dark chocolate https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/healthy-chocolate/faq-20058044

Is chocolate good for your heart?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/healthy-chocolate/faq-20058044

Healthy chocolate? Yes! In moderation, chocolate — especially dark chocolate — may help prevent heart disease.

Marie Myers 1-2 squares per day of the 70% or higher cacao is best...

Sounds like a nice treat every now and again

Leslie Bakos Thanks for the thoughts)))

Gerald Poulton The dark variety is good for the heart and f you need to gain a git of weight it can help in the area as well. You can also buy real coco and make hot chocolate.

Good!! So glad to hear this!!! I really think it's your best option. I am 4 hour drive from the Cleveland clinic, but I have never been there

My cardiothoracic surgeon is at Cleveland Clinic facility

Jennifer McInerney Sounds like a good move. Hope you have a good journey. Keep us updated.

Leslie Bakos Thanks you two. Ummm Cleveland Clinic has not been my favorite place,,in the 80s it was reshaping... I was a 17 year old lad....getting chemo, surgeries, etc.... ... Read more

Bonnie Stone-Hope Good decision to come back to where
you feel comfortable. Best wishes.

Another TEE? Ugh, they are so enjoyable. Being able to put off surgery a bit would be best, so you can get things in order. Are you still planning hernia ... Read more

Rose Madura This sounds like a good choice for you. You have a lot going on so hopefully they will be able to sort it out. Please keep us posted.

Adam Pick Hi Leslie, When you say a "degenerative mitral valve"... Do you mean that you have mitral regurgitation AND mitral stenosis? Or, just mitral stenosis? Here's some info on those two diseases.

Adam Pick https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/mitral-valve-regurgitation-symptoms-leaking.php

Adam Pick https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/mitral-stenosis-symptoms-narrow.php

Mitral Regurgitation - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Surgery

https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/mitral-valve-regurgitation-symptoms-leaking.php

Complete explanation of mitral regurgitation - symptoms, causes, treatment, surgery - for patients and caregivers

Leslie Bakos I have both, Stenosis in mild regurgitation is moderate - severe. I also have moderate triscuspid and a slightly leaking aorta. Actually 30 years ago I ... Read more

I haven't done much research on the mitral. It's my only good valve. Wish I knew more.

Rita Savelis When they go into replace the mitral, they can look at the tricuspid and decide on repair at the same time. This is what happened to me, and it seems to be ... Read more

Leslie Bakos I want a mitral repair....Well...Since I am on a beta blocker I can not function...How on the hell can someone go through surgery when then have extreme back ... Read more

Leslie Bakos I know the first couple days will be really really hard but after the tubes are gone does it get better?

Marie Myers Yes it does! I was weak and tired with achy shoulders and upper back for a week. Every day gets a little better. Just be patient with yourself...

Leslie Bakos Thanks Marie....I have just gone downhill so fast...and I can do stairs, Walk well...not problem...the problem is weight loss....chest sensitivity, stomach ... Read more

Steve Farthing Have you looked for a cardiac surgeon who does mitral valve repairs in Hungary?

Gerald Poulton Hi Leslie, you really need to deal with your doctors, you have so many questions and physical issues beyound your heart issue and a regular persons knowledge. ... Read more

Leslie Bakos You guys are great....I will try to take one day at a time and all you are in my thoughts everyday...I really admire everyone here.

Rose Madura I don't know the healthcare situation in Budapest but I would think that you need to talk to your doctors about all of your issues and work with them to create ... Read more

Leslie Bakos I am having a bit of a crisis right now. I have a huge hernia...it could be over 12 cm. How much does the core take a beating after openheart. I also have ... Read more

Tabo Nyambe Hello Leslie, don't panic. l had to go for surgery to remove 2 impacted molars and 2 premolars.1 year three months after aortic valve replacement. my inr became ... Read more

Steve Farthing Can you get the hernia repaired first? I also had a severely enlarged left atrium. It returned to normal size on echo 8 weeks after mitral repair which is a common outcome.

Leslie Bakos Tabo....I am not sure I can handle meds well...i am hunched over and can not concentrate or sleep...I sleep like 3 hours a night. I am on nutrician drinks ... Read more

Leslie Bakos Steve...thanks for your post. I am not sure what to do....I am not even sure if all that mass is a hernia. part of it is for sure at the navel...the rest of ... Read more

Oh wow, I think that's bigger than a golf ball. You need to get that fixed. It will keep getting bigger and be harder to repair. Also, there's risk of incarceration or strangulation.

Jennifer McInerney I can only tell you that recently I came off my blood pressure meds. That I have been on for 30 years. I haven't had my AVR yet but I am in severe category. ... Read more

Steve Farthing Yes, mitral valve regurgitation can cause pulmonary hypertension and mitral repair can reduce or cure pulmonary hypertension if it is caused by MV regurgitation.

Leslie Bakos Thanks Steve and Jennifer. I was diagnosed with COPD on August 3. Found out I had an slightly enlarged heart a week later. Within a week I was in Afib. ... Read more

Russell Knox Leslie I had severe AS, but I had never had high BP. I am diabetic and my GP put me on BP medication to help my kidneys. After the AVR the cardiologist took ... Read more

Leslie Bakos Hi Russ Well.. Blood pressure meds are terrible. I think your upper number is a bit low. I hope you are feeling well. I am losing so much weight as I have ... Read more

Bill Walsh Sounds like a lot of complication. Hungary medicine is probably very good. My cardiologist here is from Romania and is very good. I am sure you'll
Be fine..no ... Read more

Phyllis Petersen Heart valve surgery is scary enough without the additional complications. It doesn't sound like you have a choice but to take care of things with your heart ... Read more

Leslie Bakos Thanks a lot for the support. I am only 49 and slim and in reasonable physical condition. I guess I got to hope for a repair. I am wondering will they do the tricuspid as well.

Rita Savelis Hello Leslie. I also had heart valve damage due to childhood radiation, and had double valve replacement (mitral and aortic) 2 years ago and my tricuspid was ... Read more

Phyllis Petersen They can repair the tricuspid at the same time as the mitral valve. There are studies being conducted to see whether repairing the tricuspid when it isn't usually ... Read more

Rita Savelis My surgeon(s) went ahead and repaired the tricuspid when they saw it, while replacing the other two valves, as that is what is being done these days. So I got ... Read more

Phyllis Petersen Hahaha Rita! That's not a club I'd want to join. I hope you're doing well now.

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