Margaret 's Journal

Marie Myers  If everything look/sounds good, I can see lengthening the intervals between echos.  I would imagine they have studies backing up that advice, too. I know I have gone over a year from my last echo. 

Valerie Allen  Both my local cardiologist and my surgeon at CC said one year. They may lengthen as time goes on I’m not sure.

Rita Savelis  Some stay on betablockers (metoprolol) a long time, others don't. Some do well on them, others don't. Almost everyone has them at the beginning to give their hearts a rest. Make sure to ask your cardiologist in October if you will be on metropolol a long time (and why) or if you can stop after 6 months (and go back to your blood pressure med). Some patients change (lower) their dose. Everyone's situation is different but sometimes doctors just give you the standards. If you don't ask, doctors have a tendancy to just leave you on a med or give you a a standard dose. Medical professionals don't tell you much about after surgery and most people just want to make it through. But surgery lasts a few hours and then there's the rest of your life so it's normal to have questions and wonder if everything is normal. Write down your questions before you see your cardiologist because those appointments go so quickly and it's easy to forget. It's easier to prolongue your appt if you have your paper and say: Wait! I want to ask these questions. 

Valerie Allen  I was on metoprolol 100 mg prior to surgery and now am on the same at 25 mg. Mine is for blood pressure in addition to helping to keep sinus rhythm. I think only your cardiologist can say whether it is better for you than the other bp medicine. Each circumstance is different. I expect to be on it forever and it doesn’t bother me. I, like you, question whether I feel any better post surgery. I was pretty much asymptomatic so I don’t notice much of a change. At 4 months I think I am still gaining benefit, though incrementally. Glad you are doing well!

Darrell Malone  Glad you are cruising right along. I can't really comment on medication however I was asymptomatic but once I started cardiac rehab I felt every week I was stronger. I think our bodies can trick us in compensating when there is an issue such as a valve. I enjoyed cardiac rehab and was so grateful to have it to get me on track. Good luck. Can't wait to see what and how you feel with cardiac rehab   

Marie Myers  I have been on beta blockers since my surgery 7 years ago. I started on metoprolol 12.5 mg twice a day, and now am on bisoprolol 5 mg once a day. My cardiologist plans to keep me on it indefinitely, but every case is different. 

Adam Pick  Hi Margaret, Great to hear your recovery is going well.  After my procedure, I did not need to be on Metoprolol. That said, It's great to see you are getting good feedback here. To help educate those in our community, here is a link to a post that might be helpful - https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog/2014/05/27/metoprolol/.

Tamara Gebhardt  I was on Metoprolol following my aortic valve replacement in June of 2023.  I started on 25mg and reduced it to 12.5mg with my doctors approval earlier this year.  In August of 2024 I went for my yearly follow up with Dr. Byrd at Michigan Medicine and we agreed to stop the Metoprolol.  I was against taking it at first but agreed it was necessary.  After a year I am happy to be off of it.  My heart rate has stayed within my goal range or very close since I stopped taking it.  I still take blood pressure medicine but only a quarter of what I took before the surgery.  I also still take a low dose aspirin daily.  I did pretty well on the low dose Metoprolol but felt like my hands and feet were really cold and I always seemed to feel cold.  On the higher dose I started to feel like my legs were heavy and slow when I walked.  Once I cut the dose in half my legs felt better and my hands were not as cold.  Following the surgery it took months to regain my energy but since about the six month post surgery mark I have had a lot of energy and felt really good. I know everyone is different but my new cardiologist is very good and works with me to find what works for me.  

El McRae  Hi Margaret.  We sound similar. I had AVR July 9th and was asymptomatic as well. Surgeon did send me home on Metoprolol.  When I saw my regular cardiologist for checkup she indicated that since I had no problem prior to surgery or in hospital at 12 weeks she will start stepping down my dosage and then take me off. I have never had high blood pressure.  She will also take me off Warfarin which I hate. I’m guessing your cardiologist will have a plan. I asked about a dozen questions but again to cardiologist as surgeon was fantastic …..sent me home with drip protocol and a lot of vitamins too but no plan other than when to stop certain drugs with Metoprolol going 12 weeks. I started rehab last week and it is really helping me. I’m so happy to be in a gym, and having heart monitor and blood pressure monitored makes me feel confident I’m doing well and will be ready for my gym and other activities soon. As for do I feel different with new valve…..not yet.  Surgeon said that I probably would start to feel better after the 12 weeks and once I rebuild my fitness level back to where I do my pre-surgery routine of walking hills, swimming and yoga. He said it may take a few months. With that said, I felt fine pretty much right after surgery and given that BAV valve was in severe category, It needed replacement regardless of lack of symptoms. You rock at 3 miles, I’m doing about 2 on non rehab days. Best of luck, Beth

Brady Busch  I've been taking metoprolol,since surgery in November,2021.The dosage has been changed,at least once and is now at 50mg a day.About a year ago,lisinopril,another blood pressure med,was added,because it was noticed during a checkup,that my bp was unusually high.
I heard one doctor saying that metoprolol is fairly benign.I think it does though,make me feel tired at times.

Lynne Anderson  I was not on blood pressure meds prior to surgery. Post surgery drs. gave me 12.5 mgs. Metoprolol daily until my follow up appointments at 6 weeks (surgeon and regular cardiologist). Neither said I needed to take it anymore. I never noticed any problems when I was taking it. My blood pressure seems like it has improved since surgery. 

Joshua Nowack  I was not a fan of metoprolol at all.  While I'm hardly a doc, I found that exercising or participating in sports was really challenging depending on how far it was since I took it.  Trying to get my heart rate up was impossible if I was within a few hours of taking it which meant a nice scheduling tap dance between when I was working out or playing soccer and taking meds.  Doc switched me to telmisartan and no issues since. BP meds were originally for keeping some of the workload off the heart post-op (mitral repair) - but still on it to manage slightly high BP. 

Michael Kluse  Like you I was asymptomatic before my aortic valve replacement. I feel about the same as before surgery since I never felt bad. I am 15 months post surgery and am still on Metoprolol since right after surgery. I too was taken off my blood pressure meds. I’ve had no problem with Metoprolol. Blood pressure is about as before surgery on blood pressure meds. I’m glad to be where I am. No complaints. 

Jeffrey Ray  Talk to your cardiologist about your concerns with metoprolol. I didn't care for the side effects and was able to get back on my regular blood pressure regimen of Cardizem and Valsartan 

Jennifer Barnett  Hi Margaret. I was on Metoprolol 23.75mg once daily after my mitral valve replacement surgery in 2017. I remained on it along with aspirin and warfarin for 1.5 years. Now I'm just on warfarin, I found the Metoprolol helpful for settling my heart down initially and preventing further AF episodes. However it seemed to cause nightmares and eventually after just over a year it caused new heart arrhythmia's particularly a racing heart at night which didn't last too long (a few minutes) but would wake me up and worry me. These continued to get worse and once I was off the metoprolol stopped completely and my heart settled down again.
Good luck with your recovery there's always a few issues to iron out at the beginning but once they are sorted you will improve in leaps and bounds.

Ana Brusso  I have been on Metropolol 25mg. Daily since my second open heart surgery because of my aorta aneurysm repair. Never had any side effects and I’m still taking it. Continued good recovery Margaret.