Mike's Journal

Marie Myers  I have not been through this particular complication, but I Totally get that you don’t want another procedure so soon after heart surgery. Thankfully, the cardioversion is not anywhere near the magnitude of what you have already been through, and the ablation may totally stop your arrhythmias. Have the docs tried anti-arrhythmic medications?  Hope you get some closure on the afib/flutter. Perhaps someone who has been down this road can comment.

Klara Čičić  Oh dear Mike, I sympathise with you on this. I can not imagine having Afib all the time, longest I had it was 48 hours and it felt awful. I hope MAZE procedure I am having  soon will prevent them for good. 11 weeks is still quite early, maybe your Afib will subside with some more time. But if not, as Marie said, cardioversion and/or ablation are really small procedures after what you've been through....and maybe some new medication will put things under control. Try to be positive, rest, get some good sleep, maybe also avoid coffee, alcohol, heavy lifting, sleep deprivation, those are some common triggers.... I am truly hoping ablation/ cardioversion will be helpful! Hang in there! 

Mike Drew  Thanks, been on eliquis, metropolol and amiodarone.  Amiodarone since before surgery, cardiologist dropped it today.  I think I am mostly in Aflutter

Rose Madura  I had Afib and Aflutter for about six weeks after surgery. Thankfully, it stopped after that. During that time, I was on high doses of Metropol and Amiodarone. When it hit I was very symptomatic and was hospitalized each time. I believe the next step was going to be too try an ablation. I'm sure it will be much easier to undergo than open heart surgery.  God bless you.  I feel for you and I'm sorry you have to go through this.  Please keep us posted. 

Susan Lynn  Mike - Glad it's behind you! AND - you're exactly right, every day will get better. Take your time, don't overdo it and you'll be better than ever in no time at all! Be well!

Michael Klusyk  Hi Mike. Congratulations on surgery and making it home. Every day WILL get better and a little easier too. What valve did your surgeon implant?

  Welcome to recovery Mike. 6’8”……..and I thought our Richard was tall. One day at a time you will get better. Continued good health and recovery and God bless you 

Rose Madura  Mike, everyday will get better.  Glad all is well. My youngest brother (I can no longer call him my little brother) is 6'8" too!  Wishing you a great recovery.  Thanks for sharing. 

Tom Everson  Hi. A lot of us  now have the Inspiris Resilia valve , you will be receiving a wallet card from Edwards saying you have this valve in case of any future emergencies 

Patsy Stewart  So thankful you’re improving. It truly is amazing what can be done to give us a longer life….a second chance. Sending prayers that you keep improving each and every day! 

Marie Myers  Totally understand the fear! I was scared myself, but knew I had to do it to survive. Praying for peace in your mind and heart!

Susan Lynn  Mike - Try to relax. It'll be over in what seems like a moment. We'll be here waiting to welcome you to recovery.

Sandy Harvey  Mike, I just read your update ... by now you are done with surgery and I pray your surgery went well. Unfortunately medical professionals are charged with the responsibility of giving us the worse possible scenario. I was advised repeatedly that doing nothing would mean a maximum of three months so I understand your fear and it is natural. There has been tremendous progress made in this area of medicine and that should be stressed to patients to lessen what they face but it is not for the fear of litigation. That's sad indeed. Praying for a quick recovery.

  Mike, Like Sandy I just read your post and am prayerful your surgery went well. Let us know how it went. 

Linda Hanson  You will do just great. Remember to protect your arms and chest even if minimal invasive.   You don't want strained muscles.  Walk, walk, walk,  gentle upper arms.  God will follow you

Richard Munson  You can do a physicians search on line and it will tell pretty much everything about him. The main thing is how many of what you have he has done. 

Mike Drew  Is there a specific search engine, I have looked.  His name is Dimitrios Tsirigotis, I asked how many he had done but he didn't know.  I am having an article valve replacement, surgical.

Timothy Andre  Choosing a surgeon is a very important decision. Getting a second and possibly a third opinion is always recommended. Ultimately you are the one who has to live with the choices you make regarding what procedure and surgeon you choose. Your comfort level regarding those choices a very important. Make sure that you are the one making those decisions and not being persuaded by anyone. For me personally, I was very happy that my surgeon knew exactly how many of my procedure he has performed. He actually keeps a list. That was comforting for me. Not all surgeons will do that, but for me it was those little things that helped me when making my decision. Good luck to you on your research and keep asking questions. Your doing great and will be lead to the right choices for yourself.

Marie Myers  Do you have any connections to the hospital where he operates? If you know any nurses (especially SICU/CCU nurses) or doctors at that hospital, I would ask them how his patients do. The stats on how many procedures he has done of your type should be available knowledge. 

Mike Drew  Thanks for your replies and sorry more questions:)     how do I get a second opinion?  Go back to my cardiologist?  Just pick a surgeon and get an appointment,  can he get all data already acquired?  I have surgery scheduled already.

Marie Myers  Unless your surgery is an emergency, you should be able to get another consult and opinion, and only schedule your surgery when you are sure you are ready. You must have faith in both the hospital and the surgeon. You can pick another surgeon yourself, make an appointment, and they can get all the lab data that has been done already sent to another doctor. 

Rose Madura  I knew three nurses who worked at the hospital with my surgeon at different points in his career.  They all had wonderful things to say about him and were glad I chose him. That sealed it for me.  Reviews on line were helpful when I googled his name.  I simply called another cardiologist  (who I switched to) for a second opinion.  I am fortunate that my brother is a medical doctor and his best friend is a thoracic surgeon so I sent my echo results to both of them and got a 3rd and 4th consult to confirm everything.  They all helped me decide on tissue valve at age 59. Do research and be comfortable and confident with your decisions.   It's very important. 

Richard Munson  Not sure if i misread your statement that he didn’t know how many he had done. My surgeon knew exactly how many mitral valves he had done and it was thousands. He could almost cite them by name. My car mechanic told me exactly how many oldsmobile 350 engines he rebuilt. I agree, you need another opinion from someone that has a history of your specific application. It may not be right down the street, but you only have one heart and you want this to be right. You get a second opinion by doing some research on line then calling the choices you select on the phone. Major hospitals, in my case mass general in boston , have a bio on all their doctors. Its possible that finding the right hospital is the way to start, then surgeon second but i am no expert. Good luck. 

Deena Z  The hospitals track each surgeon by volume per procedure and their outcomes.  For one, it is often linked to surgeon compensation.  

Mike Drew  He said he didn't have the exact number and never provided.  I have a call in to my cardiologist and will see what he says about why he recommended this surgeon.

Thanks everyone

Richard Munson  My cardiologist at mgh was a mitral valve guru. He recommended my surgeon also a mitral valve specialist. If i had a different valve issue, i would have chosen a different cardiologist and surgeon from the myriad of specialties at mgh. That is why i feel hospital first, cardiologist second, surgeon third. They all go together. If mgh did not have a mitral valve team, i would have chosen a different hospital but luckily boston and mgh in particular have a top in the nation heart rating. Yes, there is a list of the top heart hospitals on the web. At the time mgh was around 5. Cleveland clinic being number one. Joes sunoco being 100. Lol. 

Mike Drew  I contacted Edward's that makes valves.  They pointed me back to my surgeons office.  He overheard my questions and called me back within 5 minutes.  Very smart , nice guy but he doesn't have 1000s he has done before.  He has been in my area less than a year.  I'll keep digging

Susan Lynn  Great advice from our experienced heart warriors. My own personal advice is to question everything and beware of any surgeons who seem to be pushing you into their preferred approaches. Did you discuss TAVR with anyone yet? Did you talk about bio vs. mechanical valves and the plusses and minuses of each? You may also want to check if your insurance will cover some of these highly-rated heart hospitals. Convenience should not trump excellence. If you need to travel, do it. It's a small price to pay for a life-long result. Best of luck.

Richard Munson  Mike, you are making a lot of sense by keep digging. It may be your hospital of choice is not in virginia. 

  Mike, another heart warrior here agreeing with all the posts here. I got three opinions and travel to Los Ángeles for my surgery. My original surgeon was very evasive with my questions and even got mad with me asking them. So I found this site and listened to these Angels here and found one of the best surgeons and got it done. I’m doing well and grateful I changed surgeons. Check our drop down menu and see if that helps you. Hope you find the right surgeon for you. God bless you 

Adam Pick  Mike, Some really great points here from all the great people in our community.

It's no secret... You want to be 10,000% confident in your surgeon when you are being rolled into the operating room.

As I share with many patients, "This is no hair cut. You only have one heart."

That said, keep doing your research. Sounds like you are already doing a great job. Keep at it!!!

Some of the key questions that I would ask might be:

1. How many procedures have you done for MY specific type of heart valve disease?

2. What are your specific outcomes for MY type of heart valve disease?

3. Do you have a patient or two that I can call to discuss their experiences with you and your hospital?

4. What are your expectations for MY recovery from the type of procedure you are recommending for me?

5. There are many different access points to the heart. What is your preferred approach (sternotomy, minimally-invasive, catheter)? Why?

6. Do you expect me to be on opioids after surgery or during the early recovery? If so, do you use any therapies - including cryoanalgesia (nerve blocks) or rigid sternal fixation - to minimize post-op discomfort/pain so that I can stay off opioids (if possible)?

Those are just a few quick thoughts for you! Hope that helps!!!

Rose Madura  Maybe buying Adam's book will help.  It helped me and I recently read it again thanking God for it and for bringing me through....

Carol Jackson  Joel Kaplan- both of  those maps show nothing in the Midwest. That’s strange since Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN is usually #1 or #2 when it comes to heart surgery! I’ve had both of my surgeries there. They are the best!!!!

Cici Lekar  I looked at my insurance list too after I had my short list from surgical nurses, online Dr information, an out of town cardio Dr in lab research and local reviews. 
I also research hospital ratings and nurse staffs. 
I made an appt to interview my surgeon.  I was specific that no other doctor would be cutting on me in the OR. 

I had no doubts going into surgery. 

Again, double check your insurance for coverage. 

GARY STANKO  I would ask if valve repair is possible.  Like Carol I went with Mayo, I'm in Kansas.  My cardiologist recommended a surgeon.  Mayo's web site had a lot of information on their doctors.