Penelope's Journal

I'm 7 weeks post OHS and have been diagnosed with Incomplete Left Bundle Branch Block. It showed up on my latest EKG. I didn't have this condition prior to surgery. Anyone else experience this and what did they do for it? This came as a real shock because I feel amazing!

First of all ... thank you everyone for the prayers and well wishes. I am on the other side doing well. Recovering from the surgery itself is going well EXCEPT for the migraines! Did anyone else experience this and what did you do about them? Extra strength Tylenol isn't cutting it and Tramadol prescribed by the surgeon isn't helping either. Thank you!

Winding down... One week from today is my heart catheterization and will be admitted to Duke University Hospital immediately after with surgery the following day. Reading through the posts here, I've learned so much on what things I might expect and what essentials to take with me. I also know I will take with me all the support, love and prayers from Adam and his "Friends". BTW, it gets a lot more real when you see your name on the "Upcoming Surgeries" !

A question for all my friends... my surgery is coming up and I've chosen a tissue valve. The NP said after surgery I should NOT take calcium supplements as it calcifies the new valve over time and it will not last as long. Has anyone else heard this and did you find a good multivitamin with no calcium. Thanks!

Been cruising along over the past 5 years feeling well and going to my yearly appointments with the outcomes being, "Looks good, see you next year." In April I started feeling heart palpitations more often and started to notice my blood pressure higher than the Dr. wanted it. In late May a high blood pressure spike sent me to the ER. An echocardiogram ordered for a few day later revealed that my aortic stenosis had gone from mild to severe in a year and my aortic valve was now regurgitating. The written report was faxed immediately to my surgeon at Duke with the image on a disk sent as well. I have tests and appointments at Duke on 6/28 & 6/29. I'm not sure if they will want me to come sooner (600 mile trip, lived part of the year near Durham and moved 2 years ago. I want to stay with my surgeon, Dr. Hughes). Needless to say I'm very nervous. Has anyone else experienced going from mild to severe in a year? Many heart palpitations? High blood pressure ? Thanks!

It's been a while since I've posted. I didn't post because not much has changed. Then I realized that is a WONDERFUL thing to post! I was diagnosed in late 2013 with a bicuspid aortic valve and an ascending aortic aneurysm and since then pretty much nothing has changed. My stenosis is still moderate and the aneurysm has grown ever so slightly (4.7cm). I'm on blood pressure medication to keep my bp low to take the stress off the aneurysm. I think that works for me. So, basically what I want to stress is getting a BAV diagnosis isn't the end of the world. I've been living life with medication and not much else has changed. My Dr. said I can go on for years and not have to have anything done. Here's hoping and praying. Good luck to all. Love this website. I've learned so much. Thanks everyone !

Yesterday I went to Duke University Hospital for tests: Blood work, MRI/MRA and an echocardiogram. Today I went back to see my cardiologist, Dr. Harrison and the surgeon Dr. Hughes (he specializes in aortas). Well, I can't imagine it getting much better than it did today. When I saw Dr. Harrison for the FIRST time in March, I'm sure he had to prepare me for the worst. Having only known about this problem for less than a year, I only had my baseline tests to be diagnosed on. Well after this round of tests, my aneurysm has NOT grown, my stenosis he reclassified in the late stages of moderate instead of serious AND he said even with my problems my heart is functioning PERFECT! He wants to see me in a YEAR to repeat the tests! A year !! He said I will need to get the valve replaced and the aorta repaired within the next few years, but hey ... better then than now!

Hello everyone! I wish I had found this website 7 months ago, it could have relieved a lot of heart ache (pun intended!). Late last summer (2013) on a routine physical, my doctor heard a heart murmur. Having never heard one before, she ordered an echocardiogram. That showed I was in severe aortic stenosis and she referred me to a cardiologist. More tests showed that I had a bicuspid aortic valve with the posterior leaf calcified in place. It also showed I had an ascending aortic aneurysm measuring almost 5 cm. To look at me you would never know I had this problem. I'm in my early 60's and pretty physically fit. I'm retired now and before this diagnosis, I was going to the gym 3 days a week. I have low cholesterol and my blood pressure is on the low side, too. I still am able to walk my dog and golf. All in all, I feel pretty good. So needless to say, that diagnosis floored me! My local cardiologist said I would need surgery within a year. Wanting to get a second opinion I started doing some research on hospitals, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. I decided to head to Duke University Hospital in Durham, NC. In March 2014, I met with Dr. J. Kevin Harrison at Duke. He probably spent almost an hour with me explaining in great detail what I mentioned above (something my local doctor apparently felt I didn't need to know because he never mentioned my sizable aneurysm). He gave me appointments for 3 months out for an MRI, MRA, echocardiogram and blood work with an appointment with him and the surgeon, Dr. Chad Hughes for the following day. The 3 months out is this Thursday and Friday (6/19 and 6/20). I've also been researching mechanical and tissue valves. If anyone wants to share their opinions both pro and con, I would appreciate it. I will journal after my tests. Thanks so much !