It's been 8 years since I had my mitral valve repaired by Dr. Gillinov at the Cleveland Clinic. My cardiologist tells me my heart is boring now. That's the ...Read more
It's been 8 years since I had my mitral valve repaired by Dr. Gillinov at the Cleveland Clinic. My cardiologist tells me my heart is boring now. That's the kind of boring I like being.
For the last few weeks, my notifications do not update. Is anyone else having this problem?
Rose Madura Yes. I am and also posted about this. Hopefully it will get fixed soon.
Catie B Yep! Same here. I still have an item highlighted from a guestbook post you left me eons ago--and whi ... Read more
Catie B Yep! Same here. I still have an item highlighted from a guestbook post you left me eons ago--and while I'm here, I thank you for it again. :)
Phyllis Petersen Any further news on your issues Catie? I missed your posting in November. I hope these issues get res ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Any further news on your issues Catie? I missed your posting in November. I hope these issues get resolved soon.
Catie B Oops, Phyllis, sorry! I didn't see you posted here. Hope things are great in your world! It appears t ... Read more
Catie B Oops, Phyllis, sorry! I didn't see you posted here. Hope things are great in your world! It appears the notifications function is still broken on the board.
Thank you for asking about me. I'm getting another echo this week from a different cardiologist and will follow up with her later this month. It's a complicated journey to find a way forward--she thinks I need to find a place offering a multi-disciplinary approach.
The last few months have been really crazy. I decided apartment living wasn't for me and I wanted to be back in my own house. I never, ever want to move again! ...Read more
The last few months have been really crazy. I decided apartment living wasn't for me and I wanted to be back in my own house. I never, ever want to move again! Selling one place, renting back for a couple of months from a real pain in the you-know-what, buying another place and packing and moving. Oy vey! I was almost finished with the purchase of the house and packing like a fiend when my replaced knee started locking and became very painful. The urgicare told me not to do too much walking (not really an option with the move), but I could get an ortho visit for weeks. The PA sent me for a nuclear test, then I finally saw the doctor, who told me I needed more exercise and sent me to PT. That took a bit more time to get into, adding a long trip to visit my sister's kids in Texas to the timeline. Then 6 weeks of intense PT, which was fantastic. A couple of days after finishing, my legs were very tired and my ankle was in pain. The puffiness spread to the top of the foot, but I had a vacation coming up. A few days after returning from vacation, I noticed the varicose vein at the back of my calf felt hard and warm. It turned out I have a clot in the vein, so wound up in the ER. They found additional problems with the deep veins. I'm now taking Eliquis and it's a waiting game to see what's next. I've been referred to a hematologist for evaluation, since there is apparently some chronic issues going on. Never a dull moment! I'm off now to square dancing.
Marie Myers Good to keep on moving! Enjoy square dancing and keep that blood circulating...
Hope your clotting is ... Read more
Marie Myers Good to keep on moving! Enjoy square dancing and keep that blood circulating...
Hope your clotting issues get cleared up soon.
Shannon Gray Oh, Phyllis... one more hurdle Inam sorry you have to go through. Hopefully all will be resolved soon ... Read more
Shannon Gray Oh, Phyllis... one more hurdle Inam sorry you have to go through. Hopefully all will be resolved soon. Keep moving and taking gentle care of yourself.
Phyllis Petersen Yes, movement is the key. It was shocking at first, but resignation sets in and we just keep moving f ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Yes, movement is the key. It was shocking at first, but resignation sets in and we just keep moving forward.
Catie B Hi Phyllis, I'm late to the party, but it's good to "see" you again. That's a lot of obstacles in th ... Read more
Catie B Hi Phyllis, I'm late to the party, but it's good to "see" you again. That's a lot of obstacles in the past few months! I'm so glad you have your own home again and hope it's a wonderful space. I'm sorry to hear about the knee issues and the clot. I hope things calm down for you soon and that the venous issues won't be hard to resolve. Gratefully, I haven't had a clot, but was dx'ed with chronic venous insufficiency, for which I wear compression knee highs. All the best to you!!
Phyllis Petersen Hi Catie, I've been wearing compression knee highs for decades because of the varicose veins. I wasn' ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Hi Catie, I've been wearing compression knee highs for decades because of the varicose veins. I wasn't wearing them all the time, though, because Tucson heat. Now, I'm wearing them religiously. I hope you can keep the blood flow moving with the compression socks, and keep an eye out for symptoms of a clot, since you're at risk. It was a bit of a shock to me. Stay well, my friend!
Catie B And.... I only just saw your post to me here also (1/12/20). Sorry you've needed compression also! Y ... Read more
Catie B And.... I only just saw your post to me here also (1/12/20). Sorry you've needed compression also! Yes, dealing with the garments in in hot weather is daunting here also. Like wearing sweaters on your legs! I've had four big-toe procedures in the last 18 mos., after which I had to leave off the compression for weeks. Gratefully, I have few symptoms in my legs and will return to compliance again soon. :) Hope 2020 is starting extra well for you!!
So much has happened in this last year. The big one: I sold my apartment and bought a house. I'll be celebrating my 3rd anniversary next week on the beach in ...Read more
So much has happened in this last year. The big one: I sold my apartment and bought a house. I'll be celebrating my 3rd anniversary next week on the beach in Cabo San Lucas. To those of you on your journey to surgery and those in recovery: you can do this and continue with your favorite things in life afterward. It's tough, but it'll get better.
Ellen Leng Congrats Phyllis! and have a great time in Cabo :)
Amy Steele Happy 3rd anniversary! Hope you have a fun time in Cabo!
Frank Giovanniello Wow, From NY to AZ, now Cabo ! You are living the life right. Stay healthy.
I had my annual echo and visit with cardiologist. Everything looking good. Am I the only one who thought I could stop having all these echos and cardio visits ...Read more
I had my annual echo and visit with cardiologist. Everything looking good. Am I the only one who thought I could stop having all these echos and cardio visits after everything was repaired? My cost for the echo this year more than doubled and the cardiologist said I should have one every year. Aaaaaagh!
Barbara Laurie Hi Miss Phyllis! Uh, yeah, you were not the only one. Donāt get me wrong..I KNEW Iād be doing th ... Read more
Barbara Laurie Hi Miss Phyllis! Uh, yeah, you were not the only one. Donāt get me wrong..I KNEW Iād be doing them forever, but you had good reason! Yes, my last Echo was sooooo expensive! And Iāll be doing three more this year, and thatās WITH insurance. Yes, insurance has decided diagnostics like these arenāt so important I guess! BTW HUGS!! so glad you are doing well and complaining about costs! Thatās a good sign youāre not worried about your health!šššššøHope your weekend is wonderful! š
Kelly Stoll Hi Phyllis. The cost is expensive. If you are able, budget ahead. I've been getting them since birth, ... Read more
Kelly Stoll Hi Phyllis. The cost is expensive. If you are able, budget ahead. I've been getting them since birth, so we always invest in the best insurance coverage we can afford but it is still a hit.
Hang in there and best wishes.
Catie B So glad everything looks good, Phyllis! But argh! to the expense. Hugs to you. :)
Phyllis Petersen Hi Barbara, Kelly and Catie! Having followed your travails Barbara, and all the issues that my heart ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Hi Barbara, Kelly and Catie! Having followed your travails Barbara, and all the issues that my heart sisters and brothers have been through, I'm very thankful that I've had few issues. I have pretty good insurance through my old firm, but all of my costs went up this year. They decided to do a tiered system, so not only did premiums go up but also deductible, co-insurance, and maximum outlays. It makes it a little harder to predict costs. Kelly, I've only had to have echos since 2002, and that was every other year. That's a heavy burden to face when you problems start at birth. And I know you've been through quite a bit too Catie. I wish you all well.
Rose Madura I kind of figured I'd need an echo once a year. But I don't see the doctor until November. The last ... Read more
Rose Madura I kind of figured I'd need an echo once a year. But I don't see the doctor until November. The last echo was August of last year. Maybe you can negotiate every 18 months? But I too have had annual echocardiogram for as long as I can remember and the cost IS high. You may be able to call around to find bettern pricing. Our insurance person at work always recommended that. Glad you are healthy though. That's the great news!
Phyllis Petersen I probably could save at one of the lesser centers, but my cardiologist is a director of cardiac imag ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I probably could save at one of the lesser centers, but my cardiologist is a director of cardiac imaging at a major heart hospital here. I don't know how much I'd save, but I have a great rapport with Dr. J, so for now I'll have to pay. A big part of the problem is that my old job substantially raised my deductible as well as other costs.
Catie B A great cardiologist is worth a mint. I well understand why you stay where you are! And yes, deducti ... Read more
Catie B A great cardiologist is worth a mint. I well understand why you stay where you are! And yes, deductibles have become crazy high...
I attended a square dance festival here in Tucson this weekend. I don't think I've ever danced so much in my life. Yesterday, I reached 17,000 steps and decided ...Read more
I attended a square dance festival here in Tucson this weekend. I don't think I've ever danced so much in my life. Yesterday, I reached 17,000 steps and decided to skip the last two sessions before my legs gave out. By the time I went to bed, I was at 17,930 steps. Yikes! I'll have to post a pick in full regalia.
I bought a FitBit on Cyber Monday and it's already showed me that I'm not moving as much as I thought I was. Of course, it doesn't track vacuuming, laundry, ...Read more
I bought a FitBit on Cyber Monday and it's already showed me that I'm not moving as much as I thought I was. Of course, it doesn't track vacuuming, laundry, etc., because I'm not taking enough steps at those times. I like that it tracks my heart rate and how well I sleep at night. The more you know ...
Sophia Ridley I found it very useful indeed. I wore it whilst doing a stress-ecg and it did well keeping pace with ... Read more
Sophia Ridley I found it very useful indeed. I wore it whilst doing a stress-ecg and it did well keeping pace with the ārealā tech!
I wish I could still wear mine, I developed a rash and couldnāt wear it however much I cleaned it š Have notice my steps commitment has suffered considerably.
Shannon Gray Sophia... same here! I actually bought a different type of band to hopefully help... but every time I ... Read more
Shannon Gray Sophia... same here! I actually bought a different type of band to hopefully help... but every time Iād put mine on, a rash would develop.
Sophia Ridley Oh no Shannon! Itās so annoying, a great piece of kit, but Iām not suffering a red raw arm to wea ... Read more
Sophia Ridley Oh no Shannon! Itās so annoying, a great piece of kit, but Iām not suffering a red raw arm to wear it. I got mine two years ago, hope the later versions are better. I even tried sellotape on the back and that didnāt work.
Phyllis Petersen I was going to suggest a different band. Sorry to hear that does help either. I'm hoping I can keep ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I was going to suggest a different band. Sorry to hear that does help either. I'm hoping I can keep using mine. It's been very helpful.
Lisa Hunley I am so glad to see this post. My husband got me a FitBit for Christmas and I am hoping it will help ... Read more
Lisa Hunley I am so glad to see this post. My husband got me a FitBit for Christmas and I am hoping it will help with my recovery progress. I am scheduled for December 27 for Mitral valve replacement.
This time last year I was in CICU recovering from my mitral valve repair. I don't remember much from that first day. I was fading in and out for much of the ...Read more
This time last year I was in CICU recovering from my mitral valve repair. I don't remember much from that first day. I was fading in and out for much of the day. I remember trying to blow a kiss to my uncle and cousin when they were leaving. They couldn't figure out what I was trying to do. It's been a roller coaster ride at times, but today I'm doing fantastic. Wishing everyone great success on their path to wellness! Thank you all for you support. It's what made this journey not just bearable, but filled with blessings.
Lise Bowles Hi Phyllis,
Congrats! !!!! Can you believe itās been a year? What a milestone! Weāve come a long ... Read more
Lise Bowles Hi Phyllis,
Congrats! !!!! Can you believe itās been a year? What a milestone! Weāve come a long way Baby and hopefully have a very long way to go, good to hear from you,
Lise
Lilly Black Phyllis, congratulations! the one year mark was crucial for me, because I knew then I was out of the ... Read more
Lilly Black Phyllis, congratulations! the one year mark was crucial for me, because I knew then I was out of the woods. It is definitely a roller coaster ride, but I'm so happy for you.....keep up the great work.
Phyllis Petersen Thank you Lilly! I'm glad that you feel you are now out of the woods. It is quite a journey, and for ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Thank you Lilly! I'm glad that you feel you are now out of the woods. It is quite a journey, and for some harder than for others.
Amy Steele Happy belated anniversary, Phyllis... I haven't been on much for the past couple of weeks and was th ... Read more
Amy Steele Happy belated anniversary, Phyllis... I haven't been on much for the past couple of weeks and was thinking about you. Hard to believe it's been a year already!
Amy Steele I'm doing well... Trying to be extra good this time about not doing too much with my upper body too ... Read more
Amy Steele I'm doing well... Trying to be extra good this time about not doing too much with my upper body too soon. I've started doing light housework, a little cooking, and driving a little bit for short trips. Ken makes sure I don't do too much, and I'll be happy when I feel like I can do more driving. It'll be 6 weeks since my repair surgery in a few days... I'm FINALLY off Metoprolol and am not unhappy at all about that. It just took my heart awhile to settle down and decide it was going to cooperate! I hope you are back to your busy self!
Lilly Black Phyllis, you are right about that......each person's journey is quite different but we all want to re ... Read more
Lilly Black Phyllis, you are right about that......each person's journey is quite different but we all want to recover and get on with our lives. Amy, good to hear you are taking it more in stride. Good luck with recovery šāļø
Phyllis Petersen I'm doing very well! Yesterday, I spent over 8 hours at an outdoor rock festival. At the end, I was r ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I'm doing very well! Yesterday, I spent over 8 hours at an outdoor rock festival. At the end, I was really feeling tired, but this morning I was up and out to choir and church with just minimal soreness from all the dancing around and walking all over. On Saturday, I'll leave for 2 weeks on the Pacific coast of Mexico, so I really can't complain.
Sweet of you to ask. I'm doing well. Still trying to resolve an issue with my neck/shoulders that's disturbed my sleep since the surgery. PT early this year made things worse. Radiologists here are refusing to do an MRI because of my retained pacing wires. Faxed Cleveland for help last Friday.
Kathy Blank Congrats Phyllis! So happy you are doing well and thankful for your sound advice as I was making my d ... Read more
Kathy Blank Congrats Phyllis! So happy you are doing well and thankful for your sound advice as I was making my decisions for my own treatment. Keep enjoying your travels and hiking and thanks for helping me and so many others!
Phyllis Petersen Hi Catie, I don't think I saw this before I left on vacation. I hope you were able to find a solution ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Hi Catie, I don't think I saw this before I left on vacation. I hope you were able to find a solution, so that you can get an MRI or other test and find out what's going on.
Phyllis Petersen Hi Kathy, I hope you're progressing well and enjoying life. I heard the snow missed your part of Texa ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Hi Kathy, I hope you're progressing well and enjoying life. I heard the snow missed your part of Texas. I preparing to be in Lubbock for Christmas and it sounds like I need to pull out more winter clothes.
I was too busy yesterday to think of the date. It's nice to have some energy again. With the weather starting to cool, it's time to get back hiking again. Plans ...Read more
I was too busy yesterday to think of the date. It's nice to have some energy again. With the weather starting to cool, it's time to get back hiking again. Plans are in the works! I've been a bit negligent with the gym and need to get that back on a regular schedule too. It'll also be better swimming weather as the temps come down from triple digits. Wishing everyone continued recovery and health!
Ellen Leng Happy 11 months!
What are you doing for your 1 year? Mine's in 2 weeks and I'm thinking about getting ... Read more
Ellen Leng Happy 11 months!
What are you doing for your 1 year? Mine's in 2 weeks and I'm thinking about getting people together for a BBQ and grateful observance.
Hope you get to enjoy your hiking :)
Ellen
Lilly Black Phyllis, congrats on 11 months and good luck with getting back on track! enjoy life and your new foun ... Read more
Lilly Black Phyllis, congrats on 11 months and good luck with getting back on track! enjoy life and your new found energy :o)
Civita Fahey Congrats Phyllis..Im at 5 months and I can't believe how good I feel.. hopefully our weather here coo ... Read more
Civita Fahey Congrats Phyllis..Im at 5 months and I can't believe how good I feel.. hopefully our weather here cools down a bit and I can do some outside activities too.. the heat and I are not friends any longer.lol
Phyllis Petersen Hi Ellen, At the end of October (1 yr. and 2 weeks), I'm heading back down to Mazatlan to hang out ne ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Hi Ellen, At the end of October (1 yr. and 2 weeks), I'm heading back down to Mazatlan to hang out near the ocean for a couple of weeks. I should do something on the date, which is a Friday. Lilly, thanks. I have to or give up so much I've gained. Civita, Glad to hear you're coming along well. The heat here has been setting lots of records this year and I'm still pretty new to the SW. I'm looking forward to the dry, comfortable weather of Autumn.
I've gone to a few new doctors this month. With the knee replacement and all the heart stuff last year, setting up with new doctors here in Tucson was put on ...Read more
I've gone to a few new doctors this month. With the knee replacement and all the heart stuff last year, setting up with new doctors here in Tucson was put on the back burner. It's weird that I no longer have a heart problem. That's all been moved to the previous surgery section.
I can't believe it's been that long. It seems almost like yesterday, but the progress I've made has been great. Today I went to choir warm-up, church, breakfast ...Read more
I can't believe it's been that long. It seems almost like yesterday, but the progress I've made has been great. Today I went to choir warm-up, church, breakfast with a friend, shopping and tonight I went square dancing. I'm tired and my legs are a bit sore, but I'm so happy that I can do so much now. I wish you all successful surgeries and recoveries! You have certainly made my journey easier.
Kathy Blank You are doing SO awesome Phyllis! Always helping the others just starting their journey and inspiring ... Read more
Kathy Blank You are doing SO awesome Phyllis! Always helping the others just starting their journey and inspiring those of us behind you!ā¤ļø
Tina Maroon You really are doing awesome Phyllis. Hope you continue on a path to good health.
Jill Krajnovich Glad to hear that you are doing so well, Phyllis! While I have been appreciative of all of the inform ... Read more
Jill Krajnovich Glad to hear that you are doing so well, Phyllis! While I have been appreciative of all of the information I have learned from this site, it is stories like yours that are the best!
Sounds like you are doing great!! Congratulations!!
I can't believe how much better I'm feeling these days. More like the me I remember from way back. I'm trying to wrap my mind around having more energy. I just ...Read more
I can't believe how much better I'm feeling these days. More like the me I remember from way back. I'm trying to wrap my mind around having more energy. I just spent 3 weeks in LI and NYC seeing family and friends and meeting a new friend from this community, Vanessa Corwin. I did a lot of walking outside plus too much eating (all my old favorites!), so time to get to work on getting my weight back down so I can do even more. Even my blood pressure is cooperating and is normal now.
Steve Farthing Phyllis, My doc told me a couple of weeks ago that the heart can take 2-3 years to remodel and attain ... Read more
Steve Farthing Phyllis, My doc told me a couple of weeks ago that the heart can take 2-3 years to remodel and attain maximum benefit from surgery! So you might continue to gradually feel even better for another year or two!! Likewise with many people here.
That's great. And good information Steve.
Rose Madura Sounds like you are coming along great!
Barbara Wood Great to see you doing so well Phyllis!
Phyllis Petersen Thanks for the info Steve! I'd love to keep improving. I hated all the fatigue for several years befo ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Thanks for the info Steve! I'd love to keep improving. I hated all the fatigue for several years before the surgery. There's just too much to do in this life to be held down, although I know too many people whose health doesn't give them a choice. I am truly grateful. Thank you all for your kind wishes. My HVS family is great!
Kathy Blank Awesome news Phyllis! And you are the biggest cheerleader in this communityā¤ļø
Phyllis Petersen I think there are many cheerleaders in this community, especially you Kathy. This is what makes this ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I think there are many cheerleaders in this community, especially you Kathy. This is what makes this community so great. It helps us through the tough parts and then so many people pay it forward. I really don't think I could have gotten through this with my sanity intact if it wasn't for so many people letting me know that what I was going through was not unusual, what I really needed for the hospital and so many big and little things I learned on here.
Is there any way to get the aortic stenosis survey page to stop popping up? I'm tired of having to close it so many times in each visit to this site.
Jennifer McInerney Weird, I've never seen it. I'm glad I haven't though. Sorry, I can't help. You need one of the techie ... Read more
Jennifer McInerney Weird, I've never seen it. I'm glad I haven't though. Sorry, I can't help. You need one of the techie folks. Definitely not my strength - lol
Bob Fessler What survey page? It hasn't popped up for me. Knock on wood,
Adam Pick Phyllis, This is very strange. What browser are you using? It was designed to only appear one time. T ... Read more
Adam Pick Phyllis, This is very strange. What browser are you using? It was designed to only appear one time. Thanks, Adam
Sue Sanchez Grela Adam, how can I stop receiving email notifications for those I followed? I now go to the community u ... Read more
Sue Sanchez Grela Adam, how can I stop receiving email notifications for those I followed? I now go to the community updates when I can.
I click on the link in the email, and receive the confirmation, but they don't stop.
Thank you!
I have never had any pop ups on this page. Not even the 1 time for aortic stenosis.
Phyllis Petersen Hi Adam, I'm using Chrome. I went to scroll down on this thread and it popped up again.
Phyllis Petersen Every time I scroll down or change pages, I get the pop up, even though I have pop ups blocked in my ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Every time I scroll down or change pages, I get the pop up, even though I have pop ups blocked in my settings. It's a shame, since I find it annoying enough that I really can't spend much time on here anymore. I've looked every where including clicking on the link and trying to find a way to get it to stop, but to no avail. Anyone have any suggestions or do I just have to give up this community until this stops running?
Lynda Ruiz I had it popping up several weeks ago using my phone. It seems to have gone away.
Adam Pick Hi Phyllis, I ran several tests on the system. It seems to be working fine. I have also not received ... Read more
Adam Pick Hi Phyllis, I ran several tests on the system. It seems to be working fine. I have also not received any other complaints from our community members. So, I think this might be an issue with your browser. Do me a favor and clear the cache on your browser. That will reset your browser. If you don't know how to do that, here's a link to help you- https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en.
Lynda Ruiz When it popped up on this site on my phone it went on for several days. Every time I went to a new pa ... Read more
Lynda Ruiz When it popped up on this site on my phone it went on for several days. Every time I went to a new page on this website it popped up again. It was a nuisance, but is gone now.
Phyllis Petersen I've wiped out my browsing history, cookies, etc. as far back as it can go and I'm still having the s ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I've wiped out my browsing history, cookies, etc. as far back as it can go and I'm still having the same problem. At this point, I really don't want to clear usernames and passwords, as I am travelling and would need to have time and information to put all this back into my computer. It did already log me out of all my sites. When I logged back into this site, the same thing is still happening. I'll have to try a different browser and see if that works.
Phyllis Petersen I only had it come up once in Firefox, so I'll have to use that for this site.
Bob Fessler I use firefox and have not had it come up that I can remember.
Lynda Ruiz Today i7/20, it is popping up again when I change "pages"
Phyllis Petersen I had a brief respite from this annoying ad on my computer (it never stopped on my phone), but now it ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I had a brief respite from this annoying ad on my computer (it never stopped on my phone), but now it's covering every page I go to again. I think my limit for closing it is about 10 times, so I really can't follow people the same anymore. I understand needing ads to pay for free sites, but this one is really obnoxious since it covers the side of all except for about 2 lines of text, making it impossible to ignore. Hopefully, it won't run forever!
Bob Fessler I still have not had the popup on my desktop with safari nor my ipad with safari. Maybe you have a b ... Read more
Bob Fessler I still have not had the popup on my desktop with safari nor my ipad with safari. Maybe you have a bug of some sort. I'd scan with several programs to be sure.
Phyllis Petersen I've installed additional programs to check my system. I just wish there was someway to turn it off. ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I've installed additional programs to check my system. I just wish there was someway to turn it off.
Steve Farthing I did have both cath and CT with contrast but my understanding is if you want a non-sternotomy surgic ... Read more
Steve Farthing I did have both cath and CT with contrast but my understanding is if you want a non-sternotomy surgical method, they always request the heart cath.
Marie Myers I had both and had a sternotomy... What the hell?
Phyllis Petersen I had minimally-invasive robotic surgery. I was told that because my calcium score was zero, they cou ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I had minimally-invasive robotic surgery. I was told that because my calcium score was zero, they could forego the cath. I believe my cardiologist recommended not doing it.
Phyllis Petersen Did they give you a reason Civita why they didn't require cath? I had a CT w/wo contrast and MRI w/wo ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Did they give you a reason Civita why they didn't require cath? I had a CT w/wo contrast and MRI w/wo contrast during evaluation by my cardiologist, then a different CTA for the robotic surgery.
Lise Bowles Phyllis, I did have a cardio catch and a CT before surgery. The doc said my arteries were good, so th ... Read more
Lise Bowles Phyllis, I did have a cardio catch and a CT before surgery. The doc said my arteries were good, so that was a relief.
Do you need one?
Rose Madura I had a Cath and angiofram as well as CT scan w/ contrast. It was my understanding that the cath was ... Read more
Rose Madura I had a Cath and angiofram as well as CT scan w/ contrast. It was my understanding that the cath was to make sure arteries were clear and to rule out any other issues. I also had a full sternomy.
Bob Fessler I had both cath and CT with contrast. I think you need the cath to check out those arteries before s ... Read more
Bob Fessler I had both cath and CT with contrast. I think you need the cath to check out those arteries before surgery so they can fix any other problems. No problems here thank goodness.
Laura Jacobs I had a CT with contrast and an cardiac angiogram (cath). I assumed it was standard and never questio ... Read more
Laura Jacobs I had a CT with contrast and an cardiac angiogram (cath). I assumed it was standard and never questioned it. Perhaps my surgeon needed the cath because of my aneurysm? The 3D CT showed that the ascending aneurysm went up into the arch which was not revealed in the echo. They had to do a bypass with artery from my upper chest/arm area to keep blood flowing to the brain. Maybe because of this they needed to ensure there were no blockages? I have no idea.
What I do know is that it didn't turn out to be a non-event for me. I have always been told that I have small veins etc. It often takes several people and several tries to find an IV site. For the cath procedure, it was the same problem. They could not find one large enough in my wrist and decided to go through the femoral. Once I arrived in the procedure room the doctor decided to try one more time to find a wrist vessel using ultrasound. She told me that she thought they found one on my left wrist and would give it a shot. The procedure itself was painless but by the evening my lower arm was throbbing and continued to keep me up at night for two weeks until the day of my surgery when I finally seemed to have some improvement. I woke up from surgery with an IV in the same arm, and the right arm the colour of an eggplant with multiple punctures due to the unsuccessful efforts to find an IV site. I think the anesthesia kept me from feeling anything, but a couple of days later the IV site on the left arm was inflamed and they had to change the site to just above my thumb joint on my right hand. Two days later both arms were aching and they are still aching today and it still wakes me up at night. Slowly getting better. I must be an exception as I have never heard of anyone else having this problem. I have never had a surgery before that required an IV for more than a day so it is a unique experience for me. Sorry for the long story!
Civita Fahey Phyllis the Brigham and Women's in Boston said that they avoid it if possible. If the CT should somet ... Read more
Civita Fahey Phyllis the Brigham and Women's in Boston said that they avoid it if possible. If the CT should something they would have done one but the Radiilogist says they could see just as well and not be invasive
Civita Fahey I didn't have an aneurysm so maybe that's it or maybe surgeon preference
Sandy Laine I got a couple different stories - but the surgeon said the cath was needed to make sure there was no ... Read more
Sandy Laine I got a couple different stories - but the surgeon said the cath was needed to make sure there was nothing else they had to fix when they went in... Then one of the schedulers said they would have to fix it before the surgery, but the doctor doing the cath said any fixing would be DURING surgery - since fixing would require anti-coagulant. Luckily there was nothing to fix... My CT scan with contrast said arteries looked okay - but study was not designed to look at them... (That may have been a factor.) So my scenario agreed with that of Rose and Bob - surgeon making sure nothing else to fix while in there.
Lynda Ruiz My TX surgeon required a cath since I'd not had one in AZ. No CT or MRI at all
Barbara Wood I had a tee, Cath, but no ct scan or mri..
Marie Myers There are as many different routines as there are surgeons...
Phyllis Petersen From what I've read from people's stories on this site, it seems most surgeons require one. I know ea ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen From what I've read from people's stories on this site, it seems most surgeons require one. I know each of us is unique, but apparently that is not the only factor. I'm still thankful that I didn't need one. Dr. Gillinov's nurse led me to believe that he generally requires one, but the calcium score made it unnecessary for me.
Laura, Just wow! My aunt had problems with her veins and they eventually started doing IVs through her neck. I'm "fortunate" to have very visible veins, so they get to pick their favorite ones. I hope you have a phlebotomist who knows your veins well for those annoying blood tests.
I had right sided heart Cath prior to surgery, mostly to measure pressures. They didn't do left or ... Read more
I had right sided heart Cath prior to surgery, mostly to measure pressures. They didn't do left or check for blocked arteries, I believe due to young age.
Lynda Ruiz My veins are horrible and I wish they would use the ultrasound guide to put a needle into me, especia ... Read more
Lynda Ruiz My veins are horrible and I wish they would use the ultrasound guide to put a needle into me, especially and IV. They used it for my hip surgery for IV plus for an arterial line in my wrist. My neck port clotted in Heart Hospital so they took it out earlier and the tubing looked like someone had crushed it in their hand.
Laura Jacobs I feel your pain Lynda. My veins are ridiculously small too. I am finally feeling some relief from th ... Read more
Laura Jacobs I feel your pain Lynda. My veins are ridiculously small too. I am finally feeling some relief from the inflammation from the cath and IV's. I don't regret the cath though. Knowing that I do not have any blockages etc. has given me peace of mind. (Phyllis - I wish I had your veins LOL)
Lynda Ruiz Yes, it was good to hear of no blockages. I did not have inflammation after cath, but the ligament in ... Read more
Lynda Ruiz Yes, it was good to hear of no blockages. I did not have inflammation after cath, but the ligament in my wrist coming from index finger hurt when I used that finger for a couple weeks.
Today was my last day of monitoring in Phase III at Banner UMC. I'll be going to my local gym on my own. It was a little sad to say goodbye, but they assured ...Read more
Today was my last day of monitoring in Phase III at Banner UMC. I'll be going to my local gym on my own. It was a little sad to say goodbye, but they assured me that I could call if I needed help/advice and to stop in when I'm up at the hospital. Tomorrow will be 8 months since my robotic MVr and I know I'll be fine on my own. A little plus this week: one of the people I square dance with is available for some hiking, so I'm looking forward to that too.
Amy Steele Yay! You've been so active since surgery that you'll do great on your own. I understand about being ... Read more
Amy Steele Yay! You've been so active since surgery that you'll do great on your own. I understand about being uncertain when starting exercise without the safety net of rehab... I've been going to the local YMCA with my daughter for awhile and I'm getting more confident in my ability to do what I want on my own. It's hard to believe that it's been 8 months since surgery...
Laura Jacobs Good for you...well done! I can imagine it would be difficult to say goodbye to people you have been ... Read more
Laura Jacobs Good for you...well done! I can imagine it would be difficult to say goodbye to people you have been working with, and have helped you so much. Happy Graduation!
Phyllis Petersen I've mostly been working on my own, but had the crash cart right there. I don't really expect to have ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I've mostly been working on my own, but had the crash cart right there. I don't really expect to have any problems, but I've really gotten to know not only the staff, but many of the people who continued in the wellness center after rehab. It's a nice group of people. On the plus side, Mid Valley has sauna, steam, jacuzzi and swimming pool, plus a few good classes. I will NOT be doing Silver Sneakers! Hahaha!
Cathleen Weed I have two rules:
1) I won't work out at a gym that doesn't have a defibrillator
2) I ask my fri ... Read more
Cathleen Weed I have two rules:
1) I won't work out at a gym that doesn't have a defibrillator
2) I ask my friends to learn CPR/BLS. That would be especially helpful for you if you are hiking with somebody away from modern conveniences. You'll probably never need it but it's better safe than sorry and it could end up saving someone else even if they don't ever use it for you. ā¤ļø When friends want to know what they can do to help, I tell them to get certified. It's such a simple thing and people are happy to do it because it's empowering.
Catie B Best to you with this next phase, Phyllis! Having the pool year round sounds great. I hear you about ... Read more
Catie B Best to you with this next phase, Phyllis! Having the pool year round sounds great. I hear you about missing the staff. They graduated me from c rehab at the end of the year because my insurer changed, but I hated to leave all those sweet and caring people.
Phyllis Petersen I most often hike with my sister, who's a cardiac cath nurse. I hadn't really thought about whether o ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I most often hike with my sister, who's a cardiac cath nurse. I hadn't really thought about whether others are trained. I started getting certified in CPR and First Aid through my job (not health-related job, just made it available) a very long time ago. The advent of portable defribrillators has been a real blessing. I'll never forget how horrible it was seeing a friend dying and not being able to do anything but call for help. If nothing else, the regular training helps you stay calm in an emergency so you can give the best information possible.
Catie, there really are some great people working in the rehab centers.
My cardiologist said my heart was now boring. Everything looked perfectly normal and my heart sounds like it should. My blood pressure, however, was up a lot ...Read more
My cardiologist said my heart was now boring. Everything looked perfectly normal and my heart sounds like it should. My blood pressure, however, was up a lot today in my right arm, a little better in my left arm, so he'd like my primary care doctor to put me on a blood pressure med. Next echo and visit in a year. I also finally met his assistant in person (she came out when she heard I was there). She's been such a fantastic help getting through this process.
Amy Steele Great news, Phyllis! Hopefully the blood pressure will come down with meds...
Rita Savelis Boring to him, perhaps.... Take care, Phyllis, with your boring heart!
Catie B Good to hear that things continue to go well for you, Phyllis. I hope your BP responds well and quick ... Read more
Catie B Good to hear that things continue to go well for you, Phyllis. I hope your BP responds well and quickly.
Darlene Smith Great news on your heart!!! Boring, that's what I want to hear too!!
Ellen Leng Boring is great!! Congrats on a good report :)
Kathy Blank Phyllis- glad everything is Looking great for your heart. Hope the blood pressure meds do the trick w ... Read more
Kathy Blank Phyllis- glad everything is Looking great for your heart. Hope the blood pressure meds do the trick without and your heart stays boring!
Phyllis Petersen I'm not even sure I'll need to be on them forever. The cardiologist didn't seem to care what one I'm ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I'm not even sure I'll need to be on them forever. The cardiologist didn't seem to care what one I'm given, which is why I feel optimistic. I've had a hard time getting weight to really budge since surgery. I have a feeling things will click in all of a sudden and the weight will go back down and with it the blood pressure. I've never worked out this hard before without seeing better results. It's less than 7 months, so I'm trying to be patient with my body. I've had some concentration problems, but recently have been able to start catching up on paperwork and to feel more myself. I can't complain, though. I know I've very fortunate in my recovery.
Phyllis Petersen Unfortunately, I won't have the results until I see the cardiologist next Thursday. I think things ar ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Unfortunately, I won't have the results until I see the cardiologist next Thursday. I think things are going well, but you never know.
Today, March 25, was my 63rd birthday. The number is so meaningless to me, especially now that I'm getting my energy back. I met my sister at the 4th Avenue ...Read more
Today, March 25, was my 63rd birthday. The number is so meaningless to me, especially now that I'm getting my energy back. I met my sister at the 4th Avenue Festival and we had such a great day. I was able to walk longer and enjoy the day so much better than this time last year. We then me up with friends at a local bar. Tomorrow, I'll sing in church and then change and go to a nine hour rock concert. Celebrating the rest of my life!
Emily Rowley Wow! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GORGEOUS š Please excuse my late Birthday wishes, though Birthdays are meant t ... Read more
Emily Rowley Wow! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GORGEOUS š Please excuse my late Birthday wishes, though Birthdays are meant to be celebrate for a whole week, or even more esp as yours is so special with loads to celebrate-we love having you in all our lives. š I hope you have an enjoyable time, look forward to hearing all about your 9hr Rock Concert-what bands are playing? I'm a fan of Bruce Springsteen, does he play much where you are? Rock on my Heart Sister Phyllis šššø
Phyllis Petersen Thank you all my wonderful heart family! Emily, I'm a huge fan of Bruce, but he hasn't played here si ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Thank you all my wonderful heart family! Emily, I'm a huge fan of Bruce, but he hasn't played here since I came a couple of years ago. This festival was hard/alternative rock with Blink 182 as the big headliner, A Day to Remember, Highly Suspect, Islander and a couple of others I can't remember. It was absolutely awesome. Only bad part was trying to get out of the parking lot after. I left about 1/2 hour before it was over (I could still hear the music in the parking lot). I wound up behind an idiot and sat for over an hour without moving. Finally, enough cars moved so I could get around her and get to the nearest exit, which was moving well. After that, I was home in about 15 minutes. I stopped over another apartment for a glass of wine to wind down. I still got up and went to cardiac rehab today and worked hard.
Ellen, This was the first time I could full enjoy it. Between having a new knee and a repaired heart, it was a totally different experience than in the past.
Vicki Hake Hi and Happy Birthday! I was reading your post. I'm 9 weeks out from mitral valve repair. This is my ... Read more
Vicki Hake Hi and Happy Birthday! I was reading your post. I'm 9 weeks out from mitral valve repair. This is my 2 nd OHS in 16 months. It is taking me so much longer to feel good. I'm breathless if I do anything but sit.
Do you remember when you stopped being breathless, with activity? I'm very discouragedš
Phyllis Petersen Hi Vicki, I still get a little breathless when I rush, but not when doing regular exercise. But you c ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Hi Vicki, I still get a little breathless when I rush, but not when doing regular exercise. But you can't go by me as I have asthma and allergies. Yours sounds like something you should discuss with your doctor. Pleural effusion can be a side effect of heart valve surgery. I had some at the beginning, but little enough to let it heal on its own. Others, however, needed meds and/or removal of the fluid. At this point, you should have lessening of your breathing issues. Good luck!
Good For You Phyllis and a big Happy Birthday to YOU ! Bless You My Friend
Yesterday morning, I was rear-ended while stopping for a red light. I was very thankful for the cushiony thingy I bought to wrap around the seatbelt strap and ...Read more
Yesterday morning, I was rear-ended while stopping for a red light. I was very thankful for the cushiony thingy I bought to wrap around the seatbelt strap and still use. I didn't even have a bruise, although she hit me at about 50 mph. She wasn't hurt either, but was trying to convince a cop that somehow it was my fault (despite a witness giving me his name and number in front of her). The officer kept telling her it was a civil matter, not a police matter, since no one was hurt. My car is getting a replacement bumper and shock absorber. Her car seemed to have minor damage. Her insurance is paying (same company, but I pay nothing, thankfully). I'm most happy that no one was hurt. Things could have been so much worse.
Marie Myers You sure are lucky to have not been injured! Don't be surprised if you are a little sore tomorrow, th ... Read more
Marie Myers You sure are lucky to have not been injured! Don't be surprised if you are a little sore tomorrow, though...
Amy Steele So glad you weren't hurt, Phyllis! Having been in 7 auto accidents, I know that the effects sometime ... Read more
Amy Steele So glad you weren't hurt, Phyllis! Having been in 7 auto accidents, I know that the effects sometimes take time to become evident. Take care of yourself!
Sue Sanchez Grela Phyllis, I am so grateful you are OK and shared your story. This morning we ran some errands and I h ... Read more
Sue Sanchez Grela Phyllis, I am so grateful you are OK and shared your story. This morning we ran some errands and I had left my pillow in the house. I ended up going back in to get it . Your post is a great reminder ā¤
Ellen Leng Glad you're not seriously hurt, Phyllis. Take care of yourself!
Catie B Phyllis, I am soooo glad you're okay. Gosh, what a thing to have happen!
Lilly Black Wow! So glad you were not injured! I am always fearful of being injured whether in a car or someone p ... Read more
Lilly Black Wow! So glad you were not injured! I am always fearful of being injured whether in a car or someone physically running into me. I would not like it if my sternum was impacted in any way even after 2years post-surgery. Take care! Glad you're okš
Kathy Blank So sorry for the car accident and glad you are okay!
Phyllis Petersen Thank you all for your kind words. My neck is achy, but doing pretty well. I think my sister, who was ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Thank you all for your kind words. My neck is achy, but doing pretty well. I think my sister, who was in the lane next to me when I was hit, was even more shook up than I was. Even though I didn't have a sternotomy, I was still worried since there's still some soreness from the surgery. I really think the cushioning of the seatbelt made a big difference.
Tracy Simmons Wow, so scary. I'm so thankful you weren't hurt.
Today, on the 5 month anniversary of my MVr, I started Phase III of cardiac rehab. Basically, for a flat rate I use the same gym, with access to a wall BP machine ...Read more
Today, on the 5 month anniversary of my MVr, I started Phase III of cardiac rehab. Basically, for a flat rate I use the same gym, with access to a wall BP machine and the cardiac staff, plus once a month monitoring for 3 months. After that, I could continue at the wellness center for a monthly fee. Even though I belong to an outside gym, I find the equipment better maintained at the hospital and I like the thought that should anything go wrong help is right there. Pushing even harder now!
Amy Steele Way to go Phyllis! Keep up the good work.
Kathy Blank You go girl!!! I start my cardiac rehab tomorrow!
Phyllis Petersen Amy, I'm keeping my eyes on the weather forecast so we can plan that Honey Bee Canyon hike. Kathy, th ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Amy, I'm keeping my eyes on the weather forecast so we can plan that Honey Bee Canyon hike. Kathy, thanks. You'll be amazed at how quickly it lets you progress.
Ellen Leng Congrats Phyllis, keep up the strong work!
Yesterday was my last day of Phase II cardiac rehab. I felt a little sad leaving. My local hospital has a Phase III, which is basically using the gym and being ...Read more
Yesterday was my last day of Phase II cardiac rehab. I felt a little sad leaving. My local hospital has a Phase III, which is basically using the gym and being monitored once a month (there is a wall mounted BP cuff available). You have access to the rehab staff for questions, suggestions, changes to your program. After Phase III, you can continue without monitoring for a monthly fee.
Wanda Mroz Congrats! I am in phase 3 and have been for a year almost . I love going. My rehab requires keeping ... Read more
Wanda Mroz Congrats! I am in phase 3 and have been for a year almost . I love going. My rehab requires keeping a record of your BP and hr before and after exercise and keeping track of the kind of exercise you do. A staff member takes your BP before and after exercise. It is required every day you go. The staff is always there for you as well.
Kathy Blank Congrats Phyllis! I start cardiac rehab in a week. Excited to get started! Hope you are feeling well! ... Read more
Kathy Blank Congrats Phyllis! I start cardiac rehab in a week. Excited to get started! Hope you are feeling well!
Phyllis Petersen Hi Wanda, I hope your new issues don't set you back too much. Phase III at BUMC is a lower price for ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Hi Wanda, I hope your new issues don't set you back too much. Phase III at BUMC is a lower price for 3 months, but then you can continue on. Kathy, you're going to love it. You can progress so much faster when you know you're being monitored. I would never have done as much as I have on my own. I'd be too nervous of overdoing it.
Amy Steele I'm finishing right behind you with 6 more sessions of rehab (2 more weeks). It was great to have lu ... Read more
Amy Steele I'm finishing right behind you with 6 more sessions of rehab (2 more weeks). It was great to have lunch with you last week and get caught up and compare recovery and rehab notes! You've done a great job with your recovery!!! Let me know if you decide to hike Honey Bee Canyon and we can try and coordinate. For those on the recovery side of surgery, I too highly recommend cardiac rehab. I've been going for about 12 weeks so far and am amazed at the progress I've made.
Phyllis Petersen I definitely want to do it Amy and it needs to be in the next few weeks before temps get crazy.
In some ways the time is passing quickly and in others it seems like such a long time ago. I have 6 sessions left to cardiac rehab. Today I was allowed to go ...Read more
In some ways the time is passing quickly and in others it seems like such a long time ago. I have 6 sessions left to cardiac rehab. Today I was allowed to go back up on speed for the low interval on the treadmill, but found that if I didn't lower the speed a little my HR didn't drop at all, so doing 5.5% @ 3.5 for 1 min. and 1% @3.2 for 1.5 min and 3.0 for .5 min. I really felt the difference, which is a good thing. My BP was well-behaved too, and recovery after resistance training was perfect. My emotional outlook has been going up too as I'm able to do more and more. I still need quite a bit of rest after exertion, but it's been improving. Weirdly, when I laid down for a short nap today, it was the first time I heard my heart beating since the surgery, but it was definitely not loud like it was before.
Kathy Blank Phyllis- glad you are able to see such progress in your health and wellness. I don't know much about ... Read more
Kathy Blank Phyllis- glad you are able to see such progress in your health and wellness. I don't know much about your numbers in cardiac rehab but the fact that your BP is behaving- that is great! I think you have a very positive outlook and hope your emotional health continues to be positive! It sounds like you are listening to your body and resting when needed. I am very thankful for your support on this website! Our heart brothers and sisters are all pretty amazing people!
Phyllis Petersen I look forward to seeing all your progress now that you're on the other side. I really don't know wha ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I look forward to seeing all your progress now that you're on the other side. I really don't know what I would have done without this site. Even my sister, who's a cardiac cath nurse, doesn't want to hear all the details. The numbers on the treadmill are percent grade and speed in mph. I'm a little OCD with checking heart rate, since that's how I used to do my intervals on the elliptical. A steady HR doesn't make the same quicker progress that interval training does, so I was glad when I was able to shift to intervals. I just hope my BP remains good on Wednesday, since it's been all over the place since I've been off the metoprolol. The body, I guess, is still adjusting to the greater blood flow going in the right direction.
You are 1 month ahead of me. How encouraging to be able to do more!Keep a positive attitude, rest wh ... Read more
You are 1 month ahead of me. How encouraging to be able to do more!Keep a positive attitude, rest when you need it, eat properly and keep in touch with friends and family. Don't worry about the noise from your valve, it means that you are ALIVE!!! Happy Heart Day!!
James Roberts Early days for me but my heart seems to be quieter as well
Phyllis Petersen Sharon, I had a mitral repair and since the surgery couldn't hear my heart, which was a relief after ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Sharon, I had a mitral repair and since the surgery couldn't hear my heart, which was a relief after how loud it had gotten in the final months. It just seemed weird when I did hear it. I love seeing how well everyone is doing as they go along in their recovery. There are some who are not so lucky. Yes, James, it's early, but we need to celebrate everything along the way.
Today is the one year anniversary of my knee replacement. It was while seeking cardiac clearance for that surgery that they discovered how bad my mitral valve ...Read more
Today is the one year anniversary of my knee replacement. It was while seeking cardiac clearance for that surgery that they discovered how bad my mitral valve had gotten. I'm hoping for no health surprises this year.
Kathy Blank I bet you are thankful that the Cardiac clearance found your valve disease and now your surgery is be ... Read more
Kathy Blank I bet you are thankful that the Cardiac clearance found your valve disease and now your surgery is behind you!
Phyllis Petersen I knew about the prolapse and regurg, but not that it had gotten that bad. I'm very glad that the sur ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I knew about the prolapse and regurg, but not that it had gotten that bad. I'm very glad that the surgery is behind me. But it is strange not hearing my heart, especially at night.
Amy Steele 2016 certainly was and eventful year for you! Glad you're on the other side of both surgeries. Hope ... Read more
Amy Steele 2016 certainly was and eventful year for you! Glad you're on the other side of both surgeries. Hopefully your BP will stabilize without meds. and that cardiac rehab will continue to go well for you.
Catie B I hope 2017 will be a wonderful year for you, Phyllis! I know you're ready for things to calm down.
Lisa Giaccone My mom found out about her Atrial valve stenosis because of her pre-op for hip replacement. Now 3 ye ... Read more
Lisa Giaccone My mom found out about her Atrial valve stenosis because of her pre-op for hip replacement. Now 3 years later she will have the valve replaced at the end of the month. Did you have mitral valve surgery?
Ellen Leng Congrats Phyllis! Hope this year is less medically eventful
Phyllis Petersen Lisa, I've known that I had mitral valve prolapse with regurg for a lot of years, but it was progress ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Lisa, I've known that I had mitral valve prolapse with regurg for a lot of years, but it was progressing slowly. I was surprised it had gotten so bad recently. I it repaired robotically in October and I keep improving every day.
Amy Steele I'm doing well, Phyllis! I haven't been on this site very much lately... Trying to get caught up a l ... Read more
Amy Steele I'm doing well, Phyllis! I haven't been on this site very much lately... Trying to get caught up a little. I've been pretty busy with rehab and all my other normal stuff. Sounds like you're doing well. We need to get together very soon!
Phyllis Petersen It's good to hear you're doing well. I'm going out of town for a few days for my uncle's funeral. I'l ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen It's good to hear you're doing well. I'm going out of town for a few days for my uncle's funeral. I'll actually be back in Ohio. I'm so glad I was able to spend time with him and my family there before and after surgery, but I hoped to go back in the nice weather for a relaxing visit. Oh well, we don't get to choose. I know what you mean about trying to get caught up. Are you as wiped after rehab as I am? I only have 5 sessions left in Phase II, so I have to decide about Phase III soon. I hope your rehab is going well. We definitely should make plans in the near future to get together. I'll get back from Ohio on Wednesday.
My BP has not been behaving during intervals on the treadmill, so I have a call into my cardiologist to review the numbers. He may want me back on a lower dose ...Read more
My BP has not been behaving during intervals on the treadmill, so I have a call into my cardiologist to review the numbers. He may want me back on a lower dose of metoprolol. Oh well! I'm just hoping there's not a problem. Anyone else have issues when they came off the meds?
Clare Auten I still take BP meds but not metroprolol. My body and metroprolol didn't cooperate
Phyllis Petersen I did all right on it, but prefer not to need any. I had low blood pressure until about of year befor ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I did all right on it, but prefer not to need any. I had low blood pressure until about of year before surgery, so this is new ground for me. I don't know if it's the new normal or temporary and I don't think anyone can tell me at this point.
Amy Steele Sorry to hear about going back on Metoprolol. I unfortunately still take 25mg twice daily but will b ... Read more
Amy Steele Sorry to hear about going back on Metoprolol. I unfortunately still take 25mg twice daily but will be able to reduce my dosage soon. I'm looking forward to not having to take anything except aspirin daily!
Emily Rowley How is your blood pressure throughout your normal day hun?
Kim Jones I hated metropolol, I am on atenolol now, much better. Metropolol floored me.
Phyllis Petersen Emily, My blood pressure is all over the chart. I thought it would stabilize by now. Amy, I'm hoping ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Emily, My blood pressure is all over the chart. I thought it would stabilize by now. Amy, I'm hoping to only need 12.5 mg to get it back under control. I found it disturbing that no matter how hard I was working, my BP and HR were abnormally low, but having it going so high is worse. It went up to 180/98 yesterday with the HR only going to 119, which is not good, but BP isn't too bad when I get to rehab. Kim, I really didn't have any problems with the metoprolol. I just hope that there's nothing wrong. Like so many, I worry about every little thing that can't be easily explained.
Lisa Ferguson Phyllis, I'm right there with you! Worrying about everything that can't be explained easily. I did ... Read more
Lisa Ferguson Phyllis, I'm right there with you! Worrying about everything that can't be explained easily. I did notice when I skipped a dose of metoprolol my heart rate and B/P went really high. Just skipping once! After a few more months it didn't have that big of an impact. I changed to a calcium channel inhibitor recently to see if it helps with not being so tired all the time! Seems to be ok so far. I'm taking it long term so I'm experimenting on what works best.
Emily Rowley Whoa, so it looks like you might need it after all? How are your symptoms? I know you can't take flui ... Read more
Emily Rowley Whoa, so it looks like you might need it after all? How are your symptoms? I know you can't take fluid retension tablets with blood pressure ones, but this may not affect you.
Phyllis Petersen I don't really have symptoms and it isn't consistent. It goes down when I first start on the treadmil ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I don't really have symptoms and it isn't consistent. It goes down when I first start on the treadmill, then goes up, then goes down after resistance training. It's just so weird! I want to get the most from rehab. I'm thinking that maybe I should have tried to pick up a low dose while I was in Mexico, but I want to know that there isn't something wrong.
An old, very close friend, who I don't get to see very often, asked if I wanted to go down to a timeshare in Mazatlan, Mexico. We just spent a week by the beach, ...Read more
An old, very close friend, who I don't get to see very often, asked if I wanted to go down to a timeshare in Mazatlan, Mexico. We just spent a week by the beach, catching up and enjoying margaritas. I call it medicinal because my blood pressure was back down this morning at rehab. I still have to upload pictures, but will post when I do.
Kathy Blank Glad you enjoyed a wonderful trip Phyllis! All that relaxation ( and the Margaritas) must agree with ... Read more
Kathy Blank Glad you enjoyed a wonderful trip Phyllis! All that relaxation ( and the Margaritas) must agree with you!
Catie B Wonderful, Phyllis! So happy to hear you had a great time!!
Amy Steele Sounds wonderful! Glad you had a relaxing trip to a beautiful place.
Phyllis Petersen Thanks! It was just what the doctor should have ordered.
Lynda Ruiz Do you use warfarin? You are OK to drink?
Phyllis Petersen I had a repair and no afib, so was not prescribed blood thinners outside the hospital (heparin shots ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I had a repair and no afib, so was not prescribed blood thinners outside the hospital (heparin shots are awful). I don't take prescription pain meds anymore, so yes I can drink.
Lynda Ruiz I guess I didn't complete that thought. Meant it to be drink caffeine. But guessing with no replace ... Read more
Lynda Ruiz I guess I didn't complete that thought. Meant it to be drink caffeine. But guessing with no replacement or Afib, it's OK.
Lynda Ruiz Sounds like a fun time to take your mind off of recovery.
It was great to be out hiking today. We have family visiting and I turned down the hike on Tuesday, because I was concerned about the trail. Yesterday when ...Read more
It was great to be out hiking today. We have family visiting and I turned down the hike on Tuesday, because I was concerned about the trail. Yesterday when they did Mt. Lemmon, I had rehab and couldn't possibly try it after that. But, today, we had a rare overcast day so I gave it a try. Over 4 miles and close to 4 hours out. When I really knew I needed to stop, I sat on a rock for awhile while they continued on, then started back taking it easy. My reward: I saw a couple of the bighorn sheep they reintroduced to the area. The Pusch Ridge Wilderness area is not a walk in the park either. The Pima Canyon Trail has a few gnarly spots, but is low-moderate. I kept waiting for my heart to speak to me and I couldn't believe how quiet it was. Finally, I had to listen to my legs, which were threatening not to take me back if I didn't stop. Reclaiming life one day at a time!
Ellen Leng Congtarts!!! Sounds like a wonderful outing :). The bighorn sheep sighting must be sublime.
Phyllis Petersen They were pretty high up and very still, but we could catch their horns and then they were visible.
Catie B That is WoNdErFuL, Phylliss!! I'm so happy for you!
Don Catoe I am so happy for you. It is amazing how this news brightens my day and renews my hope. This is my dr ... Read more
Don Catoe I am so happy for you. It is amazing how this news brightens my day and renews my hope. This is my dream, to be able to not only reach the other side, but to have renewed strength! Congrats.
Amy Steele Wow! Sounds like it was a great day! Keep doing what you've been doing and you'll be hiking Mt. Lemmo ... Read more
Amy Steele Wow! Sounds like it was a great day! Keep doing what you've been doing and you'll be hiking Mt. Lemmon in no time! šµšš
Phyllis Petersen Thanks Catie! I hope you're doing well too. Amy, Just let me know when you want to give a hike a try. ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Thanks Catie! I hope you're doing well too. Amy, Just let me know when you want to give a hike a try. Or even to just meet for coffee/tea. Don, It's easy to get caught up in the things that can go wrong, and I'm not trying to minimize them, but keeping positive is the only way to get through this. Look forward to doing the things you love and try to be patient. Everyone is different, but almost everyone gets there eventually.
Kathleen F. Love this! I bet you don't miss Manhattan at all. I ran the Tucson Marathon in 2008 and I recall ho ... Read more
Kathleen F. Love this! I bet you don't miss Manhattan at all. I ran the Tucson Marathon in 2008 and I recall how beautiful it was to start at Mount Lemmon. Enjoy your new heart and all the wonderful hikes in your future!
Phyllis Petersen There are many things I miss about New York, but I've been settling in pretty well here. I think once ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen There are many things I miss about New York, but I've been settling in pretty well here. I think once the health issues are behind me, I'll really get to enjoy it. I definitely don't miss trying to commute in all that snow!
I don't know if the increase in heart rate today at cardiac rehab was due to ending the metoprolol, but my HR during intervals on the treadmill was closer to ...Read more
I don't know if the increase in heart rate today at cardiac rehab was due to ending the metoprolol, but my HR during intervals on the treadmill was closer to what they were before surgery. They did also add 2 minutes to my intervals, which may have had some influence. Nothing outrageous; still within normal training range. My blood pressure came back down more quickly today. Feeling encouraged.
Lise Bowles Terrific Phyllis! I have been off the metoprolol since about a month and a half after my surgery. My ... Read more
Lise Bowles Terrific Phyllis! I have been off the metoprolol since about a month and a half after my surgery. My heart rate recently has been quite high at times. Oddly enough it's not working out times, it's resting. For instance, yesterday morning I rushed into cardio rehab and it was 128! Blood pressure was fine btw, they made me wait till it went down to 100. And yet, when I am on the bike or treadmill at a good pace, it will only rise to 107-120. Stress makes it jump up? Crazy!
Phyllis Petersen I know what you mean. My sister is a nurse and she tells me my heart rate is lower at night, but that ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I know what you mean. My sister is a nurse and she tells me my heart rate is lower at night, but that isn't always true. Sometimes I wake up and just getting up out of bed sends it up to 100 or more, but then I get to cardiac rehab and it's 80, with a BP of 100/75 or so. Today I took a chance and went for a hike. I had to listen to my legs because my heart rate never got that high. It's the first time since the surgery and I kept waiting to feel my heart pounding and it just didn't happen. I guess we'll just have to learn patience :0
On Friday, cardiac rehab up the bar again: interval training at 4% grade and 3.5 mph for 1 minute, then down to 1% grade for 1-2 minutes, for a total of 15 ...Read more
On Friday, cardiac rehab up the bar again: interval training at 4% grade and 3.5 mph for 1 minute, then down to 1% grade for 1-2 minutes, for a total of 15 minutes (after 5 minute warm-up). Then 4 resistance exercises for 2 sets of 15 reps. It kicked my butt, but I'm glad to be moving forward. It took quite a long time to get my heart rate back down to where they'd take my post-exercise BP. Everyone else was finishing after me and still leaving before. I only just went off the metropolol so I'm sure there's a little adjustment.
Amy Steele Glad to hear that your cardiac rehab is progressing. I was able to start last week and got three ses ... Read more
Amy Steele Glad to hear that your cardiac rehab is progressing. I was able to start last week and got three sessions in, with another three scheduled this week. Hope you had a great Christmas!
Phyllis Petersen My Monday session was cancelled for the holiday, so I'll only get in two sessions. I have to get myse ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen My Monday session was cancelled for the holiday, so I'll only get in two sessions. I have to get myself down to the gym today and at least get some cardio in. My sister invited me to go liking off Camino del Cerro today, but I wasn't sure I wanted to do that trail yet. I'd rather do something with a bit more shade to start out. Merry Christmas to you and yours! I had a wonderful Christmas. How was yours?
Amy Steele My Christmas was good. I probably tried to do too much and got myself overly tired, but Christmas da ... Read more
Amy Steele My Christmas was good. I probably tried to do too much and got myself overly tired, but Christmas day turned out to be very nice and also relaxing. It was good to be with family...
Phyllis Petersen How can you not overdo it during Christmas? Just so long as you bounce back after. Family and friends ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen How can you not overdo it during Christmas? Just so long as you bounce back after. Family and friends are among the best things at the holidays.