Russ's Journal

Rose Madura  Hi Riss. About 2 years after my OHS, I had some PVCs after a medication ch range. Once ba k on the meds, they cleared up. I feel for you. They are disturbing. I hope you find relief.

Civita Fahey  Hi Russ, I have them too. When I am under stress I feel them constantly, like a few months back when I got Covid. But, now they seemed to dimish. I went to an EP also and she said that as long as I don't have the symptoms you described above its ok. They worry that too many PVCs for a long time can cause the heart muscle to become weak. So they put me back on metropolol 25 mg once a day. Under normal circumstances it takes care of the problem, at least I don't feel them. But, stress is definitely a trigger for me. Hopefully you'll get an answer, but, they are annoying I agree!

Susan Lynn  Russ - I was diagnosed with PACs three years after my surgery. I'm on extended release metoprolol, but hoping that I can have the dosage reduced or eliminated at some point. I wish there was a better option to restore rhythm for those of us who don't have major symptoms. Please keep us posted on your progress. Best of luck! ❤

Wanda Mroz  Well sounds to me like you are doing pretty well! That's great! I have read that things shrink down if you have enlargement due to the valve working harder, but I'm not sure if that's happened in my case. The again I'm in atrial flutter which is causing harder work so my case is probably not the best to compare to.! Sounds like you're doing good.!💞😊

Kenny Knox  Hey Russ- to my knowledge Afib is an irregular beat and aflutter (tachycardia) is a rapid beat. There are different types of tachycardia also. I had issues with aflutter at the 4 week mark and it put me back in the hospital. I know it's something not to mess with or ignore. I think you did the right thing by sending your pacemaker data over! I know it can be an easy fix so hopefully your docs get that straighten up for you. Take it easy!

Jean Raber  Hi, Russ. Here's a site that explains the difference between different arrhythmias, including tachy and afib. Yes, a good idea to report it. http://www.texasheart.org/HIC/Topics/Cond/arrhycat.cfm

Kimberly Biddick  My suggestion would be to interview multiple surgeons. If you are not comfortable or do not see eye-to-eye with the first, move on to another. As I am sure you have read from others' stories on here, confidence in your surgeon is huge and greatly helps reduce pre-surgery anxiety. I first consulted a surgeon that came highly recommended off this site and he had a different treatment plan than I felt I needed due to my (extensive) research. I consulted another surgeon and we both saw eye-to-eye. In my case, it's when to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm. I hope that your consult goes well and that this process goes as smoothly as possible for you!!! You will find a tremendous amount of support on this site... especially for mitral valve repair!! Good luck!!!

Ben Hyman  Hello Russ, welcome to the Heart Valve community. You have come to the right place.

I'm in a similar place. I've had MVP since my 20's and my MR started about 10 years ago. I may be a surgical candidate come fall depending on the results of my latest echo this morning. I'm also asymptomatic so I understand exactly how you feel about the need for surgery. From what I've learned is that even with no symptoms, MR can lead to permanent heart damage if not taken care of. Your heart "remodels" itself to adapt to the backflow of blood and could lead to extreme thickening of your heart walls and ventricle disfunction that eventually leads to heart failure. It's not something to fool with. If the Mitral valve is showing primary failure and it's not due to Rhumatic Fever, and it's a posterior leaflet, those are the most likely able to be repaired. You want to go to a center that specializes in heart valve surgery to get the best possible outcome. If you can get to such a center, your surgeon will strive for a repair vs replacement whenever possible as that is the gold standard outcome for MR. If you don't live near a Heart Valve center, travelling may be worth exploring. The #1 and #2 centers for this are Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. When I'm ready to have it done, I'm going to Dr Robert Farivar at Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis. They were the first Heart Center if Excellence ever designated in the US and still very highly regarded.

Good luck on your journey!

Ben Hyman

Jean Raber  Russ, welcome out of lurk mode. I'm 61, also MVR, some fatigue, SOB, and heart "flopping." Still in watch-and-wait mode with doc.

To your question: Ask your cardiologist directly why he's recommending replacement rather than repair. You may still want to get a second opinion, but at least you'll have some info about why this guy favors replace.

My cardio told me I was a candidate for repair ("probably" based on echo and TEE, but they never really know until they're rooting around in there). He said repair was "good news," but I was too slow on the uptake to ask why.

I hope you will post your doctor's answer on here because "why not replace instead of repair" will be a question I will ask at my follow up in September.

  Hello Russ and welcome. You sure came to the right place. I am still in the watch and wait phase of Aortic Stenosis. Surgery is getting closer. Anxiety seems to be something that everyone here is familiar with. But there is strength in numbers and that's what you will get here....strength AND numbers. Lots and lots of heart brothers and sisters to see you through the entire process and even beyond that.

John Lyons  Welcome. I was in the wait and see mode of MVP with MR for the last 3 years as well and we bit the bullet and repaired the little guy July29th 2015. I am only 12ish days post op with a few complications and I can already tell that the few symptoms I had started to see are gone. No more light headedness and the arrhythmia and palpations are gone. I am not back to where I was pre op yet, but I am getting there fast.

3 days after the repair we did an echo to check heart function and from what the docs could tell, my heart was on the verge of getting really beat up from the MR. I think we caught it just in time.

Jean Raber  John, did your doc explain why he did repair over replace? Is your pacemaker permanent or are they going to take it out and see if you can stay out of a-fib. Glad you are on your way back to normal and hope food is tasting less like nickels!

John Lyons  My pacer is to keep my heart rate up. I got heart block after surgery, so my lower half was beating about 1/2 the speed of the top. The pacer fixes that, and it will likely be for life.

My surgeon felt that a replacement of the mitral valve is only marginally better than a leaky valve due to the structure of the heart. To quote, "Replacement of the mitral valve is trading one heart problem for another". He felt if we could get it fixed right, then I will be good (valve wise) for life.

My valve is 100% now, and heart strength is coming back. Just have to deal with battery changes every 10 years or so.

Russ Ferrara  First off, I would like to thank everyone for their helpful comments. Just got back from my surgical appt and one of the first things he told me was that in cases like mine he repairs first. He felt almost 100% that he could repair my posterior leaflet. Music to my ears. Secondly, my surgery is scheduled for this Friday (3 days! yikes!) so minimal wait time. Another blessing! Will post updates as this journey unfolds and will read everyone elses updates as well. God bless everyone and everybody!

  Wow Russ....3 days!!!! I wish you the very best and will pray that all goes well for you and this will soon be behind you. Many blessings to you.

Russ Ferrara  Had my surgery fri am. 3 hr and 40 minutes. Valve was repaired successfully with no residual murmer. However, I left the OR totally dependent on a pacemaker. The next day I developed an underlying rhythm of my own. The SA node is not there and the surgeon dialed down the pacemaker to 70% Sat then to 62% today. They keep telling me that this is common. If it doesn't come back I will need a pacemaker for life. Still in icu. Today I stood up and got nauseated. Geesh! Very happy with the care I am receiving. Drain tubes out. Urine cath out. Still have an art and venous line. Amazing how much crap they can shove in those tiny spaces. But hey I survived! Just want my SA node back!

  Ahhh Russ, I'm happy to see you are doing well enough to post an update. I will continue to send healing thoughts your way and keeping fingers crossed that the pacemaker is temporary.

John Lyons  Russ, sounds like we are in the same boat. Thinking of you and hoping your SA node comes back too.

John Lyons  The pacemaker install is easy, its waiting to move your arm too much that is hard. Are they putting it on top your muscle or under it? They went down into about 1" of peck to hide mine a bit and that smart for a few days. Good luck! Happy Thoughts!

Russ Ferrara  Pacemaker implant went well. It's subsurface. Developed shortness of breath. Had a thorocentesis yesterday around 3pm. Drained 1200 cc of fluid from the right lung. Made an immediate positive impact. Improved dramatically all day long. Had a great day today with the cardio rehab. Walked around the nurses station 3 separate times. Almost 600 feet each trip. No problems at all. Cardiologist said if all is well fri morning I will be discharged.

John Lyons  Congrats on getting out. I kept telling the nurses to leave the door open so it at least felt less like prison.