Svetlomir's Journal

Ana Brusso  Hello Svetlomir, welcome. Can’t answer your question as my surgery was for a different valve and I have been taking baby aspirin for a long time for another reason. Be well 🙏❤️

Marie Myers  When i was discharged from my aortic valve surgery 7 years ago, I was sent home on a baby aspirin as a regular daily medication. The doctor  also sent me home on 20 mg famotidine daily, which is an acid blocker. This was to prevent possible stomach problems from the aspirin. I was able to stop the famotidine a month or so later since i wasn’t  having any stomach problems. I am sure there are  some people who might have to stay on an acid blocker if the aspirin bothered their stomach, but i was lucky that I didn’t have any issues and could safely discontinue the acid blocker. 

Susan Lynn  My surgeon had me take aspirin for only one year, post-op. Daily aspirin has become controversial in recent years except for a small segment of the population.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Thanks Marie, but how long did you take baby aspirin. My syrgery was MVR, without resection: annuluplasty ring and artificial cords. I was 6 month on sintrom and 1 month on baby aspirin, but yesterday stomachackes started.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Yes, Susan, and red about that, and in this site thee is a interview in this respect. But thow worryes are about possible trombossis.

Yumiko Ishida  I am on aspirin for life, but I also already had a stroke and therefore am considered high risk. How long you have to be on it is really dependent on your risk level. Your medical history, your family medical history, your cholesterol level, etc. I’ve had problems with other NSAIDs but not with baby aspirin. Make sure you take it with food and avoid other things that could further irritate your gut. 

Tom Everson  Hi ( Aortic valve replacement at 77 years)I am three years out. My heart rate weekly average was 97-84 in the first 4 months. At 4 months it was 80. It now averages in the low 70’s.   Take it on my blood pressure machine 

Larry Peterson  Hi Svetlomir - depends on if you are taking a beta blocker or not.  My heart rate is about 55-60 with the beta blocker (Metoprolol) and is probably 85-90 without it (I forgot to take my meds yesterday morning so that's how I know..). 

Rose Madura  Mine hovers around 50 and that's where my cardiologist wants it. I'm ok with it. I figured the slower rate will make up for all the beats when I had SVT many years ago.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Mr.Sharma,mine vary in the same range. How old are you, do you take beta blockers, what kind of operation you have? I am at 4 month mitral valve repair through the right side of the chest

Abhishek Sharma  Dont worry upto 100 beats is normal after surgery , it mean your body is healing and need more blood to pump .. 

George Gardopee  Hi Svetlomir. I was able to get off the beta blockers about 18 months after my mitral valve surgery. I think others here were able to get off them much more quickly.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Thank you, George for the answer. Could you remember how fast was you heart rate and how it`s change in the time?

Raj K  I was on BBs for about 2 weeks…during that time my HR was limited - it felt pretty miserable I have to say…contacted my cardiologist (this was before the post-op check up) and he indicated that with no prior history of arrhythmia, and no other symptoms, that discontinuing it (it was the very lowest dosage) would be fine.  And I felt better about 48 hours later.

Rita Savelis  Hi Svetlomir. I was on betablockers for a year. I didn't like it because they made me feel very tired, lethargic, depressed. After a year I stopped and felt much better. Some people do better than others on betablockers and sometimes the dose must be lowered or another drug used. Almost every doctor prescribes them for at least a few weeks/months after surgery to slow down the heart and give it a rest. My heart still beats quickly (in the 70's). 

George Gardopee  Svetlomir- my rest heart rate before surgery was around 62bpm, but I was on beta blockers before surgery. Immediately after surgery it jumped to near 80 bpm. After several months it dropped back to mid to high 60’s.  I am off medication completely and it is around 67 or so now (2 years after surgery). I reduced the dosage over 6 months.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Thank you veru much,all of you...Very usefull info. My BPM vary about 60 - 70 in resting, and 75 after walking...But to my check up on 14.12.2023 it was 95, and I was prescribed beta blocker, and even with small dose I feel nasty... I mesured again my BPM for several times after chek up and stip it, it is now about 65...and feel much more better. I am 3 months after mitral valve repair, it was on 14.09.2023... I can walk 5-6 km. per day, and even more and feel OK, no tired...Laso can climb 9 th floor of stairs, of course I breath a deeper...I am 50 years old.

Rich Butela  Weeks 1 and 2 were very short walks, maybe 10 minutes at a time. My wife was very involved in making sure I didn't over do it.

Week 3, I started to go out on my own and my walks quickly escalated to 1 mile then 2 miles.

I'm 4 weeks out now and still go about 2 miles, though at a little faster pace. I did 3 miles on Sunday because it was such a great day for walking. Felt really good but definately drained the energy reserve for the rest of the day.

My goal so far has to try to keep my heart rate below 90 unless I'm going up a hill, then it creeps up into the 90s. I highly recommend getting some kind of heart rate monitor watch if you can. I'm a data kind of guy and it really helps me track my progress.
Hope that helps you.

Rita Savelis  Hi Svetlomir.  I was in hospital for 3 weeks. I walked around inside once I got out of 5 days in ICU where one could not walk. It was difficult to walk for the first few weeks. I could only walk slowly. I then went to a live-in rehab hospital for another 3 weeks.  There I took an exercise class everyday and walked on a treadmill. After a long nap I would then walk around the hospital or sometimes outside in the city. Sometimes I was exhausted. I never compared myself to anyone else. After I got home I did what one does in a city: walk, walk, walk, shop for groceries, take them home, take the subway to work, climb stairs. I never recorded my heart rate and no medical personnel told me to walk more or less. Everyone is different. Everyone's body is different. As long as you do some movement, this is good. Do what you can. Everyone's journey is singular and individual. I hope you are doing okay. Mitral repair is not easy.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hi Rich and Rita! I am during the 6th week after surgery (mitral valve repair), through right side ribs. I am walking for 3,5 miles daily for 1 hour and 15 min, usually on two splits (for approx. 35 min. and 40 min.), in the 13.00 p.m. and 18.00 p.m. But can not see any improvments for the last 2 weeks. 

Rich, did you exercise every day or not? I am trying everyday, but when  do some good walk, the next day I feel tired and lasy, and walking results are even slower than previous day. What about you? Definitely not feel that on 6th week I am able to return to mine normal activity and even do not dare to walk in the downtown, i.e. I am walking close to my place, because if I get tired to be able to rest.

Rita Savelis  Svetlomir -it is still so very very early for you. Your strength will come back, but slowly. If you are tired don't force yourself. It is very common to overdo it and feel tired the next day. This happens to everyone. Also I thought I would be strong enough 4 months after surgery to go back to my dance class. But I waited a year. It's hard. One is trying to get back to normal or where one was before but it can take longer than expected. Go easy on yourself.

nicole taylor  Hi Svetlomir, 

Here is the exact program that I was given upon discharge : 

1 Week - Walk 5 minutes, 3-4x a day
2 Week - Walk 10 minutes, 3x a day
3 Week - Walk 15 minutes, 2-3x a day
4 Week - Walk 20 minutes, 2x a day
5 Week - Walk 30 minutes, 1-2x a day
6 Week - Walk 40-45 minutes, 1x a day

Caution: if you feel any shortness of breath or dizziness, REST, and decrease the amount of walking next time. 

If you have chest pain or tightness, nausea, vomiting, or headache, STOP walking sessions and contact doctor.

I hope this helps, at about 5 weeks I feel so much less pain and I had minimally invasive surgery. God bless and have a restful recovery!

Grace Mason   Hi Svetlomir, I am also at 6 weeks (post Ross procedure and ascending aortic replacement) and I was short walks 10 minutes for the first week. One half mile walks progressing into 1 mile walks in weeks 2-3 at 30-45 minutes 2x a day, occasionally 3x if I felt really well. Stamina has fluctuated. I had a set back in week 4-5 with pneumonia and pleural effusion that needed draining. My walks dropped back to much shorter and slower, probably a mile over the entire day, while recovering from that experience. Now in week 6, I have worked back to about to 1 to 1.5 miles a couple times a day and feeling good, but definitely still weaker than previous to my surgery. I'm starting a rehab program in a few days so I am excited to get more guidance on what my body tells them I am ready to do going forward. 

Grace Mason   That's a nice and specific plan Nicole. Thanks for sharing. Where did you have your surgery? I was at Mt Sinai, first trip to NYC, it was an amazing trip for many reasons ❤️. I greatly enjoyed seeing a bit of NY.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hi people, 

I red all yor answers and will tell that instructions I was given after hospital discharge were the same as those Nicole wrote it above. My surgery was at 14 Sept. 2023, for Mitral Regurgitation, through right side between the ribs (so called minimal invasive). Let me share my exeperionece:

1. The 3-4 week I decided to walk more and more and get to 7,5 km. daily (4,7 miles) in two spillts , about 40 min. each. Obviously, it was too much and several times alomost fainted. That is overdoing is not a god idea. That is happen because I try to follow I guy schedule, I met in gospital, who recover extremely fast ( same operation like mine, just one week earlier, he is 42 y.o., I am 50 y.o., 187 cm./78 kg.). Also, I noticed that after surgery, unlike before, my energety run out all of suuden: I mean, in my life before, when I get tired after training, I still have stamina to walk, but now, when I walk my distance, my energy somehow stop suddenly.That is why I want to warn you.

2. Now I reduce my activiti to max. 5,6 km. daily (3,5 miles) and feel much more better than when I tried 7,6, km. If I exert myself, I could probably walk 60 min.  non-stop, but I preffer to divide this distance on two spilts daily per 35min- 40 min. each, totally 5,6 km. I think this is close ot average person daily walk.

3. About stairs:

I climb to my apartment on 4th floor, but at every floor stop for a llitle (just 2-3 second) to take deep breaths. Guess what ? if did not stop, climbing is much more difficult and I get breathless. In other words, we should do a llitle than we want. Same about when I bending down and forward to take something on the floor, it is realy cause shorhness of breath, I do not why, but get a llitle better.

4. I red here stories that people get beck to work just after a month, but  honestly it sound to me more than exeption, not a normal course of recovery. I had a lots of naps in first 4 weeks, now rarely, but still did it. Also, I have some dizzy spells, especially when I start to walk and turn my head (just to see for cars), but now not so many. What about you?

5. Right arm:

Because I wa told not to lift my arm, especially the right over head for some weeks, and duly follow this instruction on the 4 week, start shoulder pain, probably because of adhesives growth, so called ''frowzen shoulder''. That is why I advice, to move your arm somehow, even begore ''dealine'' for insicion healling.

6. BP and HR:

First 3-4 weeks, my hbm (heart beat per minite) was like 80 beas/minites, but slowly get back to more normal levels, close to my ordinary 60 bpm. BP is 120/80, but still take some diuretics for 2-3 times weekly,  but I think is just to flush my system ot waste products.

Grace Mason   We are built very similar Svetlomir. I am 183cm/74kg. I am 56 y.o.
I agree, I think each persons recovery period is individual. It sounds like you are doing great. I also currently get short of breath going up stairs, find it still uncomfortable to lean or bend forward, and moving my head too quickly can cause me to feel woozy but I believe that has to do with the Metoprolol, which I had previously tried before surgery and experienced a similar (not quite dizzy), but slightly off balance feel. 
I am also taking furesomide(diuretic) added after my pleural effusion and they also gave me potassium 10meq supplement to use at the same time because the diuretic depletes your bodies potassium. They will be checking my blood work next week to see if/how these meds are affecting anything else.
My HR is now, at rest, around 60 with the BP meds. 

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hi Grace,
very similar (if not the same) sympoms. For the rest symptoms I am not able do give advise, but stairs probably you will be able to do more, if you (even not shorteless of breath) to stop for a jits few seconds on every floor (and leveled place bettween every flight of stairs) to take deep breath. Fot me, make diffrence: with these short stops,  I am able to climb to sixth gloor, without them just climb 3th floor. Take a naps, even short after walks, they really refresh the body. Dizzines and wabble is most unpleasent...some people say this is result form the anesthesia. Cuurently I take blood thinner (Sintrom) and low doseCordarone (before surgery I devolope Afib, and have a cardioversion, and this was the reason to contct the surgeon, otherwise probably will wait for other sympthoms). What about sizes of LA, LV, did you have the numbers?

Rita Savelis  Hi Svetlomir. I climb stairs all the time, but I always have to stop and catch my breath. This does not mean I don't climb stairs. It means I do them at my own pace. If I don't take rest breaks I will not be able to climb so many stairs. I have realised (8 years later) that I can do almost anything if it is at my pace and if I rest. I think you are doing extremely well and are extremely honest about what post surgery is like. Take care.

Svetlomir Ivanov  As I already said, Rita is amazing person, and a few persons will be able to make efforts she made it and to get trough this challenges. I only pray to be OK enough for her condition. After some years, scientist could invent a new heart from indivual`s cells, who knows?

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hi Grace,
I look at your medical report, but the letter`s sizes is too small to read it well. My general questions was if your LA was dilated before surgery and if LA shrink back to normal? As far as I can read it, they are normal now?

Grace Mason   Yes, LV showed slight enlargement before surgery but it appears to be in normal range now. My LA was in normal range before surgery and now. Thank you all for sharing your experiences, it is so helpful

Rich Butela  Hi Svetlomir.  Yes I have been walking everyday and yes my energy level fluctuates daily. Some days I feel really good and others way more fatigued,  Monday I did two miles at an 18 minute mile pace no problem, but today I was doing 19+ minute miles .  I'm at 4 weeks post op and I'm nowhere near my pre-op fitness level.  From talking with others it's definately a non-linear process.  There's a lot of stuff going on inside our bodies right now and it's going to be a long process. The best advice I got was from my heart buddy Jeff. He told me don't try to measure your progress day by day,  but instead look at how you are feeling week by week.  Don't get discouraged, it sounds like you are doing fine

Svetlomir Ivanov  Thanks Rich, I reach the same conslusion. If you exercise (without surgery) usually after tarining day or two, you would just relax. But we (me) try everyday to progress, whitout a rest day, which maybe is not a good idea. I no longer strive to improve on daily basis, my usual pace is : 1 km. per 13 min., 4,5 -4,6 km. per hour and think this is above average speed of people's pace. I notice that when I am not observing my results, I walk longer and feel better, and pace is approximately the same, than when I try to hurry. Do you take some diuretics? I have normal BP, but nevertheless doctors instruct me to take diuretic (not every day), maybe to reduce burden of the heart and to flush the body?

Rich Butela  Doc gave me Diuretic for the first 5 days after surgery but not since then. My BP is all over the place right now. The Doctor said that's normal for the first few months then things should settle down to my new normal

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hi, Rich.
Here the practice is other: the take diuretics (2-3 times weekly), even with normal blood pressure like me. May be the idea is to ease heart`s work and flush the body. Another guy who met in the hospital and we are in touch, is on the same regime. Do you feel tired after daily walks (mine is 5.5 - 6.0 km daily) ? I still feel tired and sometimes take a nap, but not everyday. Do you have days withouts walks, i.e. do you rest more in some days, or always try to keep same distance and hours of walk?

Rich Butela  I've been very consistent with my walks, 2 miles every morning, my evening walks are like a bonus but I don't do them every day, when I do they are usually a mile.  I usually feel better after my walk then before.  Overall I still feel tired most of the time, I'm guessing it's just my body is still using a lot of energy healing itself.  My sleep schedule is still messed up, so I do usually take a nap in the afternoon.  It sounds like we are both doing pretty good.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Yes, you are right. Today I did my first 1 hour walk without to stop for the rest: I walk around in the neigborhood, get in the shops, etc., 4,5 km. for a hour, less than when I get only for walking, but more time, and feel better than when I hurry . I mean, it is better to be able more thime, than short time with more speed? What do you think? Did do you knoe how other people progress for the same time after surgery ( I am 6th week after surgery)

Susan Lynn  It depends on how much fluid you retain and how fast you get rid of it. Your weight is monitored in the hospital and by home health nurses after discharge. I only took them for about a week, but I didn't have that much additional post-op weight.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hey Susan, nice to answer so precisely:) I have no fluid retention, but fed up with nigth duties, because of water pills :) I have Mitral valve repair on 14 Sept. 2023. How much did walk at this stage? Me, 3 km. daily, in 3 walks, every one 1 km. Excuse my English, but for me, it is like Hindi for you :) I am from South Europe (Bulgaria)

Susan Lynn  Svetlomir - Your English is very good! No apologies are necessary. I also walked three times a day. First week 1/2 mi. (.8 km) each time, then added a little more 1 mile (1.6 km) three times a day for weeks two and three. I eventually attended cardiac rehab where they added incline and increased the speed on a treadmill to develop my endurance - it was much more challenging than walking on level ground. If you're walking 3 km, you're doing great! When you feel like it's getting easier, you can extend it.

Svetlomir Ivanov  Hi, Susan! I am 49 y.o.By the way, a I had mimimal invasive surgery for mitral valve repair from the rigth side on 14 Sept. 2023... When did you dare to sleep on your side - left side, after that affected rigth side? I red you journal, you have some episodes of elevated BP and irregular rhythm - I bet now your BP is OK, as far as I can see you are slim lady, and no reason for high BP, except stress and and pressure in everyday duties. What about the rhythm, is it OK? Jogging is very good for both conditions, because naturally soothe the body with natural endorphin. May be you should try. I never belief, but really act, I try for my BP. My BP was OK, but somethimes, because of stress for future surgery, it rise up. And regular jogging really elimanated this problem. Are you under some stress - job, etc.? If yes, probobly this is yhe trigger, no something organic.

Svetlomir Ivanov  I am afraid I was not able to understand : 1 mile each walk, i.e. 3 miles per day, or tottally 1 mile daily was your programme to exercise?

Susan Lynn  Svetlomir - I actually walked three miles a day - 1 mi. x 3 (20 minute walks) times. That was at a comfortable pace. Now, I usually try to walk faster or at an incline now that surgery is far behind me. Thanks for the tip on jogging - unfortunately, my knees aren't what they used to be, so I stick to lower impact activities. Hope you are able to discontinue the use of your water pills. I know how inconvenient it can be.

Rita Savelis  Maybe you should not walk too much until your appointment tomorrow. Take it easy. Unless the incision looks really bad - and then go to emergency. 

Svetlomir Ivanov  Thanks Rita, may be no other way, I will not risk with emergency team, better a surgeon form the sam hospital

Richard Munson  I guess a leak is all relative. A dribble or the dam just broke. Depending on the severity of the leak would determine in my eyes where i go and how fast.