Valerie's Journal

Susan Lynn  Valerie - It's good to hear from you. I'm sure that wasn't the news you wanted to hear, but remember, many people live their entire lives with moderate regurgitation without a need to ever address it - it's very possible yours will stabilize. Until you have to make a decision, do what you can to enjoy every day. If you do have to cross that bridge, you'll do it with the same strength and spirit you've used in the past. Rest assured, valves, procedures, and surgeons' expertise only improve with time. Stay positive about your health and live life to the fullest!

Lee Wright  I am sorry you got bad news, I imagine that must be disheartening. Hopefully it does not progress anymore.

Marie Myers  I am sorry you have ongoing cardiac concerns. You certainly have been through enough with 2 surgeries. Here is hoping that the valve disease does not progress!

Valerie Herndon-Vitarella  Ana, you are about 6 months out. How are you feeling? Were you able to get cardiac rehab in before things were shutting down?

  Hi Valerie, this May 26 will be six months out. I was not able to get my cardiac rehab before COVID shutting down. I had to postponed my new Cardiologist appointment in April for this coming June 3. I am planning to attend that appointment as it’s been 5 months since I saw my old cardiologist. I still want to do cardio rehab and will as for it then. I am feeling good with some occasional aching and sometimes tightness of my heart. Very grateful for my recovery and thank God for his blessings of healing
Be blessed and safe

Valerie Herndon-Vitarella  Glad to hear you are doing well. Hope your appointment with the new cardiologist is all good news. I also feel grateful for God's blessings! Rehab should start back soon if it hasn't already,

Susan Lynn  Congratulations on your 9- month anniversary and quick recovery, Valerie! I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can stop the metoprolol - I felt better once I stopped taking it. ❤

Valerie Herndon-Vitarella  Thanks, Susan. Thankfully, I haven't had as many side effects as some have reported and I know when to expect the dizziness.

Susan Lynn  Congratulations on your six month anniversary, Valerie! See if your doctor will lower the metoprolol dosage. I was also dizzy when taking it! All the best! ❤

LINDA ROBERTS  Wow, you have been through alot and the good news is you are doing great now. I have some dizziness from the metoprolol but not too bad.

Valerie Herndon-Vitarella  I am on 25mg twice a day. I try to remember to only take a half dose on my racquetball day and seem to do better then. Pretty much the dizziness only occurs when bending over and standing, getting up quickly after sitting, etc.

Catherine Gilstrap  Had surgery on November 15 taking 1/2 of metoprolol 25 mg 2xa day and have dizzy spells especially at night

Kelly Stoll  I finish rehab in 3 days. I've wanted to and thought about quitting so many times BUT I promised myself before my surgery that I would do everything I could to give myself the best future possible. (My mom had 7 heart attacks and multiple other complications during her 57 years)... so I am going to finish. Its already paid for, the doctor feels it's for the best, and honestly I think next Tuesday, I will be a little sorry it is over. It is exciting to cut the corr though too.

Valerie Herndon-Vitarella  Great job, Kelly and congratulations on finishing that many visits. I talked with my cardiologist and he said I am good to go at this time having completed 18 visits (my insurance pays per visit and not upfront). I wouldn't have stopped without consulting my doctor. The rehab team was fine with it too since I have already gone back my regular activities and will continue to be active. I just felt like I was at a standstill the last couple of weeks. If I increase workout intensity, then my heart rate will go above the range and they tell me to slow down. Pretty boring just going through the workout and there is hardly anybody else there at that time. The stress of trying to get out of work on time at 430p, driving to downtown Akron (during major road closings and detours in rush hour) and then not arriving home until 630-645p 3x a week only to be monitored doesn't seem worth it. I can continue at the Natatorium (I have a membership that has only been used 1x in the past 11weeks!) and on my home recumbent bike along with fun outdoor activities. I definitely benefited from rehab because I know I would have tried to do too much too soon. I also learned good warm up and cool down routines and some weight exercises that I can use.

Phyllis Petersen  Glad to hear you're continuing to progress well. Hopefully, you're not exhausted every day after work. Working on a computer can still be tough. I look forward to hearing more as you get on with your recovery.

Valerie Herndon-Vitarella  Thanks, Phyllis. Yesterday was a little tiring after working all day, rehab and then walking my dog when I got home, but I slept better than I have since surgery. It also helps that I am not flat on my back all night and can go on my side a little more since I do not sleep well on my back. Not quite ready for stomach yet, though.

Phyllis Petersen  I was soooo happy when I could go at least a little on my side, but that was after robotic, not sternotomy. I needed a little larger pillow to rest my arm on at first to avoid pulling. Now, I use my heart pillow as my "hug" pillow. It's a perfect size!

Kelly Stoll  Congratulations Valerie. Hang in there with the aches, etc. Remember tissue and muscle take time to heal too. Keep going and enjoy your freedom!

Julie Fehrenbach-Cain  That is VERY encouraging, Valerie. Glad to hear that your recovery is going well!
It gives me a lot of hope.

Fred Seling  MyChart blew up for me with appointments and then once I was discharged they sent all of the lab and x-ray results.

Nancy Surprenant Takahashi  Gee Valerie sorry to hear that. I'm scheduled for an annuloplasty ring April 10th, what makes that happen, it just can happen or put in wrong?

Anna Jones  What type of surgery did you have -- was it minimally invasive, or full sternotomy, or robotic?

In my journal I mention that I've spoken with 2 different surgeons. Originally I wanted robotic or a minimally invasive side approach. My cardiologist warned me against that. He said that this is a big surgery, and that I want to give my surgeon the best view and easiest access to my mitral valve and I should pick the full sternotomy. He said that would give me the best chance of not needing to repeat the surgery in the future.

The first surgeon I saw does not do robotic surgery, although his partner does and he offered to bring his partner into our consultation. He told me that a higher percentage of repairs fail with robotic surgery. He told me that there was also a higher risk of stroke with robotic and side entry techniques.

The second surgeon (a top surgeon at a top hospital) I saw does do robotic surgery but prefers a mid line incision. He basically repeated what my cardiologist and the first surgeon said, although I did not tell him that I had had this discussion previously.

I asked how long my repair should last and he answered: "there is a 95% chance it will last 10 years. There is a similar statistic that it will last 20 years". That means that 5% of the population need a re-repair within 10 years.

I am very sorry that you are having to deal with this. I know that you went to a top surgeon at a top hospital. I hope they will have some good answers for you.

Phyllis Petersen  I had the same surgery with the same surgeon a month before you. My echo at 6 months post-surgery looked good. I have to schedule another one. You've made me a bit nervous! I hope things go well and that this one holds firm.

Valerie Herndon-Vitarella  I had robotic assisted repair through the right side. My cardiologist said that endocarditis could cause the ring to do that, but I haven't been ill and blood cultures came back negative. My echo 1 month after surgery (Dec 2016) showed 1+ regurgitation and, if I remember correctly, my cardiologist said the regurgitant jet was aimed toward the ring. At that time he seemed concerned if it would cause hemolysis of my blood, but lab tests were all normal and my hemoglobin was back to where it was before surgery. When I saw him in August 2017, it must not have sounded any worse because he didn't order an echo and set up another appt. in 6 months.

Anna Jones  I am very sorry, Valerie. I cannot imagine what you must be feeling right now. Please keep us posted and know that I am sending prayers.

Steve Farthing  Some surgeons use unfounded statements to scare patients away from minimally invasive mitral valve repair. This is to counter that: "A minimally invasive approach provides many benefits, including one supported by our research: intraoperative repair that is more immediate and effective, and highly durable. A small, right-sided incision also provides a more useful and direct view of the mitral valve." https://stanfordhealthcare.org/content/dam/SHC/treatments/m/docs/mini-mitral-br-v11.pdf

Valerie Herndon-Vitarella  I have a Medtronic Duran AnCore Annuloplasty Band. The approach this time will be sternal; I really have no way of knowing if the robotic approach had anything to do with the issues with the band or not. Just hoping it can still be repaired since I am really unsure of tissue replacement vs mechanical. I just turned 59, so a tissue would likely mean another OHS down the road and I have concerns about being on Coumadin the rest of my life. Thank you all for the comments, prayers and concerns.

Jim Harvey   Hi Valerie, so sorry to hear of your situation. I am scheduled for MVR on April 9 and it will be OHS. My Dr. said that their experience with robotic did have issues like you describe. My cardiologist also told me that with OHS the surgeon can use 'tactile feedback' to determine if the ring is correctly seated. He also shared with me that surgeons are already doing second valve replacements (after the first artificial one wears out) through the femoral artery. Not FDA approved yet, still experimental. But in 12 years or so odds are good it'd be more of a standard procedure. I encourage you to ask your doctor direct questions and if you don't get direct answers, keep asking elsewhere!

Debbie Chatzky  I had my mitral
Valve repaired with Duran ring. It lasted 21 years but with progressive mitral stenosis. The approach was minimally invasive under right breast. I was told now that sternal is the best Access. I will now be having a mitral replacement with sternotomy.

Susan Killian  That is what my surgeon said, sternotomy gives him best view and best repair, I had mitral valve repair with a annuloplasty ring and 8 new chords.