G
Guest
I doubt life after open heart surgery is peaches and cream all the sudden - do people have to get their valves replaced every few years? Avoid certain foods? Take medication for the rest of their life? etc?
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pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
Hi
well a lot depends on how old you are, and how fit / healthy you were before surgery.
I've had a few goes at this now (repair, homograft, mechanical) and my own experience has been that the first two lasted about 20 years each, I had no restrictions and kept living my life as one would expect a "normal" person to live it. Nobody ever really observed from what I did / ate / drank that I was anything any different.
Same goes for now with a mechanical valve.
I've found that aging is slowing me down more than any heart valve surgery ever did
well a lot depends on how old you are, and how fit / healthy you were before surgery.
I've had a few goes at this now (repair, homograft, mechanical) and my own experience has been that the first two lasted about 20 years each, I had no restrictions and kept living my life as one would expect a "normal" person to live it. Nobody ever really observed from what I did / ate / drank that I was anything any different.
Same goes for now with a mechanical valve.
I've found that aging is slowing me down more than any heart valve surgery ever did
One thing is for sure.......I've already lived a life more than twice as long as I would have without OHS according to what the surgeon told me when I was 30. He told me I would not live to 40 without the surgery and now I have reached 81+. No, it has not been all peaches and cream....but it has been, more or less, normal. The questions you raise are the most common questions for people facing this surgery and you will find many answers on this forum. Stick around and educate yourself so that you can be an informed patient if, or when, surgery becomes part of your future.
I'm nearly 26 years post-OHS. It may not have been all peaches and cream, but I don't remember any major issues at the hospital or during recovery. Of course, I may have forgotten some of the bad stuff.
After OHS, you'll eventually feel much stronger. You should have more endurance. Basically, you should feel better.
I had a mechanical valve - those usually come with a lifetime guarantee (bad joke). Dick mentioned that his has been clicking away for 50 years and mine is about half of his. Yes, the valves tick. It takes a while to get used to it. Now I have to strain to hear it.
I have to take coumadin/warfarin every day for the rest of my life. It's not that big a deal. I test my blood every week using my own meter. It isn't a very big deal.
You should try to be fairly consistent about diet, but don't have to obsess over it.
If you get a tissue valve, they don't last as long - 10-20 years, and sometimes as short as 5-7, from some of the things I read. I depends on a lot of factors. For me, at 41 years old, the only acceptable choice was mechanical.
As far as other medications go, I followed doctor's advice and apparently let my bad valve go for too long - it weakened my heart slightly. So, I'm taking medications to optimize heart function. I also have some diagnostic exams every few years (usually an echocardiogram and sometimes a stress echo).
Your life probably won't get worse after OHS. Your lifestyle won't change unless you let it change. At some point, the only memories you may have are that ticking in your chest (if you get a mechanical valve) and that nice scar on your chest.
(There's also something that some people refer to as 'pump head' but that's a whole different discussion.)
What's your situation?
After OHS, you'll eventually feel much stronger. You should have more endurance. Basically, you should feel better.
I had a mechanical valve - those usually come with a lifetime guarantee (bad joke). Dick mentioned that his has been clicking away for 50 years and mine is about half of his. Yes, the valves tick. It takes a while to get used to it. Now I have to strain to hear it.
I have to take coumadin/warfarin every day for the rest of my life. It's not that big a deal. I test my blood every week using my own meter. It isn't a very big deal.
You should try to be fairly consistent about diet, but don't have to obsess over it.
If you get a tissue valve, they don't last as long - 10-20 years, and sometimes as short as 5-7, from some of the things I read. I depends on a lot of factors. For me, at 41 years old, the only acceptable choice was mechanical.
As far as other medications go, I followed doctor's advice and apparently let my bad valve go for too long - it weakened my heart slightly. So, I'm taking medications to optimize heart function. I also have some diagnostic exams every few years (usually an echocardiogram and sometimes a stress echo).
Your life probably won't get worse after OHS. Your lifestyle won't change unless you let it change. At some point, the only memories you may have are that ticking in your chest (if you get a mechanical valve) and that nice scar on your chest.
(There's also something that some people refer to as 'pump head' but that's a whole different discussion.)
What's your situation?
AZ Don
Well-known member
After several months for recovery, my life has been pretty much the same as it was before. I do spend more time doing what I and my wife really want to do. Nothing like finding out you have a heart defect and an aortic aneurysm to make you realize that we only have so much time here.
jcgtok17
Well-known member
My post OHS experience is very fresh as I am just over 5 weeks post-op. My sternum is feeling much better and estimates would put % healed at 70-80% at this juncture. Walking a lot, as in 50 miles per week (versus 30 miles in week 3) and I'm back to the gym 3 days a week (very light weights, stationary bike and stair climber). I went with a bioprosthetic valve even though "only" 50 based on research and advice from my cardiac team. 8-12 years is the expected life of the tissue value, but hopeful that I won't need to have full open heart surgery next time around!
Vincent63
Active member
I am now 2 years post OHS ( I am 53) and fitter than any time since i was about 20 ... No major issues ... I travel extensively for work ( 50% of time abroad) ... I completed a hike of the 3 highest mountains in UK last July ... in 2 weeks time I do a 35 mile hike across 3 mountains in England over a 24 hour period ... I have a mechanical valve .. take Warfarin once a day ... Maybe I am lucky but if I had not had OHS I would be dead ... and if I had not had a bicuspid valve I would not be doing the things I am now. There are some tough times in recovery .. but the body and brain can overcome these.
Vincent63
Active member
I am now 2 years post OHS ( I am 53) and fitter than any time since i was about 20 ... No major issues ... I travel extensively for work ( 50% of time abroad) ... I completed a hike of the 3 highest mountains in UK last July ... in 2 weeks time I do a 35 mile hike across 3 mountains in England over a 24 hour period ... I have a mechanical valve .. take Warfarin once a day ... Maybe I am lucky but if I had not had OHS I would be dead ... and if I had not had a bicuspid valve I would not be doing the things I am now. There are some tough times in recovery .. but the body and brain can overcome these.
I don't know -- I never really liked peaches and cream. . . but I DO love life post-valve replacement. I had a tissue valve implanted just over 6 years ago, at age 63. I'm not yet worrying about how long it will last, as there is nothing to be gained by doing so. Like Vincent, I believe that I would be dead by now had I not had the surgery. I take some meds, but not due to the valve. I take meds for blood pressure control and lipid control - just as I did before the valve surgery, and I take some other meds for other unrelated conditions. My valve really doesn't impact my daily life. I do have a pacemaker, which brings its own cautions and complications, but that is not related to your question. My valve is pretty much invisible to my daily life. So much so that my surgical scar is almost impossible to see, especially when I've been out in the sun a bit.
Once I got past the initial healing, I did cardio rehab and then went back to my regular 5 days a week gym schedule. The only thing I've had to do is to ensure that my pacemaker is adjusted properly to allow aerobic exercise (it is set to automatically raise my heart rate when my body needs it). I'm getting close to 70 now and still working 50+ hours a week, travelling, working around the house, polishing cars by hand, going to the gym. . . just living the heck out of my life.
The biggest reminders to me of all this are the two appointments I have with my cardio each year. One time we do an echo and consultation, the other is just an office consultation.
the first couple of months of my recovery were a train wreck due to the impact the surgery and meds had on my digestive system (about brought it to a full stop), but once we got that back under control, life has quickly returned to a new normal that is better than it was before surgery.
Once I got past the initial healing, I did cardio rehab and then went back to my regular 5 days a week gym schedule. The only thing I've had to do is to ensure that my pacemaker is adjusted properly to allow aerobic exercise (it is set to automatically raise my heart rate when my body needs it). I'm getting close to 70 now and still working 50+ hours a week, travelling, working around the house, polishing cars by hand, going to the gym. . . just living the heck out of my life.
The biggest reminders to me of all this are the two appointments I have with my cardio each year. One time we do an echo and consultation, the other is just an office consultation.
the first couple of months of my recovery were a train wreck due to the impact the surgery and meds had on my digestive system (about brought it to a full stop), but once we got that back under control, life has quickly returned to a new normal that is better than it was before surgery.
DougWyndham
Active member
I seem to get more dates. It helps drawing attention to the fact I have a metalic hear valve .... the line "have you had a Bionic Man before?" seems to work wonders for my psychological and physical health 
TP12022015
Member
I had a AVR on 12/2/15 and feel great and do enjoy life at high levels. I had a mechanical valve pit in and the balancing of Coumadin has been very smooth. After the 4-6 week recovery time, I really feel like life is better and I am able to workout at a higher level than before. Life can be pretty "normal" after surgery.
In terms of my day-to-day activities, I would say that life after OHS has returned to the health that I had before the shortness-of-breath symptoms that ended with the diagnosis of needing a replacement aortic valve. In other words I consider myself to have no restrictions on what I want to do.
That's not to say I ignore it, or that there are no maintenance issues. I have annual appointments to check on the valve, and of course I am taking Warfarin (Coumadin), which needs monitoring and management, and I am taking other medication too. But I am an organised kinda guy who likes gadgets, so I have my trusty CoaguCheck machine for the Warfarin monitoring (which means I typically go to the Anti-coagulation clinic only twice a year, and I have a pill box to prepare the day's brightly coloured sweeties for the right time to take them over the next 24 hours. I was an insulin dependent diabetic before, so was already used to regular meds and self monitoring.
I have even found the scar down my chest doesn't put off potential partners, which had concerned me, though I did apply "Bio oil" almost daily for a year to help minimise the visibility of that.
One bonus thing that happened when I had my OHS was that I got a pacemaker owing to "surgical complications". I am about to post separately about that as I want to see what experience others have had, but I am fairly sure this has not caused me any issues and I only have an annual checkup for it.
That's not to say I ignore it, or that there are no maintenance issues. I have annual appointments to check on the valve, and of course I am taking Warfarin (Coumadin), which needs monitoring and management, and I am taking other medication too. But I am an organised kinda guy who likes gadgets, so I have my trusty CoaguCheck machine for the Warfarin monitoring (which means I typically go to the Anti-coagulation clinic only twice a year, and I have a pill box to prepare the day's brightly coloured sweeties for the right time to take them over the next 24 hours. I was an insulin dependent diabetic before, so was already used to regular meds and self monitoring.
I have even found the scar down my chest doesn't put off potential partners, which had concerned me, though I did apply "Bio oil" almost daily for a year to help minimise the visibility of that.
One bonus thing that happened when I had my OHS was that I got a pacemaker owing to "surgical complications". I am about to post separately about that as I want to see what experience others have had, but I am fairly sure this has not caused me any issues and I only have an annual checkup for it.
MartinF
Well-known member
I would add that it is more important to make exercise and healthy eating part of your lifestyle. I'm a few weeks away from 5 years and no restrictions on exercise. I am slower and run shorter than before the valve degraded but I'm still out there. Did a 5.5 mile run/walk this morning. Meds seem to vary between individuals but I'm on statins to keep my cholesterol lower to reduce valve stress. I have a tissue mitral valve. Target LDL is 100. Also on beta blocker to reduce risk of AFIB. Martin
Andy - Do start another thread about the pacemaker. I don't want to hijack this thread, but would be happy to converse about my pacemaker experience these past 6 1/2 years.
SumoRunner
Well-known member
I'm another 26 year guy. I got a mechanical valve the first time, so it has never been replaced. My life has been the same after as before. I made no alteration to my lifestyle at all. I was a runner before and kept running, including hundreds of road, trail, and track races, until arthritis stopped me at age 68. However I can still do a triathlon as long as I can walk the run course. Staying away from certain foods, like dark green veggies, grapefruit, and a few other items is no great loss. It's not like I had to give up pizza, beer, and chips. Yeah, the lifetime medication is a drag, but you learn to live with it.
Agian
Well-known member
I feel 'normal' too. It messes with my head actually. I was asymptomatic before the op, and feel the same now. I still find it surreal that less than a year ago I had my chest cracked open.
My son reminded me that my heart is really a ticker and then stood there smirking at his profound comment.
Is it just me?
My son reminded me that my heart is really a ticker and then stood there smirking at his profound comment.
Is it just me?
Agian, it's not just you. I too find it surreal that about a year and a half ago my chest was cracked open and a gifted surgeon replaced a heart valve and rebuilt my aortic arch. I find the fact that I have a mechanical valve inside me and that my ascending aorta and arch are now made of grafting material quite surreal, but it is real and I'm both humbled and fascinated by it.
I only found out I had a BAV and an aneurysm about 8 weeks before surgery so it all happened very fast for me. I didn't really have symptoms except for getting a little winded on stairs which I thought was just because I was in my 50's and put on a few pounds. Now I don't get winded so other than that along with taking Warfarin I feel pretty much the same now as I did before the surgery.
I only found out I had a BAV and an aneurysm about 8 weeks before surgery so it all happened very fast for me. I didn't really have symptoms except for getting a little winded on stairs which I thought was just because I was in my 50's and put on a few pounds. Now I don't get winded so other than that along with taking Warfarin I feel pretty much the same now as I did before the surgery.
