Cholectstectomy and aspirin

[dmeehan]

Hi everyone,
I had my AVR back in March of 2011 and now I found out I have to have my gallbladder removed. I am meeting with my cardiologist tomorrow for my annual echo and check up and to get clearance for gall bladdery surgery. I am extremely nervous. I was just wondering how many people out there have had their gall bladders out post-valve replacement? I currently take one full aspirin a day and will probably be told to stop that one week prior to surgery and that has me stressed out as well. I also take 12.5 mg of atenelol per day (1/2 of a 25 mg pill) and that's it for meds for me. Hoping some folks here have some experiences to share regarding post-avr non-heart-related surgeries.
Thank you!

 

[chaconne]

I haven't had this done to me, but I'm assuming you got a tissue valve and are not on anti-coagulants (ie: Warfarin). It doesn't seem like dropping aspirin or a beta blocker for a week or two should be too big a deal, depending on what you take Atenolol for. Having to go off warfarin for a surgery seems like a bigger issue.

 

[dmeehan]

Yes I got a tissue valve. No anti-coagulants for me, just the aspirin and low dose of atenelol.

 

[ski girl]

I was supposed to have my gall bladder out as well (mech valve and warfarin) and I was never even asked if I was on aspirin. Take a deep breath - there won't be a drama - you are hardly the first tissue valve patient to need minor surgery and the surgeon will know exactly how to handle it!

 

[Protimenow]

Tissue Valve? Aspirin? Endoscopic Surgery? (I'm assuming that the cholecystectomy will be done endoscopically). This means that you'll have a few punctures in your abdomen, through which the surgeon will guide his instruments. The aspirin isn't doing much to make you bleed -- it works differently from warfarin, and makes your platelets less 'sticky.' I don't even know if they'll ask you to stop taking aspirin for the surgery.

As Ski Girl said, your surgeon has probably operated on others with a tissue valve. She (the surgeon) or he should know what to do.

 

[epstns]

I had surgery last March for a small abdominal hernia (above the navel), and they just asked me to stop aspirin for a few days (a week, I think) prior to surgery. They told me to go ahead and take my BP meds and all the others, just nothing that would affect clotting like aspirin, vitamin E (in my multi-vitamin), etc.

The whole process was a lot less dramatic than I even expected, and I thought it would be pretty tame.

 

[Jkm7]

I wouldn't be overly concerned about stopping the aspirin. Far easier to be off that for a brief period than coumadin. I've stopped aspirin a few times with no difficulties at all. Get back on it as soon as your surgeon permits and remind the nurses when in the hospital that you wish to restart it..... sometimes it slips through the cracks. Of course, speak with your cardio about it but it is likely he will tell you to not stress about it.

All best wishes. Every reason to think you'll do just fine.
Please let us know.

 

[kfay]

I had my gallbladder removed about 2 years after I had my valve replaced with a pig valve. They will make you stop the aspirin, but don't worry about it. I can't take aspirin and haven't for the 5.5 years I've had my pig valve. My surgeon and cardio are both okay with me not taking it. The gallbladder removal surgery was really easy for me, not much pain, in and out. Hope it's that way for you too.

 

[dmeehan]

Thank you all very much! I really appreciate it. A small update: I saw my cardio yesterday for my yearly check up. She said my valve is settling in so well that when I go back for a check up next year I do not need to have an echo first. Wow, that means it will be two years from now before I have another echo! (knock on wood!) Okay, so after heart surgery, gall bladder surgery should be a piece of cake, right? LOL

 

[escargome]

Hi having had both those procedures, but in reverse order of yours. (gallbladder first 2002 then heart in 2008) I would say that assuming all goes smoothly for your procedure, the gall bladder will be a piece of cake. Mine was done lapriscopically (sp) and I went in, in the morning and out by noon. I took it easy for a couple of weeks then back to work (easy peasy). Hope all works out well for you.

 

[epstns]

Yeah - the gallbladder thing is now a much smaller deal than it once was. When my older sister had hers out in the 1970's, she was in the hospital for 10 days and home recuperating for 5 or 6 weeks. It was major open surgery back then.

Fast forward half a lifetime and my daughter had hers removed 2 weeks before her wedding. She was up and around in a couple of days, and at the wedding she danced the night away. Oh, to be that young again. . . nah. Wouldn't want to go through all of that all over again.

 

[dmeehan]

Wow Steve! Two weeks before her wedding! Okay, now I feel silly for worrying. Thank you for sharing that, that will help keep me calm on the morning of surgery.

 

[epstns]

Yes - our daughter was a bit slow-moving for a day or two, but she even surprised herself. After the wedding, the wonderful, lucky young couple took off and enjoyed a wondrous two-week trip to Spain -- complete with all the epicurious dining. That all went off without any issues.

With all you've already been through, this won't be more than an inconvenience.

P.S. Maybe you should change your message signature?

 

[Bina]

The daily Aspirin that you are taking is an anti-platelet med that many tissue valvers take for a short or long time frame. Normal protocol is to stop taking it a week before most surgeries.
(the protocol for an anticoagulant is very different).
Best wishes.