Anyone with two mechanical valves?

[Monahan5]

Hi All:

I'm new the site. I'm interested in anyone having both their mitral/aortic valve replaced at the same time and how they're doing now. I just underwent a pretty hairy procedure: dual mechanical valve replacement, double bypass and foramen procedure. Only at 8 weeks post-op did I even consider myself feeling better. Still have deep aches in my chest but very little other side effects.

My INR range is 3-3.5 and we have yet to hit it. Another question--sounds like people think being a little higher/over the range is better than being a little lower--what are comments on that?

Thanks,
Caela

 

[Karlynn]

Welcome! I'm glad you found us. We do have people with 2 mechanical valves. I'm just not one of them. I'm sure they'll be along soon.

I just wanted to respond to a few things for you. At 8 weeks post op, you're doing well. You are not getting over a tonsilectomy after all! We often say that it takes up to, or over, a year to feel back to normal, or better than you did pre-surgery at least.

Your INR range of 3-3.5 is too tight and it gives off a little alarm for me that you need to make sure your Coumadin manager and/or doctor are operating off of current information. Each INR test can have a varience of +/- .5, so you can see that having a range of .5 is like trying to hit a bullseye. I'm guessing that with 2 valves, your range is probably 3-4.

On top of that, it's not unusual to have some INR stability issues for the first few months after surgery. Yes!!! I think it's safe to say that just about all of us would rather be too high than too low.

Here's a link you may want to read - pay particular attention to the first paragraph! You will soon learn how lucky you are to have found a site where Al Lodwick is a member.

http://valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17116

Best wishes! Feel free to ask any questions.

 

[Kathleen]

Hi and welcome. I had both my mitral and aortic valves replaced with St Judes 21 years ago. I was 35 when I had surgery. It was my second OHS since they did a mitral repair 5 years prior to the double replacement. I have had multiple issues since and the doctors always say all these issues are not the normal way things go just my way. Hope you are doing well and never have to do that again.
Kathleen

 

[Cork]

Hi Monahan5,
I had my mitral and aortic valve both replaced with St. Jude mechanical valves simultaneously in 2005, also has aortic root repair. I was 23 at the time. This was the result of a BAV combined with rheumatic fever as a kid. I have never been better. Never realized how bad I felt until after I started to recover. I too struggle to get my INR withing range. I'm on 15 to 17.5mg coumadin a day and usually hover in the very low twos.

Cork

 

[sue943]

Welcome.

I had my mitral and aortic valves replaced in the middle of last year. My INR range is 3.0 - 4.0 and I have hardly ever gone out of range apart from 8.9 when I had heart block. I have looked back and I once hit 2.5, a couple in upper 2 range and one of 4.4.

My main problem has been some shortness of breath which could either be my heart or just anxiety. I am due for a six month check with a cardiologist very soon, he is a new one to me so hopefully he will be thorough.

 

[901]

I'm one of the double valvers. Mine were both leaking and I needed an aneurysm replaced. So we did it all in one shot. I was one of the statistics that had nerve damage during the dual replacement and had to get a pacer about 6 weeks later.
The worst thing now is my kids telling me that they can hear me clicking from across the room. I don't hear the clicking anymore unless I listen for it.

 

[SusanC54]

Hi Monahan 5,
Welcome to this site and best wishes as you continue your recovery!

I had mitral and aortic replacement with St. Judes valves in April of this year at the age of 54, due to childhood rheumatic fever. My INR range is 2.5 - 3.5. I'm currently on 7.5 mg. warfarin per day and still working on getting into the range consistently. I'm usually in the low 2's. I'd rather be in the upper 3's!

At 8 weeks post-op I was beginning to feel not so exhausted after exertion! Since you had additional procedures along with the valve replacements, I imagine that your recovery may be a little more prolonged. This is just a guess on my part. The main piece of advice that I can give you is to try to walk as much as you can. It helps to build up your stamina, and before you know it, you'll be able to walk several miles! I will confess that stairs are still my biggest challenge physically. I still seem to have some shortness of breath after a couple of sets of stairs, but I think this is slowly improving.

All the best as you continue on your road to recovery!

Susan

 

[John & Joann]

Hi,

Double valve in 1971, pacemaker in 1996, double valve and 3 bypass in 1999.

Your INR range should be 2.5 to 3.5. You will NEVER keep it within your narrow range.

Life can be good with the 2 mechanical and bypass. Your biggest concern is infection and complications with other illness.

Live every minute!!!!!

John & Joann
Still clicking and ticking

 

[Mb]

Hello:

Double valves in 2001 for my husband, but he also has chronic a-fib, and a few other issues. He tries to keep his INR between 2.5 and 3.5. Took him about a year to recover, and he still has some remaining issues.
Of course, he is now 60 years old, so who knows if some of the fatigue is related to that?

Best wishes. Sounds like you are doing great!

Marybeth

 

[noel]

Noel is just barely post-op with two St Jude valves on Aortic and Mitral. Had the surgery on November 15...so far...doing great.

 

[Kathy Canistro]

Hi

I got 2 St.Jude Mechanicals in June 2005, In Jan 2006 I got sick with prosthetic valve endocarditis and had to get them removed. I have 2 tissue valves now and 2 patches. I have other issues due to that bout and am not as well as I was when I had the mechanicals. I don't know if my case is unusual or not. I wish you continued success.

Kathy

 

[lcwhitney]

WELCOME!! I have both a mechanical pulmonary valve and aortic valves. I first had a homograft pulmonary valve but it literally rotted in my chest and came apart in the surgeon's hands when he removed it to replace it with my second st. jude mechanical valve I, personally would never recommend grafted valves of any kind!My dissolving valve caused me to hemmorhage and required 21 units to get me stabilized.

Lettitia