Recent content by Demonic

Over here in the UK you get to measure the effectiveness of your rat poison therapy ( :p ) by how long you have between INR retests. You'll start on a weekly test and then they double the period (2 weeks, 4 weeks etc) if you stay in range. I think that the longest I have got to is 8 weeks...

I had a mechanical AVR after severe regurgitation was found after a trip to A&E (the emergency room I guess you call it) for pain associated with a kidney stone. Although I don't consider myself to have been experiencing any symptoms before, I was a generally lazy sod. I underwent my AVR at...

Is it a total hip replacement or a resurfacing? I had a THR on my left hip back in 2000. The difference is amazing. I was on crutches for two years before they decided to do the replacement and they waited that long due to my age, I was 34 at the time. I hadn't had my AVR at the time so I...

That's all very encouraging. I'm in line for a graft on my ascending aorta and I must confess that durability of the graft hadn't occurred to me. That's probably due to the fact that I have a mech valve already and I was told that it would outlast me by a few hundred years at least. This...

I too have a metal hip and a AVR. I set off the hand scanners that they use at airports. Luckily I only had to take off my shoes last time I flew. As the security guy scanned me I just told him where the scanner was likely to bleep. I'll have to try the fridge magnet trick. :biggrin2:

I can fully sympathise with your situation. I am 44 and I had an AVR in April 2008 (mechanical) due to severe regurgitation and have now been referred again for a dilated aorta which has just hit the magical 5cm mark. It came as a bit of a surprise to be needing this so soon after my AVR (2...

I just take whatever the Pharmacist gives me. I've never really considered whether one manufacturer was different to another. I'd assumed that there would be guidelines as to composition of medicines. :redface2:

A nurse at my GP surgery. I guess that's what you call a Primary Care Physician in the States. I was lucky enough that my GP runs an anti-coagulation clinic. They have not long moved to the pin-prick method so now it's a 5 minute job. The computer tells them my new dose.

Don't worry about the INR levels either, they'll most likely go up and down like a yoyo for a bit until your body adjusts and the INR stabilizes. I had a mechanical valve (I don't know what u chose) fitted 2 years ago which means that I am on Warfarin for life. Even now a small change in diet...

My thoughts exactly, but then I get 6 months at full pay. I had my AVR in spring so I got to take a few summer months off. It's a pleasure doing your walks when the sun is out. :D In all honesty I was very tired for about a month after the operation. I don't think it helped that I was...

I'm in line for a CT scan as well. This year's cardio echo showed an increase in the size of my aneurysm. It has increased 0.5cm over the year to just over 5cm (the magic number). Some of the increase can be down to differences in where the radiographer places the cursor for measurement so a...