Recent content by HeartDawg

Hey, Agian ... I get that ... however insurance companies LOVE making money ... and if it looks likely (See the part about "don't sweat life expectancy") that the heart won't be the end of us (Ben Stiller put us through the Riskmaster 3000 in Along Came Polly), then you'd think insurance...

I'm with ski girl. On the upside, because i tick away at pretty darn close to 60 beats per minute, I am really good at telling time.

I've browsed the discussions here and elsewhere regarding life insurance post surgery. Here I sit ... tick, tick, ticking away ... now nearly seven years post valve replacement. Aside from hair loss, some bad ankles and a tad too many of those bavarian cream filled donuts in my belly ... I'm...

Thanks! I've had some tea in my day, but don't recall having any TEE! I'm looking forward to seeing what the Mayo folks say. I think the information (not all my detailed charts) ... just my summary ... were walked down that way today.

Thanks, Bina Thanks, Bina Oh, LOTS of experience! I believe the current cardiologist said my sort of leakage happened to about 1-1.5% of the valve recipients; which he said is likely due to a misshapen aorta. It just remains very unclear to me why the cardiologist just after surgery...

Thanks! Thanks! Thanks for all the advice! I'm going to go ahead with the Option M(ayo). I was sort of hoping somebody could explain why noted heart surgeon and Hospital B claimed that the leakage seen in 2007 was perfectly expected! That one really troubles me!

So, three years out, I am told that I have a significant (I think the words used were "very large") paraprosthetic leak around my St. Jude's Regent valve. Now for some quick background to lead up to my questions/concerns: I was diagnosed in 1994 with a bicuspid aortic valve. I had annual...

I like the advice given frequently here: much easier to replace blood cells than brain cells. I'm three years out of valve replacement surgery, and I've never seen anything recommended BUT the 2-3 range (well, my surgeon originally declared 2.5-3.5 ... but that's it.) I've banged myself, cut...

Hey, Laura! Feeling scared? Of course you are! Geez, I was so glad my surgery happened a couple short weeks after the decision was made to cut me open, because those two weeks were darn crummy. Really ... much, much, much worse than the weeks after the surgery! And ... I remember when the...

Wow! It's been a year (well, in two more days). I thought I'd check in and give a little report on the progress, which is all very positive. Prior to surgery I had become a 235 lb. fella (6'3"), with poor eating habits and little physical exercise. Yea, I could blame it all on a bad ticker, and...

Straight Sleep Meds Straight Sleep Meds Of course, being the problem is sleeping I figured I would go check out straight sleep meds. The pharmacist said I was just fine using Diphenhydramine HCI ... so I got that.

OK ... I've been taking Tylenol PM the last couple nights ... somewhat for a headache, but also for helping with sleep. I've read a few of the posts related to use of Tylenol. It sounds like the general concensus is Tylenol ... in moderation ... shouldn't pose a problem (even though my INR...

I'm on my way ... I'm on my way ... I'm going through QAS and they have been very responsive. Thanks for the info.

Tom's gettin' on board Tom's gettin' on board OK ... I got the ball rolling on ordering the home testing monitor today. It seems like anyone who is really cool is doing it, so figured I'd better join the group. -I checked with my INR clinic and they were all for me doing this. -I'm anti...

Wow Wow So how typical is that sort of erratic INR?