Recent content by New Guy

Puckparent, I live in Chicago area and went to Mayo for my AVR. Now I have 2 Cardios, my guy here and my guy there. I have benefited from that experience because both have helped me a great deal. Mayo is only a 5 hour drive and I've been there 3 times. Once for my initial consult, once for the...

Congratulations, you did it! Now be pateint and don't try to go too fast.

Do you have any other scars? Mine doesn't bother me but I don't wear shirts where it can be seen. Hope the laser surgery can help but if not it's still all good!

Thanks Scott, I'd recommend Jul 27th to anyone needing the surgery too. I'd also like to know how loud Dick's ol ball 'n cage is too. I just hope mine lasts so long. I can hear my valve sometimes and my kids can always hear it but no stranger has asked me if I have a loud watch yet. Still...

I just hope the promises on-x has made are true. If so I will continue to disregard the fact that my on-x is too loud and be glad I forced my surgeon to use it for me against the hospitals policy (Mayo Clinic. They use the St Jude Masters series and the newer St Judes model. My surgeon is head...

MikeD, Think of it this way, You're alive now because they saved your life so many years ago and now you have a new problem and you may need a good surgeon in future. A surgeon with experience who won't be stumped by what he may find inside a person with your history. The big clinics will...

Paul, I had my aortic valve replaced at Mayo last July. They do a lot of these type surgeries and the whole team from surgeons to nurses to administration was excellent in my opinion. When I had questions before and after the surgery my cardio would call me that day and my surgeon would reply...

Add me to the AVR due to radiation club. I was 25 in 1986 when I was treated for stage II Hodgkins lymphoma. I was fortunate to be treated at Stanford University where they specialized in using the minimum amount of radiation possible at the time, and they also shielded the lungs, joints and...

Chuck. Thank you for the reminder. I had forgotten how serious endocarditis is and am glad to learn from your experience. I made my wife read your post to save me from myself in the event I ever have this malady. I hope you're well now.

I might be afraid to try it again. It's been many years but I seem to recall it can elevate the heart rate. I'm off caffeine for that reason and don't want to encourage my afib to return. Anyone seen that response?

I had afib twice during the weeks that followed AVR. First time I was cardioverted successfully, but it returned a few days later and I was put on Multaq for 6 months. Off it now for 4 months and my heart has been very steady with no afib.

Jason, I had a heart rate to low problem too at about your point in recovery. I was taking 25mg metoprolol twice a day and it was reduced several times to my current dosage 12.5mg extended release per day. For me it seemed that as I recovered and got stronger and began to exercise my heart rate...

Littleman, I am sorry to hear about your sons health problems. I too had terrible headaches after surgery. Mine lasted about 1 month before going away for good. I had about 2 per day for a couple weeks and then they went to 1 per day for about 2 weeks more. I didn't take any pain meds but found...

littleman, I'm sorry to hear about your young son and his problems. I had terrible headaches for about a month after surgery. They came about twice a day for a few weeks and less after that. They ended totally after about a month. I didn't take any pain relief but caffeine helped a lot until I...

Steve, I know you've heard this before but not from me...It will just continue to get better. I'm 10 months post-op now and this past month I just realized I feel better now than I did at 6 months post-op. At that time I felt fine and strong but I was always consciously aware I'd had heart...