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Who else has retained pacing wires? I have some from 1982. I was told they left them in there in case I needed a pacemaker soon after. In that case, they could just make a small incision, and implant it. Rather than to cut me all the way open again. I know they are much simpler now. My wires are...

Today marks 25 years since my current St. Judes mechanical mitral valve was put in. It replaced my 11 1/2 year old Bjork Shiley valve, because I outgrew it. I was 2 years old when the Bjork Shiley was put in and 13 years old when I received this current valve. 25 years and going strong! I...

Hi everyone. I just wanted to give an update and see if anyone else has experienced anything similar. A little history: I had bacterial endocarditis in 1982 at the age of 2. Spent 58 days in the hospital and received a mechanical mitral valve. Had that valve replaced with an adult sized St. Jude...

Hi, Does anyone know if there is criteria we have to meet to be given a dose of IV Lasix in America? I want to go in and request IV Lasix tomorrow so I can feel better, but I also think maybe I should hold off so Mayo can see what shape I am in on Thursday.

really starting to lose faith in this hospital. We still don't have a surgery date. I met with the surgeon November 9th. He said he could do it the last week in November or the 1st or 2 nd week in December. Now they are saying January or February? They haven't physically seen me in over a month...

The surgery should be in 2 to 3 weeks. The surgeon predicts calcification on my 24 year old St. Judes mechanical mitral valve. Does anyone have similar stories of old mechanical valves becoming calcified? Someone on here said they have never heard of calcification on a St. Judes mechanical. I...

I would love to hear stories of people's third open heart surgeries. I know there are quite a few of you out there. I will be having my third this year. Still waiting on a date. We are guessing it will be early December. I would love to hear how your third OHS went. Thanks

Here is an update on my upcoming surgery. I've been pushing for surgery for several months, but the Dr. was not on board. My symptoms have been increasing rather quickly. I've been swollen with fluid for 2 months. I think I have had fluid for much longer, but it was finally at the point of being...

Sorry if this is the most asked question. I'm just looking for stories here. I'm ready to fire my cardiologist and find a new one. I feel it is time for valve replacement with a larger mechanical valve. I've finally been having symptoms for the past few months. I feel like my cardio and I are...

hi all, just stressing, looking for similar stories. My 25mm St. Judes artificial mitral valve is too small for me. I've had it for 24 years and It's been too small for several years. I just started showing symptoms a few months ago, so now it's all becoming too real for me. The shortness of...

Hi all, I am looking to hear some of your symptoms when waiting for heart surgery. I already have an artificial mitral valve that I've had for 35 years. My new cardiologist thinks I will need it replaced someday. I am in mitral stenosis and have diastolic dysfunction. My cardio has never...

Hi, I have a question about mitral stenosis. Does anyone know what the normal pressure gradient range is for a 25mm St Jude mitral valve? I cannot find anything online. If anyone has any insight, it is much appreciated. My mean pressure gradient was 10mmHg in 2014 and 2013. It was 8mmHg in 2006...

Hi all, I took a softball to the forehead in a coed softball game last night. I was in the outfield. The ball was hit, bounced in front of me, and got me in the forehead after the bounce. It stung, but nothing terrible. It has bruised, but not an unusually bad bruise. I am on Coumadin, and...

I'm a little late posting. April 23rd was 35 years since I got my first mechanical valve. I used it as an excuse to bake a cake and celebrate with my kids. It was a fun day. June 12th will be 15 years since my brain surgery, so I told the kids we would bake another cake.

I'm a little late posting. April 23rd was 35 years since I got my first mechanical valve. I used it as an excuse to bake a cake and celebrate with my kids. It was a fun day. June 12th will be 15 years since my brain surgery, so I told the kids we would bake another cake.

I have been on an anticoagulant since having an artificial mitral valve put in in 1982. My INR stayed pretty regular for over 20 years. In 2007, when pregnant with my son, my INR started to fluctuate a lot. It has been all over the map since then. I am thinking that 2007 was around the time they...

I have a question about these red spots that we get on our skin when on Coumadin. This is not normally something I worry about. I am not worrried not, but am curious about them. I have been on Coumadin for 32 years. In the last year or so, I have been developing more of these spots that tend to...

Has anyone ever had a hematoma from internal bleeding after a surgery? I bled internally after a C-Section 19 months ago. They opened my incision by hand and drained it, but I was still left with 2 hematomas. My incision was left open and I had to pack it twice a day until it healed. I had my...

Who else has had this? Have you had to do anything to correct it? Just wondering at what point symptoms warrant medical intervention.

Hi all, Had my yearly cardiology checkup last week. In the past couple of years my Dr. just started mentioning "the pressure gradient." I have never heard of this before. In past years, I've been told "everything looks great, come back in a year." But, I think it just started looking...