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I had mitral valve repaired about 1.5 years ago. I had a bout of Afib that lasted about 12 hours (I didn't know that's what it was at the time, but I was wearing a monitor.) I don't remember any similar episodes...I've actually been very happy with my post surgery rhythm (I used to skip beats...

Mitral valve repair performed by Dr. Bolling at the University of Michigan one year ago today! My recovery was uneventful (in a good way). I had no obvious symptoms pre-surgery, so I can't really say that I'm feeling better than ever, but definitely back to normal. I no longer have panic...

Last year at this time, I brought my daughter to Florida for a week to visit my parents (they are snow birds, so they spend winters there). My surgery was coming up on Feb 28, so I was feeling a lot of anxiety and very "fragile" if that makes any sense. This year, we are back for our annual...

For any of you on Metoprolol or another beta blocker...what do you do if you accidentally miss a dose? Do you take it as soon as you realize you missed it? What if that would make you double up?

Had my first echo since my mitral valve was repaired. This morning I went to cardio appt to get the results. I've never been so nervous! (Do you know that beta blocker side effects can feel a little like pre-surgery symptoms?) Cardio says all results are NORMAL. I have never been normal in my...

I had a mitral valve repair performed in February and was very excited/anxious to have a 6 month echo done to see how the "remodeling" was going and to make sure the "trace" leakage post surgery wasn't becoming more significant. When I called to schedule my appointment, they said the...

I'm coming up on the 6 month anniversary of my mitral valve repair. I pretty much feel the same as I did before surgery (I was asymptomatic). The best thing is that now if I feel a little off, I don't go into panic mode because "it might be my heart". It is absolutely FABULOUS that I no...

When you can't even keep water down, what do you do about your meds? I'm currently only on aspirin and metoprolol.

I learned something new in rehab...thought I'd share. I was befuddled because I can pedal the elliptical for 30 minutes fairly easily, but I'm still getting short of breath on stairs. I've had a few people tell me, "I have that problem, and I didn't have heart surgery." But finally one of the...

My goal was to be able to walk in the annual 5K where I live. Since it was only 2.5 months after surgery, I wasn't sure it would happen this year. Today was the day, and I did it! I didn't make the time I was aiming for, but I think I was only about 3 minutes worse than last year. I guess...

I've heard/read that we should protect our scars from sun for the first year. I'm extremely light complected and burn easily, so I always wear heavy duty sun screen (SPF 50). Is that enough protection or do you actually have to wear clothing over it?

Per request in a different thread...here they are...hope it works! Edited to remove all of the worthless links...see post further down for pictures...

So this is where I am in my recovery/life 2 months post mitral valve repair surgery by mini sternotomy: - I still have some pain in my back at times. I may be more susceptible to this because of a fall I took a few years ago. Nothing was broken, but it still took about 6 months before it felt...

I am about 7 weeks post op after a mitral valve repair. I happen to have a stethoscope laying around and was feeling bored, so I thought I would listen to my "fixed" heart. I had severe regurg previously (for my whole life) so my heart didn't used to thump-thump...it would thump-woosh. I...

I walked a leisurely 5K today,and it got me wondering...Is it better to walk a long distance at an easy pace or a shorter walk a little faster?

I will be six weeks post op tomorrow, and I noticed today that my drain tube holes seem to have FINALLY closed up all the way. Does that seem like a long time? My sternum scar has been closed up since about 1.5 weeks I think. It's already starting to lighten up a bit (although it still looks...

I started cardiac rehab today. I did 14 minutes on a treadmill at 3.2 mph and a small incline followed by 14 minutes on ane elliptical machine. Both seem harder than walking outside, so I felt like it was a pretty good work out. My surgeon has been telling me things like..."go until you are...

After having surgery to repair my mitral valve on Feb 28, my surgeon told me today at my follow-up appointment that I'm fixed. I no longer have ANY restrictions. To my three year old daughter this means it is OK to give Mommy "flying hugs" where she runs at me with her arms stretched out like...

I'm at 3 weeks today and recovery is still going really well (I think). Walking up to 0.8 miles at a time and around 2 miles total per day now...although I went on a little yarn shopping spree this morning, so no big walks yet today. Generally, I do my big walk first thing in the morning, by...

Wow, what a difference a day makes! For about the past week, I've been feeling nearly the same...physically pretty good, minimal pain, breathing normal, walking regularly, but still not quite right in the head. I was having light-headedness that is most likely a combination of meds and...