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After my first surgery, I went through weeks of night sweats and diarrhea. We finally concluded I had picked up C-diff in the hospital and treated it accordingly even though the lab results never confirmed it. I also developed an abscess in my incision due to an in-grown hair. Maybe that played...

There is no "safe" amount of time to be off your Coumadin. Now that you have an artificial valve, it's all about balancing risks. When I had my colonoscopy, I was instructed to go off my Coumadin for a few days before the procedure. In that case, I was trading a lower risk of internal...

About 2 years after my first surgery, I experienced a very slow heart rate (bradycardia). There was no headache involved but I would sometimes get intensely dizzy and have to lie down immediately for fear of passing out. One time, I was lying in bed watching TV when this occurred. I passed...

Paul, I had my ascending aorta repaired and my aortic valve replaced at age 41. I chose the bovine pericardial valve because I wanted to avoid warfarin. Eight years later (two years ago), the bovine valve was almost completely closed because of calcium buildup and was replaced with a...

The scar near your right shoulder is one of the places where the heart bypass machine was hooked up to you. I have the same scar. During bypass, the machine is hooked into your plumbing in two places. Since you were having surgery on your ascending aorta, the location in front of your...

Linda, My second incision was also made through the middle of the old scar tissue. It healed nicely and didn't make the existing scar any worse.

I agree with what others have said. The odds of dying during or after surgery are very, very low. I always figured I was in more danger as my heart was struggling to keep up in the weeks before my surgery. Keep monitoring your situation and when the doctors say it's time for surgery, move...

I still ride my bike but I no longer ride in traffic and I've never been into mountain biking. I'm also hesitant about getting up on tall ladders to work on the house. I don't worry much about cuts and scrapes. It's trauma, broken bones, head injuries and internal bleeding I'm trying to...

Elgato, I've travelled twice from Kansas to Cleveland for surgery. It can be done without too much trouble. You'll probably feel tired and weak so take advantage of all the assistance available getting through airports (wheelchair rides, pre-boarding, etc.). Allow extra time for your...

You're not being overly optimistic. In 2012, my surgery was on July 3rd, I was discharged from the hospital on July 9th and spent two more nights in the hotel before flying home. For my first surgery in 2004, the timing was about the same.

For both of my surgeries, I had an understanding with my surgeon. He was happy to take my preferences into account and would accommodate my wishes if practical. He also reserved the right to make the final decisions about valve choice during the procedure since he couldn't know all the...

It doesn't feel like palpitations. I can hear my mechanical valve best when I'm lying in bed at night. If it seems too loud, I try sleeping on my other side. It has never kept me awake or kept me from falling asleep. My wife can hear it but says she's happy so long as it keeps clicking...

Elgato, I received a bovine tissue valve at age 41. It lasted 8 years and failed over a one-year period. The echocardiograms showed it becoming rigid, narrow and calcified. By the time I had it replaced with a mechanical valve, the tissue valve was mostly closed. The symptoms of the failing...

It's normal to feel anxious about your health after experiencing something as dramatic as heart surgery. I know this from personal experience. I've been through it two times. In my opinion, you need to relax and stop worrying so much. If you're having trouble with anxiety, mention it to your...

Has your doctor ordered blood tests to make sure you're not anemic? Are you now taking metoprolol to slow down your heart rate. Either one of these things can make you feel tired.

An ear, nose and throat specialist might be able to identify a particular blood vessel that's causing the problems and it could be permanently cauterized.

Johnny, I've noticed my heart rate is much more consistent in the morning when I'm well-rested. I seem to have the greatest number of PVCs in the evening. I assume it's related to being tired. Your wife is right, we should both lose weight, avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol, and keep our...

Glad to hear things are looking up for you. You're over the hump now. You can add plenty of extra calories to your diet by drinking Ensure Plus. Not sure if it's available in the U.K. When I had jaw surgery many years ago and was limited to a liquid diet for eight weeks. I was losing weight...

Anne, I know this is stressing you out because it's your son we're talking about. I understand. I'm a dad to three kids. I'm confident that everything will turn out fine. Your son is young and will heal fast. In fact, you'll be amazed at how fast he bounces back (ahh, to be young and...

When I had my aortic valve replaced, my aorta had bulged to 4.5. The surgeon sewed a graft (fabric tube) inside my aorta and wrapped my native aorta back around it (to minimize scar adhesions I suppose).