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Hello- I had this done 14 months ago and feeling great now. I was back to work in a month part time for a few weeks and then went to full time again......Let me know if there is anything I can help you with.

8 weeks post op......My question is I still have a small amount of puss at one end of the incision on my chest. It builds up once a day and I have to pop it as gross as it sounds. Anyone else have that out there? Is this normal?

Hello I am almost 8 weeks post op for my St.Jude Mechanical Aortic Valve and have shortness of breath, mostly while outside in the cold weather here in Jersey. Does anyone know when this starts to go away? I know they cad to collapse a lung during my surgery and was wondering what are the...

8 weeks post op.....Does anyone know when the shortness of breath stops? Very much so in the cold weather.

Great article! Thank you! Yes I had the mini thoracotomy, but mine was not a reverse L shape. I is toward the right side of my chest that is horizontal and 2 ½ inches long.

Thank you all for your responses. It made me feel a little at ease since I’m not the only one that’s tired. I am feeling better and better every week. The evening is my major problem. I’ve always been a restless sleeper and now with this I toss and turn all night and irritate my insides it...

Thanks Steve. I couldnt find that much online about the recovery. Just cant wait to be off these beta blockers....which i think are making me tired. How long do you think until I feel back to normal again without any restrictions?

Thank you all. It's getting easier every day. Feeling much better, just tired towards the end of the day. Does anyone know the recovery time for the mini-thoracotomy? Can't seem to find it online anywhere. I did ask the surgeon but they are so brief.

Age 38 and Had surgery on January 13th and went Mechanical (St.Jude). Feeling great so far, just tired. Surgeon did the less invasive way with only a 3 inch incision in the center of my chest. Right now they have me on a BetaBlocker and Coumadin…..but hoping the Betablocker will stop...

Thank you guys for all of the advice and the encouragement.

Thanks Tom...Always nice...takes much more effort to frown than smile.

Hello all- I scheduled my Aortic Valve Surgery for January and would like to know if you guys have any tips to make the hospital stay that much better.

You guys are right....his group does 400 per year....their group is 4 people.

Nice....have never been

Thank you Neil

Yea....that's what my doc has told me.....we'll see. I told him what ever you have to do....do it! He recommended the St. Jude as well.....how is it that making out for you? And how old are you? I've been reading about the other mechanical (ON-X) and that uses less blood thinners....have you...

Thank you....I thought it was the right choice. Howell, NJ.....you?

Thanks for the support.....these forums are great for these issues. My question is.....is minimally invasive surgery considered Robitic? Or is that a stupid question? Just met with the surgeon yesterday and I forgot what he said.....he said it would be a 3 inch incision on the right side of...

Met with 2 surgeons and one wanted to do the minimally invasive surgery and the other opted for the traditional open heart surgery. I chose the minimally invasive….Younger surgeon says he does 400 a year and the other surgeon that wanted the traditional open heart was a tad older and I didn’t...

Thank you everyone for the support. Met with one of the two prospective surgeons last week and he said it’s time, the sooner the better. And being only 38yrs old he recommended the mechanical valve over the tissue valve. So hopefully the anxiety and all the what if’s will be over shortly...