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Not to freak you out, but I had a bad experience with my TEE. I was 24 at the time, and they gave me Versed (which is the usual "twilight" drug I'm told). Well, I remembered a lot of it. I ended up trying to pull the probe out because I kept feeling like I was going to vomit. Apparently I ended...

No one can understand *exactly* how you feel, but we sure can relate! I was 24 when I had my surgery, and I'm 29 now. It was so strange to be walking around the cardiac ward after my surgery, all these older gentlemen there and here I am this young gal! Believe it or not, at 4 years out I...

Thanks for the birthday wishes!! :) It will probably be the most memorable birthday....I ended up quitting my job! It was not a very good situation and I'm happy to be out of there. But I'm a bit nervous for the future, it's not the best economy to try and find a job. But something will work...

My biggest problem with metropolol was insomnia! I would take it at night (that was the only way I could remember it consistently) and would fall right asleep. I would *always* wake up at 1-2 a.m. and stare at the clock or get up for a couple hours. I went on this way for 3 years!! I finally...

I'm four years out from my mitral valve repair and doing great! I ran in a 5k last month with no problems, and my cardiologist gave me the go-ahead to have children if I want. I had some complications from my surgery, but after that was all resolved I still had some episodes of chest pain and...

I had written up a nice response and then the internet swallowed it up! Darnit! I had chosen the sternectomy since the surgery involved the inside of my heart, and it just made me feel better to know that the surgeon had full access to my heart. My scar is only about 3 inches long, so even...

Hi Sparklette7! I've had two heart surgeries...one was OHS through my sternum and the other was a minimally invasive pericardectomy 2 months later. I can tell you from my experience the bone pain from the sternum hurt less than the intercostal muscle pain from them going through my side. I...

No hard feelings...it's hard to convey teasing through the computer screen. :) Hope you are feeling better!

I had endocarditis a few years ago and it took my doctors 6 months to diagnose it. I am a veterinarian myself and am sad that you think we are useless...we aren't nearly as dumb as that practice nurse you went to. ;)

Hi! Welcome to VR.com! You'll find lots of great info. It's nice to see a fellow Buckeye on here! :) I live in Portsmouth, OH now but had my surgery 2 years ago when I lived in Columbus. I also had endocarditis so I understand what you are going through with that. Keep us updated on your...

When I got a new driver's license last year, I said I'd donate everything but my heart and heart valves. I wasn't sure if any of that would be useful since it's been cut up and what not. Does anyone know for sure?

I had my mitral repair with an annuloplasty ring almost 2 years ago. My valve is now stenotic and I'm facing a valve replacement in the future. I'm not sure when exactly, I not symptomatic enough for them to recommend it even though I feel horrible all the time. *sigh* I don't think my...

Hey everyone, Thanks for all the replies!! I think I just don't feel like I belong because I didn't have a valve replacement, only a repair. And it's very silly, I know, but I can't help how I feel! I still have a bit of that "nerdy girl in high school who didn't fit in" syndrome in life. I...

Hey everyone, I'm a bit hesitant to post a question because I don't seem to get much response to them. I don't know if this is because no one can truly relate to my questions, or if I am just being overly sensitive because I don't feel like I belong here. I really have nowhere else to turn, so...

Both my parents smoked. My mother did while she was pregnant and still does. My dad smoked til he died from a heart attack at 56 this past summer.

I had mitral valve repair a year and a half ago and it's starting to fail. It was slightly stenotic after surgery and it's gotten worse. Symptoms were tachycardia, shortness of breath and chest pain. I found this out via echo this past Thursday. I'm back on my beta blockers and the cardiologists...

Hey everyone! I've been having weird chest pain that I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced. I had OHS in May 2005, then a pericardial window surgery through my side in July 2005. Since then I've had weird episodes of chest pain that last about a week that I haven't been able to figure...

My eyes are a very dark brown. I started getting ocular migraines about the time I started having endocarditis symptoms. It was pretty scary, I thought at first I was going to have a seizure! I get the zig zags and my peripheral vision gets fuzzy. I don't have any pain though. I seem to get them...

I have no idea what caused my endocarditis. I hadn't been to the dentist in about five years when I developed it. (Bad Liza!) But the only significant change in my lifestyle was that I started flossing my teeth more regularly. My gums always bled, so could I have gotten BE that way? That's my...

My dad died Saturday. He had a heart attack on June 27 and spent two and a half weeks in the ICU fighting ARDS before his kidneys failed and his heart just finally stopped. He was only 56. This happened just over a year after my own heart problems. How much more stress can my family take?? Life...