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Hi Brookwood, I got a tissue valve at 38, and it is true that they just don't last as long in younger people. Hard to know for sure with the new versions, but I was told to expect 10 - 12 years with mine (could be more, could be less). The main thing when considering a tissue valve at a younger...

Thanks everyone! I'm already feeling a little more myself - still tired, but not so out of it. Guess it was just a big shock. Thanks especially to Bonzo Dog for reminding me that people on this site have had much worse misdiagnoses in the opposite direction. When push comes to shove, I've been...

Nancy, Bina, Mary and Phyllis, Thanks for your kind words. I guess I just need to give it a little time and remember that I'm so blessed - to have a doctor who cared enough to call me repeatedly after hours to make sure I had the best possible chance and that this effort was ultimately not...

I spent Wednesday night in the hospital because my Dr. called me at 9pm with the message that my blood tests came back positive for an aggressive form of staph endocarditis and that I needed to get to the emergency room immediately. To make a long story short, the test results were the result of...

Hi Deana, Sorry to hear you're having trouble getting people to be more responsive about your mom. I had aortic aneurysm surgery two years ago and hope that I can give you some qualified reassurance. As mentioned above, the normal aneurysm size at which surgery is recommended is 5cm. My...

Hi Rick, Sorry you had a bad time at the Cleveland Clinic. I had my aortic surgery done there two years ago at age 38. While I truly believe I got the best care possible and my treatment while an inpatient was top notch, I admit that they can be somewhat lacking in the "soft skills" of making a...

Hi! I got a bovine valve at Cleveland Clinic at the age of 38 and was told to expect 10 - 12 years out of it (could be a few more or less, but that's the average at our age). Based on my reading, I'm confident that's a more accurate estimate to base your decision on than 5 years. That said...

Hi Betsy! So glad to hear your recovery continues to go well. You'll be skiing in no time! :) Kate

Hi Betsy, I don't have anything of substance to add - I didn't have this and don't know anything about it - but I'm sorry to hear you're having throat / voice / breathing troubles. It sounds very unpleasant. Maybe try some traditional soothing remedies like gargling with salt water or sucking on...

Hi Ross I don't know much about cysts, but this is from the Cedar Sinai sit on bicuspid valve disease - Signs of degenerative disease may exist in other blood vessels and organs. Examples of this are subclavian or renal artery aneurysms, cysts in the kidneys and liver, hiatal hernias and...

Hi Sailor, I just want to further stress that, regardless of what the echo says, if you are no longer able to run and that's an important quality of life issue for you, you can push to have your valve surgery done sooner. There are cardiologists who think it's better to postpone surgery as long...

It was interesting to note that the Stentless Porcine Valve has a Gradient about HALF that of the Bovine Pericardial Tissue Valve but still about 50% higher than for the On-X mechanical valve. Clearly the Stentless Porcine Tissue Valve would be the best Tissue Valve choice for EXERTION...

I'll agree with those posting above - mechanical vs. biological (or Ross, but that isn't really an option for you) is a decision that each individual must make with consideration to medical history and personal preferences. However, in my opinion, that is the primary choice that needs to be...

Hi Lorie, I'm sorry you are feeling frustated and scared. I truly understand how you feel. Two years ago, I was in the same boat - 4.8cm aneurysm at 5 foot 3, terrified, waiting for the Cleveland Clinic to get around to calling me back. Two things I want to share to hopefully make you feel a...

I'm nowhere near the runner you are (proud to run 5k at 12ish miles per hour) but had a similar experience related to my hobby, which is printmaking. I had surgery in September of 2005, was feeling pretty good by January and tried to dive back in to my art. Now, printmaking is a very physical...

Hi Karlynn, I know you specifically requested information from those outside the U.S., but I'd like to share my experience of our own healthcare system. Like you, I've felt very lucky over the past 13 years to have the kind of medical insurance that allowed me to go to the cardiologist for...

Dear Donnamarie, Valve choice can be very confusing - there are many considerations to take into account, and no one valve is best for everyone. I'd encourage you to go to the Valve Selection section of the forum and read through Tobagotwo's writings on valve choice (it's second from the top)...

Hi Susan, Cedars Sinai has a good discussion of the complex of characteristics that can go along with what they call Biscuspid Aortic Disease at this link - http://www.csmc.edu/3893.html The ones they mention include hiatal hernias, cysts of the liver and kidneys, poor eye sight and other...

Hello again! Glad to hear you're thinking of going to Cleveland. I'll be honest with you, it is a very busy place, and it can sometimes feel impersonal, especially in the early stages. However, once it got closer to the time of my surgery, I was completely impressed with the care I received and...

Hi! I'm also from Ohio (Athens) and had my aortic aneurysm and aortic valve replaced about two years ago at the Cleveland Clinic. Regardless of where you live in Ohio, I'd encourage you to go there for your son's heart evaluations, if at all possible. At this point, aortic valve replacements...