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I've been taking Metoprolol ER 25 mg daily since my AVR 10 months ago primarily to keep my heart rate down. I've experienced no problems whatsoever with the drug. When I went to refill a couple of weeks ago, they gave me 50 mg tablets w/ instructions to cut them in half due to the pharmacy's...

Hi All..I'm fairly new to home testing and I've got a dosing question. My INR last Friday was 2.6. Today it was 4.1. My range is 2.5 - 3.5. I suspect the large increase was due to the fact that I was sick all week with a bad cold and didn't work out at all. Normally, I'm in the gym 5-6 days...

My 82 year old mother needs an aortic valve replacement due to severe aortic stenosis. The surgeons here in NH have deemed her high risk for surgery due to her age combined with some other medical issues and are reluctant to perform the surgery. We want to get a second opinion at Columbia in...

I'm new to home testing and I've been wanting to do it since my surgery 8 months ago. Anyway, the QAS trainer delivered my INRatio 2 yesterday. She gave me a 30 minute training session and then she was on her way. I was amazed at how easy the process is and also at how small the monitor is...

I applied to QAS on 1/20/09 for a home INR moniter and just heard yesterday, 1/29/09, that I was approved by my insurance company, Tufts Health Plan, with no out of pocket expense for me! I was absolutely thrilled because I thought I would have to go to battle with Tufts to get approval (also...

After going through AVR just 7 months ago, my soon to be 82 year old mother is facing the same surgery. Her cardiologist just told her that her aortic stenosis has moved into the severe category. The problem is that, at her age and with some significant health concerns, surgery would be...

It was six months ago today that I had my aortic valve replacement. I am overjoyed to be alive and feeling like a million bucks. It's been a long, difficult journey with several complications along the way but, let me tell you, it's all been well worth it. Thank you all for your support...

I am 4 1/2 months post-op and I'm feeling great. Pretty much back to the way I felt before surgery in terms of energy level and stamina (I was asymptomatic before surgery). My question is.....at what point should I expect to be feeling better than ever? My cardio told me that replacing my...

Got my brand new shiny St. Jude's valve on 6/18/08. Going to sleep at night was initially not a problem because the ticking sound of my valve was drowned out by the humming of the bedroom window fan or air conditioner; however, now that it's getting cooler out, there is no need for the fan or...

Probably a stupid question but....my AVR was 2 1/2 months ago and I received a St. Jude's mechanical. This week I am due for my annual pap smear. Is it necessary to pre-medicate with antibiotics prior to a pap smear procedure? I know I need to pre-medicate prior to dental work but there was...

Just received an email from Barbara's husband. He said that Barbara's surgery today was a success and that she received the tissue valve that she preferred. All is well and she is presently in the ICU at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston. A cardiac catheterization prior to the surgery...

For about a week now, I've been experiencing PACs. Feels like a really powerful heartbeat. Sometimes it occurs every other beat...sometimes every tenth or twentieth. I also can described it like hiccups of my heart. Anyway, my cardio surgeon says they're nothing to worry about and are...

Hi All, I haven't posted much since my 6/18/08 AVR (St. Jude's Mechanical) because it's been a tough recovery. I am now almost 6 weeks post surgery and finally starting to feel like my normal self. Before my surgery, I thought I would have an easy recovery since I'm relatively young (47)...

Had my aortic valve replaced with a St. Jude's mechanical on 6/18/08. Also had two coronary artery bypasses. I gained about 18 pounds in the hospital from fluids. Came home on 6/25/08 with about 7 pounds left to lose. I've been home 12 days and the extra weight still hasn't come off. Is...

Hi Everyone, I'm Robin...47 year old woman from NH. I was diagnosed with aortic stenosis about 9 years ago after the doctor's detected a heart murmur. At that point, it was still in the mild-moderate category. The docs think my AS is a result of chest radiation treatments I received when I...