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I am 1 year 5 months out from AVR surgery with an On-X mechanical valve and, up until last week, had pretty well zero issues. While on vacation I had been indulging a bit more than usual in alcohol ;) and particularly regular coffee. On a road trip to visit some friends the lady of the house...

After about 9-12 months on warfarin I have developed a rash on my forehead that comes and goes :(. I have not been able to pin down what makes it flare up e.g. no direct correlation to spinach intake :p. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. Doctor was not sure and gave me some...

Time flys when you are having fun :D - can't believe it has been a year. Thanks to all on the site who provided information and support before, during and after the surgery. Particular thanks to all those who provided information on home INR testing and demystified the dosing issue so that I...

Team, I have been running at a dose level of between 70-77mg/week for some 7 months since surgery on 22 Jan 2009. I home test weekly and have found that I seem to be quite sensitive to relatively small dose changes - 70mg seems too low as I trend down, and 77mg is too high as I trend up. I...

Not sure if this is the right place for this:confused:. I just received my Medic Alert bracelet with all the significant info on me: MECHANICAL AORTIC VALVE ANTICOAGULATED (Ross, you'll be glad they don't say "Blood Thinners'!:D) TYPE 2 DIABETES One more thing to scratch off on my "What can I do...

Well, The jury is finally in on insurance coverage paying for the machine and supplies - the answer is NO:mad:. So, will just have to claim it as a deductible medical expense on the 2009 tax return:). Regardless, I am very happy that I found out via VR.com that this was even possible and that...

It seems my wife has come up with a new way of evaluating my recovery progress by counting the number of Homer Simpson "d'oh"s that I let out in a day:D! She calls them "old man noises" that I make when getting in or out of the car, reaching for something, getting out of bed etc. It seems that...

Guys, Just a word of caution. I am into my 6th week post op but yesterday was the first visit to Costco since the surgery. I was designated cart pusher and thought nothing of it until today when I have developed some nagging chest muscle pain :eek: from directing the cart through traffic! I...

I had my first visit back with the Internalist that initially diagnosed my BAV and started the process to surgery and valve replacement. Originally my GP had referred me to him for a treadmill stress test, but he said "I always check before doing that, and in your case it was just as well...

I have noticed over the last few days that my resting heart rate when I get up in the morning has dropped from around 55 to 46 this morning - dropping about a couple of beats a day over the last few days. I have an appointment with my Internalist on Friday but just wondered if anyone else had...

Well, I saw my GP today and I shared the info that I had matched the lab a couple of times with my home tester:). I also fessed up that I had tweaked my warfarin dose myself when I was not in agreement with what they told me to do:eek:. Basically my Doc said "You are a smart guy. Now that you...

Team, The results from my Tuesday lab test came back at INR 2.2 - exactly the same as I got from my Coaguchek XS tested about an hour after the lab drew blood:D. Ross, I know this is a fluke:p, but it makes me feel good and will give me some ammunition with my Doc to trust the machine:). Next...

I am 3 weeks and 4 days out from surgery and am doing nothing during the day to stress my sternum:). I am sleeping on my sides at night and sometimes get the feeling that my sternum has popped or clicked a bit as I re-adjust my position:eek:. I have heard that this is normal, but I'd like to...

This is my scar 24 days after surgery:). My GP will be snipping off the top and bottom knot this week - hopefully the whole thing will not unravel:D! Cameron

I got my Coaguchek XS last night :) and had blood drawn at the lab this morning. I have been attempting to get a reading from the Coaguchek but don't seem to be able to get my blood to go where it needs to on the test strip:mad:. I have tried both direct placement in the test strip centre and...

I am feeling so much better being out of hospital :Dthat I am quickly becoming a bit forgetfull about taking my huggy pillow everywhere I go:o. How long did you humph him around with you, particularly in public? Cameron

Prior to my surgery I dropped off a bunch of information to my own GP about home INR testing. She seemed initially sceptical :( but on returning home I had a voicemail from her saying she was on board and that we would work it out once I got home:). I was just at her office today for my first...

To view your Shaw Photo Share, click the link below, or copy and paste it into your browser's address bar: http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view/13554760400-1234049824-19307/0 Be warrned, a couple of gory photos of the old valve that was cut out! Cameron

WORST 10. Seeing little wizened, shrunken, apple doll like figures cocooned in blankets on hospital beds being wheeled endlessly from test to test and wondering at Quality of Life issues! 9. Terminal "Bed Head". 8. Hospital gowns that appear to have been specifically designed to NOT fit any...

Howdy Folks, I finally made it home yesterday (surgery+15days) at 1:00pm, and boy does it feel nice:)! It has been a bit of a bumpy road with a urinary tract infection keeping me low and in the hospital for about a week to ten days:mad:, but last Tuesday the antibiotics kicked in and I have...