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    34 years old - Going tissue...

    Hello Neo - I see you live in TN. I'm wondering where you had your Surgery (Hospital and city) and Who was your surgeon? 'AL' in Alabama
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    Researching VALVULOPLASTY again

    Thank you all (Duffey, nngbwh, ottagal, Jkm7, Freddie) for the Kind Words and Welcome. They are appreciated. A nurse I know informed me that valvuloplasty is a 'mixed blessing' in that it can open up a narrowed valve but the down-side is that the closing is not as good and there can be...
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    Very scared!!!!!

    Glad to hear the good news about NOT having endocarditis. Since your Cardid DID find some Pannus Tissue Growth, I would encourage you to have regular EchoCardiograms (at least once per year, maybe even twice) to check for changes / further growth. IF / When the Pannus Tissue begins to...
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    Diagnosed BAV with mild to moderate regurg

    Welcome Aboard Mate ! For another opinion, I would recommend talking with a Surgeon who has lots of experience with Aortic Valves. IMO, Surgeons have more relevant experience and a better 'feel' for when to replace valves. I would also suggest asking about their experience with BAV and...
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    High Gradients with mechanical valve in the first year.

    Gradient measurements from Echocardiograms Gradient measurements from Echocardiograms I've been told by Doctors (Surgeon and Cardiologists) and Nurses that gradient measurements from Echocardiograms are Notoriously Inaccurate. The only GOOD way to measure gradients id directly which requires...
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    Researching VALVULOPLASTY again

    I'm looking for current / recent information on Valvuloplasty (especially for the Mitral Valve). I'm particularly interested in how the procedure is done, how well/how long it works, and WHO are the most experienced / successful practicioneers. Does anyone know of good / successful practioneers...
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    AVR questions

    Re: Talking with (a) Surgeon, remember that MANY (if not Most) Surgeons do NOT offer ALL Valve options, i.e. Surgeon Choice often amounts to Valve Choice. It would be wise to ASK what Valves each surgeon uses.
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    INR range for person on ACT because of a fib, all native valves

    The Risk of Clot formation rises rapidly for an INR below 2.0 so I agree that a Target Range of 2.0 to 3.0 sounds more appropriate but admit that I have not heard of a specific target range for AFIB patients only. I will try to remember to ask my Coumadin Clinic Nurse at my next appointment...
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    Mismanagement:or how to take charge of your dosing

    I'm wondering how she told you to take the 4X7.5 and 3X10? If you take 7.5,7.5,7.5,7.5 and then 10,10,10, I would expect to see some variation in INR depending on what day you test. To minimize the variation, it would be best to take them as follows 7.5, 10, 7.5, 10, 7.5, 10, 7.5 on S M T W T F S
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    Question about Warfarin (coumadin)

    You (and your mother) need to Know if her St. Jude Valve is Tissue or Mechanical. IF it is a mechanical valve, the Standard of Care requires Lifetime AntiCoagulation Treatment with Coumadin / Warfarin. Most Good Cardiologists should be able to treat her arrhythmias as a separate issue...
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    Newly Diagnosed: Is sooner better than later?

    Welcome aboard AL ! FYI, I'm a proponent of the "Sooner is Better" philosophy with regard to Aortic Stenosis. Aortic Stenosis is a progressive disorder that only gets worse with time so I see little benefit in waiting once you reach the 'magic numbers'. One of our 'Famous VR Expressions goes...
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    fluid accumulation /lasix

    I believe you are refering to FUROSEMIDE which is the Generic equivalent of LASIX, a well known diruetic used for Heart patients who have excess fluid retention.
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    Question about Warfarin

    As others have already said, if your mother's St. Jude Aortic Valve is Mechanical, she MUST stay on Coumadin / Warfarin for LIFE to minimize her risk of clot formation. It sounds like she is having PAC's or PVC's (premature atrial contractions or premature ventricular contractions) which is...
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    New to the forum - activity/symptoms questions

    My take on Symptoms is that Symptoms are a sign that DAMAGE is being / has been done to your Heart. Many athletes report "No Symptoms" before their surgery but realize they really did have symptoms after they get 'fixed'. Rather that relying on relative terms, you would be wise to get copies...
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    4.8cm aneurysm on ascending aorta questions

    The 'usual' (or at least most common) trigger for surgery to correct an aortic aneurysm is 5.0 cm (sometimes 5.5 in larger bodied patients). OTOH, for patients with BAV, some surgeons are recommending surgery sooner rather than later, partly because of the possibility of a connective tissue...
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    Excercise and irregular heart beats??? Any info please....

    Another possibility is Exercise Induced Atrial Fibrilation. Do you have a Stethoscope? You may want to Listen to your Heart Beat. Regularly Irregular (or premature contractions) are typically a sign of PAC's or PVC's which are usually considered to be benign (as indicated by the yawn on your...
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    Mismanagement:or how to take charge of your dosing

    IMO, That HMO Nurse should be reported to your Cardio, PCP, and whoever she works for for INCOMPETANCE.
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    This is not rocket science, but......

    The Opthalmologists at my Eye Center will perform Cataract Surgery on AntiCoagulated patients as long as their INR is under 3.0 ... NO PROBLEM!
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    INR range 2.0-4.0?

    GOOD GRIEF! When did your Doctor last attend an AntiCoagulation Continuing Education Class? His reaction is WAY Out of Date and DANGEROUS. Most of us on this forum would NEVER Hold a Dose for an INR under 5.0 (or 4.5 at the lowest).
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    On-X and Brand Loyalty

    Finally, the right questions are being asked. Some surgeons offer only One Mechanical and One Tissue Valve. Some Hospitals (CC, Mayo) put their Valve Business up for Competitive Bid and pick 2 of each type. So Yes, Choosing a Surgeon IS often tantamount to choosing the type of Valve you will...
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