Appointment with Dr. Ryan

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AgilityDog

AgilityDog

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
1,637
Location
North Texas
I just got in from my 6-month echo and visit with my cardiologist, Dr. E. He's concerned about my deteriorating systolic function. I didn't think to ask for numbers on my EF, but it has been dropping slowly.:(
I have an appointment 6/8/10 with Dr. William Ryan about replacing my aortic valve.
I love that Dr. E recommended him. I was going to suggest him because I know he's "the man" and loves the on-x valve, which is what I want to minimize turbulence in that position.

Ok, I'm nervous, but we knew this was coming. We had that one scare 18 months ago when my regurge got worse. I'm glad Dr. E is keeping such a close eye on me. And it doesn't hurt that Dr. Ryan is in the same office, now, does it????:thumbup::biggrin2:
Proves I hang out in good company, at least where doctors are concerned.
 
What? You didn't ask for a copy of your EchoCardiogram Report after all this time you've been a member of VR.com/org? :cool:))

You (should) know the drill:

Sign the Release of Medical Records to be released / sent to You for Personal Information / use.
The records office / person at the facility that conducted your Echocardiogram should have these forms.
HIPPA Law requires that medical providers allow patients to obtain copies of their records.

Yep, Dr. Ryan is a highly regarded Aorta / Aortic Valve Surgeon.

'AL Capshaw'
 
Nah, I was too busy making an apppointment! I got side tracked. Thirty lashes with wet noodle.

I'll get one when I see Dr. R.
 
Bad Laurie! Do we need to work on some positive reinforcement? :biggrin2:

Tass
(BTW, My cardigan won a 2nd, 3rd & 4th place in the Cardigan National's Photo Contest - Performance Category for our agility pictures!)
 
On my list for today is to call the office and get a copy. OK? Sorry, brain turned off upon looking at Dr. E's face. He just hates saying that "S" word: surgeon/surgery.

As for positive reinforcement, chocolate works. Or Pizza. or Fettucini Alfredo....

OOOOH Tass, congrats on the photo contest. That's pretty durned impressive. Little wigglebutt must be a good runner to get good action shots. Did you take pictures, or one of the pros who hang around the trials?
Furbrat managed some nice 270s last night in class, but we are still struggling with serpentines.
OH, and Tass, where are the photos??????? post, post.
 
Let's see if I can add a photo (home done, btw)

This is Odis:
 

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He's SO cute!!!!! And that's a great shot! I'm not that good a photographer, and Jet really won't work for other people, so I have to rely on third parties for her action shots.
 
ALCapshaw2 said:
What? You didn't ask for a copy of your EchoCardiogram Report after all this time you've been a member of VR.com/org? :cool:))

You (should) know the drill:

Sign the Release of Medical Records to be released / sent to You for Personal Information / use.
The records office / person at the facility that conducted your Echocardiogram should have these forms.
HIPPA Law requires that medical providers allow patients to obtain copies of their records.

Yep, Dr. Ryan is a highly regarded Aorta / Aortic Valve Surgeon.

'AL Capshaw'
Click to expand...

I just wanted to add some of the centers are now putting their request forms online in pdf form to print up. In case you won't be at the hospital Here is a link to all the request forms CHOP uses for an example http://www.chop.edu/about/hipaa-protecting-patient-privacy/obtaining-medical-records.html If you don't know if your hospital has them online you could search for "medical record forms" Thts how I found out CHOP had them

ps very cute dog
 
I was having serious problems during my surgery-Dr. Ryan stepped in and helped save my life.What more can I say about him? Good choice.
 
Oh, I left a phone message for Dr. E's staff on the echo report(s). They'll get back to me. They're really reliable. I know what it says, I just didn't get a copy 'cause I wasn't thinking.:eek:

That's comforting, Bill. Really. I feel I'm a high risk patient, given how my heart is held together with spit and bailing wire (aka scar tissue and a defibrillator), and the difficult time I had last go-round. Y'all are lucky you missed the blow by blow, 'cause I didn't find this site until afterwards, and only had about 3 days' notice for surgery.

I know I have a great team, but I'm still scared - and I don't even have a date set yet. Remember: been there, done that, nearly bought the farm, have a really good memory.
There's a chance of another 6 month reprieve, but I doubt it. You know, cardiologists like medications and surgeons like to cut.

When the cardio says to see a surgeon, you know you're gonna get cut.

2 weeks and counting till the meet and greet.
I'll give Dr. R. Bill and Marsha's regards.

I have got to get back to work - need the medical insurance!:biggrin2:
 
Got my echo results

Got my echo results

:confused:
In fact, I had them send me the last 4, for comparison.
It's interesting to see how the 2 different techs measured my innards and performance.

Tech 1 measured my EF on 5/24/10 at 40-45%, and 12 months earlier on 5/7/09 at 45-50%
Yet, between those dates, Tech 2 measured my EF on 7/20/09 and 11/23/09 at 60% WTF? Who's right and who's wrong? Please note there were only 2 months between 5/7/09 and 7/20/09 measurements - In May I was having issues with water retention then in June/July I was having low bp issues increased diuretics in May caused super low pb and subsequent change in bp med in July. In November and Now, my bp is fine. So how does that relate to changes in EF, if at all?

The other item of note is that most recently Tech 1 notes an increase in tricuspid regurgitation from mild-moderate 5/09 to moderate 5/10, while Tech 2 found the tricuspid regurgitation to be "trivial." Again WTF? and are we going to have to do anything about THAT valve?

Also Monday Tech 1 said I had A-fib. I dunno about that, I'll run my quarterly pacer report the first weekend in June and will get detailed confirmation or denial of that, prior to my appointment with Dr Ryan. I'm not feeling any a-fib, and I usually would, if it lasted any time at all. I feel the occasional pvc.

Bill (buncle) suggested I might be a candidate for a trans-cath valve. It's something I'll bring up, but I thought that was only approved for stenosis, not insufficiency, and then only in the frailest of patients.

Somehow, I'm betting there's another TEE in the offing to get more info.
 
Laurie:

See if Dr. Ryan has done AVRs with MIS incisions. I know he does the MV repairs with thoracotomy incisions; that's how he did John's. He told me that he could do a thoracotomy on me if I ever need a revision, even though I've already had a sternotomy. But I'm not sure if the AV is any different.
 
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